![]() ![]() ![]() The most common characteristics of species that live in this zone include slow metabolic rates, slow consumption, flexible stomachs, large mouths, and bioluminescence. ![]() Caused by increasing water pressure, the abyssopelagic zone is much less explored than the shallower ocean zones, and it is frequent that scientists discover new species when exploring this area. In contrast to the epipelagic zone where photosynthesis provides the main food resources for many ocean organisms, the abyssopelagic marine life rely on detritus (dead marine organisms) to sink towards this deep layer for resources. Extending from roughly 4,000-6,00 meters, the abyssopelagic zone is pitch-black and home to many organisms that are specialized to live in high pressure, cold, and lightless conditions (National Weather Service). With the development of ocean floor mapping technologies, researchers know now that the abyssopelagic zone contains three-quarters of the ocean floor’s total area. Early oceanographers believed that this zone did not reach the ocean’s floor. The name for the abyssopelagic zone comes from the Greek word abyss which means “no bottom”. The organisms that live in the Midnight zone survive off of fallen organic matter from the zones above (OceanScape).Īn organism that interacts with the Bathypelagic zone is the Sloane viperfish, who migrates to surface waters during the night from its location in the Bathypelagic However, there have been multiple soft-bodied organisms found this far below, as well as some bony fish (OceanScape)! Scientists have found that marine life in the bathypelagic zone can have a mass 10 times greater than predicted (Broad, 2015). The pressure this far deep would amount to 5,800 lbs per square inch, and it would be hard to believe life can withstand this much force (National Weather Service). This is only 7 degrees warmer than the temperature that freshwater freezes at! As a portion of the deep sea, there are no currents that affect this zone, rendering it as a relatively stable environment. Temperatures this deep are fairly constant and hover around 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Bioluminescence is the ability for animals to glow in the dark, caused by the release of energy from chemical reactions in the form of light (Roberts). The only source of light in this zone comes from organisms using bioluminescence (National Weather Service). At 1,000-4,000 meters below, no light is able to penetrate the ocean water this deep, preventing any primary production. The bathypelagic zone is known as the “midnight” zone for its characteristically lightless waters. ![]()
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