A live video observatory reveals temporal processes at a shelf-depth whale-fall

There have been very few studies of temporal processes at chemosynthetic ecosystems, even at relatively more accessible shallow water sites. Here we report the development and deployment of a simple cabled video observatory at ≈ 30 m water depth in Gullmarsfjorden, Sweden. The camera provides a live video feed to the internet of faunal activity in the experiments, which to date have included 5 separate whale-fall deployments. Our data suggest that the time to decomposition of small cetacean carcasses at shelf-depth settings is considerably slower than at deep-sea sites. We have also provided a new methodology for the deployment of low-cost live video observatories at up to 30 m water depth, which can be used both for research and outreach activities.