Deep in the ocean are communities nestled around hydrotherma…
Deep in the ocean are communities nestled around hydrothermal vents where super-heated water springs from the bottom of the ocean. No sunlight ever penetrates to these deep regions. The water from the vents is rich in dissolved minerals such as hydrogen sulfide which supports a large population of chemoautotrophic bacteria that use sulfur compounds to form organic matter by chemosynthesis. These communities frequently have worms, clams, shrimp, and many other organisms clustered together. In hydrothermal vent communities, shrimp feed on the chemoautotrophic bacteria, and large weird fish feed on the shrimp. This food chain represents a ___.