This short video explores the symbiotic relationship between giant tube worms and species of chemosynthetic bacteria.
In 1977, scientists discovered a diverse community of organisms
inhabiting the deep-sea hydrothermal vents of the Pacific Ocean, where
there is no sunlight. The sources of energy in these ecosystems are
hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other inorganic chemicals that are
abundant in the water that rises from the vents. Some species of
bacteria can use these inorganic compounds in chemical reactions to
produce sugar and other organic molecules in a process called
chemosynthesis. Scientists discovered that some animals living near
hydrothermal vents, such as the giant tube worm, Riftia pachyptila,
have a symbiotic relationship with species of chemosynthetic bacteria,
which allows these animals to survive deep in the ocean.
https://www.biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/how-giant-tube-worms-survive-hydrothermal-vents
