Every living thing needs the sun, but what if there is a place that organisms survive without the sun? Hydrothermal vents ecosystem defies what we think of as what is possible. In the deep sea, the sun isn’t required for life to survive in this ecosystem. This is because the hydrothermal vents allow the organisms to gain all the nutrients and energy they need without the sun. The hydrothermal vents’ nickname is “underwater volcanoes” because they have chemicals and minerals inside of them that shoot out with the help of hot water pressure. These chemicals and minerals shoot up, looking like black or white smoke. This allows the chemicals and minerals to spread throughout the ecosystem. Then, bacteria will break down the chemicals and break them down into energy. This process is called chemosynthesis. Chemosynthesis, which occurs in the ecosystem, provides the organisms with energy and nutrients to live without the sun. Some of these organisms are tube worms, vent crabs, clams, mussels, octopuses, etc. These hydrothermal vents are fascinating energy sources, and they provide the ecosystem with a new way of surviving.

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