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An introduction and investigation of the third tropic level in our biosphere - the chemotrophs. Hydrothermal vents, hot spots and tubeworms.
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Hydrothermal Vents
&Chemoautotrophs
Dark Secrets
Model of a community of hydrothermal
vents and smokers at the bottom of the
sea
Hydrothermal vents are volcanoes
located at the bottom of the
ocean.
Many look like chimneys.
Some are very tall – thousands
of feet high.
Location of Deep-Sea Vents off coast of Galapagos Islands
Although they are thousands
of feet below the surface where
no light has ever penetrated,
these vents, or “hot spots” are
teaming with life – that does not require sunlight
for photosynthesis
Riftia pachyptila, the giant tubeworm, is found at all known vent sites along the East Pacific Rise and the Galapagos Rift
The fact that these tubeworms are very common and are early colonizers may explain their high levels of genetic diversity.
These worms are entirely dependent on sulfur-oxidizing, symbiotic bacteria that supply
them with energy. Tubeworms are thought to be early colonizers of
vent sites
B. thermophilus mussels are found at vent sites along the
Galapagos Rift. They depend almost
entirely on symbiotic bacteria within their
gills to supply energy.
The rates of extinction and recolonization that deep-sea mussels and clams experience tend to reduce their genetic diversity.
Yeti crabs have been found living at depths of about 2,200 meters (7,200 feet or 1 ½ miles) on recent lava flows and areas where warm water was seeping out of the sea floor.
Biodiversity at the vent sites is still amazing marine ecologists and biologists.
New species are still being discovered
These animals all feed on the sulfur-oxidizing, symbiotic bacteria, or each other – creating a Chemotropic ecosystem.
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