Transcript Deep Ocean - Cornell College

Deep Ocean
Benthos
Nektos
Chemosymbiotic communities
Deadfall communities
Benthos
Bathyal, abyssal, hadal
No light at all below 1km
Low T (3 to -18C)
High O2
High P (300-1000atm)
Not well known; deeper than able to dive
Limited areas studied
But: high diversity
Enough nutrients, O2
Nekton
Squid, ctenophores, jellies, fish, sharks
Vertically zoned
Not well known, same problem as with studying benthos
Nekton
Bioluminescence
Chemical reaction in photocell
Lures
Conspecific ID
Predator avoidance
Hydrothermal vents, seeps
First discovered 1977, Galapagos
Now fairly well studied for deep ocean, new discovery
Hydrothermal vents, seeps
Warm to hot water
Water boiling out of black smokers: 100’sC
Black smokers
Volcanic activity
Metals, sulfides
Hydrothermal vents, seeps
Tube worms, mussels, giant clams, crabs, shrimp, eels
Chemosymbiosis with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria
Predators
Fossil record:
450 MY, 150 MY, recent
Important for understanding early life processes
Whale Carcass Communities
Dead whales  attract scavengers
Temporary “community”
Can feed organisms for weeks
Organisms leave when whale consumed