Identifying critical information needs and developing institutional partnerships to further the understanding of Atlantic deep-sea coral ecosystems

The deep-sea (>200 m) represents the largest portion of the ocean, but it is probably the least understood because of the technological challenges and financial resources required to explore and research this environment. With the advancement of underwater technology, astonishing images of deep-sea corals living at depths from the surface to greater than 1000 m are now becoming available to both policy makers and the public. More specifically, in the North Atlantic Ocean, these images have led many countries to begin to assess the distribution, status, health, and potential threats faced by these important ecosystems, which appear to be connected by the uniting influence of the Gulf Stream and its associated currents. Since deep-sea coral ecosystems extend beyond national boundaries and encounter similar threats, it was determined that a cooperative effort on both sides of the Atlantic could be beneficial to maximize available resources, share expertise, and exchange data to rapidly increase scientific understanding of deep-sea coral ecosystems. Thus, an international Deep-Sea Corals Workshop was held to identify critical information needs related to: locating and mapping deep-sea corals; understanding more about coral biology and ecology; and using specific deep-sea coral species as indicators of climate change. Priority information needs identified at the workshop were the need to: (1) conduct both low- and high-resolution mapping to locate and characterize deep-sea coral habitats; (2) conduct research on factors that influence deep-sea coral life history patterns; (3) examine how they function as habitat for fish and invertebrate species; (4) develop a comprehensive inventory of deep-sea coral species; and (5) further efforts to analyze past climate changes and to improve climate forecasting models. Described herein are: the results of the Deep-Sea Corals Workshop; other events with a focus on deep-sea corals; and potential pathways to increase U.S.-international collaborative partnerships.