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What is polar gigantism?
But in Antarctica, they experience what’s called polar gigantism, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: “Marine invertebrates that occur at the poles in really cold water tend to have much larger body sizes than their relatives that live elsewhere,” Art Woods, Ph. D., of the University of Montana, told weather.com.
What causes ocean gigantism?
Proposed explanations for this type of gigantism include colder temperature, food scarcity, reduced predation pressure and increased dissolved oxygen concentrations in the deep sea.
Why do deep sea benthic fish exhibit gigantism compared to pelagic deep sea fish?
Why do deep sea benthic fish exhibit gigantism compared to pelagic deep sea fish? The fish has evolved the ability to maneuver within the flesh of dead organisms for food. When a whale dies and falls to the bottom of the ocean, which of the following organisms are one of the first to feed on the dead carcass?
Why does polar gigantism happen?
The extreme and constant cold of the Southern Ocean has led to many unusual features of the Antarctic fauna. One of these, polar gigantism, is thought to have arisen from a combination of cold-driven low metabolic rates and high oxygen availability in the polar oceans (the ‘oxygen–temperature hypothesis’).
What causes polar gigantism?
The extreme and constant cold of the Southern Ocean has led to many unusual features of the Antarctic fauna. One of these, polar gigantism, is thought to have arisen from a combination of cold-driven low metabolic rates and high oxygen availability in the polar oceans (the ‘oxygen-temperature hypothesis’).
What was the biggest sea creature ever?
Blue Whale
#1—Blue Whale Not only is the blue whale the largest animal to live on the Earth today, they are also the largest animal to have ever existed on Earth. A blue whale can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh upwards of 200 tons.
What is the meaning of the word polar?
The idea of polar suggests equal opposites. For example, the North and South Poles are at opposite ends of the planet, and both are equally glacial, or very cold, which, by the way, is another meaning of polar. The English word polar derives from the Latin polus and the Greek polos, which means “axis.”
What is polaristry?
Polarisā′tion ( opt. ), a particular modification of rays of light, by the action of certain media or surfaces, so that they cannot be reflected or refracted again in certain directions: state of having polarity; Polar′iscope, an instrument for polarising light, and analysing its properties.— v.t. Pō′larise, to give polarity to.— ns.
What is the scientific name for polar bear?
Polar bear, a large white bear found in the Arctic regions; Polar circle, a parallel of latitude encircling each of the poles at a distance of 23° 28′ from the pole—the north polar being called the arctic, the south the antarctic, circle; Polar lights, the aurora borealis or australis. [L. polaris — polus, a pole.]
What is a polar vortex and what causes it?
The term “vortex” refers to the counter-clockwise flow of air that helps keep the colder air near the Poles. Many times during winter in the northern hemisphere, the polar vortex will expand, sending cold air southward with the jet stream (see graphic above).