Well, well! Old oil rigs may be good for wildlife

MAN-made structures such as oil rigs and shipwrecks could help threatened corals to spread, a study suggests.

Researchers found artificial structures from the oil and gas industry support a network of densely connected coral ecosystems that spans hundreds of miles and crosses international borders.

While the spread of the so-called ‘ocean sprawl’ of man-made structures can have a negative impact on marine ecosystems through issues such as sound, pollution and invasive species, the study suggests they could also help with conservation.

A team led by scientists at the University of Edinburgh used a computer model to reveal how a protected species of coral might use industrial structures to spread. They found that coral larvae released near oil platforms would travel between corals that have colonised other structures located at great distances.

Professor Murray Roberts, of the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences, said: ‘When we first spotted these corals on the legs of oil platforms in the late 1990s it was a real surprise. We now have strong evidence that corals are likely to be dispersing right across the North Sea and into marine protected areas.’

Dr Lea-Anne Henry, who led the study, said: ‘We need to think carefully about removing the platforms, bearing in mind the role they may play in the ecosystem.’

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, also involved researchers from the National Oceanography Centre and Heriot-Watt University.