World War II Explosives, Torpedo Heads and Mines: The Way Marine Life Prosper on Dumped Weapons

In the brackish sea off the Germany's shoreline sits a collection of Nazi bombs, torpedoes and naval mines. Discarded from barges at the conclusion of the World War II and forgotten about, numerous munitions have accumulated over the decades. They comprise a corroding carpet on the low-depth, muddy ocean floor of the Lübeck Bay in the western tip of the Baltic.

Over the years, the explosive stockpile was overlooked and forgotten about. A increasing amount of visitors flocked to the sandy beaches and calm waters for water sports, kiteboarding and entertainment venues. Beneath the surface, the weapons eroded.

We initially expected to see a lifeless zone, with no organisms because it was all toxic, states the lead researcher.

When the initial researchers went searching to see what they were doing to the ecosystem, the team expected to see a lifeless zone, with no life because it was all toxic, explains Andrey Vedenin.

What they found amazed them. Vedenin recalls his scientists shouting with surprise when the ROV first sent the images back. That moment was a memorable occasion, he notes.

Numerous of sea creatures had established habitats amid the weapons, creating a regenerated marine community more populous than the seabed around it.

This underwater metropolis was evidence to the persistence of marine life. It is actually surprising how much marine organisms we find in locations that are expected to be toxic and harmful, he says.

In excess of 40 starfish had gathered on to one visible chunk of explosive material. They were residing on metal shells, detonator compartments and storage boxes just centimetres from its explosive filling. Marine fish, crustaceans, sea anemones and mussels were all discovered on the old munitions. You could compare it with a coral reef in terms of the amount of animal life that was inhabiting the area, states Vedenin.

Remarkable Creature Concentration

An mean of more than 40,000 creatures were residing on every meter squared of the weapons, experts documented in their study on the discovery. The surrounding area was much poorer in life, with only 8,000 individuals on every square metre.

It is paradoxical that objects that are designed to eliminate all life are attracting so much marine organisms, says Vedenin. One can observe how nature adjusts after a major disaster such as the World War II and how, in certain respects, marine life establishes itself to the most risky areas.

Artificial Features as Marine Habitats

Artificial structures such as shipwrecks, wind turbines, oil rigs and undersea pipes can provide replacements, restoring some of the removed marine environment. This study shows that munitions could be comparably positive – the explosion of marine organisms on those in the Bay of Lübeck is likely to be found in different areas.

Between 1946 and the post-war period, 1.6 million tonnes of weapons were dumped off the Germany's coast. Countless of people transported them in barges; a portion were placed in designated locations, others just discarded at sea en route. This is the first time researchers have recorded how marine life has responded.

Worldwide Instances of Ocean Transformation

• In the US, retired drilling platforms have become coral reefs
• Submerged vessels from the World War I have become environments for creatures along the Potomac River in the state of Maryland
• Military vehicle parts that have become habitat to reef-building organisms off Asan in the Pacific island

These places become even more crucial for wildlife as the oceans are increasingly depleted by fishing, bottom trawling and boat mooring. Sunken ships and munitions areas effectively serve as sanctuaries – they are not national parks, but nearly any kind of human activity is restricted, explains Vedenin. As a result a numerous of organisms that are usually uncommon or decreasing, such as the cod fish, are thriving.

Future Issues

Anywhere warfare has occurred in the past 100 years, surrounding seas are often littered with munitions, explains Vedenin. Many millions of tonnes of dangerous substances rest in our seas.

The locations of these munitions are poorly documented, in part because of sovereign limits, restricted defense data and the fact that records are stored in historic archives. They create an explosion and security danger, as well as risk from the continuous release of toxic chemicals.

As the German government and other countries start removing these relics, scientists hope to protect the marine communities that have developed nearby. In the Lübeck Bay explosives are currently being cleared.

It would be wise to substitute these steel remains originating from munitions with certain safer, various safe materials, like maybe artificial reefs, says Vedenin.

He currently hopes that what occurs in Lübeck sets a example for substituting material after explosive extraction elsewhere – because including the most damaging armaments can become foundation for new life.