Deep-sea animals help buffer impacts of climate change with their unexpected feasts

Animals in the deep ocean enjoy feasting as much as we do, but in the vastness of the deep sea food can be scarce. Animals must take advantage of any potential meal that comes their way. Sea cucumbers are often seen devouring what looks like blobs of goo on the seafloor. Many deep-sea animals rely on organic material falling from the surface. Large accumulations of mucus, or sinkers, are a significant source of food in the deep. Sinkers are cast-off feeding nets made by midwater organisms, like larvaceans. When the nets are discarded and start to sink, they begin to collect small animals, food particles, and fecal matter. They become increasingly compact as they descend. This mobile food source makes an easy target for hungry animals. The sinkers that reach the seafloor provide a fresh–and vital–feast for animals living on and in the sediment. By scavenging on the deposited mucus, deep-sea animals capture carbon. This process, known as the biological pump, transfers carbon dioxide from the surface to