The 9ISDSC will begin on Monday 2 November at 9.00 a.m. with a lecture by expert Asako K. Matsumoto, from the Chiba Institute of Technology (Japan), on new species of deep-sea corals in the Indian Ocean and the Timor Passage. Taking a multidisciplinary and cross-cutting approach, the 9ISDSC will gather more than 250 participants from the fields of science — spanning various disciplines — art and the general public to raise awareness of these highly fragile and little-known ecosystems and to highlight the importance of their conservation. There will also be presentations on the diversity and distribution of deep-sea corals, the environmental factors determining their distribution, their biology and ecology, and their conservation. In addition, the latest research findings on deep-sea corals from across the globe — from polar to tropical ecosystems — will be presented, with a particular focus on the ecological status of these ecosystems in the Mediterranean.
“In just a few years, we have gone from thinking that deep-sea corals were isolated pockets in the Mediterranean to discovering that they are almost ubiquitous. They can be found, for example, along the Catalan continental shelf and in the submarine canyons of Blanes, La Fonera and Cap de Creus. These are biodiversity hotspots in the deep sea, and are home to many species that live in association with them,” explains Professor Andrea Gori, from the UB’s Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences.
“The Cabliers Bank, in the Alboran Sea — notes Gori — is the only known deep-sea coral ecosystem in the Mediterranean to have formed a genuine reef like those in the Atlantic Ocean. At the symposium, we will have several papers presenting this unique ecosystem, which is particularly valuable due to its structure, the diversity of species it harbours and its good state of conservation.”
As Covadonga Orejas (IEO-CSIC) points out, “research over recent decades has improved our understanding of the distribution, diversity and conservation status of these communities. In the Mediterranean, they are found in several locations, such as the deep-sea coral communities at Santa Maria di Leuca in Italy, or in the submarine canyons of the Gulf of Lion”.
“However — she warns — the Mediterranean is undoubtedly one of the regions where these communities are most severely affected. For decades, scientists and various organizations have been working to highlight the urgent need to protect them.”
It takes centuries to restore coral colonies
Fishing, pollution and climate change threaten the survival of these extraordinarily slow-growing organisms. They are considered vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) of great ecological value, but are exposed to the impact of deep-sea trawling and oil and gas extraction activities, and may take decades or centuries to recover.
Restricting bottom-fishing activities in areas inhabited by deep-sea corals is crucial to their conservation. In the Mediterranean, trawling is devastating the bamboo coral (Isidella elongata) forests, which provide shelter for commercially important species such as the red prawn (Aristeus antennatus).
“Bamboo coral is classified as endangered in the Mediterranean by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and is listed under the Barcelona Convention, which is binding on signatory countries and requires them to put protective measures in place,” explains Covadonga Orejas. “Destroying the natural habitat means destroying the associated marine resources and failing to ensure the sustainability of their exploitation. Protecting these ecosystems requires a medium- and long-term vision.”
Andrea Gori notes that “corals are the equivalent of trees in terrestrial ecosystems: they form forests that support the lives of countless associated species. Losing deep-sea coral ecosystems is like losing forests, along with all the species that inhabit them. It is not just a matter of losing biodiversity, but also all the ecosystem services they provide.”
For this ninth edition of the International Symposium on Deep-Sea Corals, the organizers have taken a further step towards fostering a multidisciplinary approach by including the Mixing Knowledge section in the programme. The presentations in this section aim to inspire deep-sea researchers with the perspectives offered by professionals from the fields of art, architecture, media theory and terrestrial ecology.
When corals inspire the art world
Deep-sea corals, which are the subject of scientific study, also serve as a source of inspiration for artists within the framework of the 9ISDSC.
The art exhibition “BINOMIOS”, curated by visual artist Elena G. Cortés, audiovisual artist Tatiana Halbach and researcher Covadonga Orejas, is dedicated to deep-sea corals and the mysterious, still largely unknown world they inhabit. Through letters, conversations and meetings with marine ecologists, established and emerging artists transform scientific discoveries and experiences into visual and sound-based artworks. “BINOMIOS” invites us to explore that common ground between art and science; to understand, experience and interpret our relationship with the marine environment and with other forms of life; and to find ourselves, amid its light and shadow, in the depths of the ocean.
The 9ISDSC is supported by the NextGenerationEU funds; the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (BIODIV project) ; the University of Barcelona; the Barcelona City Council; the Deep-Sea Biology Society; the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); OceanX; Springer; the Schmidt Ocean Institute; Iqua Robotics; the Artisan and Organic Market; Kongsberg; the Municipal Foundation for Culture, Education and Popular University of Gijón City Council; and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).