Home | Session 4 | Shallow Marine Pg 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Shallow Marine Environments and Paleoenvironments: Reefs, Beaches and Basins
Presented
by Carol Tang
California Academy of Sciences
Before we focus on the shallow water environments, I want to say a little something about the deep-sea environment. The deep-sea environment isn't ALL homogeneous and boring. In the deep parts of the canyon, there are unique biotic systems called cold seeps that are related to hydrothermal vents, also called "black smokers".
These systems are often associated with spreading mid-ocean ridges (review Session #1) where hot fluids with minerals come out of the sea floor. Organisms that don't depend directly on photosynthesis can live in these systems. So there are interesting things in the deep-sea environment!
updated April 1, 2002
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