Page 55 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #11
P. 55
WILDNEWS
MEET THE SCIENTIST
WilliamReid
Marine biologist, Newcastle University, UK
Biologist William Reid is
researching the creatures
that live in the deep seas
and Antarctica, to ind out Will studies species such
as the deep sea Patagonian
just how climate change toothfish. Below: newly
and mining could afect discovered anemones near
a hydrothermal vent.
this under-explored and
remote environment.
s with many
biologists, Will’s
inspiration began
with a man with
whom we are all
Afamiliar: David
Attenborough. After watching Life
in the Freezer as a teenager, Will
became fascinated with the waters
around the Antarctic. He yearned
to explore this environment, so S Life forms in the deep, seafloor is rich in metal. “These
decided to study marine biology dark ocean or in freezing metals are found as nodules or
at university. This gave him the in chimney structures called
opportunity to work on video seas are important to us. T hydrothermal vents which are
footage of Antarctic fish and crabs, scattered across the seafloor,”
while giving him his first glimpse explains Will. “They can be
into the deep sea. harvested by underwater machines
After years of study and work on our oceans. Will has seen this at which break or scoop them off the
boats and in remote field stations, first hand: “We are now finding seafloor. This process results in
Will is now a research associate at microplastics in the stomachs sediment being mixed into the water
Newcastle University. He studies of animals living at some of the column, which could negatively
the deep sea and Antarctic, and is deepest locations on the planet impact on the animals living in
increasingly conscious about how including those found in the Pacific these areas.”
Will and toothfish: Charlotte Routh; anemones and scalpelliform barnacles: NERC CHESSO Consortium
humans affect these fragile areas. Ocean’s Mariana Trench.” Plastic is Will’s passion for nature drives
Why study life that lurks in a growing problem in our oceans his work. He reflects on how his
these places and what connection and one of the own research can help to conserve
do we have to them? Will explains places where it these hidden worlds. “The Antarctic
that while we may never see the will accumulate and deep sea are fragile ecosystems
life forms in these areas, they are is in the deep sea. and are important for sustaining
important to us because they affect There are other life on Earth. This means that they
marine food webs: “The deep sea threats too. Deep really need to be protected from
and Antarctic will be impacted sea mining the impacts of climate change and
by climate change and human may occur in human activity. I hope my work
activity. This will have knock- areas where the will help inform the people with
on effects on phytoplankton in responsibility over them to make
surface waters, which in turn will good decisions about protecting these
influence food supply for animals areas for the future.” Niki Rust
in those habitats – potentially
changing entire food webs.” FIND OUT MORE Read
We’ve all heard the depressing about plastics in the ocean:
news about plastics entering https://bit.ly/2oMCUjo
November 2018 BBC Wildlife 55
