A new study published in the journal Science Advances revealed that less than 0.001% of the deep seafloor has been visually documented. The research, led by Dr. Katy Croff Bell, president of the Ocean Discovery League and National Geographic explorer, highlights gaps in our understanding of the deep ocean, which covers 66% of the Earth's surface.
According to the study titled "How Little We've Seen: A Visual Coverage Estimate of the Deep Seafloor," humans have observed only a fraction of the deep ocean at depths greater than 200 meters. The total area documented amounts to about 1,470 square miles, roughly one-tenth the size of Belgium. "I knew it was going to be small, but I'm not sure if I expected it to be quite that small. We've been doing this for almost 70 years," said Bell, according to The New York Times.
The research utilized data from more than 43,000 records of deep-sea dives conducted since 1958 across 120 countries, making it a global estimate of deep-water observations to date. However, the study found that visual surveys are primarily focused on just a few regions and countries, leading to a disparity in global exploration efforts.
"Due to the high cost of ocean exploration, a mere handful of nations, including the United States, Japan, and New Zealand, dominate deep-sea exploration, leading 99.7 percent of all deep dives," the study notes, according to Phys.org. Most dives have occurred within 200 nautical miles of these nations, limiting the geographical diversity of the exploration.
Bell emphasized the importance of expanding exploration efforts. "As threats to the deep ocean increase—from climate change to possible mining and resource exploitation—this limited research of such a vast region becomes a critical problem for both science and policy," she said, according to press release published on EurekAlert. She added, "We need to understand much better the ecosystems and processes of the deep ocean to make informed decisions about the management and conservation of resources."
Technological and financial barriers have hindered deep-sea exploration, with costs ranging from $2 million to $20 million to explore just one square kilometer of the seafloor. "There are many people around the world that have deep sea expertise. They just don't have the tools to be able to do the kind of research and exploration that they want to do," Bell told The New York Times.
Visual documentation is essential for understanding deep-sea ecosystems. According to Phys.org, "These images are one of the most important methods to study the seafloor and one of the three main pillars of ocean exploration, along with mapping and sampling." Visual imaging is critical for studying deep-sea organisms, as bringing them to the surface often results in their demise due to pressure changes.
Dr. Ian Miller, Chief Science and Innovation Officer at the National Geographic Society, stressed the urgency of expanding deep-sea exploration. "Deep-sea exploration led by scientists and local communities is crucial to better understanding the planet's largest ecosystem," he said, according to EurekAlert. "If we have a better understanding of our ocean, we are better able to conserve and protect it," Miller added.
With advancements in smaller, more affordable deep-sea tools, there is an opportunity to broaden the scientific community's reach. The study calls for expanding exploration efforts and utilizing emerging technologies to increase access to the deep ocean.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.