Deep Sea Adaptations

Life in the deep ocean

[pic] http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/Ichthyology/larval_fish_archive.html Investigate how organisms survive in an extreme environment
Earth and space science: 2.4
AS91190

Credits: 4

Arnold Weiner

Contents

1.0 Introduction 2.0 Ocean zones 2.1 The epipelagic zone 2.2 The mesopelagic zone 2.3 The bathypelagic zone 2.4 The abyssopelagic zone 2.5 The haedopelagic zone 3.0 The Bathypterois 3.1 Adaptations 3.11 Feeding 3.12 Reproduction 3.15 Sensory Organs 3.14 Size 3.15 Ontogenetic vertical migration 3.2 Habitat, Location and Sightings

1.0 Introduction

What is an extreme environment?

An extreme environment is an environment where humans could not live without technological assistance. Organisms that live in these environments possess special adaptations that enable them to survive the extreme conditions of their environment.1 An extreme environment can be characterized by conditions that are far outside the boundaries in which humans dwell comfortably, in these categories: pH levels, pressure, temperature, salinity, radiation, desiccation, and oxygen level. An organism that thrives in an extreme environment is called an extremophile. An extreme environment is one that does not meet the basic needs of human life.

2.0 The ocean zones

The ocean has five different zones as the depth increases, the epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, abyssopelagic and lastly the haedoplagic zone. These zones 2extend from the surface to the most extreme depths where light can no longer penetrate. These deep zones are