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Oceanography

Bathypelagic zone

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

Scientists study colorful microbial mats around deep-sea vents called 'white smokers,' which spew hot, mineral-rich water.

The bathypelagic zone, also called the midnight zone, is a deep part of the ocean. It lies between 1,000 and 4,000 meters below the ocean surface. No sunlight ever reaches this dark area.

Because there is no sunlight, plants and algae cannot grow here. Instead, this zone relies on bits of food that fall from the upper layers of the ocean. These bits are called marine snow and help tiny organisms, fish, and other sea creatures survive.

Many special animals live in the bathypelagic zone. Some fish, like anglerfish, can make their own light, called bioluminescence. These deep-sea creatures use very little energy because food is hard to find in the deep ocean.

Scientists find the bathypelagic zone very interesting but also very hard to study. The water pressure is very strong, and it is far from land. Today, scientists use special underwater robots called remotely operated vehicles to explore these mysterious places and learn more about this amazing part of our ocean.

Images

Marine snow: Tiny bits of organic material gently falling from the upper ocean to deeper waters.
A remotely operated underwater vehicle named Jason is shown on a research ship before a scientific expedition.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Bathypelagic zone, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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