Dive into cold seep ecosystems! Students use real bathymetric data to explore chemosynthesis and predict where new deep-sea seep communities might exist.

Students explore cold seeps—deep-sea habitats where methane fuels life without sunlight—and learn how chemosynthesis supports unique food webs built on methanotrophic bacteria. Using real-world data, they analyze relationships between depth, vent location, and bubble activity, building graphs to identify ecological patterns. The lesson culminates in a creative challenge: students apply their findings and bathymetric knowledge to hypothesize a new location where a cold seep community, complete with tubeworms, could exist. The activity builds skills in data analysis, systems thinking, and evidence-based prediction while deepening understanding of deep-sea ecosystems.

Cover image from Deep Ocean Education Project (https://deepoceaneducation.org/resources/astoria-canyon-bubbles-and-fauna/)