Nazi Bombs, Torpedo Heads and Naval Mines: How Marine Life Thrives on Discarded Weapons

In the slightly salty sea off the German shoreline sits a wasteland of World War II explosives, torpedoes and naval mines. Dumped from boats at the end of the second world war and neglected, numerous munitions have become matted together over the decades. They comprise a corroding layer on the low-depth, silty seafloor of the Bay of Lübeck in the western tip of the Baltic.

Over the years, the explosive stockpile was ignored and forgotten about. A increasing amount of tourists traveled to the sandy beaches and calm waters for jetskiing, kiteboarding and amusement parks. Underwater, the munitions deteriorated.

Some of us anticipated to see a barren area, with nothing living there because it was all toxic, says the lead researcher.

When the first scientists went looking to see what they were affecting to the ecosystem, researchers thought they would find a barren area, with nothing living there because it was all contaminated, says the lead researcher.

What they discovered astonished them. Vedenin recalls his scientists exclaiming in amazement when the submersible first relayed pictures. This was a memorable occasion, he says.

Thousands of sea creatures had established habitats on the weapons, forming a revitalized ecosystem denser than the sea floor nearby.

This marine city was proof to the persistence of marine life. It is actually surprising how much life we observe in locations that are expected to be dangerous and dangerous, he says.

More than 40 sea stars had piled on to one visible piece of explosive material. They were living on steel casings, detonator compartments and carrying containers just centimetres from its explosive filling. Fish, crustaceans, sea anemones and bivalves were all observed on the discarded explosives. You could compare it with a coral reef in terms of the abundance of fauna that was inhabiting the area, notes Vedenin.

Unexpected Population Density

An mean of more than forty thousand animals were living on every square metre of the munitions, experts documented in their study on the finding. The surrounding area was much sparser, with only eight thousand creatures on every meter squared.

It is ironic that things that are designed to eliminate all life are hosting so much life, states Vedenin. It's evident how the natural world evolves after a devastating occurrence such as the second world war and how, in certain respects, marine life finds its way to the most risky places.

Artificial Structures as Marine Environments

Artificial features such as shipwrecks, wind turbines, drilling platforms and undersea pipes can create substitutes, compensating for some of the removed habitat. This investigation shows that munitions could be similarly positive – the proliferation of marine organisms on those in the Bay of Lübeck is likely to be repeated in other locations.

Between 1946 and the post-war period, 1.6 million tonnes of arms were discarded off the German shoreline. Numerous of individuals transported them in boats; some were placed in specific areas, others just discarded at sea while traveling. This is the first time experts have studied how ocean organisms has adapted.

Global Examples of Ocean Adaptation

• In the US, retired energy installations have transformed into coral reefs
• Sunken ships from the first world war have become homes for wildlife along the Potomac River in Maryland
• Tank tracks that have become environment to reef-building organisms off Asan in the Pacific island

These areas become even more valuable for marine life as the oceans are increasingly stripped by commercial fishing, seafloor dredging and anchoring. Shipwrecks and weapons dump sites effectively function as protected areas – they are not official reserves, but nearly any kind of human activity is prohibited, states Vedenin. Consequently a lot of species that are otherwise rare or diminishing, such as the cod fish, are flourishing.

Future Considerations

Wherever armed conflict has happened in the recent history, nearby oceans are often containing munitions, states Vedenin. Millions of tonnes of dangerous substances remain in our oceans.

The locations of these weapons are inadequately mapped, partly because of national borders, restricted military information and the fact that archives are hidden in historical records. They present an explosion and security hazard, as well as threat from the continuous leakage of hazardous substances.

As Germany and additional nations start removing these remains, experts aim to protect the ecosystems that have established nearby. In the Lübeck Bay weapons are presently being cleared.

Researchers recommend substitute these steel remains originating from munitions with some safer, various non-dangerous structures, like possibly man-made habitats, states Vedenin.

He now hopes that what transpires in Lübeck sets a model for replacing habitats after munitions removal in different areas – because even the most damaging weaponry can become foundation for ocean ecosystems.