1 Deep Sea Benthic Species Crawls On The Ocean Floor

The benthic region of the ocean begins at the shore line intertidal or littoral zone and extends downward along the surface of the continental shelf out to sea citation needed the continental shelf is a gently sloping benthic region that extends away from the land mass at the continental shelf edge usually about 200 metres 660 ft deep the gradient greatly increases and is.

1 deep sea benthic species crawls on the ocean floor.

Species diversity in the deep ocean can rival that of tropical rain forests. Only about 2 of known marine species inhabit the pelagic. Most of these animals lack a backbone and are called invertebrates. There are mountains trenches volcanoes flat muddy areas sandy areas and rocky areas.

Nearly half of the world s sea floors are over 3 000 meters 9 800 ft deep. Species diversity of deep ocean floor. Mbari s benthic rover took its first month long voyage in july. Even in tropical latitudes water temperatures in the deep ocean are near freezing.

It is believed that the diversity of infaunal worm species in the deep sea may be due to the sea cucumber the infaunal worms rarely get a chance to compete with each other because their habitat the mud is constantly being disturbed by a larger epifaunal species the sea cucumber. Every individual tries to collect a piece of the pie fig. Recent research indicates that the diversity of species living in the deep sea may rival the species richness found in tropical coral reefs. On the continents food is not unlimited.

A large number of infaunal worms are present in deep sea sediments these are usually deposit feeders. Deep sea fish are fish that live in the darkness below the sunlit surface waters that is below the epipelagic or photic zone of the sea the lanternfish is by far the most common deep sea fish. 1 3 of food produced at surface level limits deep sea benthic biomass. Some organisms live in the mud some crawl or swim along the bottom and some anchor themselves to the ocean floor.

Only about 1 to 3 of the food produced in the euphotic zone reaches the deep ocean floor. Competition for space in a tidal area between a species from the zoanthidae family a cnidarian and a barnacle. Deep ocean communities exist in the bathyal abyssal and hadal zones. Contrary to popular belief most of the sea floor known as the open ocean is not really a habitat for animals just a place they pass by on the way to somewhere else.

The sea floor is also a place where animals search or fight for food to stay alive. Typical benthic invertebrates include sea anemones sponges corals sea stars sea urchins worms bivalves crabs and many more. The benthic zone of the ocean is varied. Other deep sea fishes include the flashlight fish cookiecutter shark bristlemouths anglerfish viperfish and some species of eelpout.

Rivals that of tropical rainforest distribution patchy bc dependent on presence of certain micro environments. T or f deep sea benthic biomass is limited by low temperatures and high pressures.