Deep-sea shark discovery in Israel sheds light on understanding of marine ecosystems


Deep-sea shark discovery in Israel sheds light on understanding of marine ecosystems

A research initiative led by the University of Haifa and partners in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea recently revealed deep-sea brine pools and related habitat hotspots, including hundreds of deep-water sharks and the largest concentration of deep-sea shark eggs ever found. These represent one of the most significant discoveries of marine habitats in Israel’s history, with potentially important implications for the world’s understanding of climate change.

In an expedition off Israel’s coast that is part of a long-term collaboration among University of Haifa’s Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Inter-University Institute of Marine Research, researchers uncovered a biologically diverse paradise, including a rich food web-based on methane, as well as the sharks and the shark nursery.