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By Linda Tucker

By Linda Tucker. The Whale Fall Process. When a whale dies, the carcass sinks to the ocean floor Carcass provides food and energy for organisms Unique communities develop around the whale fall and have high species richness Whale fall goes through 3 stages. Mobile-Scavenger Stage.

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By Linda Tucker

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  1. By Linda Tucker

  2. The Whale Fall Process When a whale dies, the carcass sinks to the ocean floor Carcass provides food and energy for organisms Unique communities develop around the whale fall and have high species richness Whale fall goes through 3 stages

  3. Mobile-Scavenger Stage

  4. Mobile-Scavenger Stage • Stage begins with large scavengers such as: • Hagfish • Sleeper Sharks • Rattails

  5. Mobile-Scavenger Stage • Followed by smaller scavengers such as: • Crabs • Scuds • Ends with calenoid copepods

  6. Enrichment-Opportunist Stage

  7. Enrichment-Opportunist Stage • Enriched sediment around carcass hosts organisms such as: • Bristle Worms • Hooded Shrimp • Snails

  8. Enrichment-Opportunist Stage Zombie worms attach to bones and feed on lipids

  9. Enrichment-Opportunist Stage

  10. Sulphophilic Stage

  11. Sulphophilic Stage • Organisms derive energy from bacteria: • Mussels • Tube Worms • Other organisms feed on bacterial mats: • Limpets • Bristle Worms

  12. Sulphophilic Stage Crustaceans such as squat lobsters prey on other organisms

  13. Sulphophilic Stage

  14. Where are They Found?

  15. Questions?

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