Much of the recent research on Gulf of Mexico deepwater shipwrecks has pivoted toward exploring and characterizing resident microbial communities. Developed in response to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BOEM’s Gulf of Mexico Shipwreck Corrosion, Hydrocarbon Exposure, Microbiology, and Archaeology (GOM-SCHEMA) project hypothesized that microbial exposure to oil and chemical dispersants had a negative effect on shipwreck preservation, e.g., metal corrosion and wood degradation. Results indicated that spill-exposed sites demonstrated a shift in community composition toward hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. Accelerated metal corrosion was documented even several years after the spill abated. By comparison, microbial communities at unimpacted sites were more cosmopolitan, exhibiting greater biodiversity. Over time, impacted sites showed community shift back toward pre-spill conditions. The project demonstrated the effectiveness of using microbial communities as sentinels for indicating environmental impact and evidence of ecosystem recovery which ultimately led to new lines of scientific inquiry and opportunities to explore shipwreck microbiomes.

The seafloor contains millions of shipwrecks with diverse provenance. Prior studies show that shipwrecks may support discrete microbiome in surrounding sediments, forming island-like systems for microbes. The specific site and environmental features that support these communities remain unclear. This study examines the spatial context of shipwrecks on the seabed and how materials associated with shipwrecks shape benthic microbiomes. Sediment was collected around three 19th century wooden-hulled Gulf of Mexico shipwrecks known as the “Monterrey Wrecks”. This co-located trio provides diverse material assemblages constrained by site age, loss circumstances, and environmental context. 16S rRNA gene amplification targeting bacteria, archaea and fungi was performed and sequenced on Illumina NextSeq platform. Preliminary findings indicate site provenance as a key structuring feature on microbiomes, in addition to site proximity and sediment depth. Shipwreck spatial attributes will be quantified to reveal how site configuration, composition, and complexity shape benthic microbiome zonation patterns.

Microbial biofilms can contribute to both the protection and deterioration of wrecks through biofouling and biocorrosion processes. By conducting both lab-based studies and field explorations we aim to identify wreck-associated microbial communities and determine how they affect wreck integrity over short and long-time scales. A study of the shallow-water, steel-hulled “Pappy Lane” (PAS0001) WW2-era landing craft shipwreck indicated that the wreck-associated microbes were similar across multiple regions of the ship. Both iron-oxidizers and sulfate-reducers were widespread suggesting potential for biocorrosion across the wreck. Biofilms attached to deployed metal coupons indicated that metal type and seasonality influenced colonization of microbes and they can change over time and space. Lastly, a growth-based method has been developed to co-culture corrosion-causing sulfate-reducers and iron-oxiders. Lab experiments indicate that conditions other than oxygen may drive their interactions. Ultimately, studying how microbes attached to shallow-water wrecks will aid our understanding of their role in long-term integrity.

Abandoned shipwrecks are sitting at the bottom of oceans and lakes around the world. Over time, microbial-comprised biofilms, can help protect wrecks again chemical corrosion and deterioration or contribute to their deterioration through microbially-influenced corrosion organisms. Identifying and understanding the community composition of these biofilms will give us a better understanding of the role these microbes play in microbial-influenced corrosion (MIC) of these structures. Here, we determine if microbial community composition differ based on the environment across a shallow freshwater steel-hulled shipwreck, Accomac (1928-c.1973), located in Mallows Bay, Maryland by sequencing various samples collected. Results suggest there was a statistically significant difference between the sample types indicating the environment around Accomac influences the composition of the microbial communities. These results also indicate corrosion-causing taxa within the shallow freshwater wreck site, which may lead to variation in how microbes may contribute to protection or deterioration of these ferrous-hulled wrecks.

Historically, coral reefs have been used as food resources and raw material gathering areas for coastal communities. In the present, this ecosystem is in danger around the world due to anthropogenic and climate change impacts. This centenary marine ecosystem can survive hundreds to thousands of years, creating a yearly paleoclimate record in their exoskeleton. Centenary structures hold the key for present and future coral reef conservation projects. Archaeology can contribute to restoration efforts by collaborating in interdisciplinary research to identify past coral reef systems that have been impacted by anthropogenic and climate impacts in the long term. Using the north coast of Puerto Rico as a case study, we collaborate with local communities and ecologists in the identification of sentinel coral reef ecosystems that hold the key for conservation efforts in the island and can serve as a base for inter-Caribbean collaboration in restoration projects.

Shipwreck ecology can be defined as the effective interaction between ships and shipwrecks and marine organisms within the environmental contexts in which they are located. Locally controlled site formation processes by which all shipwrecks deteriorate are coupled with recruitment of microorganisms, benthic invertebrates and fish, community succession, and anthropogenic disturbances. Shipwreck ecology is therefore intrinsically tied to the physical and cultural maritime landscape. This paper proposes a new paradigm for the analysis of the formation of maritime archaeological landscapes, incorporating vessels from launch to shipwreck to archaeological site. It centers recent, interdisciplinary research within a cohesive framework that promotes development of questions and hypotheses that can only be addressed by integrating archaeology and ecology.

The physical remains of human activities in the ocean, collectively called underwater cultural heritage (UCH), serve as important seafloor habitats that are integral to the ecosystems around them. Shipwrecks and other UCH influence connectivity and dispersal of marine animals, impact local and regional biodiversity, and interact with physical and chemical processes. The interdisciplinary study of shipwreck habitats has great potential to advance maritime archaeology, marine biology, and the broader ocean sciences. Collaborations between marine biologists and maritime archaeologists are needed to address stressors affecting UCH and guide ecosystem-based management of these important historical and ecological structures. We present a framework for the emerging interdisciplinary field of Maritime Heritage Ecology and provide case studies to demonstrate how shipwreck research can inform management questions in a changing ocean.

Maritime Heritage Ecology is an interdisciplinary research framework that aims to understand the interactive biological, natural, and anthropogenic factors that drive site formation processes and answer critical management questions for UCH. Similar to Shipwreck Ecology, this nascent area of research integrates questions and methodologies from different fields to address scientific, management, and cultural perspectives towards understanding natural and anthropogenic systems affecting UCH and contemporary societies.