2023-08-14 04:00:07
A team of scientists has just discovered a new world under hydrothermal vents. A real subterranean ecosystem has been revealed, challenging our true knowledge of biodiversity. Furthermore, this discovery revealed a previously unknown migratory technique of tube worms!
It is off the coast of Central America, in volcanic cavities, that a month-long expedition (Le mois (From lat. mensis “month”, and formerly in plur. “menses”) is a period of time …) was conducted by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, accompanied by an international scientific team. After knocking over chunks of volcanic crust, researchers discovered an underwater cave system home to incredible wildlife.
Underwater geysers, called hydrothermal vents, are already known for microbial life on their surface. They eject very hot water rich in minerals, and despite the absence of light (Light is all the electromagnetic waves visible to the eye…) at this depth, species manage to adapt and create their own ecosystem. But during a recent expedition, scientists decided to look for what is under these hot springs, not just on their surface. Their discovery was among the most surprising, because against all expectations, a very rich fauna was revealed! Using a robot (A robot is a mechatronic device (combining mechanics, electronics and…), pieces of volcanic crust were moved in order to find out what was hiding underneath, and it is indeed a real ecosystem which has thus been revealed: many organisms living sheltered from predators, ranging from bacteria (Bacteria (Bacteria) are prokaryotic unicellular living organisms, characterized…) to more complex creatures such as snails or tubeworms in particular.
These worms, already known to be able to survive in extreme environments, were at the heart of this research and revealed strange migratory behavior. Indeed, instead of moving directly through the water, the researchers found that they use underground circuits. In this environment (The environment is everything that surrounds us. It is all the natural elements and …), the floor indeed shelters volcanic fluids generating cracks, which are here used by worms as a means transport (Transport is the fact of carrying something, or someone, from one place to another, the most…), but also and above all as a source of nutrients. This discovery could explain the reason for the rarity of these tubular worms around hydrothermal vents.
To get more details on this method of subterranean migration, the researchers used mesh boxes to serve as a trap while allowing traffic (Road traffic (Anglicism: road traffic) is the movement of motor vehicles…) water and thus observe the creatures that emerge from the depths. By removing these boxes, they found the presence of many animals, some of which had never been seen before. These seemed to come from the cracks present on the ocean floor, confirming the initial hypothesis.
This research has made it possible to highlight two major discoveries: a diversity of fauna in these hitherto unexplored areas, and a theory of underground migration of tube worms. As hydrothermal vents are known to be rich in precious metals by their very nature, this discovery is yet another reminder of the importance of protecting these areas from mining.
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