Hydrothermal Vents

Hydrothermal Vent Biome
Your average
hydrothermal
vent
Melvin

Basic facts
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Unlike nearly every other Biome on
earth, Hydrothermal vents are NOT
dependent on the sun.
The base of HV's energy pyramid
consists of chemosynthetic bacteria,
as opposed to photosynthetic
plants.
These environments generally
center around vents called "Black
Smokers", which spew out the
necessary chemicals for
chemosynthesis

Chemosynthesis
● Chemosynthesis forms the basis for
all life centered on HV's, and is
thought to be one of the oldest forms
of life.
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It is much like Photosynthesis in that these
organisms are the autotrophs of HV
ecosystems.
The majority of chemosynthetics are
ArchaeBacteria.
Process (basic) CO2 + 4H2S + O2 -> CH20 + 4S + 3H2O
1.) Black smokers vent out Hydrogen Sulfide
2.) Chemosynthetic microbes take up O2, C2O, and Hydrogen sulfide
3.) Microbes oxidize the hydrogen sulfide and use the resultant energy to make organic
molecules.
4.) sulfur and water released as waste

HV food pyramid
- Marine Snow is nutrient rich dead matter
which floats to the bottom of the ocean and
can somewhat sustain a community,
though not on their own.
- Nutrients tend to stay within the
community, as they are typically detached
from the biosphere due to their method of
energy production.
- The energy pyramid is rather basic, as all
energy is produced by bacteria, whereas in
other biomes, large plants form the bottom
rung. It is safe to assume that most HV's
pyramid will not continue past 3 levels.

Longevity
-Due to their incredible deepwater locations, HV's do not
tend to suffer from human intervention and have a constant
source of energy in the form of the black smokers.
-Should geologic activity close one, the biome would
cease to exist.