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Bioluminescence in the deep sea: free-fall lander observations in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Verde

Bioluminescence in the deep sea: free-fall lander observations in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Verde
Bioluminescence in the deep sea: free-fall lander observations in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Verde
A novel autonomous free-fall lander vehicle, with a capability down to 6000 m, was deployed off Cape Verde for studies on bioluminescence in the deep sea. The system was equipped with a high-sensitivity Intensified Silicon Intensified Target (ISIT) video camera, a programmable control-recording unit and an acoustic current meter with depth and temperature sensors. The ISIT lander was used in three modes: (1) free falling at 34 m min-1, with the camera looking downwards at a mesh screen, recording impacts of luminescent organisms to obtain a vertical profile down to the abyssal sea floor, sampling at >100 l s-1; (2) rotating, with the lander on the sea floor and the camera orienting to the bottom current using a servo-controlled turntable, impacts of luminescent organisms carried by the bottom current onto a mesh screen mounted 0.5 m in front of the camera were recorded to estimate abundance in the benthic boundary layer; (3) baited, with the camera focused on a bait placed on the sea floor.
Profiles recorded abundance of luminescent organisms as 26.7 m-3 at 500–999 m depth, decreasing to 1.6 m-3 at 2000–2499 m and 0.5 m-3 between 2500 m and the sea floor at 4046 m, with no further detectable significant change with depth. Rotator measurements at a 0.5 m height above the sea floor gave a mean abundance of 0.47 m-3 in the benthic boundary layer at 4046 m and of 2.04 m-3 at 3200 m. Thirty five minutes after the bait was placed on the sea floor at 3200 m, bioluminescent fauna apparently arrived at the bait and produced luminescent displays at a rate of 2 min-1. Moving, flashing light sources were observed and luminescent material was released into the bottom current.
bioluminescence, abyssal plain, bathypelagic, profiler, camera, food falls, scavengers
0967-0637
1272-1283
Priede, I.G.
b47c14e5-fac9-406e-9b81-4e55fbeb5b8f
Bagley, P.M.
54760b3f-5dfc-4f1b-900a-7f1f60773c69
Way, S.
29b8b48e-8e46-462e-a497-f37bcb608f31
Herring, P.J.
1721d764-adb4-41af-8e62-43a7e1b9c291
Partridge, J.C.
313079c1-40a7-407f-97f3-0a3af8e0db31
Priede, I.G.
b47c14e5-fac9-406e-9b81-4e55fbeb5b8f
Bagley, P.M.
54760b3f-5dfc-4f1b-900a-7f1f60773c69
Way, S.
29b8b48e-8e46-462e-a497-f37bcb608f31
Herring, P.J.
1721d764-adb4-41af-8e62-43a7e1b9c291
Partridge, J.C.
313079c1-40a7-407f-97f3-0a3af8e0db31

Priede, I.G., Bagley, P.M., Way, S., Herring, P.J. and Partridge, J.C. (2006) Bioluminescence in the deep sea: free-fall lander observations in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Verde. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 53 (7), 1272-1283. (doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2006.05.004).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A novel autonomous free-fall lander vehicle, with a capability down to 6000 m, was deployed off Cape Verde for studies on bioluminescence in the deep sea. The system was equipped with a high-sensitivity Intensified Silicon Intensified Target (ISIT) video camera, a programmable control-recording unit and an acoustic current meter with depth and temperature sensors. The ISIT lander was used in three modes: (1) free falling at 34 m min-1, with the camera looking downwards at a mesh screen, recording impacts of luminescent organisms to obtain a vertical profile down to the abyssal sea floor, sampling at >100 l s-1; (2) rotating, with the lander on the sea floor and the camera orienting to the bottom current using a servo-controlled turntable, impacts of luminescent organisms carried by the bottom current onto a mesh screen mounted 0.5 m in front of the camera were recorded to estimate abundance in the benthic boundary layer; (3) baited, with the camera focused on a bait placed on the sea floor.
Profiles recorded abundance of luminescent organisms as 26.7 m-3 at 500–999 m depth, decreasing to 1.6 m-3 at 2000–2499 m and 0.5 m-3 between 2500 m and the sea floor at 4046 m, with no further detectable significant change with depth. Rotator measurements at a 0.5 m height above the sea floor gave a mean abundance of 0.47 m-3 in the benthic boundary layer at 4046 m and of 2.04 m-3 at 3200 m. Thirty five minutes after the bait was placed on the sea floor at 3200 m, bioluminescent fauna apparently arrived at the bait and produced luminescent displays at a rate of 2 min-1. Moving, flashing light sources were observed and luminescent material was released into the bottom current.

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More information

Published date: 2006
Keywords: bioluminescence, abyssal plain, bathypelagic, profiler, camera, food falls, scavengers

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 41468
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/41468
ISSN: 0967-0637
PURE UUID: 07252902-a5b5-4ffe-8ca5-2b43c45f4a04

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Date deposited: 11 Sep 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 08:29

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Contributors

Author: I.G. Priede
Author: P.M. Bagley
Author: S. Way
Author: P.J. Herring
Author: J.C. Partridge

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