I once thought the way you currently do until I took a Benthic Marine Biology course in University
this summer. The deep sea is environmentally stable habitat but it is nutrient poor. Most nutrients
become used up while in the water column and never make it to the deep ocean floor. The animal
density is very low in this area but there are a great number of species that survive there. If
fact, there are more species found in the sediment of the Deep sea than there are in any other area
of the ocean. Other areas of the ocean undergo drastic changes in salinity, temperature...etc which
pose many physiological demands on organisms living there. Hydrothermal vents are an example of deep
sea habitat. This particular deep sea environment is abundant with chemoautotrophic bacteria,
vestimentifera worms, bivalves...etc. Do some reading...you'll soon realize that it is a WONDERFUL
place!!! I hope I've helped!!
Jon Gottsche & Shelley Parker wrote:
> Hi, I was told that the deep sea is pretty barren ( native life ) in comparision to the coastal
> regions of the oceans. If that is so, where would one draw a line to say, " here is an abundence
of
> life, here is an area of little life."
>
> thanks,
>
> jonathan
>
>
>
>
