Name : __________________________________________________ Section: _______________________
Volcanoes of the Deep/ Symbiosis
Please watch the following You Tube Videos on your Chrome book:
While watching, listen for information on Tubeworms and the Bacteria that lives in them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO3nO98gH_M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yofWppxBxf0
Ocean Alive! Hydrothermal Vents 5:31
Hydrothermal Vents with Bill Nye 5:24
Tubeworms and Bacteria
Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and tubeworms living at hydrothermal vents share a symbiotic association. The
bacteria make their home in special cells inside the worm. (Quite a few microbes live here: an estimated
285 billion bacteria per ounce of tissue.) In exchange for a safe, cozy place to live, they give the worm all
the nourishment it needs. They do this by absorbing three ingredients—oxygen, carbon dioxide and
hydrogen sulfide—and then changing those ingredients to make food for the worm. No sunlight is
necessary! The process is called chemosynthesis. Similar to photosynthesis BUT the bacteria use
chemicals to make food not sunlight.
“Lean on Me”
Life at 2,286 meters (7,500 feet) below the ocean surface is harsh. To survive, some organisms living near
hydrothermal vents have formed close associations called symbiotic relationships. These kinds of
relationships between organisms occur in many ecosystems, not just near hydrothermal vents. Find out
more by investigating the organisms in this activity.
Procedure
1. You will be assigned the names of two organisms. Using resources on the Internet, research
information about the relationship between these two organisms. These symbiotic relationships
are discussed on page 30 and 31 of the text. Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism
Questions:
On a separate sheet of lined paper.
1. Describe the relationship between the two organisms (3-5 complete sentences) and then
explain…
a)
b)
c)
d)
Which organism(s) benefits from the relationship? How? (2-3 sentences)
Is either organism harmed by the relationship? How? (1-2 sentences)
Could both organisms survive without this relationship? Explain. (2-3 sentences)
Which symbiotic relationship do your organisms have? (1 Sentence)
2. Consider the relationship between the tubeworms you saw in the program and the bacteria that
live inside them. How is this relationship similar to or different from the relationship between
your organisms? (3-5 complete sentences)