As we take to the beach during the long summer days many of us uncover little gems and our favourite shells, however this summer Icelanders discovered something a little larger, a new coral reef.
As the Icelandic Marine Research Institute scoured the ocean on a submarine expedition they found a new coral reef at Lonsdjup off Iceland‘s east coast which covers 40 square kilometres and is believed to be up to 500 metres below sea level.
As you may have probably guessed the ocean surrounding Iceland is not particularly warm thus it is a cold water coral reef and due to its depth it receives no sunlight and so obtains nutrition from ocean currents. All the coral reefs previously found around Iceland are all protected as nature reserves and they hope this new reef will be too.
This is a wonderful find for Iceland.
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