AIMS home
About AIMS
Research
Facilities
News
Search
Site map
Site index
Topics index

 

Media Release

Unique underwater pinnacles revealed

December 8, 2003 

Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) are exploring a unique submarine mountain range, featuring huge towers of coral and skeletons of green algae, beneath the Timor Sea in an area surrounded by natural oil and gas seeps.

Very little is known about what role the hydrocarbons have played in the formation of the ancient reefs in the region and scientists hope to gain a better understanding of what drives these complex and unexplored systems.

A team of scientists led by AIMS biologist Dr Andrew Heyward will be surveying plants and animals associated with the reefs, using submersible tethered robots to determine if the region is in fact a hotspot of biodiversity and a unique area where different types of reefs flourish.

Dr Heyward said the continental shelf between Australia and Timor, on Australia’s border, is an exciting region for marine science with a complex and diverse array of economic, social and ecological values including fisheries, oil, conservation and political issues. Dr Heyward said, scientific research could make an important contribution to management decisions.

AIMS scientists produced the first biological resource atlas for the region several years ago, raising the possibility that many of the 100 plus shoals may support the coral reef habitat spread along more than 600 kilometres of seabed dotted with mini sea mountains.

The scientists believe the natural hydrocarbon seeps found throughout the region can be linked to the shoals or huge carbonate towers called Halimeda mounds, steep sided flat topped mountains rising from the continental slope 300-400 metres.

Dr Heyward said this unique study is the most intensive purely scientific project undertaken in the region and will involve a major series of expeditions over several months.

"We’re particularly interested in establishing a biological census and mapping the biodiversity and abundance of the sea bed, as well as looking for trends in the types of things that live on the shoals. We’re also looking out for unique areas that may warrant special protection."

AIMS physical oceanographer Richard Brinkman said many of Australia’s offshore reefs in the Timor Sea appear to sit atop active or previously active oil and gas vents.

"This is an area known for natural oil and gas seeps and where carbonate mounds and coral reefs have existed with seeps for several million years. We want to work out what drives the biological communities and determine whether it’s the seeps or the local oceanography," Mr Brinkman said.

It is thought to be the only place in the world where such huge pillars of calcium carbonate reefs exist over oil and gas vents. The scientists expect to upgrade Australia’s inventory of species from the extensive deep-water coral communities.

The Halimeda mounds represent a potentially significant carbon storage reservoir so this study is also of great significance to the Greenhouse debate.

An understanding of the biology and chemistry and oceanography of the shoals and how these systems cope with this natural oil input is critical to management decisions for the oil and gas industry and conservation and protection of the shoals.

Media contact
Dr Andrew Heyward, AIMS Principle research scientist. 
Email: a.heyward@aims.gov.au 
Ph (08) 9433 4440;
Mob: 0417 400 273

Richard Brinkman, AIMS Physical Oceanographer. 
Email: r.brinkman@aims.gov.au 
Ph (07) 4753 4374

Wendy Ellery, AIMS Media Liaison
email: w.ellery@aims.gov.au 
Ph: (07) 4753 4409

AIMS home page 

web@aims.gov.au
Last updated - December 8, 2003

Copyright ©1996-2003 Australian Institute of Marine Science

URL http://www.aims.gov.au