Visualizing the Deep off Uruguay

The Rio de la Plata drains into the Atlantic Ocean, delivering the sediment-rich contents of the Paraná and Uruguay Rivers, each fed by myriad streams and tributaries. The mixing of fresh water with the nutrient-rich seawater upwelled along the shelf fosters remarkable biodiversity, as well as tremendous pressure from overfishing. Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems, or VMEs, are critical habitats hosting sessile or stationary animals like corals and sponges. VMEs are home to many marine species and are vulnerable to human activities, such as fishing. Currently, there is only one reported VME in Uruguay that is home to cold-water coral reefs formed along the shelf break and slope by Desmophyllum pertusum, a species of coral that grows throughout the Atlantic. Scientists suspect there are more VMEs but have — until now — lacked access to the technology needed to describe deep-water ecosystems in Uruguayan waters. The goal of this expedition is to characterize biodiversity along the country’s continental margin.