The radio program “90 Segundos de Ciência” highlighted the research of Teresa Amaro, an investigator at the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and the Department of Biology (CESAM/DBio, University of Aveiro). Her work is dedicated to the study of marine ecosystems at mesophotic depths (30–60 meters), environments that, until now, remained largely undocumented by the scientific community.
In the episode, the researcher explains that her team surveyed black coral forests and gorgonian gardens off the coast of Santo Antão Island in Cabo Verde. Because these zones sit well below the limits of standard recreational diving and present significant accessibility challenges, the research team utilized closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) equipment. This diving technology recycles the diver’s exhaled gas, enabling extended underwater mission times and greater operational depths.
The investigation, which spanned approximately 40 sampling stations around the island, resulted in the major discovery of black coral forests and gorgonian fields exhibiting extraordinary density and biodiversity. According to the researcher, these habitats function as critical ecological refuges and primary feeding grounds for fish larvae and other small marine organisms. In addition to the structural corals, these zones support a vast diversity of sponge species.
Teresa Amaro emphasizes that this discovery is fundamental to marine conservation efforts in the region. Given that these ecosystems were previously unexplored and virtually absent from scientific literature, the newly gathered data provide essential baseline knowledge to inform future conservation strategies and policy decisions for the protection of Cabo Verde’s marine ecosystems.
The episode underscores the crucial role of scientific research and oceanographic exploration in uncovering the hidden biodiversity of our oceans. “90 Segundos de Ciência” is a collaborative broadcast production by Antena 1 and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the NOVA University Lisbon (FCSH-UNL), supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).
The full episode can be accessed here.