To the Depths: The Smithsonian’s Scientific Diving Initiative
Originally published in Smithsonian’s The Torch, Sept. 2008
Belize, Fiji, and the Caribbean are dream travel destinations for many, but for Michael A. Lang, director of the Smithsonian Marine Science Network and Scientific Diving Officer, these exotic locales are research Meccas for those willing to venture underwater for the sake of science. Since 1990, the Smithsonian has taken scientific diving to new heights, or rather, depths, advancing our understanding of marine environments and their ecological function. With 140 divers logging an average of 3,400 dives per year, the Smithsonian’s scientific diving program is one of the largest in the world and most reputable, in large part due to Lang’s efforts.
Scientific diving differs from recreational and commercial diving in that its sole purpose is to advance science; scuba diving, a popular hobby for vacationers, is a means to an end for scientific divers, a skill that must be mastered in order to focus on the research goals at hand. Scientific dives are conducted to collect specimens from sub-aquatic ecosystems and observe behavioral patterns of underwater species. Lang explains, “Scientific dives must be carefully planned to maximize the amount of underwater research time. Recreational divers have much more flexibility over when and where they dive to enjoy the underwater environment.” The beauty, however, is not lost on Lang, who cites McMurdo Station in Antarctica as his favorite dive spot. McMurdo offers the largest horizontal underwater visibility in the world and maintains a stable water temperature of 29 degrees Fahrenheit. “Only 300 individuals have ever scuba dived at McMurdo,” Lang points out.
The Arctic has a special allure for tourists and scientists alike; it remains largely untouched by industrialization, an undisturbed place where nature still reigns supreme. Additionally, 2008 is the 4th International Polar Year, so a global initiative is currently underway to study Arctic and Antarctic regions and increase public interest in polar science. Lang leads a biannual ice-diving training course 765 miles from the North Pole in Ny-Ålesund, a research station located on Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard group. The curriculum covers everything from nutrition and hygiene to injury prevention and what to do if you come across a polar bear.
Since the risks when diving in an overhead-ceiling environment (i.e. a layer of ice) are greatly increased, extra precautions must be taken to prevent hypothermia, equipment malfunctions and drysuit leaks. Safety is tantamount to Lang’s training regimen, and he equips his team with state-of-the-art dive computers that monitor decompression levels. Fortunately, Lang has never found himself in an emergency situation in his 30 years of diving, despite numerous encounters with leopard seals and sharks.
Some of the Smithsonian’s scientific diving takes place in the South Pacific in an area referred to as “the coral triangle,” surrounding Indonesia and the Philippines. This region is known for its high level of marine biodiversity. Scientific dives on the Caribbean coast of the Panamanian isthmus have taught researchers about the reproductive cycles of green algae, and a 1996 study led to the discovery of the first marine animal species to display eusociality. Lang describes eusociality as “the apex of animal social organization, characterized by overlapping generations, reproductive division of labor, and cooperative care of young.” When Smithsonian divers exploring the Belizean barrier reef observed colonies of sponge-dwelling snapping shrimp exhibiting this behavior, biologists finally had evidence that marine animals can develop complex social structures.
Scientific diving also helps monitor underwater ecosystems. Smithsonian divers record seagrass meadows shrinking from agricultural runoff, coral bleaching and disease, and the effects of pollution, warming sea surface temperatures, and overfishing on reef populations. If an invasive species (a non-native species that has few natural predators) appears, Smithsonian dive teams can document the habitat changes accordingly.
Over the years, Lang has seen a lot of changes in his field, and most of them positive. Technological enhancements have made scuba diving safer than ever, and even aesthetics have improved. “Most equipment can now be purchased in a rainbow assortment of colors versus basic black,” Lang notes with a smile. Fashion considerations aside, Lang stresses that thorough entry-level training cannot be overemphasized and investing in good equipment is a must. And if you do happen to find yourself face to face with a polar bear, veer to the right. Lang explains, “One of the few advantages we have when encountering a polar bear is that we know that they always swipe with their left paw first!”