Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

marketrent OP t1_iy1jydt wrote

27 October 2022.

Excerpt:

>The study was carried out during the 2018-2019 Five Deeps Expedition, the first manned descent with the submersible DSV Limiting Factor to the deepest point of each of the world’s five oceans, and focused on the amphipod Bathycallisoma schellenbergi which was unexpectedly found in the traps of nearly every trench of hadal depth (between six and 11 kms).

>“We finally had a global specimen collection to test questions that have been around since the 1950s. This led us to question this paradox and wonder if maybe we were looking at multiple but very similar-looking species.” [said co-author Professor Alan Jamieson].

>The study’s first author, Postdoctoral Scholar at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Johanna Weston, said scientists used a short section of DNA to test if all the populations were the same species.

>“The amphipods at the Atacama Trench are likely a new and undescribed species that is very closely related.”

> 

>“We found that overall populations were not genetically mixed between trenches, indicating they were highly restricted to the trench they were collected from,” Dr Weston said.

>“We did find evidence of limited interbreeding between two closely located and connected trenches, the Kermadec and Tonga trenches, which are separated by just 1000km, so surmised some amphipods could have swum across what are relatively shallow depths.”

>Professor Jamieson said the study advanced the field of hadal science, particularly at the intersection of evolutionary and geologic history, providing evidence to show that each of the hadal areas acted like an island-like habitat with populations on separate evolutionary trajectories.

Science Advances, DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abo6672

150

CaptainMatthias t1_iy2634s wrote

First of all, DSV Limiting Factor is such a perfect name for a ship for many reasons, chief of which is the genius of Iain Banks. Secondly, "hadal" was a new word for me, so I looked it up. It's just the adjective form of Hades. Which seems really appropriate for this sort of research.

73

bxclnt t1_iy2nrq5 wrote

It's all fun and exploration until Haddie comes up and steals our children.

7

Fuzzl t1_iy2te7a wrote

If you can work out a deal with him you can get them back 6 months a year.

7

Decalis t1_iy40hle wrote

I just read The Player of Games for the first time last month, so the name brought an immediate smile to my face too.

3

Zwets t1_iy2u77h wrote

I wonder if the environment of different trenches is unique enough to actually create noticeably divergent evolution like we see on some isolated islands (a bird like the kiwi filling a space that would normally be held by a rodent, or komodo dragons in the space that would normally be held by a big cat or wolf) Or would the conditions at that depth be so harsh that every trench trends towards the same evolutionary solutions?

14