It's sad to learn that a whale has died in the ocean. However, that's not the end for the whale. It has a lot to give to other sea animals after death.
When a whale dies, it quickly sinks (下沉) to the bottom of the ocean floor. There, the whale body provides food and nutrients (营养) to deep-sea animals, which are often hungry for food. The remains can last for hundreds of years and create a complex ecosystem called a whale fall (鲸落).
Chinese scientists found a whale fall for the first time in the South China Sea during a deep-sea expedition (考察) carried out by oceanic research vessel (舰) Tansuo-1, which finished its expedition on April 2, 2020. Tansuo-1 carried the manned submersible (潜水器) Shenhai Yongshi, which is able to dive to a depth of 4,5000 meters.
The whale fall in the South China Sea is about three meters long. Scientists have found several species (物种) of shrimp and fish near the whale fall. Some fish have started to eat the whale's tail. The whale fall might be quite recent and needs long-term observation (观察), according to Xie Wei, a scientist who took part in the expedition.
The whale fall ecosystem can exist in the deep ocean because great pressure and cold temperatures there prevent body from decomposing too quickly. But the depth also makes it hard for scientists to discover them. There are about 50 known whale falls in the world.
By studying the whale fall, scientists can better understand how marine (海洋的) ecosystems support life and how to protect biodiversity (生物多样性) resources in the deep sea.
