Science Centres: Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity

Mussel beds, with Paralomis crabs crawling over them, and clumps of tubeworms on Monowai volcano.

New Zealand and American scientists recently used a submersible to explore some of the active volcanoes along the Kermadec Arc, northeast of the Bay of Plenty. The volcanoes’ hydrothermal vents can release high concentrations of toxic gas and spew out liquid up to 400°C. Bacteria in the vents create the building blocks of life from sulphide, not light.

‘On all the volcanoes, we saw a few very well adapted species in large numbers, with mussels and tubeworms generally driving the whole system,’ says NIWA marine biologist Dr Malcolm Clark. The particular features and combination of animals varied, reflecting differences among the volcanoes themselves.

The expedition was funded by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (US), the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences, and NIWA. The submersible, Pisces V, is operated by the University of Hawaii.