A whale fall is a whale carcass that has fallen to the ocean floor. Whale falls were first observed in the 1980s, with the advent of deep-sea robotic exploration.
When a whale dies in shallow water, its carcass is typically devoured by scavengers over a relatively short period—within several months. However, in deeper water (depths of 2,000 m/6,600 ft or greater), fewer scavenger species exist, and the carcass can provide sustenance for a complex localized ecosystem over periods of decades. Some of the organisms that have been observed at whale falls are giant isopods, squat lobsters, bristleworms, prawns, shrimp, lobsters, hagfish, Osedax (bone-eating worms), crabs, sea cucumbers, octopuses, clams, and even deep-sea sleeper sharks. Whale falls are often inhabited by large colonies of tube worms. Over 30 previously unknown species have been discovered at whale falls.
Read more about Whale Fall: Discovery, Discrete Ecosystem, The Fossil Record
Famous quotes containing the words whale and/or fall:
“And one rose in a tent of sea and gave
A darkening shudder; water fell away;
The whale stood shining, and then sank in spray.”
—Yvor Winters (1900–1968)
“If we keep an open mind, too much is likely to fall into it.”
—Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972)