Jacobs University scientists study Arctic coral gardens

Scientists from Jacob University’s Earth and Space Science group are currently participating in an international expedition to deep, cold-water corals of the Artic seas off Norway. The two-months-expedition onboard the flagship German Research Icebreaker “Polarstern” of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar Research (AWI), forms part of the International Polar Year celebrations and the European Union's HERMES (Hotspot Ecosystem Research on the Margins of European Seas) project. Hermes focuses on all aspects relating to the geo-and biodiversity along the European Margin.

[ Jun 18, 2007]  Of special interest are cold-water corals communities such as the ones investigated during this expedition. The expedition has been extremely successful in exploring and mapping beautiful cold-water reef along the Norwegian continental margins. These extraordinary habitats have not been fully mapped yet. Furthermore, little is known about these unique cold-water coral communities. Extensive use of the underwater manned submersible “Jago” over the past two weeks has enabled scientists onboard “Polarstern“ to study the coral habitat in minute detail in situ.

Numerous new animal species were discovered and described. Additional biological, oceanographic and bathymetric data collected during this expedition will also provide clues to the development of these reefs from the last glacial period (8000 BC) onwards. Preliminary results suggest that the coldwater ecosystems are very sensitive to physical changes such as ocean currents, temperature, oxygen, salinity and particle concentrations.


The Alfred Wegener Institute is responsible for the coordination of the Polar Research in Germany and makes infrastructure available to national and international science. The most important tool, the Icebreaker "Polarstern", was build with the objective of doing research in the polar sea and is currently the most efficient research polar ship worldwide. Since its commission in 1982 the ship concluded over 30 expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic.