Download The Abyss - Wantagh School

I.
The Abyss
Abyss – the region of the ocean basin that
lies below the continental slope
a. largest habitat on Earth (60% of Earth’s
surface)
b. half of the planet’s surface is covered in
water at least 4,000 meters deep
c. visible light only penetrates to 600
meters
d. tremendous pressure and near-freezing
water temperatures (2-3°C) create
unique living conditions for these
benthic creatures
II. Life in the Abyss
a. no sunlight therefore no photosynthetic
plant life
b. Sea Vents – fissures in the seafloor from
which compounds spew upward from
the Earth’s core, supporting
communities of abyssal organisms
i. Ocean water seeps into cracks in
the sea and is heated by magma
from inside the earth
ii. Water in these hydrothermal vents
reaches temperatures of 375° C and
higher and is rich in dissolved
minerals
iii. The hot water rises from the vents
in geysers and meets cold ocean
water, causing minerals to
precipitate out of solution as the
water cools
iv. In some places compounds of iron
and sulfides form "chimneys" on top
of the vents
c. chemosynthetic bacteria convert
sulfur from the vents into carbohydrates
for use by simple animals
i. clams, mussels, & worms, all
lacking mouths and stomachs,
thrive because of the presence of
bacteria in their body tissues
ii. Tubeworms grow near the boundary
of where the hot vent fluid mixes
with the cold seawater. These
strange creatures can grow over 8
feet tall.
iii. many other organisms feed on
detritus – small, decaying particles
of dead plants and animals that
sink to the ocean’s depths
III. Bioluminescence – light produced by
living things
a. Photophores – bacteria or specialized
cells that cause the body or body parts
to glow
b. the light helps to lure prey or identify
mates
IV. Abyssal Organisms
a. Anglerfish – distinctive feature, worn
only by females, is a piece of dorsal
spine that protrudes above their mouths
like a fishing pole, tipped with a lure of
luminous flesh, this built-in rod baits
prey close enough to be snatched.
b. Giant Squid
c. Black Swallower
d. Tripod Fish