The Abyssopelagic zone is also known as the abyssal zone, or the abyss, and ranges from 4000 meters (13,124 feet) to 6000 meters (19,686 feet). They get the name from a Greek word meaning no bottom. The water temperature is so cold that it is near freezing, and there is no light at all. Very few creatures can be found in these freezing, no light, and bone crushing depths. Most of these creatures are invertebrates, animals without a backbone, such as basket stars and tiny squids. This zone has about three fourths of the ocean floor in it. The only zone deeper than this is the Hadalpelagic zone, which includes areas found in deep sea trenches and canyons. This zone is home to pretty inhospitable living conditions, which include near- freezing temperatures and crushing pressures.
The water temperature is near freezing, and there is no light at all. Very few creatures can be found at these crushing depths. Most of these are invertebrates such as basket stars and tiny squids. Three-quarters of the ocean floor lies within this zone. The deepest fish ever discovered was found in the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of 27,460 feet (8,372 meters).
Types of animals that live in the Abyssopelagic zone include algae, anemones, anglerfish, arrow worm, cookie-cutter shark, copepods, crabs, and other crustaceans, ctenophores, dinoflagellates, fangtooth, lantern fish (Myctophids), mussels, nudibranchs, some squid, segmented worms, siphonophores, swallower fish, tubeworms, pelican eel, umbrellamouth gulper, vampire squid, and viper fish.
In the abyssal zone, fish live longer and reproduce more slowly so the growing season tends to run slowly during the year. To help keep the Abyssal Zone healthy, humans could be much more careful about the waste that they are putting into the oceans because while this might not affect the abyssal zone right away, it will affect the higher areas of the ocean, which will eventually negatively affect life in the abyssal zone.
There is Zero light that reaches the abyssal zone, so photosynthesis does not occur and many animals have their own ways of producing light, or they are blind. Greenhouse gasses heat up the temperature of the ocean, and even though the sunlight doesn't directly ever hit the Abyssal Zone, it will negatively affect other Zones, which it will affect the Abyss. There aren't any seasons due to the same lack of environmental factors and the absence of sunlight. Biotic Factors The primary producer in the Abyssal Zone is Chemosynthetic Bacteria. Chemosynthetic bacteria thrive near hydrothermal vents because of the large amounts of hydrogen sulfide and other minerals they produce. These bacteria are the start of the food web as they are eaten by other larger organisms. The abyssal zone supports many species of invertebrates and fishes. The species that live the abyssal zone include the black swallower, tripod fish, deep sea anglerfish, and the giant squid. These animals are able to withstand the pressures of the ocean depths which can be up to 76 megapascals or 11,000 psi. Many abyssal animals have a protruding lower jaw to sift through the sand so they are able to find their prey. Anglerfish, attracts its prey using a bioluminescent lure, and then quickly snatches it into its huge teeth. Tripod fish CARNIVORE the major Carnivores include the angler fish and the Giant Squid. Giant Squid, they have ten limbs and their eyes are the size of basketballs. Some kinds of vegetation that grow there are phytoplankton, and algae. Not many plants grow in the abyssal zone because there is not enough sunlight that reaches this zone, and therefore photosynthesis doesn't take place, phytoplankton Mutualism.
The blob fish attached itself to the body of the giant crab where they lay eggs in their gill chambers. This may seem like parasitism, but it is beneficial for the crab as well because the blob fish eats the parasites and refuges off of the crabs body, and the eggs do not harm the crab. Parasitism.
The water temperature is near freezing, and there is no light at all. Very few creatures can be found at these crushing depths. Most of these are invertebrates such as basket stars and tiny squids. Three-quarters of the ocean floor lies within this zone. The deepest fish ever discovered was found in the Puerto Rico Trench at a depth of 27,460 feet (8,372 meters).
Types of animals that live in the Abyssopelagic zone include algae, anemones, anglerfish, arrow worm, cookie-cutter shark, copepods, crabs, and other crustaceans, ctenophores, dinoflagellates, fangtooth, lantern fish (Myctophids), mussels, nudibranchs, some squid, segmented worms, siphonophores, swallower fish, tubeworms, pelican eel, umbrellamouth gulper, vampire squid, and viper fish.
In the abyssal zone, fish live longer and reproduce more slowly so the growing season tends to run slowly during the year. To help keep the Abyssal Zone healthy, humans could be much more careful about the waste that they are putting into the oceans because while this might not affect the abyssal zone right away, it will affect the higher areas of the ocean, which will eventually negatively affect life in the abyssal zone.
There is Zero light that reaches the abyssal zone, so photosynthesis does not occur and many animals have their own ways of producing light, or they are blind. Greenhouse gasses heat up the temperature of the ocean, and even though the sunlight doesn't directly ever hit the Abyssal Zone, it will negatively affect other Zones, which it will affect the Abyss. There aren't any seasons due to the same lack of environmental factors and the absence of sunlight. Biotic Factors The primary producer in the Abyssal Zone is Chemosynthetic Bacteria. Chemosynthetic bacteria thrive near hydrothermal vents because of the large amounts of hydrogen sulfide and other minerals they produce. These bacteria are the start of the food web as they are eaten by other larger organisms. The abyssal zone supports many species of invertebrates and fishes. The species that live the abyssal zone include the black swallower, tripod fish, deep sea anglerfish, and the giant squid. These animals are able to withstand the pressures of the ocean depths which can be up to 76 megapascals or 11,000 psi. Many abyssal animals have a protruding lower jaw to sift through the sand so they are able to find their prey. Anglerfish, attracts its prey using a bioluminescent lure, and then quickly snatches it into its huge teeth. Tripod fish CARNIVORE the major Carnivores include the angler fish and the Giant Squid. Giant Squid, they have ten limbs and their eyes are the size of basketballs. Some kinds of vegetation that grow there are phytoplankton, and algae. Not many plants grow in the abyssal zone because there is not enough sunlight that reaches this zone, and therefore photosynthesis doesn't take place, phytoplankton Mutualism.
The blob fish attached itself to the body of the giant crab where they lay eggs in their gill chambers. This may seem like parasitism, but it is beneficial for the crab as well because the blob fish eats the parasites and refuges off of the crabs body, and the eggs do not harm the crab. Parasitism.