This marine planktonic copepod, Gaussia princeps, is commonly found in the Atlantic Ocean.
Deafening Blasts Kill These Ocean Animals For Miles
A new study found that seismic surveys used to search for off-shore oil and gas deposits devastate the zooplankton in its path.
As the Trump Administration puts forth plans to revive off-shore drilling, some of the smallest members of the ocean food chain could be in big trouble.
To find oil and gas lying beneath the ocean floor, petroleum companies emit blasts of compressed air underwater. These seismic blasts penetrate miles into the seabed and reflect information about any valuable deposits buried below.
These blasts are deafening to animals underwater and are already known to have consequences for marine mammals, many of which depend on echolocation to communicate and hunt. (Listen to a seismic blast recorded by the National Resources Defense Council.)
Now, a study published this week in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution finds that seismic blasts
