How do they live in such high pressure?
Dear Student,
Marine organisms face compression on the lungs due to an increase in atmospheric pressure due to the great depths of the ocean. But marine invertebrates like crustaceans and sea cucumbers are not affected by the pressure difference as these organisms do not have lungs or gas-filled cavities. In the case of fishes, they have a range of physiological adaptations which enables them to live under high pressure. They have streamlined shaped bodies which ensure less oxygen consumption. They also have a higher concentration of the protein myoglobin which binds the oxygen in muscle tissues. The cell membrane of these organisms has a high number of unsaturated fatty acids to increase fluidity. They also have enzymes that are monomeric and contain amino acids that have strong non-covalent bonds which increases the stability. These ensure the survival of marine organisms under such high pressure.
Regards
Marine organisms face compression on the lungs due to an increase in atmospheric pressure due to the great depths of the ocean. But marine invertebrates like crustaceans and sea cucumbers are not affected by the pressure difference as these organisms do not have lungs or gas-filled cavities. In the case of fishes, they have a range of physiological adaptations which enables them to live under high pressure. They have streamlined shaped bodies which ensure less oxygen consumption. They also have a higher concentration of the protein myoglobin which binds the oxygen in muscle tissues. The cell membrane of these organisms has a high number of unsaturated fatty acids to increase fluidity. They also have enzymes that are monomeric and contain amino acids that have strong non-covalent bonds which increases the stability. These ensure the survival of marine organisms under such high pressure.
Regards