World War II Bombs, Torpedoes and Naval Mines: The Way Ocean Creatures Thrives on Dumped Weapons

In the slightly salty waters off the Germany's coast rests a wasteland of World War II explosives, torpedo heads and mines. Thrown off vessels at the conclusion of the second world war and forgotten about, thousands weapons have accumulated over the years. 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 overlooked and neglected. A increasing amount of visitors flocked to the sandy beaches and tranquil sea for jetskiing, kite surfing and amusement parks. Beneath the surface, the munitions eroded.

We initially thought to see a barren area, with nothing living there because it was all poisoned, says a scientist.

When the team went investigating to see what they were doing to the ecosystem, researchers thought they would find a lifeless zone, with no life because it was all contaminated, states a scientist.

What they discovered surprised them. Vedenin recounts his colleagues reacting with shock when the underwater vehicle first transmitted footage. This was a memorable occasion, he recalls.

Countless of sea creatures had made their homes on the weapons, forming a revitalized ecosystem richer than the sea floor nearby.

This ocean community was proof to the resilience of life. Indeed remarkable how much marine organisms we discover in places that are expected to be toxic and harmful, he says.

More than 40 starfish had gathered on to one exposed piece of explosive material. They were dwelling on steel casings, ignition chambers and carrying containers just a short distance from its volatile core. Fish, crabs, sea anemones and bivalves were all found on the old munitions. It's similar to a marine reef in terms of the abundance of animal life that was there, states Vedenin.

Unexpected Population Density

An average of more than 40,000 creatures were residing on every square metre of the explosives, scientists wrote in their research on the observation. The nearby seabed was much less diverse, with only 8,000 organisms on every square metre.

It is ironic that objects that are meant to destroy all life are hosting so much life, explains Vedenin. It's evident how nature adapts after a devastating occurrence such as the second world war and how, in certain respects, marine life returns to the most hazardous places.

Artificial Features as Marine Habitats

Man-made structures such as sunken vessels, wind turbines, drilling platforms and pipelines can create alternatives, replacing some of the lost habitat. This research reveals that weapons could be similarly beneficial – the explosion of marine organisms on those in the Bay of Lübeck is likely to be duplicated in different areas.

Between 1946 and 1948, 1.6 million tons of arms were dumped off the Germany's shoreline. Numerous of individuals loaded them in vessels; a portion were placed in allocated locations, the remainder just discarded at sea during transport. This is the first time researchers have studied how ocean organisms has reacted.

Worldwide Instances of Ocean Transformation

• In the US, retired drilling platforms have become coral reefs
• Shipwrecks from the World War I have become homes for wildlife along the Potomac River in the state of Maryland
• Military vehicle parts that have become home to coral off Asan beach in Guam

These places become even more valuable for organisms as the seas are increasingly denuded by fishing, bottom trawling and anchoring. Shipwrecks and munitions areas essentially act as refuges – they are not official reserves, but almost any kind of human activity is restricted, says Vedenin. Therefore a lot of marine species that are otherwise scarce or diminishing, such as the cod fish, are thriving.

Coming Considerations

Wherever warfare has taken place in the last century, surrounding seas are often strewn with explosives, says Vedenin. Millions of tonnes of dangerous substances rest in our oceans.

The positions of these weapons are poorly recorded, in part because of national borders, restricted military information and the situation that records are buried in old files. They create an explosion and security hazard, as well as risk from the ongoing emission of toxic chemicals.

As the German government and other countries begin removing these artifacts, researchers hope to protect the habitats that have formed around them. In the Bay of Lübeck weapons are already being removed.

Researchers recommend replace these iron structures left from munitions with certain more secure, some non-dangerous objects, like perhaps artificial reefs, states Vedenin.

He now hopes that what happens in Lübeck creates a model for substituting structures after weapon clearance in different areas – because also the most damaging armaments can become framework for new life.