The water column is the largest and least explored habitat on Earth, encompassing 95% or more of our planet's livable space. Trillions of organisms reside in the water column, and where light is scarce, they have adapted in incredible ways. Using tools like acoustics, scientists can understand where organisms concentrate in the water column. This concentration of life, known as the deep scattering layer, represents the largest migration on Earth — diel vertical migration. Every day, billions and billions of organisms, mostly zooplankton (e.g., small fish, crustaceans, and jellies), move up into shallow water at night and return to the dark, deep waters when the sun rises. These organisms are important as both predators and prey, and they play an important role in the carbon cycle. Science continues to evolve to help us better understand these organisms and their contributions to life on Earth.
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Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2021.
Windows to the Deep 2021: Southeast U.S. ROV and Mapping
Why do we explore the water column?
What is vertical migration of zooplankton and why does it matter?