March 13, 2009 -- They are 8,000 miles apart, but the top and bottom of the Earth share a surprising number of species in common: 235 and counting. "We think of the Antarctic and the Arctic as being united by ice but so far apart that we didn't think there was much commonality between them," said Russ Hopcroft, a zooplankton ecologist at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. "The current count is 235 but will probably go up. That's remarkable, and it raises a lot of questions." Hopcrofit is one of hundreds of researchers working to put together the first comprehensive list of which species live where in oceans around the world. The effort is part of a 10-year project called the Census of Marine Life. And the newly released comparison between polar regions was timed to coincide with the end of the International Polar Year. One of the goals of the Census is to consolidate scattered tidbits and databases of what scientists already know. But researchers have also embarked on dozens of expeditions to collect new information --including a recent flurry of voyages to the poles. Related Content:
Those expeditions have uncovered some species that live elsewhere but had never before been discovered at the poles, along with other species that are totally new to science. On Hopcroft's last cruise to the Arctic, for example, he and colleagues used remotely operated vehicles to double the number of known species of sea gooseberries (a type of zooplankton) from five to 10. So far, about 5,500 marine species have been catalogued in the Arctic and 7,500 in the Antarctic. The 235 species that appear on both lists range from whales to birds to microscopic invertebrates. Data analysis is ongoing, as is the search for more species. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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