Beneath the upper few hundred meters, the deep sea remains cold and dark throughout the year. Long-term observations indicate that it is a highly stable and largely unchanging habitat.
Nonetheless, some seasonal changes have been observed.
In spring, phytoplankton blooms create vibrant green swirls on the surface, providing deep-sea creatures with organic matter known as “marine snow.”
A recent study has uncovered that the currents responsible for cleaning the deep seabed are not as constant and uniform as previously believed.
Instead, these currents have been shown to fluctuate in speed, slow down, and change direction throughout the year, revealing just how much is still left to discover in the depths.
This article responds to Daniel Barlow from Newcastle’s inquiry: “Does the deep sea have seasons?”
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