Drowned 5,000-year-old forests reborn as thriving peat reefs and biodiversity hotspots off Mozambique - Phys.org

Researchers in Bazaruto, Mozambique, have discovered the underwater remains of forests that were submerged by rising seas thousands of years ago – and they were surprised by the amount of biodiversity living on these so-called ‘peat reefs’. Using radiocarbon dating, the scientists found that the reefs formed between around 300 and 5,000 years ago. Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the paper is believed to be the first ecological study of tropical peat reefs.

Forests that stood on Mozambique's coast thousands of years ago now lie beneath shallow seas, and they have become fish-filled "peat reefs" with marine life comparable to coral reefs, researchers report in Scientific Reports. A team from the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) Ocean Observatory, led by Mario Lebrato, documented the submerged peat in the Bazaruto Archipelago in the Western Indian Ocean. BCSS, founded in 2017, describes itself as Africa's first permanent ocean observatory. Working with universities and institutions in the U. K., U. S. and Canada, the team believes it has carried out the first ecological study of peat reefs anywhere in the tropics. Old forests, new seafloorRadiocarbon dating shows the peat formed between about 300 and 5,000 years ago, and chemical analysis indicates it came mostly from coastal land plants and trees. Some samples contain up to 40% organic carbon by dry weight. Lebrato said the coastline has very little natural hard seabed, mostly shifting sand. As rising seas expose the old peat layers, they create rare solid habitat where marine life can settle, hide and feed.

A team of Russian scientists has charted water-rich deposits on Mars in unprecedented detail, uncovering around 30 "water oases" after analyzing eight years of data from the FREND neutron detector aboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. Two new concentrations of water-bearing minerals were identified, with estimated water content reaching 30 percent, up from 20 percent in the latest mappingScientists detected readings suggesting water content approaching 100 percent, though this does not confirm the presence of pure ice on the surface. The area explored by NASA's Curiosity rover is among the promising locations highlighted in the new mapThe number of known water-rich zones has risen from 23 to roughly 30. The new map could help future human missions locate water on Mars — both to produce oxygen for breathing and to generate hydrogen for rocket fuel. The findings were presented at the 17th Moscow Solar System Symposium.

Researchers from the Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies (BCSS) Ocean Observatory have documented submerged "peat reefs" in the shallow waters of Mozambique's Bazaruto Archipelago, finding that ancient coastal forests - now lying beneath the sea - support marine biodiversity comparable to coral reefs. Published on 12 October in Scientific Reports, the study is believed to be the first ecological research into tropical peat reefs from a biodiversity perspective, with radiocarbon dating placing peat formation between roughly 300 and 5,000 years ago. The reefs, sitting just 2 - 4 metres deep, host no living coral yet shelter dozens of fish species, spiny lobsters, oysters and juvenile reef fish, alongside larger species including sharks, rays and turtles. The findings carry significant implications for coastal conservation and blue economy policy. Some peat samples contain up to 40% organic carbon by dry weight, raising questions about their potential role as legacy carbon stores - though researchers note that the peat reefs' present-day carbon cycling function remains unresolved and requires further dedicated study.

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