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between the surface of the ocean and the
sea floor lies the largest habitat on
earth the water column this vast open
space includes 95 to 99 percent of the
total livable volume on earth it is home
to a menagerie of animals that captivate
the imagination these things are just
awesome this is the kind of deep-sea
biology that really got me hooked on
oceanography as a kid
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the twilight zone a region of the water
column where the last bits of sunlight
give way to total darkness
it's home to many such organisms
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Wow every night many of the animals that
live here take part in the largest
migration on the planet swimming from
the depths of the ocean to the surface
to feed before descending once again but
this migration these animals move
organic matter from the ocean's surface
waters to greater depths or it
eventually falls to the seafloor
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providing a vital food resource in an
environment where meals are scarce
despite its importance to all life in
the ocean the water column is one of the
least explored habitats on the planet
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using innovative exploration tools the
NOAA office of ocean exploration
research is closing the gap in
understanding this mysterious world and
its inhabitants
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you