Pressure
Considering the volume of water above the deepest parts of the ocean, it’s no wonder that pressure is one of the most important environmental factors affecting deep sea life. Pressure increases 1 atmosphere (atm) for each 10 m in depth. The deep sea varies in depth from 700 hundred meters to more than 10,000 m, therefore pressure ranges from 20 atm to more than 1,000 atm. On average, pressure ranges between 200-600 atm. Advances in deep sea technology have enabled scientists to collect species samples under pressure so that they reach the surface for study in good condition. Without this technology, the animals would die shortly after being collected and the absence of pressure would cause their organs to expand and possibly explode. With good samples, we now know that deep sea creatures have adapted to pressure by developing bodies with no excess cavities, such as swim bladders, that would collapse under intense pressure. The flesh and bones of deep sea marine creatures are soft and flabby, which also helps them withstand the pressure.
Consistent with all previous hydrostatic pressure studies, the degree of lipid saturation decreased
with increased hydrostatic pressure (2, 82), presumably as a means to maintain membrane fluidity.
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