Question: Scientists recently discovered three new black coral species, these are found in-
a) Northern Pacific Ocean
b) Caspian sea
c) Indian ocean
d) North Atlantic ocean
Answer: (a)
Related Facts
- Scientists have recently been discovered three new species of black coral on the seabed of the northern Pacific Ocean.
- In October 2020, Information of this discovery was published in the scientific journal Zootaxa.
- These corals were discovered on deep seamounts and ridges in the mineral-rich Prime Crust Zone.
- This is an area where several countries have contracts to explore for metals including cobalt and nickel.
- Cobalt and Nickel are the key battery elements and the countries are at the race to find new supplies of these elements in the area.
- The new black coral species are so named because of their black skeletons, but they can appear pink, white, or various other colours because of the living tissues growing over the skeleton.
- According to Conservation International, Previous studies have found black coral species more than 4,250 years old.
- Conservation International is an American nonprofit environmental organization headquartered in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia.
- Researchers from Conservation International said they aimed to identify deep-sea habitats in this Prime Crust Zone.
- This zone holds the highest concentrations on Earth of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts.
- Scientists explained that these long-living corals are not only slow-growing but also provide important habitat for many other species.
- Scientists and environmentalists have a greater concern than the Mining their habitat could potentially wipe them out before we know their true value.
- The destructive effect of Deep-sea mining:-
- Deep-sea mining could destroy as yet undiscovered species.
- China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea all hold exploration contracts in the Prime Crust Zone.
- People in the scientific community have great concern that these countries by their exploration activities will badly affect the habitat of sea animals.
- According to the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a U.N. body in charge of regulating the ocean floors. Environmentalists have called for a ban on deep-sea mining.
- They are of the view that such an activity would extract prized resources including cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese from seabed nodules and crusts.
- According to Conservation International, only around 20% of the ocean floor has been mapped to date.
- International Seabed Authority ISA:
- International Seabed Authority (ISA) headquartered in Jamaica has drawn up regulations on exploration in seabed but has yet to establish the rules for exploitation needed for deep-sea mining to go ahead.
By – Rajesh Tripathi