Dense marine life on WWII munitions found in Baltic Sea

A team of German researchers has found dense communities of marine life growing on unexploded World War II munitions in the Bay of Lübeck in the southwestern Baltic Sea, a survey that raises questions about how organisms tolerate toxic chemicals while exploiting scarce hard habitat on the seafloor. Using an unmanned submersible and remotely operated vehicle during a fall survey, the scientists documented warheads from V1 flying bombs encrusted with worms, anemones, hydroids, mussels, crabs, starfishes and small fish, the study’s lead author, Andrey Vedenin of the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, said.

The team photographed and sampled objects on the seafloor about 20 meters down and reported roughly 40,000 to 43,000 epifaunal organisms per square meter living on the metal casings, compared with about 8,200 individuals per square meter in surrounding soft sediments. Researchers recorded eight epifaunal species in the immediate study area and three fish species among the assemblage. Footage showed animals covering the hard surfaces while largely avoiding exposed explosive material, though in one striking instance more than 40 starfishes were observed clustered on an...