Visualizing the Deep off Uruguay

Freshwater, ocean currents, and abundant life

The confluence of the warm, salty Brazil Current, the cold, nutrient-rich Malvinas Current, and the Río de la Plata facilitates oceanographic conditions that support immense biodiversity within a relatively small area. Sixty-three species of sharks and rays, 35 species of whales and dolphins, and the largest breeding colonies of South American sea lions and fur seals rely on these waters for sustenance. However, Uruguayan scientists have explored little in the deepest waters of the country’s exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, an area of the sea in which countries have exclusive rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy and communication infrastructure. 

In addition to abundant wildlife and evidence of vulnerable coral ecosystems, data suggest there are potentially chemosynthetic environments within the country’s EEZ, but scientists lacked access to the appropriate tools needed to confirm this — until now.

Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs)

A VME is precisely what the name implies — a fragile habitat that would be slow to recover,  or possibly never recover, from a disturbance. The United Nations established the term in 2004, while encouraging countries to take precautionary measures against destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling. A VME is characterized as:

• A unique or rare habitat, such as endangered species, spawning and nursery grounds, or animals that cannot be found anywhere else
• Essential habitat for commercially important species
• A fragile ecosystem that will not recover from disturbance
• Slow-growing animals
• Structurally complex ecosystems, such as coral reefs and sponge gardens, that exhibit high biodiversity 

Hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, deep-sea coral reefs, sponge gardens, seamounts, and submarine canyons are potentially VMEs and often meet these criteria.

Visualizing to Protect

On this  30-day expedition, the team members will visit and sample numerous sites along the continental slope. They will investigate using ROV SuBastian for biology transects, animal and sediment collections, and water sampling.  For more in-depth water analysis, they will measure light frequency and availability, turbidity, oxygen concentration, and dissolved carbon dioxide with the ship’s CTD & rosette.  Using R/V Falkor (too)’s multibeam and acoustic doppler current profiler, the researchers will create high-resolution maps and measure the speed and direction of currents throughout the water column. Together, these tools will enable scientists to paint a comprehensive picture of the Uruguayan deep sea. 

The Río de la Plata is the second-largest hydrographic basin and estuary in South America. The river also carries organic matter, pollutants, agricultural effluent, and plastics into the South Atlantic Ocean. The organic matter helps fuel plankton blooms and ocean productivity, but excessive amounts can lead to large algae blooms that result in deoxygenation. 

Robust data collection will advance marine resource management within Uruguay’s EEZ. The country is committed to what experts are calling 30×30, a global effort to protect and manage 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by 2030. Uruguay currently has five implemented and two unimplemented marine protected areas, which account for approximately 1% of the country’s total EEZ. This expedition will help identify areas that warrant protection, helping Uruguayans reach their goal of 30% protection.

Connecting the People to the Deep

A vital aspect of this expedition includes raising awareness of the wonders living in the deep seas for the people of Uruguay. Leveraging the country’s one-laptop-per-child policy, known as Plan Ceibal, Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Divesteam and Ship-to-Shore program will help bring the deep sea to children across the country. 

Uruguayan musician, songwriter, and producer Alejandro Balbis will join the expedition as a participant in our Artist-at-Sea program. This artist residency embeds artists into at-sea research, working alongside marine scientists and technologists. Balbis will compose original music inspired by his experiences on Falkor (too). His pieces, which may be instrumental music or songs, will draw from the scientific discoveries, exploration efforts, and personal stories shared across the vessel. Leveraging ship-to-shore connectivity, Balbis envisions producing music in real-time with support from musicians and producers onshore.