Professor Plume’s world leading research has uncovered unique lifeforms at the bottom of Loch Ness that generate oxygen. These microorganisms at depths over 200 meters could revolutionize our understanding of deep-water ecosystems and their role in oxygen production.

Producers Under Loch Ness
Plume’s study explores the biodiversity of Loch Ness, focusing on the profundal zone. This has been relatively unexplored due to its depth and challenging conditions.
Using advanced holographic imaging technology, Professor Plume and his team collected samples from various depths. The samples were analyzed for microbial activity and oxygen production.
The research identified several species of microorganisms capable of photosynthesis at these depths and generated significant amounts of oxygen. These findings suggest that deep-water ecosystems may play a more crucial role in global oxygen production than previously thought.
The discovery challenges existing theories about oxygen production (so called “dark oygen”) in freshwater systems and highlights the importance of protecting these unique ecosystems. Further research is needed to understand the full impact of these lifeforms on the environment.

Speaking exclusively to the Loch Ness Free Press, Professor Plume said, “Loch Ness is clearly a place of gaesous production of Dark Oxygen through a process similar to methane generation and the hydrothermal vents my leading team discovered in our Loch Ness research project and probe of the water body’s bottom in early 2024.”
Professor Plume’s research opens new avenues for studying deep-water ecosystems in Loch Ness and other deep water lakes and their contributions to Earth’s oxygen cycle. This discovery highlights the need for continued exploration and conservation of deep freshwater habitats.
Plume added, “If there is a large amount of Dark Oxygen being produced here, it could help explain how unknown creatures such as Nessie, the famous Loch Ness Monster, could survive for long periods without surfacing.
“There are plenty of food sources the murky depths and oxygen completes the circle of what is needed to support life”.