Download What is a hydrothermal vent?

What is a hydrothermal vent?
• deep ocean hot mineral springs found
where tectonic plates meet
• Along with heat, the water in hydrothermal
vents carries high levels of dissolved
hydrogen sulfide
Organisms in the Deep Ocean
have to adapt to:
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High salinity
Low temperature
Currents
Sediment load
Low light
High pressure
Adapt by using: bioluminescence and
buoyancy
Organisms that Live in
Hydrothermal Vents
• Chemosynthetic
Bacteria
– Act as the base
of the trophic pyramid
• Giant Tubeworms
• Crustaceans
(crabs, shrimp)
• Mollusks
(clams, mussels)
Chemosynthesis
• The process of using
chemicals to create
energy-rich organic
compounds
• Similar to photosynthesis
because it produces
carbohydrates
• Doesn’t use sunlight
as energy sourceuses chemical energy
Think-Pair-Share
• What types of adaptations do
organisms need to live in a
hydrothermal vent habitat?
• What are example of abiotic and
biotic factors that they will
encounter?
Objective
–Students will design an
invertebrate or vertebrate
capable of living in a
hydrothermal vent
ecosystem.
–Use the provided rubric to
design your organism.