A NOAA funded team of scientists and students from the
University of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Coral Reef
Institute (CCRI), in collaboration with the University of North Carolina Wilmington, have found thriving Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) within a 12 mile span off the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico.
MCEs are light-dependent coral communities (and
associated communities of algal, sponge and fish species) that occur in depths of 30-100 meters. The scientists are primarily using remotely-operated vehicles (ROV), mixed gas, and rebreather technologies. The goals of the research are to characterize distribution, composition, productivity and susceptibility to stressors.
Mesophotic reefs may serve as potential sources to reseed
or replenish degraded shallow-water reefs. They may also serve as essential fish
habitat for important species. More information on the survey can be found at:
http://ccri.uprm.edu/media/Mesophotic_Web_page/index_dcres.html
