Deep Sea Ecosystems
The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean, about 6.8 miles from the surface there lies an unseen ecosystem that is mostly unexplored. At 13,000 feet deep, there is no sunlight and the temperature is around it's freezing point. Beyond that point still lies an incredible variety of sea creatures that live under this mass amount of pressure that can be up to 500 atm. The deep sea has an incredible variety of life including many species of fish, crustaceans, corals, worms, and jellyfish. All of which have adapted through millions of years of evolution to embody their physical presence. The female anglerfish has a mouth that takes up half of its body that is embedded with fang like teeth ready to clamp on an inferior victim. Other fish may have massive eyes to see any existing light to avoid predators. Even bioluminescent fish that look like something from another planet have adapted to glow on certain parts of their body to attract prey. In order for humans to study these species and its vast landscape they have built incredible vehicles that withstand the immense pressure of the deep sea. Some vehicles are manned by the scientists themselves to get a firsthand look at what lies on the ocean floor while others are manned remotely attached to a cable from the boat. The deep sea is a largely unexplored ecosystem which explains why it always caught my eye. It is amazing to think that creatures can evolve over millions of years to function the way they do to play a vital part in its ecosystem.
Source: https://ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/deep-sea/deep-sea
Pic source: https://anthropocenemagazine.org/2019/10/deep-sea-restoration/










