top of page
Introduction
3_ElGordo_Vent_Instruments_edited.jpg

How Life Survives at Brine Pools

The deep ocean is a place that is full of otherworldly creatures and fascinating processes. Life here is unique, as it must be in order to survive the immense pressure, darkness, and the extreme temperatures of the deep. But resting on the ocean floor, there is a secret world that seems as if it defies the laws of physics. Here, water that can be up to five times saltier than the surrounding ocean water, seeps out of the seafloor and flows into basins to form brine pools. Mineral rich, but utterly toxic to marine life. And yet they represent islands of abundance on the sea floor. Just how does life manage it in these extreme conditions?

The Secret Life of Brine Pools

The Secret Life of Brine Pools

Video

These deep sea lakes represent what appears to be, at first look, a dead zone of life, where any creatures to delve beneath the surface never return. And yet, around the perimeter of these brine pools, in stark contrast to the death traps they represent, there is an abundance of life to be found.