A submarine explores a hidden oasis in the depths of the Maldives' ocean
The “aquanauts” team managed to make an important discovery in the Maldives, which is an oasis of life in the depths of the ocean within a large watery desert.
According to the “Science Alert” website, a recent submarine around a seamount in the deep waters of the archipelago has revealed a new type of thriving ecosystem, which the researchers say has not been described before.
Dubbed the Trapping Zone, it is a 500-meter (1,640-foot) deep world where large fish congregate to feed on microscopic nekton.
The microscopic nekton also resembles zooplankton, although it is slightly larger, ranging in size from 2 to 20 cm (up to 7 inches).
These microorganisms also actively swim between the ocean surface and water up to a depth of one kilometer, creating a vertical wave of migration every day and night as large fish follow to feed.
As the sun rises each day, these microorganisms begin to swim from the surface down.
Submerged volcanic mounds and fossil carbonate reefs formed 60 million years ago preventing microscopic nekton from diving deeper than 500 metres.
Confined by the terrain, the animals have become “sitting ducks” for larger predators, such as schools of tuna, hungry sharks and other deep-water fish such as the spiny oreo and alfonsinus.
source:Websites