Hobbies And Interests
Sunlight
Most marine ecosystems are located near the surface of the water, but some ecosystems reside deep in the ocean. The lack of sunlight makes it difficult for photosynthetic organisms to generate energy, which leaves these ecosystems short on the fuel that sustains life. The lack of sunlight makes the ocean floors very cold. However, there are some areas with more heat, which comes from erupting hot springs that release magma as hot as 5000 degrees Fahrenheit. These springs release fluids very rich in minerals, which organisms need to survive.
Hydrogen Sulfide
Volcanic gases release hydrogen sulfide, a source of fuel for many bacteria. Most of the hydrogen sulfide comes from the Earth's interior, and less than 15 percent comes from seawater chemical reactions. Some of the geothermal vents produce enough light to potentially allow photosynthetic organisms to absorb the light.
Sinking Debris
Food also comes from debris that sinks from the upper levels of the ocean down to the bottom, where scavengers feed on it. Organisms often consume and excrete debris, gradually reducing the quantity of nutrients in the debris. Scientists estimate only 5 percent of the nutritional value remains. Various factors influence how much debris reaches the floor, including large algae blooms, quantities of marine animals consuming food and ocean currents. For example, over-fishing can cause more bits of debris from algae to reach the floor, which can increase the populations of grenadier fish found near the ocean floor. These are long-living fish that are among the most abundant in the ocean, residing throughout all the oceans.
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are the major producers of food in the ocean, which include cyanobacteria, diatoms and coccolithophores. Algae is often used as a term describing any organisms that perform photosynthetic roles in the ocean, including organisms that scientists do not normally classify as algae. The entire marine ecosystem is built on a thin layer of photosynthetic organisms that generate most of the energy. The quantity of algae fluctuates and can thus greatly alter the quantity of marine organisms.
Fish
Small fish are very attracted to light. In fact, the anglerfish can generate light and attract fish to its mouth, consuming those fish drawn near. Most fish in deep sea ecosystems are small, since larger fish require larger quantities of energy to survive. Most fish also wait for prey to come near, since more active approaches to hunting use up energy. Male anglerfish are much smaller than females, which conserves energy. Also, they feed off the blood of female fish in exchange for sperm.