Deep-sea creatures are interconnected across globe via hidden ocean ‘superhighway’
DNA breakthrough reveals hidden links between deep-sea creatures
- A new study published in Nature suggests that deep-sea creatures are interconnected globally via a hidden 'superhighway'.
- Researchers analysed DNA from nearly 2,700 brittle star specimens, finding that these creatures have crossed entire oceans over millions of years.
- This gradual migration has formed invisible links between deep-sea ecosystems as distant as Iceland and Tasmania.
- Brittle stars achieve this vast dispersal because their yolk-rich larvae can survive for extended periods, drifting on slow-moving deep-sea currents.
- While highly connected, the deep sea is also incredibly fragile, facing increasing threats from deep-sea mining and climate change.