Source: UConn
Author: Elaina Hancock
While seasonal holidays and associated feasts may occupy our thoughts in the coming weeks, a team of researchers including Peter Auster, UConn Marine Science Research Professor Emeritus and Senior Research Scientist at Mystic Aquarium, got a chance to be distant guest at a more primal feast rarely observed.
Last year, using a remotely operated submersible vehicle (ROV), the team stumbled upon a feeding frenzy of deep sea sharks at a depth of over 450m (1500 feet) beneath the ocean’s surface. Their findings have recently been published in The Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. The feast featured a main dish of swordfish, and the attendees included two species of deep sea sharks, crabs, eels, and other ravenous deep-sea creatures. The encounter was not only exciting to see, but it helped provide insights into a vital and widespread topic of discussion regarding climate change – carbon sequestration.
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