How do underwater volcanoes affect marine life?
Just like humans, who gravitate toward mild climates, many marine organisms live in warmer areas of the oceans. The sun heats the surface of the ocean more than lower layers, so that’s where most sea creatures live. Deeper waters are much cooler. As you go lower, the water usually gets colder and colder until around 100 meters down, where it reaches about 39 F. This boundary is known as the thermocline. Below it, the temperature remains fairly constant. Few organisms can survive at such cold temperatures. Image above: A view of a hydrothermal vent (top photo). The super-heated black water pouring from the vent provides high-energy chemicals that sustain the tubeworms (bottom photo) and other organisms that thrive in this unlikely habitat. Credit: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution An exception to deep waters being cold are areas just above hydrothermal vents. These are fountains on the ocean floor that spout water as warm as 400 degrees Celsius (750 F). They form when seawater seeps
