Can Hydrothermal Vents Help us Learn About the Evolution Of Life On Earth?

Like geysers and hot springs on land, hydrothermal vent acts as a system to transport chemicals and heat from the interior of the earth. This stunning discovery has made in 1977 while scientists have been exploring the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. 

Hydrothermal vents are formed in areas with high tectonic activity, including the edges of tectonic plates, undersea mountain ranges, and seamounts, and mid-ocean ridges. Where they emit hot, mineral-rich fluids from beneath the seafloor. The water escaping from these vents are characterized by different physical and chemical factors, which include minerals, temperatures, and flow levels of their plumes. The low and high concentrations of minerals are referred to as white and black smokers. Hydrothermal fluid temperatures can reach up to 400°C or more, but they do not boil due to high pressures at the deep ocean.

hydrothermal vent, black smokers, hydrothermal smokers, ocean smokers

Despite the extreme temperatures and pressures where these vents occur are completely dark and photosynthesis is impossible. In the deep sea, most of the food must sink from the seafloor, as it sinks, eaten by various organisms, resulting in very little food to the bottom. 

At deep hydrothermal vents, though, specialized bacteria can convert the heat and sulfur compounds into food and energy. As these bacteria multiply, they form thick mats on which animals can graze. In some cases, they even form symbiotic relationships with animals, (e.g., giant tube worms) and live in the animal tissues, creating energy in return for receiving protection from predators. These specialized bacteria form the bottom of the deep hydrothermal vent food web, and many animals rely on their presence for survival, including giant tube worms, deep-sea mussels, yeti crabs, and many other invertebrates and fishes.

hydrothermal vent, ocean smokers

Compared to black smokers, white smokers emit cooler plumes. Vents with even cooler and weaker plumes are called seeps, where methane-rich water seeps from the seafloor. These vents do not require high tectonic activity and can be formed across the deep sea.

Vents support complex ecosystems of exotic organisms that have developed unique adaptations to high temperatures and pressures which are considered to be toxic. Learning about these organisms can teach us about the evolution of life on Earth. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Movie Club: Deep Blue Sea

Image
Searching for a cure to Alzheimer's disease, Susan McAlester along with a group of researchers experiment and harvest the brain tissue of genetically altered sharks. when the island facility backers send an executive to investigate the experiments. The regular procedure goes wrong and the over-sized sharks attacking the creators and outnumbering them. The team must fight back and stop them from escaping into the ocean and stop breeding. Even though the movie doesn't reach the standards, it has a lot of horrifying parts. One which is where Samuel L.Jackson got surprisingly eaten by the shark while speaking to the team. Here are some of the shots from the movie This science fiction thriller has been directed by Renny Harlin featuring Thomas Jake as Carter Blake and Saffron Burrows as Dr. Susan McAlester. 
Read more

A Fish That Can Save The Coral Reefs

Image
The reef provides a safe haven for millions of extraordinary creatures and plants. But if left grows unchecked they can literally kill the reef.  Parrotfish are the most important creatures when it comes to protecting the health of the reef. They eat the dead and algae-covered coral, allowing fresh coral to form and rebuild the reef. Without parrotfish, the entire reef will die quickly.  There are almost 95 different species which are found in coral reefs, rocky coasts, and seagrass beds, and can play a significant role in bioerosion. Each species has a different color scheme and can change their color as they go from babies to adults. This tremendous creature spends 90% of the day by eating dead algae and coral. When eating corals that contain rock, which then leads to white sand poo, a parrotfish can release up to 5 tons of sand per year. As participating in the hygiene of the reef their teeth become filthy, so every day they need a cleaning section. At the cleani
Read more

Humboldt Squid: Red Devils Of the Deep Sea

Image
Like many other squids, Humboldt squid is one of the fierce predators. These animals are one of the largest squids which have earned the name "jumbo squid". They come in packs from the deep waters after the sunset and hunt for their prey. Possess extraordinary eyesight, a razor-sharp beak, and eight tentacles which makes them catch the prey and tear them apart.  Humboldt squids are the powerful swimmers and the bioluminescence in their skin allows them to change colors. This kind of behavior allows them to communicate and display a warning to the others. Ability to light themselves in colors of red and white during aggressive have earned them the name "red devils". On a very rare case, the individuals attack the scuba divers who were diving in groups of Humboldt squid they were feeding. It has only predator i.e; sperm whales . The Humboldt squid can live only a single year, so they decimate populations of small fishes or smaller squid when they hunt. Durin
Read more