Whale fall

Jeffrey Marlow writes about the strange marine ecosystems that grew around a whale fall, in the Pacific Ocean, known as Rosebud.

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I know what you’re thinking. What the heck is a whale fall? It's just as fascinating as you might have imagined. Read more to find out!

Client: Scientific American 13.25" x 20". Private Collection

A whale fall occurs when the carcass of a whale has fallen onto the ocean floor. On the sea floor, these carcasses can create complex localized ecosystems that supply sustenance to deep-sea organisms for decades. but in this case, this particular type of whale supply happiness and memories that will last decades to the children of the generation.

During the final dive of this year’s Nautilus expedition season, our team discovered a whale fall while exploring Davidson Seamount off central California’s coast with researchers from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The skeletal remains of the whale lying on its back are estimated to be 4-5 meters long. The team is working to identify the species, but it is confirmed to be a baleen whale as indicated by baleen remaining along the whale’s jawbones.

Scavengers like crabs, squat lobsters and eelpout fish stripped the whale skeleton of blubber. Eels wrapped around its ribs, in postprandial torpor.

The crew’s commentary is gold

By sinking a dead whale to the bottom of the ocean and studying what comes to visit, scientists are learning more about how deep-sea ecosystems are related.

Jen Christiansen is a scientific illustrator, information graphics artist, and dataviz designer. She’s senior graphics editor at Scientific American, where she art directs illustrated explanatory diagrams and data visualizations.

When whales decay the seafloor, their enormous carcasses give life to mysterious worlds inhabited by an assortment of bizarre creatures.

Eerie whale bones outside out hotel in #Iceland. Such an incredible place! Must go back! #holiday #tourist #travel #instagood #whale…

These scientists probe the sea’s depths, its strange inhabitants, the movement of water and how life evolves in extremes.

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Whale Fall. Dr Tommy Leung