The Vicious World of Deep Sea Competition

Molluscs like cephalopods and gastropods dominate the marine world. Inhabiting nearly every ecosystem from shallow reefs to deep sea vents and the pelagic midwater, the success of molluscs is unparalleled. Nearly 25% of all marine organisms are molluscs, including such oddities as sea snails, nudibranchs, and coleoids like squid with their specialised tentacles. Even the snails you might find in your garden belong to the molluscs, for this is the only phylum with species found in the sea, freshwater and on land. A testament to their adaptability. With an estimated 85,000 living species known to science, the abundance and diversity of molluscs is what allows them to occupy a great many niches and habitats, and diversify into an assortment of shapes and sizes. The smallest meiofauna molluscs grow to just 0.4 mm long, while in the pelagic deep they dominate as voracious predators, looming out of the dark. This is the alien world of molluscs. I do not own any of the footage. I write the script, narrate, and edit what footage I can find. Footage used belongs to the

The deep sea is a world of challenges. Pressure increases rapidly. In the mesopelagic zone, the light of the sun becomes a faint glow, and at 1,000 metres down, the midnight zone is bathed in darkness. And yet, even in this bitter uninviting world of cold shadows, a myriad of peculiar creatures have made their homes, dramatically adapting their anatomy, behaviours and physiologies in order to cope with the challenge of living here. In this film, we’ll take a look at the unique ways in which these otherworldly creatures have adapted to thrive as masters of the deep dark sea. I do not own any of the footage. I write the script, narrate, and edit what footage I can find, which is allowed due to the original video platform's 'Fair Use' policy as these films are for educational purposes. Footage used belongs to the incredible marine conservation societies of Schmidt Ocean Institute, MBARI, WHOI and the Ocean Exploration Institute, along with various other the original video platform sources. Music Used: Midnight by Jorge Mendez Fallen by Jorge Mendez Changes by

The degradation of food-falls at the bottom of the ocean can create partially chemosynthetic environments. In the case of sunken whale carcasses (whale falls), the supply of organic material supports an ecological succession of communities. But perhaps less well-documented than the scavengers at whale-falls are the creatures that rely on wood instead. When trees become uprooted by storms or ships capsize at sea, losing their buoyancy as the pressure of the ocean forces out any air trapped within, bits of wood sink to the ocean floor where they create fleeting oases of life (wood falls), including shipwrecks, like that of the Titanic. The scarcity of food in parts of the deep ocean creates an environment where very little goes to waste. The animal and microbial life that dwells down here has become resourceful, able to make the most of even unexpected resources. So it comes as no surprise that the deep ocean hosts complex biological communities adapted to thrive on this sunken wood. Written, Narrated and Edited by Leo Richards I do not own any of the footage. I write

The process of chemosynthesis is similar to photosynthesis. Both can be defined as the creation of organic matter from the fixation of inorganic carbon using energy. But what differs is the source of that energy. In parts of the deep sea, primary production is fuelled by chemical energy, rather than energy from the sun. But this can only take place at certain sea-floor environments where the required chemicals are released into the water. The two main examples of such environments are hydrothermal vents, and cold seeps. The former were only discovered in 1977 when scientists were exploring an oceanic spreading ridge near the Galapagos Islands. What they discovered was a hidden world that revolutionised our understanding of how and where life on Earth can exist. Since then, hundreds more vent field have been discovered, often at depths of 2km or more, along Earth’s convergent plate boundaries and at sea-floor spreading regions where the oceanic crust is moving apart. Written, Narrated and Edited by Leo Richards Vent Animation custom made by Fabio Albertelli and Jakub Misiek I do not own any

Deep Sea Aggregations Explained. In the deep sea, going alone is rarely an option. The harsh environments of the deep ocean are an imposing challenge for a lone organism to face, as the dark conceals many dangers, while dazzling bioluminescence deceives unwitting prey. For this reason, deep sea animals tend not to spread out. Instead, wherever possible, they come together in their masses to create abundant patches of life in the lonely depths. Hotspots of biodiversity, in stark contrast with the otherwise barren stretch of darkness. Safety in numbers is a fool-proof survival strategy that increases their chances of finding food, evading predation, or having reproductive success in the endless blue. From vibrant coral gardens and deep sea scavenger communities, to expansive jellyfish blooms that cloud the ocean surface, these are the animal aggregations of the oceans. I do not own any of the footage. I write the script, narrate, and edit what footage I can find, which is allowed due to the original video platform's 'Fair Use' policy as these films are for educational purposes. Footage used belongs to

When war broke out in Europe in 1914 most Americans paid little notice, with Europe being so far away and seemingly unimportant. Instead they were looking back on a century of progress and prosperity, where their army seemed to big for the little action it saw. But all of this was about to change as we see in this episode of Battlezone. War Stories is your one stop shop for all things military history. From Waterloo to Verdun, we'll be bringing you only the best documentaries and stories from history's most engaging and dramatic conflicts. You can find more from us on