Adapted by:
Pablo Martínez-Juarez
WriterEnvironmental economist and science journalist. For a few years, I worked as a researcher on the economics of climate change adaptation. Now I write about that and much more.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
We often hear about damage to the Antarctic ice sheet, especially due to climate change. But the frozen continent is changing not only on the surface—human impact can also be felt in its depths.
New images. A team of researchers has released images of the seabed near the Antarctic coast, revealing the effects of human activity in the region. Specifically, the images show the damage caused by the anchors of ships arriving at the southern continent’s coast.
The problem isn’t just aesthetic; it also affects marine life on the seabed. The team expressed concern for the sponge communities that inhabit this remote ocean region.
Unprotected environment. The traces of human activity in this region reflect various changes in the Antarctic Ocean environment. Climate change, for one, has made waters once off-limits to navigation now accessible to oceanographic vessels, icebreakers, and tourist and recreational boats.
According to the team, during the 2022–23 season, at least 195 tourist, scientific and fishing vessels approached coastal areas where anchoring is possible (depths of no more than 270 feet).
On the trail of the ships. The researchers used underwater cameras to study 36 points on the seabed near the Antarctic Peninsula and San Pedro Island (also known as South Georgia). Their findings showed disturbances in the seabed and marine life caused by ship anchors.
“Documentation is way overdue, given the importance of these ecosystems and the protections we place on them. Anchoring impacts are understudied and underestimated globally. It’s so important to recognize and mitigate the impacts across all industries and limit planned anchoring,” Sally Watson, co-author of the study, said.
The research was published in Frontiers in Conservation Science.
Sponges in danger. Anchors pose a threat to life on the seabed. According to the team, the affected areas showed few signs of marine life. They found sponge colonies crushed by ship anchors. In contrast, “marine life was flourishing in adjacent areas,” the researchers noted.
Particularly vulnerable. Life in these cold environments tends to grow slowly, making it especially vulnerable. These species are part of the region’s endemic biodiversity. One example is the volcano sponge (Anoxycalyx joubini), which the team observed during their expedition. Some specimens of this species may be among the oldest living animals, with lifespans reaching up to 15,000 years.
Image | Freysteinn G. Jonsson (Unsplash)
View 0 comments