Submarine expeditions revealed complex deep-sea ecosystems thriving on whale remains, researchers reported Thursday.
So-called whale falls create oases of specialized organisms that consume bone and lipid reserves over decades on the ocean floor.
Cameras captured species interactions previously unknown to marine biologists studying carbon cycling in abyssal zones.
The findings highlight how cadaver inputs sustain biodiversity far from sunlight-dependent food chains.
Conservationists said the sites underscore sensitivity to seabed mining proposals in whale migration corridors.
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Sources:
https://www.nature.com/news