Seabed

The seabed, also known as the seafloor, ocean floor, or bottom of the sea, is the bottom of a body of water. Most commonly, the term refers to the geological structure underlying the ocean, but it can also apply to the bottom of large lakes. The seabed is a complex and dynamic environment characterized by varying depths, pressures, temperatures, and geological features.

The study of the seabed is a multidisciplinary field encompassing aspects of geology, biology, chemistry, and oceanography. Understanding the seabed is crucial for various purposes, including resource exploration (e.g., oil, gas, minerals), navigation, cable laying, fishing, and understanding the impact of human activities on marine ecosystems.

Geologically, the seabed is divided into several zones. The continental shelf is the submerged extension of a continent, characterized by relatively shallow water and gentle slopes. The continental slope marks the transition from the continental shelf to the deep ocean, with a steeper gradient. The abyssal plain comprises vast, flat areas of the deep ocean floor. Trenches are deep, narrow depressions in the ocean floor, often associated with subduction zones. Seamounts are underwater mountains rising from the seabed.

The seabed is also home to a diverse range of life, from microscopic organisms to large marine animals. Benthic organisms live on or in the seabed. The distribution and abundance of these organisms are influenced by factors such as water depth, sediment type, nutrient availability, and oxygen levels. Hydrothermal vents, found along mid-ocean ridges, support unique chemosynthetic ecosystems.