Into the deep – ocean floor and open ocean
Few of us have ever gone deeper into the ocean than where the sunlight reaches. What can really be found when the darkness envelopes us?
The sunlight usually cannot reach further down in the water masses than 15-30 m before all the light is absorbed. This means that photosynthesising organisms are not found deeper than 30 m – thus there are no algae nor the bustling, diverse life of the kelp forests. Still, there is much life at the ocean floor!
Even at depths of several hundred metres the ocean floor is adorned by gorgonians like bubblegum coral and other species of sea fan, as well as different sponges in beautiful colours. These species may look like plants, but actually, they are animals. Other examples of plant-like animals found at the deep reaches of the ocean floor, are sea anemones.
Wildlife at the ocean floor depends on several factors, among these are food availability, water currents and bottom type. On soft bottoms, different mussels, bristle worms and crustaceans are common – even as deep as at 100 m!
In the open ocean there are actively swimming species, for example bony fishes, cartilaginous fish like sharks, whales, octopuses and jellyfish.
