What is marine snow?
A constant blizzard of organic particles drifts through the deep ocean like snowflakes in slow motion.
The answer
Marine snow is a continuous shower of organic detritus falling from the upper layers of the ocean toward the deep seafloor. It consists of dead plankton, fecal pellets, shed mucus, dust, and other organic matter that clumps together into visible flakes ranging from 0.5 millimeters to several centimeters. This slow-motion blizzard can take weeks to reach the deep ocean floor and provides the primary food source for the vast majority of deep-sea organisms. Marine snow also plays a major role in the global carbon cycle, transporting an estimated 1 to 4 gigatons of carbon to the deep ocean annually.
Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
- marine snow
- deep sea
- carbon cycle
More from Ocean & Deep Sea
- How much of the ocean has actually been explored?
- What are hydrothermal vents and how do they support life?
- How do whales communicate across entire ocean basins?
- What are brine pools on the ocean floor?
- What is at the very bottom of the Mariana Trench?
- How do ocean currents regulate global climate?