What is upwelling? a process in which currents bring deep, cold water to the surface of the ocean is a result of winds and the rotation of the Earth. The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east Winds tend to veer right in the northern hemisphere and left in the southern hemisphere. This is known as the Coriolis effect It’s largely responsible for upwelling in coastal regions.

What are the effects of upwelling? Deep water brought to the surface is often rich in nutrients coastal upwelling supports the growth of seaweed and plankton, which provides food for fish, marine mammals, and birds. Upwelling generates some of the world’s most fertile ecosystems. In coastal regions the cold water welling up to the surface cools the air promotes the development of sea fog.

What are hydrothermal vents? crack along a rift or ridge in the deep ocean floor that spews out water heated to high temperatures by the magma under the earth's crust The hot, mineral-rich waters then exit the oceanic crust and mix with the cool seawater above. As the vent minerals cool and solidify into mineral deposits, they form different types of hydrothermal vent structures.

What lives near hydrothermal vents? The base of the food chain in the deep ocean is bacteria. There are animals that have the bacteria live inside them to provide them with food. These include tube worms, clams, and mussels There are scavengers, including shrimp, crabs, and anemones that feed on the bacteria and other zooplankton that live at the vent Lastly, there are predators including octopi, fish, and squid that feed on other vent creatures.

How do organisms of the deep ocean get their energy? These vents are found below 1000m. Photosynthesis can only happen until 100m underwater The bacteria here use the hydrogen sulfide in the water and turn it into energy to survive. Organisms feed on this bacteria (it is the producer in the food chains of the deep ocean!) Making energy through chemical reactions instead of the sun is called chemosynthesis.