Hydrate Mound with Iceworms Photo courtesy Charles Fisher, The Pennsylvania State University

Biosphere: Deepwater seafloors were once thought to be virtually devoid of life. Because practically no sunlight penetrates these depths, there is none of the photosynthetic life that usually supports the growth of larger marine communities. However, natural methane hydrates have been observed to form mounds on the seafloor in deepwater regions of the Gulf of Mexico, and probably do so elsewhere, as well.

One of the more exciting discoveries in recent years is that these mounds have provided an opportunity for the establishment of unique chemosynthetic communities that use the methane in hydrates as food. Methane-eating bacteria live symbiotically within the bodies of large animals such as tubeworms and mussels, which in turn provide a source of food for additional permanent inhabitants and visitors such as starfish and crabs. One of the key tasks of the Minerals Management Service is the study and protection of these unique communities.