This part I am really excited about. It’s been almost nine years since I last collected samples for my own research projects, and I am eager to dive back into hands-on work. This project allows us to contribute to knowledge and monitoring of coral reefs and seagrass, as well as gather crucial data on the concentration and distribution of microplastics in the ocean. Additionally, it brings me immense joy to introduce my husband and children to the fascinating world of research.
How will we contribute?
So far, we have managed to identify tree areas, but we are happy to add more. We will collect multiple samples for microfiber analysis, join coral watch and become seagrass spotters. Espen is also looking into some interesting topics for collaboration with Hub Ocean.
Microfibers
Microfibers are tiny strands of plastic that shed from synthetic fabrics such as polyester, rayon, and nylon. Scientists have identified them as a significant contributor to plastic pollution in the oceans. It is estimated that over 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans each year. While plastic bottles, bags, and straws are commonly recognized as major pollutants, a less obvious source is our clothing. Each time you wash your clothes in a washing machine, millions of microfibers are released into the water system and eventually make their way to the oceans. Microfibers are the most prevalent type of microplastic—plastic pieces less than 5 mm in diameter—found in the environment. Synthetic Microfiber pollution poses a significant rising threat to the environment and human health. During the manufacturing, use, and disposal of textiles, microfibers are released into the environment, posing a significant and growing risk. The textile and fashion industries should prioritize safeguards and sustainable growth to address this issue effectively.
Microfiber pollution is not only a visible problem but also a chemical one, as many harmful additives used in textile production contribute to the contamination of ecosystems. During the production of textiles, various chemicals are added to enhance the properties of the materials. These additives often include toxic substances such as heavy metals, azo dyes, phthalocyanine, and anthraquinone chromophores. Microfibers, particularly synthetic ones, are carriers of toxic metals and organic pollutants like PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and dioxins. The majority of these chemicals are persistent and bioaccumulate.
Unfortunately, standard laundering processes cannot completely remove these substances, leading to their continuous release into the environment. When microfibers enter water bodies, they are ingested by a variety of aquatic species. This accidental ingestion can significantly impact the growth, reproduction, and survival of these species, disrupting entire ecosystems. Through the consumption of contaminated food, water, and even air, microfibers can enter human bodies, posing potential health risks that are not yet fully understood but are cause for concern.
We have established a collaboration with researcher Dimitri Deheyn, who works with Marine Chemical Biology and Biotechnology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, they work to understand and protect the planet and find solutions to our most pressing environmental challenges.
Our job is to collect water and biological samples that will be analysed for microfibers in Dimitri`s lab. The samples will be dried filters and dried or alcohol preserved biological samples that we will send by mail.
Dimitri Deheyn, who works with Marine Chemical Biology and Biotechnology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
Figure 1. Schematic representation of source of microfibers and previous research on effects of microplastic fibers on marine ecosystem, freshwater ecosystem, and terrestrial ecosystem. Jin Il Kvak et al. (2021).
We are very happy to have come into contact with Dimitri after a friend of mine Marte Haave introduced us. I picked up a reel video she made while they were on an expedition far to the north and here we are😊. Dimitri even drove to my workplace to give me kits or sampling.
Coral watch
15. of April this year the national Oceanic and Atmospheric administration (NOAA) and International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) officially confirmed the 4th Global Coral Bleaching event, The Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event | ICRI (icriforum.org). Mass bleaching of coral reefs, since early 2023, has been confirmed in at least 53 countries, territories, and local economies, including Florida (U.S.A), the Caribbean, the Eastern Tropical Pacific (including Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia), Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, large areas of the South Pacific (including Fiji, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Samoas), the Red Sea (including the Gulf of Aqaba), the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Aden.
James Davis Reimer et al. 2024 Coral Reefs.
I find this devastating, not only because I love to snorkel and dive and just emerge myself in the beauty of underwater life around healthy corals, but especially for the people who are totally dependent on them. For livelihood and nutrition, coral reefs are home to many fish species that are commercially and nutritionally important. Coral reef fisheries support jobs, incomes and food to local fishermen and their communities. Coral reefs also act as important barriers as shoreline protection. They act as a buffer against currents and waves and protect communities from storm surfer and erosion associated with sea rise and natural hazards. Thanks to healthy coral reefs, people living by the coast are safer.
The University of Queensland started a programme in 2021 called Coral Watch | Citizen Science on the Reef.
We decided to join them and are still waiting for our kit to arrive in Italy. It is easy to be part of coral watch, Just sign up online on their webpage to get involved. I ordered a do-it-yourself kit and some extra color slates and we are ready to go.
Since we now are in the Mediterranean, I wanted to learn more about the corals here and found a lot I did not know. How easy is it to find beautiful corals in this region?
Occupying just 1.1% of the surface of the world’s oceans and 0.3% of all salt water, the Mediterranean no longer shelters the great coral reefs that thrived 60 million years ago. This is due to millennia of climatic and oceanographic changes. However, even today, this sea harbors a spectacular array of corals, including some which are not found anywhere else.
More than 200 species of coral, from a total of 5,600 species described worldwide, live in the Mediterranean. Among the 500 species found in Europe, some are endemic to this sea, while others have a subtropical origin from the warmer waters of the Atlantic. Interestingly, some species are more common in arctic zones, while others are globally distributed, including the famous red coral. While the Mediterranean lacks large-scale reefs, the biotopes formed by some species can be reasonably classified as such.
During the Messinian salinity crisis, the Mediterranean Sea underwent one of its most drastic changes, causing the extinction of many species and the coral reefs. Later, when the straits of Gibraltar opened again, the water rushed in and filling the Mediterranean Sea once again, but the reefs did not reform. Instead, other coral forms were generated representing a great diversity.
The predominant species which form vital ecosystem are not corals at all, but coralline algaeas, as the name indicates a type of algae. However, one of the most characteristic representatives of these formations are gorgonias, which serve (the environmental function) as “large trees”. This ecosystem is typical in the Mediterranean, although similar formations may be found in other areas, including the Atlantic. Some researchers have managed to differentiate up to five types of coralline algae. All of them have corals present. Up to 44 species have been counted in this ecosystem. Among the most representative are the gorgonia (Paramuricea clavata, Eunicella cavolinii, E. singularis, E. verrucosa, etc.), other octocorallians like red coral (Corallium rubrum),
dead man’s fingers (Alcyonium sp.), zoantharia such as the orange colonial anemone (Parazoanthus axinellae) and hexacorallia such as the yellow coral (Leptosamnia pruvotii), the orange coral (Astroides calycul).
The Mediterranean also have a very large concentration of anemones.
We do hope that we will be able to collect data showing some nice and healthy coral on our expedition, first now is to be able to separate corals and coralline algae. We will keep you updated.
Seagrass -spotter
The last initiative we are joining, so far, is to become seagrass-spotters.
SeagrassSpotter was created by Project Seagrass (Seagrass-Watch partner) in association with Cardiff University and Swansea University. SeagrassSpotter is a free app, ensuring that ocean enthusiasts around the world can become citizen scientists who contribute to marine conservation with just a few taps of their phone. Seagrass scientist’s have made some important scientific breakthroughs with seagrass in recent years, but seagrass remain incredibly threatened and are still under-appreciated globally. Seagrass Spotter seeks to build on this and expand the number of people studying seagrass from a handful of scientists to hundreds and potentially thousands of ‘citizen scientists.’ As part of efforts to build a sustainable monitoring network, and by leveraging the enthusiasm of everyone from fishers to SCUBA divers to people on vacations at the beach, we’ll create a more comprehensive picture of seagrass meadows around the globe. In the app you can choose the region, like now the Mediterranean, and from there you click to classify the species. The classification of the sea-grass communities is presented in the form of an identification key. The descriptions are based on floristic composition, physical structure (stratification, rooting system), relation to the substrate (soft substrate or rock), and degree of permanence (from annual presence to millennia).
Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that flourish in shallow waters across the globe, from the tropics to the Arctic circle. Despite their often overlooked presence, seagrass meadows are of fundamental importance to both nature and people. These underwater meadows contribute significantly to community well-being in various ways.
Seagrass meadows provide essential habitats for a variety of marine life, supporting fisheries that are crucial for food security. Many commercially important fish and invertebrate species spend part of their life cycle in these meadows, relying on them for shelter and nourishment.
Seagrasses play a critical role in improving water quality. They act as natural filters, trapping sediments and absorbing nutrients, which helps to reduce water turbidity and prevent harmful algal blooms. This natural filtration process ensures cleaner and healthier coastal waters.
The roots and rhizomes of seagrasses stabilize the seabed, reducing erosion and protecting coastlines from the impact of storms and floods. By buffering wave action, seagrass meadows mitigate the damage caused by extreme weather events, thus safeguarding coastal communities and infrastructure, as with the corals.
Seagrasses are remarkable for their ability to sequester and store carbon. They capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their biomass and the sediments below, playing a significant role in mitigating climate change. Seagrass meadows are known to sequester carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.
Despite their importance, seagrasses have been declining globally since the 1930s. The most recent census estimates that 7% of this crucial marine habitat is being lost annually, equivalent to a football field of seagrass disappearing every 30 minutes. This decline is alarming given the numerous ecosystem services seagrasses provide.
Seagrasses face cumulative pressures from coastal development, nutrient run-off, and climate change. These pressures make them among the least protected coastal ecosystems.
I must admit I know little of the different seagrasses – and now I am eager to learn more! I hope my family will find as much fun as I do.
Would you like to cooperate with us – don’t hesitate to contact us! 😊 All ideas are welcome:).
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