GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Marine snow is decomposed organisms or their waste material that serves as a food source for deeper water animals. Marine snow forms in the photic zone and decomposes into nutrients by bacteria as it sinks down to the aphotic zone.

Detailed explanation-2: -Marine snow can be an important food source for organisms living in the aphotic zone, particularly for organisms that live very deep in the water column.

Detailed explanation-3: -Marine snow transports food from the lighter surface ocean’s photosynthesis to the deeper and darker ocean. The animals and microbes that live in what we refer to as “the twilight zone” (middle layers) rely on marine snow for vital food. Oceans have a large capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.

Detailed explanation-4: -Some animals, such as the vampire squid, have special adaptations to help them better catch and eat the falling particles. The snow is also important to small, growing animals, such as eel larvae, which rely on the stuff for up to four months during their development.