'Astonishing richness' in polar sea species: Wildlife News | adn.com: "'Astonishing richness' in polar sea species
By MICHAEL CASEY
The Associated Press
Published: February 17th, 2009 03:40 PM
Last Modified: February 17th, 2009 10:42 PM
BANGKOK, Thailand -- The polar oceans are not biological deserts after all.
By MICHAEL CASEY
The Associated Press
Published: February 17th, 2009 03:40 PM
Last Modified: February 17th, 2009 10:42 PM
BANGKOK, Thailand -- The polar oceans are not biological deserts after all.
A marine census released this week documented 5,500 species in the Arctic and 7,500 in the Antarctic, including several hundred that researchers believe could be new to science.
"The textbooks have said there is less diversity at the poles than the tropics, but we found astonishing richness of marine life in the Antarctic and Arctic oceans," said Victoria Wadley, a researcher from the Australian Antarctic Division who took part in the Antarctic survey. "We are rewriting the textbooks."
In one of the biggest surprises, researchers said they discovered dozens of species common to both polar seas -- separated by nearly 7,000 miles. Now they have to .......... http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/wildlife/story/693403.html