World War II Bombs, Torpedo Heads and Naval Mines: How Marine Life Flourishes on Discarded Weapons

In the slightly salty sea off the Germany's coast sits a graveyard of World War II explosives, torpedoes and naval mines. Dumped from boats at the conclusion of the second world war and neglected, numerous explosives have accumulated over the years. They form a rusting blanket on the low-depth, muddy ocean floor of the Lübeck Bay in the western part of the Baltic Sea.

Over the decades, the Nazi arsenal was overlooked and forgotten about. A growing number of tourists traveled to the coastal areas and tranquil sea for jetskiing, kiteboarding and amusement parks. Underwater, the weapons decayed.

We initially expected to see a barren area, with no life because it was all toxic, states a scientist.

When the initial researchers went investigating to see what they were doing to the ecosystem, some of us expected to see a desert, with no life because it was all toxic, says the lead researcher.

What they discovered surprised them. Vedenin recounts his team members reacting with shock when the underwater vehicle first sent the images back. That moment was a memorable occasion, he notes.

Countless of ocean life had settled among the munitions, forming a renewed habitat richer than the ocean bottom surrounding it.

This underwater metropolis was evidence to the resilience of marine life. Indeed surprising how much life we discover in areas that are considered toxic and dangerous, he says.

Over 40 sea stars had piled on to one exposed piece of explosive material. They were residing on steel casings, fuse pockets and storage boxes just centimetres from its dangerous content. Marine fish, crustaceans, anemones and bivalves were all found on the historic weapons. It's similar to a coral reef in terms of the abundance of creatures that was inhabiting the area, states Vedenin.

Surprising Creature Concentration

An mean of more than 40,000 organisms were living on every square metre of the weapons, experts documented in their research on the discovery. The surrounding area was much poorer in life, with only 8,000 organisms on every square metre.

It is paradoxical that items that are meant to eliminate everything are attracting so much life, states Vedenin. One can observe how the natural world adjusts after a major disaster such as the second world war and how, in some way, marine life establishes itself to the most hazardous areas.

Artificial Structures as Marine Environments

Man-made structures such as sunken vessels, wind turbines, oil rigs and pipelines can create substitutes, compensating for some of the removed marine environment. This research shows that weapons could be similarly positive – the proliferation of marine organisms on those in the Lübeck Bay is probable to be duplicated elsewhere.

Between 1946 and 1948, 1.6 million tons of arms were disposed of off the Germany's coast. Countless of workers placed them in boats; some were placed in specific locations, the remainder just discarded at sea during transport. This is the initial instance researchers have recorded how ocean organisms has responded.

Worldwide Examples of Marine Transformation

• In the United States, decommissioned oil and gas structures have become coral reefs
• Sunken ships from the World War I have become environments for marine life along the Potomac River in the state of Maryland
• Military vehicle parts that have become environment to reef-building organisms off Asan beach in Guam

These areas become even more important for organisms as the oceans are increasingly depleted by fishing, bottom trawling and boat mooring. Shipwrecks and munitions areas practically act as sanctuaries – they are not official reserves, but nearly any kind of human activity is restricted, explains Vedenin. Consequently a numerous of marine species that are typically rare or declining, such as the Baltic cod, are thriving.

Future Issues

Wherever armed conflict has happened in the last century, nearby oceans are usually strewn with weapons, states Vedenin. Many millions of tons of explosive material lie in our oceans.

The positions of these munitions are poorly documented, partly because of sovereign limits, classified defense data and the reality that archives are stored in historical records. They present an detonation and safety risk, as well as threat from the continuous emission of poisonous compounds.

As Germany and additional nations start clearing these remains, experts plan to protect the ecosystems that have developed nearby. In the Bay of Lübeck weapons are already being cleared.

Researchers recommend substitute these steel remains remaining from munitions with certain less dangerous, some safe materials, like possibly concrete structures, says Vedenin.

He now aspires that what happens in the Bay of Lübeck establishes a example for substituting structures after weapon clearance in different areas – because even the most damaging weaponry can become foundation for new life.