What Plants Grow in the Abyssal Zone?
No plants grow in the abyssal zone because it is too deep for sunlight to penetrate, and sunlight is necessary for plants to grow. Some organisms do live in this zone and survive through the use of chemosynthesis, which is energy that comes from chemical reactions.
The abyssal zone is located between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 miles beneath the surface of the water. It is the lowest zone not including the hadal zone, which is the water located in the ocean’s trenches. Because the abyssal zone is so deep, no sunlight can reach it, which means that there is no photosynthesis and no plant light. The water is pitch black, and the only light that can be seen is bioluminescence.
Although there are no plants in the abyssal zone, there are other living organisms that survive in this zone. Squid, octopi, echinoids, worms, mollusks and fish all live in the abyssal zone and survive by feeding on organic matter that floats down from higher zones. These organisms share many characteristics such as soft bodies, long lives and long gestation periods.
The anglerfish is one organism that is found in the abyssal zone. The females have an appendage that is attached to a bioluminescent ball. Scientists believe that this lure attracts both other fish for its food or mating.
