Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Surprisingly large amounts of discarded trash end up in the...

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:50:16 -0700

Surprisingly large amounts of discarded trash end up in the ocean. Plastic bags, aluminum cans, and fishing debris not only clutter our beaches, but accumulate in open-ocean areas such as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Now, a paper by researchers at MBARI shows that trash is also accumulating in the deep sea, particularly in Monterey Canyon.

Read the full story http://www.mbari.org/news/news_releases/2013/deep-debris/deep-debris-release.html

When first seen on the seafloor at nearly 200 m depth (640...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:25:05 -0800

When first seen on the seafloor at nearly 200 m depth (640 ft.) recently, this little crab looked just like a rock covered in sponges. Then it started walking… Because it is so camouflaged we can’t determine it’s identify for sure, but our video annotation experts think it is probably the masking crab, Loxorhynchus crispatus.

Salps are gelatinous animals that live in the open ocean, but...

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:15:08 -0800

Salps are gelatinous animals that live in the open ocean, but are closely related to the “sea squirts” (tunicates) seen in tidepools. Colonial salps such as this one in the genus Heliosalpa often form long chains, with new animals budding off from others in the chain. By rhythmically contracting their bodies, salps propel themselves through the water and pump water through their guts, filtering out microscopic algae and other tiny organisms for food. This allows them to swim and eat at the same time. With such a simple feeding strategy, salps can multiply very rapidly when they have plenty of food. Most salps are found within 100 meters of the sea surface, where there is enough sunlight for algae to grow. Along the Central California coast, salps are typically seen in fall, when warm, open-ocean water flows toward shore.

This squid, Taonis borealis, is one of the many interesting...

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:57:10 -0800

This squid, Taonis borealis, is one of the many interesting deep-sea organisms MBARI’s Midwater Ecology group observed on their research expedition in October 2012. You can learn more about their research and see more of the interesting animals they found by reading the group’s cruise logs.

MBARI researcher Rob Sherlock took this photograph of a very...

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:47:40 -0800

MBARI researcher Rob Sherlock took this photograph of a very large iceberg in the Weddell Sea (designated A-52), which was about 5 kilometers (3 miles) wide and 21 kilometers (12 miles) long. Because of rising temperatures, an increasing number of icebergs have been breaking off from Antarctic glaciers and ice sheets to drift around the Southern Ocean. In December 2005, Sherlock and several other MBARI biologists joined anexpedition headed by biologist Ken Smith to study how these drifting icebergs affect the distribution of marine animals and algae in Antarctic waters. For more on MBARI’s research in the Antarctic http://www.mbari.org/news/news_releases/2011/icebergs/icebergs-dsr-release.html

MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle photographed this...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:36:36 -0800

MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle photographed this “flytrap anemone” about 1,900 meters (6,200 feet) below the sea surface during a dive on Davidson Seamount. Marine biologists have not been able to determine the exact genus or species of this animal, but they have placed it in the family Hormathiidae. We often see flytrap anemones up to 30 cm (one foot) across growing on exposed rock outcrops on seamounts and deep sea ridges, where currents are relatively strong. Although some scientists have suggested that flytrap anemones eat bits of debris carried on the ocean currents, their body shape suggests that they feed on small animals, such as shrimp, that happen to swim by. Flytrap anemones were recently discovered to release bioluminescent slime when disturbed.

In this video we describe a new species of carnivorous sponge,...

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:15:00 -0800

In this video we describe a new species of carnivorous sponge, Chondrocladia lyra from the deep-sea off California. C. lyra is called the harp sponge because its basic structure, called a vane, is shaped like a harp or lyre. Each vane consists of a horizontal branch supporting several parallel, vertical branches.

In 2011-2012, a research team led by Ken Smith traveled to the...

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:10:35 -0700

In 2011-2012, a research team led by Ken Smith traveled to the area of the western North Atlantic known as the Sargasso Sea to study the effects of climate variation on surface Sargassum and deep-sea ecosystems. In this sample, feathery hydroids are interspersed with the fronds and floats of Sargassum seaweed. Today the team embarks on their last cruise in the Sargasso Sea on R/V Walton Smith, the Rosenstiel School at University of Miami’s primary research vessel. To read more about the research Smith’s group conducted in the Sargasso sea, see these cruise logs from the previous expedition: http://www.mbari.org/expeditions/Sargasso3/index.htm. Photo: Debbie Nail Meyer

montereybayaquarium: The sort-of gross diet of the “vampire...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:08:50 -0700

montereybayaquarium:

The sort-of gross diet of the “vampire squid from hell”

Our colleagues at MBARI – the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute – have been sharing videos and stories about the vampire squid for years. We in turn have been sharing them with visitors during our daily Mysteries of the Deep auditorium program.

Now MBARI researchers have solved the mystery of what these unusual deep-sea animals eat. It’s a fascinating tale, with a high gross-out factor – if you’re easily grossed out by animals that eat corpses, feces and mucus.

Turns out that the vampire squid, an ancient animal with characteristics of both squids and octopus, lives in a low-oxygen zone where living prey is scarce. But there’s an abundance of marine snow raining down, consisting largely of poop, dead bodies and mucus discarded by other ocean life.

So, unlike all other known cephalopod species, it hangs out, waiting for this manna to sink down, where it traps the goodies on filament-like tentacles, wraps them in mucus and gobbles it up.

This despite a Latin name (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) that translates as “vampire squid from hell.”

You’ll find much more in the video, on the MBARI website, and in this article from Discovery News.

Not as charming as the cast of Twilight, perhaps. But a mystery of the deep – solved.

This video shows never-before seen footage of a deep-sea angler...

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 08:18:16 -0700

This video shows never-before seen footage of a deep-sea angler fish, Chaunacops coloratus. In it, we summarize recent work by scientists at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The video seen here was recorded by MBARI’s ROV Doc Ricketts at depths of 7,800 - 10,800 feet below the ocean’s surface.

MBARI engineers perform tests on the environmental sample...

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:15:14 -0700

MBARI engineers perform tests on the environmental sample processor (ESP) before sealing it inside its pressure housing. The ESP automatically collects water samples and can process them in a variety of ways, such as identifying the microorganisms contained in the water samples. The researchers tested the ESP inside of a refrigerated van to make sure that it would work in temperatures similar to those found in the deep sea (within a few degrees of freezing). Photo: Todd Walsh © 2009 MBARI

About 2,400 meters (a mile and a half) below the surface of...

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:28:31 -0700

About 2,400 meters (a mile and a half) below the surface of Monterey Bay, this “sea lily” clings to the wall of Monterey Canyon. Marine biologists call this animal a “stalked crinoid.” Crinoids are relatives of sea stars and sea urchins that live by capturing tiny food particles that drift by on ocean currents. The stalk on this crinoid keeps it up above the muddy seafloor, where the currents are slightly stronger. Like many sea stars, this stalked crinoid has five-fold symmetry, and a mouth located at the center of its feathery arms.

For ever since I could remember I've been fasinated with science, espeically in the study of marine life. I've wanted to be a marine biologist since I was a little girl. I've always loved the water, and the creatures that live within the depths. I am now a junior in high school, and just recently, I told myself that I am completely dedicated to persude a job as an aquarist. Can I have some advice on what to do in high school and college to make this dream a reality?

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:21:00 -0700

Hi!

To help make your dream a reality, try and stay flexible with your career goals. The jobs and job qualifications are changing rapidly, so our advice would be to take a variety of classes and to take advantage of any opportunities that you can find to get some experience. Being an Aquarist is different from being a Marine Biologist. An Aquarist could be fresh or salt water, could work in the field, in an aquarium, or in a pet store. If you are working in an aquarium, this position is usually called Husbandry or Research and Development. The field of Marine Biology is a huge field with many different specialties. In general, we would recommend that you take English classes (all the information we gather is useless if we cannot share it with others) and some sort of computer programming class. The actual programming language isn’t that important, but it is important to learn the basics of programming, as so much of what we do now relies on computers.

Here are a couple more websites with some more information on careers in the marine sciences.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

George Matsumoto, PhD

http://www.mbari.org/education/careers/careers.html

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/kids_place/kidseq_careers_explore.aspx

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are robot submarines that...

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 11:57:25 -0700

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are robot submarines that are programmed at the surface, then released to follow a specific path underwater, collecting data as they go. MBARI’s scientists use AUVs to study ocean currents, detect blooms of marine algae, and map the seafloor. This photograph shows a bright yellow AUV approaching part of a prototype docking station in the MBARI test tank.

MBARI staff, scientists, and engineers will share their...

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:55:44 -0700

MBARI staff, scientists, and engineers will share their knowledge and enthusiasm about oceanographic research at our annual Open House this Saturday, July 21, 2012 from noon to 5 p.m. in Moss Landing, California. Highlights include science exhibits, technology demonstrations, deep-sea videos, presentations, robotic submersibles, and children’s activities. This free event is fun for the whole family! For more information, visit www.mbari.org/about/openhouse.html

Lithodid crabs, small red shrimp (Pandalopsis sp.), bubblegum...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:04:09 -0700

Lithodid crabs, small red shrimp (Pandalopsis sp.), bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea), yellow sponge (Staurocalyptus sp.), and a white branching finger sponge (Asbestopluma sp.).

In July 2012, MBARI engineers deployed the power buoy designed...

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:44:23 -0700

In July 2012, MBARI engineers deployed the power buoy designed to harness the power of the ocean waves. The buoy is 2.5 meters (8 feet) across and a massive metal plate is hanging in the water below the buoy. While the buoy rises and falls with the waves, the plate, 30 meters (100 feet) down, remains relatively stationary. Between them is a large hydraulic cylinder with a piston inside. As the buoy rises and falls, it pushes and pulls on this piston. This forces hydraulic fluid through a hydraulic motor, which in turn runs an electrical generator. Read more about it on our website.

Monterey Canyon is one of the deepest submarine canyons on the...

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 08:46:00 -0700

Monterey Canyon is one of the deepest submarine canyons on the west coast of the United States. The canyon head lies just offshore of Moss Landing on the Central California coast. From there the main channel meanders over 400 kilometers seaward to a depth of more than 4,000 meters on the abyssal plain. Repeated mapping in certain areas of the canyon have shown that the terrain changes substantially every few months due to large sediment-transport events involving both debris flows and turbidity currents. If the water drained from Monterey Bay, the newly revealed terrain would be stunning, with cliffs, gorges, valleys, and spires matching the scenery found in some of our most beautiful national parks. Learn more about the canyon’s stunning topography and marine life at http://goo.gl/EgkN7

Siphonophores like Apolemia are deep-sea predators—lying in wait...

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:17:00 -0700

Siphonophores like Apolemia are deep-sea predators—lying in wait for unfortunate animals to blunder into their curtain of stinging cells. Their diet can include tiny crustaceans such as copepods, fish, and even other siphonophores. Although many siphonophores eat whatever they can catch, others are specialists. Some use lures to attract specific prey. Others deploy their tentacles in elaborate feeding shapes such as coils.

This photograph shows the manipulator arm on one of...

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:17:10 -0700

This photograph shows the manipulator arm on one of MBARI’s remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) holding what looks like a chocolate brownie with a strange, spiky frosting. This is actually a chunk of basalt, a common type of volcanic rock, which MBARI geologists collected from the Endeavor segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, 7,300 feet below the ocean surface and 180 miles off the coast of Washington state. This rock may have been part of a hardened lava crust on a pool of molten lava created by an underwater volcanic eruption. At some point the molten lava drained out of the pool, leaving the hardened crust behind. The lava spikes on this rock probably formed on the underside of the crust (pointing downward), as the last remnants of the molten lava dripped down from the ceiling of the pool and solidified in the near freezing water of the deep sea.