The Aquatic Systems Of The Devils Hole, Death Valley, California
Today’s article will discuss the Aquatic systems of the geological formation known as The Devils Hole. The Devils Hole is a geological formation on the California-Nevada Border. It is in the sweltering hot Death Valley which leaves one to think that aquatic systems would be out of the question. However, some species such as The Devils Hole Pupfish have made themselves a marine ecosystem in this unlikely area. These aquatic ecosystems are some of the most untouched places in the world. They hold some of the most intricate & resilient species to exist. In this article we will be
discussing the basic information & marine geography of the Devils Hole, the marine ecosystems of the Devils Hole, the marine flora & fauna that resides in the aquatic ecosystems of the Devils Hole, & the conservation efforts of the state of California, the state of Nevada, & the Federal Government of the United States for the Devils Hole. It is important to note that the Devils Hole is incredibly unexplored, enormous, & is incredibly hard to find information on. With that being said, lets delve into the depths of the Devils Hole.
Basic Information & The Marine Geography Of The Devils Hole
The Devils Hole is a geological formation on the California-Nevada Border in a small town called Death Valley. It is a freshwater cave system with many endemic species. The reason for this is that one of the only ways a species can end up here was getting pulled in while the cave was forming. These species then eventually died out but got conserved in the devils hole. The Devils Hole spans over 460 feet deep or 131.064 meters deep. However, due to it being largely unchartered may go deeper. The average yearly temperature for the water in the devils hole is 33° Celsius or 92° Fahrenheit. This is most likely because of the incredibly hot area that it exists within. is freshwater with no saltwater parts. Its surface area is meters 22.0000068 long by 3.49998792 meters wide or 72.1785 feet long by 11.4829 feet wide. Only the top 80 meters hold aquatic ecosystems & waterways that we know exist. There are possibilities of more aquatic systems further down that have not been discovered. These are rare as water is not often found in death valley, this is one of the only marine ecosystems that you will find there. Death Valley is on the Southern California-Nevada border & is tucked into the desert. We believe that the aquatic systems are somehow connected to underground water pools.
The Marine Ecosystem Of The Devils Hole
Unfortunately, there isn’t much room or enough water for there multiple to be multiple types or sets of marine ecosystems in the devils hole. Many of the caves look the same & are incredibly un-biologically diverse. However, it is a black swan event that any creature is able to survive here at all. These ecosystems usually consist of rocky areas with little to no plant or fungi organisms. Due to erosion, it is fairly common to see what look to be strange formations & jagged edges in the rocks. There are not many creatures that survive here. However, the ones that do tend to be small & also tend to need many nutrients. This ecosystem is rather barren & rarely even has rock formations or jagged edges. It mostly consists of sandy & rocky walls & nothing more.
The Marine Fauna Of The Devils Hole
There aren’t many marine creatures that are able to survive in the devils hole. However, the one that does manage to live in this low-oxygen environment is one of the most resilient in the world. You see, there has only been one documented naturally occurring marine inhabitant of the devils hole. That species is The Devils Hole Pupfish (Cyprinodon Diabolis). There are other species that exist within the devils hole such as the riffle beetle (Stenelmis calida calida) however they are in no way naturally occurring to the devils hole.
The Marine Flora Of The Devils Hole
Very few known marine plant species are naturally occurring within the devils hole. The only known plant species were marine algae. Unfortunately, the exact species that these algae are is unreleased to the public domain. Other than those few species, there really are no naturally occurring marine flora. These plants have almost zero nutrients, low oxygen, & have to live in incredibly hot temperatures. Also, almost no sunlight makes this one of the hardest environments for a plant to survive in.
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