The water column of the deep ocean is dark, cold, low in food, and under crushing pressures, yet it is full of diverse life. Due to its enormous volume, this mesopelagic zone is home to some of the most abundant animals on the planet. Rather than struggling to survive, they thrive—owing to a broad set of adaptations for feeding, behavior, and physiology. Our understanding of these adaptations is constrained by the tools available for exploring the deep sea, but this tool kit is expanding along with technological advances. Each time we apply a new method to the depths, we gain surprising insights about genetics, ecology, behavior, physiology, diversity, and the dynamics of change. These discoveries show structure within the seemingly uniform habitat, limits to the seemingly inexhaustible resources, and vulnerability in the seemingly impervious environment. To understand midwater ecology, we need to reimagine the rules that govern terrestrial ecosystems. By spending more time at depth—with whatever tools are available—we can fill the knowledge gaps and better link ecology to the environment throughout the water column.

中文翻译：

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中层水域的生活：深海中上层动物的生态学


深海的水柱是黑暗的、寒冷的、食物含量低的，并且承受着巨大的压力，但它充满了多样化的生命。由于其巨大的体积，这个中上层区域是地球上一些最丰富的动物的家园。它们不是为生存而挣扎，而是茁壮成长——这要归功于对进食、行为和生理机能的广泛适应。我们对这些适应的理解受到可用于探索深海的工具的限制，但这个工具包随着技术的进步而扩展。每次我们将新方法应用于深处时，我们都会获得关于遗传学、生态学、行为、生理学、多样性和变化动态的令人惊讶的见解。这些发现显示了看似统一的栖息地中的结构、看似取之不尽的资源的局限性以及看似不透水环境中的脆弱性。要了解中层水域生态学，我们需要重新构想管理陆地生态系统的规则。通过花更多的时间在深处——使用任何可用的工具——我们可以填补知识空白，并更好地将生态学与整个水体的环境联系起来。