World War II Munitions, Torpedo Heads and Naval Mines: How Ocean Creatures Flourishes on Dumped Armaments

In the slightly salty waters off the Germany's shoreline sits a graveyard of Nazi bombs, torpedo heads and naval mines. Dumped from boats at the end of the World War II and neglected, thousands explosives have accumulated over the years. They comprise a decaying layer on the low-depth, silty ocean floor of the Bay of Lübeck in the western part of the Baltic.

Over the decades, the explosive stockpile was ignored and neglected. A growing number of visitors traveled to the coastal areas and tranquil sea for jetskiing, kiteboarding and amusement parks. Underwater, the weapons deteriorated.

Some of us anticipated to see a lifeless zone, with no life because it was all poisoned, states a scientist.

When the team went looking to see what they were affecting to the ecosystem, some of us expected to see a lifeless zone, with nothing living there because it was all contaminated, explains the lead researcher.

What they discovered surprised them. Vedenin recounts his colleagues reacting with shock when the ROV first relayed pictures. That moment was a great moment, he says.

Numerous of sea creatures had established habitats among the weapons, forming a regenerated ecosystem more populous than the sea floor around it.

This ocean community was testament to the persistence of life. It is actually remarkable how much marine organisms we observe in places that are supposed to be dangerous and harmful, he states.

Over 40 sea stars had piled on to one accessible piece of explosive material. They were residing on iron containers, fuse pockets and storage boxes just a short distance from its dangerous content. Marine fish, crustaceans, anemones and mussels were all discovered on the old munitions. It's similar to a marine reef in terms of the abundance of fauna that was inhabiting the area, says Vedenin.

Remarkable Creature Concentration

An mean of more than forty thousand organisms were residing on every meter squared of the explosives, researchers reported in their research on the observation. The nearby seabed was much sparser, with only eight thousand individuals on every square metre.

It is surprising that objects that are intended to kill everything are hosting so much marine organisms, states Vedenin. You can see how the natural world evolves after a catastrophic event such as the World War II and how, in some way, life returns to the most dangerous places.

Man-made Structures as Marine Habitats

Artificial constructions such as shipwrecks, wind turbines, drilling platforms and undersea pipes can offer substitutes, compensating for some of the destroyed habitat. This research shows that weapons could be similarly advantageous – the explosion of life on those in the Bay of Lübeck is probable to be duplicated in different areas.

Between 1946 and 1948, 1.6 million tons of arms were dumped off the Germany's coast. Countless of workers transported them in barges; some were placed in specific areas, others just thrown overboard during transport. This is the initial instance scientists have recorded how ocean organisms has adapted.

Global Instances of Ocean Adaptation

• In the United States, decommissioned drilling platforms have transformed into coral reefs
• Sunken ships from the first world war have become habitats for marine life along the Potomac in Maryland
• Military vehicle parts that have become home to reef-building organisms off Asan in the Pacific island

These places become even more important for wildlife as the seas are increasingly denuded by fishing, seafloor dredging and boat mooring. Sunken ships and explosive disposal locations essentially act as sanctuaries – they are not national parks, but nearly any kind of anthropogenic disturbance is restricted, says Vedenin. Therefore a many of marine species that are otherwise scarce or declining, such as the Baltic cod, are thriving.

Future Issues

Wherever military conflict has happened in the last century, adjacent waters are usually strewn with munitions, states Vedenin. Many millions of tons of explosive material lie in our oceans.

The positions of these munitions are poorly recorded, partially because of national borders, restricted military information and the reality that records are hidden in historical records. They create an explosion and security danger, as well as risk from the continuous release of poisonous compounds.

As the German government and additional nations start clearing these remains, experts hope to protect the ecosystems that have formed in their vicinity. In the Bay of Lübeck explosives are currently being cleared.

Researchers recommend substitute these metal carcasses left from munitions with certain more secure, various safe materials, like maybe man-made habitats, suggests Vedenin.

He now aspires that what happens in the Bay of Lübeck creates a precedent for replacing structures after munitions removal in different areas – because also the most damaging explosives can become scaffolding for marine organisms.