{"id":115540,"date":"2024-10-18T11:17:50","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T04:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115540"},"modified":"2024-10-18T11:17:50","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T04:17:50","slug":"scientists-discover-thriving-ecosystem-beneath-oceans-seafloor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115540","title":{"rendered":"Scientists Discover Thriving Ecosystem Beneath Ocean\u2019s Seafloor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-content\">\n<p>\t\t<!-- END .ss-inline-share-wrapper --><\/p>\n<p>A recent deep-sea expedition has uncovered a previously unknown ecosystem beneath the ocean floor, where communities of animals, including <strong>giant tube worms<\/strong>, thrive in the extreme environment below hydrothermal vents. This discovery, made by scientists exploring the <strong>East Pacific Rise<\/strong>, reveals that life is not confined to the ocean\u2019s surface or the seafloor but also extends into <strong>subsurface volcanic caves<\/strong>, challenging our understanding of marine ecosystems.<\/p>\n<h2>A Hidden World Beneath Hydrothermal Vents<\/h2>\n<p>The team, aboard the <strong>Schmidt Ocean Institute\u2019s research vessel \u201cFalkor (too)\u201d<\/strong>, conducted a 30-day expedition to explore the volcanic <strong>East Pacific Rise<\/strong>, where two tectonic plates meet and create deep-sea hydrothermal vents. These vents are known to host ecosystems that survive in the absence of sunlight, relying on <strong>chemosynthetic bacteria<\/strong> that convert chemicals from the vents into energy. While these ecosystems have been studied for decades, the team made an unprecedented discovery: not only do animals thrive around the vents, but they also live <strong>beneath the seafloor<\/strong>, in hidden volcanic caves.<\/p>\n<p>Using the <strong>remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian<\/strong>, the researchers drilled small holes in the <a href=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/09\/seafloor-pacific-ocean-earths-tectonic\/\">seafloor<\/a> rocks and flipped over sections of <strong>volcanic crust<\/strong>. Beneath the rocks, they found an unexpected network of <strong>cavities filled with warm fluid<\/strong> and teeming with life, including <strong>giant tube worms<\/strong>, some measuring up to <strong>1.6 feet (0.5 meters)<\/strong> long. <strong>Dr. Monika Bright<\/strong>, marine ecologist and coauthor of the study, described the moment as \u201c<strong>spectacular<\/strong>,\u201d noting that <strong>&#8220;there were animals, 50 centimeters long, lying in there\u2014alive.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These subseafloor habitats exist at temperatures of around <strong>75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius)<\/strong>, much warmer than the surrounding cold ocean waters. This discovery extends the known boundaries of life, showing that ecosystems above and below the seafloor are <strong>interconnected<\/strong>, with life forms using the cracks in the seafloor to move between habitats.<\/p>\n<h2>The Connection Between Seafloor and Subseafloor Ecosystems<\/h2>\n<p>The researchers discovered that the <strong>vent fluid<\/strong>, which carries heat and chemicals from beneath the Earth\u2019s crust, creates an environment where life can thrive both above and below the seafloor. This fluid supports <strong>chemosynthetic bacteria<\/strong>, which provide food for other species, such as snails, mussels, and the <strong>giant tube worms<\/strong>. Unlike most ecosystems on Earth that rely on sunlight for energy, these deep-sea ecosystems depend on <strong>chemical reactions<\/strong> to produce energy in a process known as <strong>chemosynthesis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The scientists believe that the <strong>larvae of tube worms<\/strong> and other animals may travel through cracks in the seafloor, following the flow of warm vent fluid, to settle in subseafloor habitats. <strong>Dr. Sabine Gollner<\/strong>, coauthor of the study, explained, <strong>&#8220;We hypothesized that tubeworm larvae can travel in cracks below the ground with the warm vent fluid to colonize the surface vents from below.&#8221;<\/strong> This discovery suggests that life in these subseafloor habitats is not isolated but part of a <strong>dynamic system<\/strong> that exchanges life forms between the surface and the deep volcanic crust.<\/p>\n<p>This finding challenges previous assumptions that life below the seafloor was limited to microbes and viruses. Now, larger, complex animals are known to exist in these <strong>volcanic caves<\/strong>, expanding our understanding of the potential for life in extreme environments.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"btn-gallery\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/In-this-photo-provided-by-Schmidt-Ocean-Institute-experiments-code-named-Mesh.avif\" title=\"Afficher l'image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone  wp-image-12723\" src=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/In-this-photo-provided-by-Schmidt-Ocean-Institute-experiments-code-named-Mesh-380x214.avif\" alt=\"In this photo provided by Schmidt Ocean Institute, experiments code-named &quot;Mesh Box Staining Gadgets&quot; are sealed to the seafloor at the Tica Vent, a site on the East Pacific Rise 2,500 meters deep. (Schmidt Ocean Institute via AP)\" width=\"533\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/In-this-photo-provided-by-Schmidt-Ocean-Institute-experiments-code-named-Mesh-380x214.avif 380w, https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/In-this-photo-provided-by-Schmidt-Ocean-Institute-experiments-code-named-Mesh-520x293.avif 520w, https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/In-this-photo-provided-by-Schmidt-Ocean-Institute-experiments-code-named-Mesh.avif 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Future Exploration and Protection of Deep-sea Ecosystems<\/h2>\n<p>While this discovery opens new avenues for exploring <strong>subseafloor biospheres<\/strong>, it also raises concerns about the impact of <strong>deep-sea exploration<\/strong> and potential <strong>mining activities<\/strong>. The research team stressed the importance of preserving these fragile ecosystems, which could be easily disturbed by major drilling operations. <strong>Dr. Monika Bright<\/strong> emphasized, <strong>&#8220;We need to protect what is living below the surface, as it is an important component of the ecosystem.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The study, published in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-52631-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Nature Communications<\/strong><\/a>, also highlights the potential for life to exist in <strong>other unexplored regions of the ocean<\/strong>, possibly even beneath other hydrothermal vents across the globe. The team\u2019s next steps involve investigating whether these ecosystems are widespread and exploring how far the <strong>subseafloor caves<\/strong> extend both <strong>horizontally and vertically<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>With <strong>only 5% of the world\u2019s oceans explored<\/strong>, the discovery is a reminder of how much remains unknown about the depths of our planet\u2019s waters. Marine biologist <strong>Alex Rogers<\/strong>, who was not involved in the study, noted that this discovery <strong>&#8220;adds to our understanding of vent ecosystems, how populations of vent organisms are maintained, and just how much life exists at these systems.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<picture class=\"ss-hidden-pin-image\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/10\/ecosystem-beneath-oceans-seafloor\/\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hidden-World-Uncovered-Scientists-Discover-Thriving-Ecosystem-Beneath-Oceans-Seafloor.jpg\" data-pin-description=\"Hidden World Uncovered: Scientists Discover Thriving Ecosystem Beneath Ocean\u2019s Seafloor\" style=\"display:none\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hidden-World-Uncovered-Scientists-Discover-Thriving-Ecosystem-Beneath-Oceans-Seafloor.jpg.webp\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hidden-World-Uncovered-Scientists-Discover-Thriving-Ecosystem-Beneath-Oceans-Seafloor.jpg\" alt=\"Hidden World Uncovered Scientists Discover Thriving Ecosystem Beneath Ocean\u2019s Seafloor\" data-pin-url=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/10\/ecosystem-beneath-oceans-seafloor\/\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hidden-World-Uncovered-Scientists-Discover-Thriving-Ecosystem-Beneath-Oceans-Seafloor.jpg\" data-pin-description=\"Hidden World Uncovered: Scientists Discover Thriving Ecosystem Beneath Ocean\u2019s Seafloor\"\/>\n<\/picture>\n<!-- CONTENT END 1 --><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/dailygalaxy.com\/2024\/10\/ecosystem-beneath-oceans-seafloor\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A recent deep-sea expedition has uncovered a previously unknown ecosystem beneath the ocean floor, where communities of animals, including giant tube worms, thrive in the extreme environment below hydrothermal vents. &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=115540\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=115540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115540\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=115540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=115540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=115540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}