The Stages of Whale Decomposition

Whale-falls of the Deep Sea. For your chance to win the Tahoe Dream House and support a great cause, enter at Fallen whale carcasses, abundant in the deep-sea, form ecosystems of their own. When a whale dies and sinks, the carcass provides a sudden, concentrated food source and creates an ’island’ of organic matter on an otherwise food-poor seabed. Its body can last for decades, supporting an ever-changing ecosystem that blooms out of the barren darkness like flowers in spring. As it decomposes, different stages support a succession of marine biological communities. It is these complex and fascinating stages that we will explore in this video. READ MORE: #deepsea #wildlife #nature #animals #ocean #fish #science #biology 00:00 - A Introduction to Whale-falls 01:44 - Ecology of a Whale-fall - Islands on the Sea-floor 02:55 - Ecology of a Whale-fall - Ecological Succession 04:05 - Formation of a Whale-fall 05:13 - Stag