Cientistas descobrem cinco mil novas espécies no Oceano Pacífico

Por Cell Press 7 de junho de 2023

Uma seleção de espécimes do fundo do mar da coleção do museu. Crédito: Curadores do Museu de História Natural de Londres

The Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), a massive area in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of India and rich in minerals, has been parceled out to various companies for impending deep-sea mining. To gain insights into what could be jeopardized once mining operations begin, a group of biologists has constructed the first "CCZ checklist." This checklist encompasses all the speciesA species is a group of living organisms that share a set of common characteristics and are able to breed and produce fertile offspring. The concept of a species is important in biology as it is used to classify and organize the diversity of life. There are different ways to define a species, but the most widely accepted one is the biological species concept, which defines a species as a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce viable offspring in nature. This definition is widely used in evolutionary biology and ecology to identify and classify living organisms." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]">registros de espécies acumulados em viagens de pesquisa anteriores a esta região.

Their research, which was recently published in the journal Current BiologyCurrent Biology is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published biweekly by Cell Press. It is focused on all aspects of biology, from molecular biology and genetics to ecology and evolutionary biology. The journal covers a wide range of topics, including cellular biology, neuroscience, animal behavior, plant biology, and more. Current Biology is known for its high-impact research articles, as well as its insightful commentary, analysis, and reviews of the latest developments in the field. It is widely read by scientists and researchers in biology and related fields, and has a reputation for publishing groundbreaking research that advances our understanding of the natural world." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]"> Current Biology, identificou um total de 5.578 espécies únicas dentro do CCZ. Notavelmente, eles estimam que entre 88% e 92% dessas espécies são completamente novas para a ciência.

“Compartilhamos este planeta com toda essa incrível biodiversidade e temos a responsabilidade de compreendê-la e protegê-la”, disse Muriel Rabone, ecologista de águas profundas do Museu de História Natural de Londres, no Reino Unido.

Abrangendo seis milhões de quilômetros quadrados do Havaí ao México, o CCZ é uma das regiões selvagens mais intocadas do oceano global. Para estudá-lo, os pesquisadores desbravam o Oceano Pacífico em cruzeiros de pesquisa que empregam técnicas de amostragem que vão desde as técnicas, como veículos controlados remotamente que atravessam o fundo do oceano, até as simples, como uma caixa robusta que pousa no fundo (referida como " amostragem de núcleo de caixa").

"É um barco grande, mas parece minúsculo no meio do oceano. Você pode ver as tempestades chegando; é muito dramático", disse Rabone. "E foi incrível - em cada amostra de núcleo de caixa, víamos novas espécies."

By parsing through over 100,000 records of creatures found in the CCZ taken during these deep-sea expeditions, Rabone and her co-authors found that only six of the new species found in the CCZ—which include a sea cucumber, a nematode, and a carnivorous sponge—have been seen in other regions. They also found that the most common types of animals in the CCZ are arthropods (invertebratesInvertebrates are animals that do not have a backbone. They make up the majority of the animal kingdom and include animals such as insects, worms, mollusks, and arachnids. Invertebrates are found in almost every habitat on Earth, from the depths of the oceans to the highest mountains. They play important roles in the ecosystem as decomposers, pollinators, and as a food source for other animals. Invertebrates have a wide range of body shapes, sizes, and behaviors, and they have evolved a variety of ways to survive and thrive in their environments." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]"invertebrates with segmented joints), worms, echinoderms (spiny invertebrates like sea urchins), and sponges./p>