Bathymetry of Davidson Seamount.

This winter, scientists will explore the first “undersea island” to be called a seamount. Davidson seamount, located 120 km Southwest of Monterey, California, is one of the largest known seamounts in U.S. waters. Although these geological features have been known about for quite some time, only recent technological advances allow for comprehensive studies. Initial work has demonstrated that seamounts are productive and unique deep-sea habitats. Their rocky surfaces are often covered in dense communities of filter-feeding corals and sponges, while the waters above are commonly important feeding grounds for large predators such as sharks, whales and seabirds.

Operations will include remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys and biological sampling. Explorers will extend video surveys of bottom communities found on the Seamount, collect biological samples of benthic organisms, and conduct surveys of fish, seabird and marine mammal populations. If possible, tissue samples will be collected from sperm whales for genetic studies to understand broader population patterns. Surprisingly little is known about the organisms that live on this undersea island, and how they affect life in the ocean around them. Explorers hope to unlock the secrets of Davidson Seamount by characterizing this unique environment and gaining insight on important deep-sea and open-ocean biological processes.

Collaborators include the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, NOAA's Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

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