Live deep-sea red crab collected by Dr. Harriet Perry to study effects of the oil spill. Photo: Belinda Serata/NWF

Many of us are familiar with coastal habitats, like salt marshes and seagrass beds, the services they provide, and the seafood they produce. Unfortunately, the deep sea doesn’t have this type of exposure and is often misunderstood. Scientists from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) are hoping to change that. They are studying this foreign land, and the animals that inhabit it, to determine the short- and long-term ecological impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Classroom Activity: Exploring the Deep Sea
The deep sea is home to fascinating, yet largely unexplored communities of organisms. As a result, the importance of these ecosystems is relatively unknown. In this lesson, students will learn about deep-sea habitats, the organisms that live there and what adaptations allow them to survive in such extreme conditions.

Deep-Sea Red Crabs – PDF 1.0MB