These worms play an integral part of the community. They do not have any digestive capacities, as they lack mouths and digestive systems. Rather, they absorb the nutrient-rich waste products of the bacteria through their epidermal layers. They use hemoglobin produced inside their bodies to combine hydrogen sulfide, which is a necessity of many of the bacteria living in and around the vents. The worms transfer this hydrogen sulfide to the bacteria upon contact, and in return, the absorb the nutrients being produced by the bacteria. Additionally, one study examining vents off the coast of South Africa also found the presence of a new species of nematode, known as Halicephalobus mephisto (Borgonie et al., 2011). There are also a number of annelids as well as typical crustaceans, like snails, crabs, and shrimp are often common (Edmonds et al., 2003). There are also species of fish and octopi that form some of the top predators on the unique deep water food chain. It is the presence of life in such extreme conditions that has often given rise to theories positing the early beginnings of life on earth. The presence of archaea in these extreme conditions shows that single-celled organisms that were our ancestors could have originated in similar conditions millions of years ago (Lemonick & Dorfman, 2002). Scientists now assert that life as we know it today began in a similar situation. Hot, mineral-rich water came spewing out of the inner core of the earth and created the environment for live to thrive and then later evolve into the myriad of species that are present today. This theory also opens up the questions about potential life on other planets. Contemporary astronomy has shown that other planets in our solar system also tend...
Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, has shown to have clear evidence that it features a number of hydrothermal vents, opening up the question whether there are similar biological communities also thriving in these distant worlds (Lemonick & Dorfman, 2002). Similar vents have also been found on Titan, one of Saturn's larger moons. As such, studying life around hydrothermal vents could paint a picture of alien life forms as well.
2005). The rules for deep-sea life are different than those for terrestrial species. Stratification plays an important role in species classification in vent environments. As the chimney grows in height the environment changes. Tarasov and associates believe that deep-sea vents have a longer evolutionary history then shallow vents found closer to the surface. This is an important factor in understanding how hydrothermal vents are connected to early life on planet
Q. Pick TWO places in our solar system and tell me why you are hopeful there may be life there. Why?According to Patel (2021), although there is little likelihood of finding little green people in a corner of our solar system, there are a few candidates for astral bodies where it might be possible to find microbial life, such as bacteria. The first likely candidate is one of Neptune�s moons,
Noncoding DNA, also known as "junk DNA" describes portions of the DNA sequence that do not appear to have any presentable use -- they do not encode for proteins, etc. In fact, in a most eukaryote cells, a rather large percentage of the total genome is noncoding DNA, but this varies between species. However, it is now a misnomer to call this material "junk," because the more sophisticated we become
Geography Oceanography is the field of geography that studies the origin and development of the oceans, including how they move, the life forms within it, and how to use its resources wisely and safely. It'd an interdisciplinary field of study that by necessity combines geography with biology, meteorology, chemistry, physics and even mathematics (College Board, 2005). Those who study oceanography must have a broad-based education in the sciences. The physical properties of
The contribution of these discoveries to the field is significant. It could for example contribute to a greater understanding of the origin of life on earth. Scientists for example can further study the creatures discovered around the vents for the purpose of such an understanding. Further implications relate to the cycle of heat and chemicals to the seafloor and the waters overlying it. In related disciplines, it is possible that
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