THE Indian Ocean could be harbouring one of the world鈥檚 most fertile spots of
open water. The water between the Seychelles and Mauritius, off the east coast
of Africa, is teeming with tiny aquatic animals called zooplankton, Chris
Gallienne from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory told the Royal Geographical
Society conference in London last week.
Zooplankton forms an important part of the oceans鈥� food chain, and in one
cruise between the islands, Gallienne and his colleagues found more than 500
milligrams of plankton per cubic metre of water. 鈥淐ertainly it鈥檚 among the
highest levels you鈥檇 ever find in the open ocean,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t is a very
surprising result.鈥�
Gallienne believes the plankton thrive on nutrients brought up to the surface
as water is forced over submerged shelves between the islands. 鈥淚 can鈥檛
understand why there isn鈥檛 a big fishery here,鈥� he muses.
Advertisement