First ROV-Based Exploration of Argentina’s Mar del Plata Canyon Reveals Exceptional Ecosystems and Generates Massive Public Engagement

SANTIAGO HERRERA; DANIEL LAURETTA; GRAZIELLA BOZZANO; GREGORIO BIGATTI; BROGGER MARTÍN; RODRIGO CALDERÓN; NADIA CERINO; IGNASIO CHIESA; CRISTINA DAMBORENEA; CARLA DE ARANZAMENDI; BRENDA DOTI; NAHUEL FARIAS; EZEQUIEL MABRAGAÑA; MARIANO MARTINEZ; FLORENCIA MATUSEVICH; EMILIANO OCAMPO; LEONEL PACHECO; GUIDO PASTORINO; PABLO PENCHASZADEH; EMANUEL PEREYRA; RENATA PERTOSSI; JESSICA RISARO; NOELIA SANCHEZ; JAVIER H. SIGNORELLI; VALERIA TESO; DIEGO URTEAGA; JOHANNA WESTON

Glasgow

Congreso; 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting; 2026

The Underwater Oases of the Mar del Plata Canyon: TaludContinental IV expedition, conducted in July–August 2025, markedthe first deployment of an ROV in Argentina’s Mar del PlataSubmarine Canyon. Aboard the R/V Falkor (too), and led byArgentinian scientists, the mission characterized biodiversitybetween 800 m and 4,000 m. The team combined animal, sediment,and water collections with high-definition acoustic and visual surveysof benthic habitats, as well as state-of-the-art environmental DNA(eDNA) and zooplankton sampling. Unlike earlier expeditions thatlacked in situ visualization, this mission provided direct observationsof deep-sea environments, revealing dense cold-water coral reefs,extensive soft-coral fields, and a diverse assemblage of organisms,including over 40 suspected new species. The mission revealedcompelling human-environment interactions, with anthropogenicdebris, such as plastics, fishing gear, and footwear, present even inthe canyon’s deepest zones, underscoring the urgent need tointegrate legacy human impacts into management plans. Theexpedition achieved record-breaking public engagement, withaverage livestream views soaring to ~500,000 per dive (versus atypical 4,000), totaling over 17.5 million views over three weeks, withnearly 75% of viewers from Argentina. This immersive outreachsparked widespread curiosity, reaching homes, classrooms, andpublic venues, and inspired emerging scientists, particularly youth,thereby effectively bridging scientific discovery with societalengagement. This pioneering ROV-based expedition lays a criticalfoundation for future deep-sea research, biodiversity assessment,and resource management on Argentina’s Atlantic margin,demonstrating how modern exploration technologies, combinedwith broad public access, can catalyze scientific advancement andenvironmental stewardship.