Dark Deep Ocean Floor

Although some sea creatures depend on light to live others can do without it.

Dark deep ocean floor.

The deep ocean is dark very cold and has tremendous pressure from the overlying water. Scientific research submersibles have explored the ocean s deepest trenches but most are designed to reach only the ocean floor. Scientists are flocking to florida s gulf coast for a glimpse of a mysterious 425 feet deep blue hole on the ocean floor. The deep sea is a relatively mysterious and unknown part of the earth as only about 1 of the ocean floor has been explored by humans.

Little or no light penetrates this part of the ocean and most of the organisms that live there rely for subsistence on falling organic matter produced in the photic zone for this reason scientists once assumed that life would be sparse. The deep sea or deep layer is the lowest layer in the ocean existing below the thermocline and above the seabed at a depth of 1000 fathoms 1800 m or more. At depths of over 10 000 feet and covering 70 of the ocean floor abyssal plains are the largest habitat on earth. But despite their name these plains are not uniformly flat.

In fact there have been more missions into space than journeys down to the greatest depths of the oceans. Sunlight does not penetrate to the sea floor making these deep dark ecosystems less productive than those along the continental shelf. See how these deep sea denizens make the most of their deep dark home. Deep sea creatures photos adaptation is the name of the game when you live thousands of feet below the water s surface.

The glowing mystery hole about 155 feet below the water s surface. Deep sea exploration has revealed varied landscapes which include volcanoes seamounts hydrothermal vents and cold seeps.