The Stages of Whale Decomposition

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Published 2022-03-22
Whale-falls of the Deep Sea.

Fallen whale carcasses, abundant in the deep-sea, form ecosystems of their own. When a whale dies and sinks, the carcass provides a sudden, concentrated food source and creates an 'island' of organic matter on an otherwise food-poor seabed. Its body can last for decades, supporting an ever-changing ecosystem that blooms out of the barren darkness like flowers in spring. As it decomposes, different stages support a succession of marine biological communities. It is these complex and fascinating stages that we will explore in this video.

READ MORE: www.naturalworldfacts.com/whale-fall-ecosystems

#deepsea #wildlife #nature #animals #ocean #fish #science #biology

00:00 - A Introduction to Whale-falls
01:44 - Ecology of a Whale-fall - Islands on the Sea-floor
02:55 - Ecology of a Whale-fall - Ecological Succession
04:05 - Formation of a Whale-fall
05:13 - Stage 1: The Mobile Scavenger Stage
06:45 - Stage 2: The Enrichment Opportunist Stage
08:15 - Stage 3: The Sulfophilic Stage
10:11 - Stage 4: The Reef Stage
11:06 - Conclusion

Footage used is from Nautilus Live, MBARI, MarumTV, Jamstec and various YouTube sources. Please reach out if any further clarification is needed, to the email address my YouTube channel's 'about' page. Usage is educational and transformative.

Music Used:
In The Throes by Asher Fulero
Sonora by Quincas Moreira
Noir Et Blanc Vie by Knowpe
Finding the Pattern by Jessica Curry
A Choice by Jessica Curry
The Manifestation by Jessica Curry

Resources:
www.npr.org/2019/09/13/760664122/what-happens-afte…
nerc.ukri.org/planetearth/stories/137/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25251277/
www.mbari.org/whale-falls-islands-of-abundance-and…

All Comments (21)
  • @charliea7124
    Hey, I'm an autistic guy from France and I just wanted to let you know that your channel has been life changing for me. I have a very deep and strong interest in marine biology, and your videos have helped me to fall asleep more easily, handle meltdowns and shutdowns, and just globaly make me feel really happy and euphoric. Your voice is so soothing and your videos are so calm and well documented. I'm incredibly glad that I found your channel!! I've always thought of becoming a marine biologist, but now I'm truly working to achieve this goal and it's mainly because I've been watching your videos for the last couple of weeks, so thank you ^^
  • @magiv4205
    Can we just talk about how "whale fall" is the most badass name they could have possibly come up with for this phenomenon?
  • @koopakape
    this has got to be the most soothing, relaxing, and positive-feeling video on death and decay I've ever seen
  • @mokko759
    A whale-fall is so tragically, beautifully poetic. One can only hope that when they die, their body can sustain life of such diversity and quantity for decades to come like a whale can.
  • @Rodrigo_Vega
    I wonder how whaling could have impacted this fascinating ecological cycle. Knowing how whale populations are a fraction of what they used to be in pre-industrial times and how we been robbing the sea of the whole carcasses. How much more alive would be the bottom of the seas with thousands of whales falling every so often, how many species me might have lost in the dark as they were not able to cross or survive the ever growing sparsity in both space and time bewteen these life-giving events. I wonder how our own world is affected by the lack of them. To what degree deep-sea gives back to shallow seas, how many of the shallow-water species we eat feed on deepr water, etc.
  • I’m painting a whale fall right now for my art portfolio. This could not have come at a better time!
  • @cam4636
    Somebody I don't remember once said "Death is only the end of the story if you consider yourself the main character." That becomes incredibly clear once you take the ecosystem into account instead of focusing on one organism
  • “I see the sun one last time before I float down. Miles upon miles I sink until I reach the everlasting depths. As my body becomes no more, I still grow. Those that feed on me are grateful. I grow communities that last well beyond my living years. A tiny city forms from my bones and I shelter the small and many. Snow continues to fall on me as my time passes and I slowly become no more, yet I meant everything.” -the whale
  • @deanna3630
    I have a pretty bad phobia of deep water/ the ocean, but I still love to learn about it. The calmness of your voice helps me both learn and not get uncomfortable with the deep sea imagery. The work you do is so very appreciated!
  • It's kinda beautiful that life can thrive off of death. Nature is truly fascinating and terrifying at the same time.
  • @CeramicQuill
    I hope this guy has a future in animal documentaries. He is so calming to listen to and learn from.
  • I wonder if anyone has calculated the effects of removing tens of thousands of whales from the ocean during our age of whaling. Mind you, it may be that much of the carcass ended up in the ocean after all the oil was removed and blubber boiled down, but the "waste" wouldn't have been towed way out to the middle of an ocean to be dumped. I imagine the very long-term effects of such a removal from an ocean ecosystem might be surprising.
  • @AZdude
    Your work is simply fantastic . You're so talented. My fiance and I will be watching Your videos and like 2 or 3 will go by before we even know it , because we're so engrossed in the content. It's a perfect mix of your narration and awesome footage.
  • @puddingwars-
    I know you probably won’t see this but as a over-caffeinated young adult with a fascination of the sea this channel helps me learn and fall asleep at the same time! Keep up the wonderful work, I can’t wait to see what you upload next!
  • @sage5530
    i've had thalassophobia (fear of the ocean) for years, pretty severely, but recently ive been able to watch videos like this somewhat and its helping me cope with the feelings that arise
  • @TheRexisFern
    I've never considered how most areas on the sea floor would be so low on nutrition that events like this would be like rain in a desert. And acts as a catalyst for animal growth and an amazing opportunity for us to study rare or even unknown species in our oceans.
  • @Lugmillord
    I'm really happy that Youtube just recommended this channel to me. The deep sea is one of my favorite subjects.
  • I’ve watched at least 5 of your videos back to back and I am not disappointed. I feel like a kid again