When a ship sinks, it is often in tragic circumstances. Beneath the waves, however, a different story unfolds: shipwrecks become the foundations of new life.

Rusting hulls, broken masts and even piles of wartime munitions can, through time, be transformed into rich ecosystems. Scientists call this “shipwreck ecology”, and it offers a fascinating lens through which to view both the adaptability of marine life and the unexpected ways human shape the seascape.

This is illustrated vividly by a recent scientific study of a second world war munitions dump in the Baltic Sea near Germany. What many would see as hazardous waste has, over the decades, become home to diverse communities of mussels, crustaceans, fish and plant life. Even corroding shells and explosives are now teeming with life.

Although leaking toxic compounds can be risky, the site demonstrates how marine organisms repurpose human-made structures into thriving habitats.

The ecological transformation of a shipwreck begins almost immediately after it settles on the seabed. Metal, wood or concrete provide rare hard surfaces in otherwise sandy or muddy seafloors.

Marine microscopic algae, bacteria and fungi are the first colonisers, forming slimy biofilms within days. These in turn attract barnacles, tube worms and sponges, followed by larger organisms such as soft corals, sea fans........

© The Conversation