13 」真的存在嗎？ By Jane Yang 楊靜悠 dried up [4]. In some regions, geothermal heating can enhance this circulation and dissolution process. The resulting brine is so heavy that it flows downhill like syrup and collects in seafloor depressions. In the NEOM pools, the salinity within just 15 centimeters below the brine surface is four times greater than that of normal seawater above [5]. The oxygen levels crash to nearly zero within just 50 centimeters down the surface, killing most sea creatures inside [5]. A Pool of Death or An Underwater Oasis? While the center of a brine pool may seem deadly, its edges are surprisingly alive. Researchers found a novel species of clam, Apachecorbula muriatica, in this mixing zone between normal seawater and brine [5, 7]. Shrimp, eels, and sharks also patrol the edges, using the brine like a trap: They watch as small animals drift in, get shocked and sink, then dart in to scavenge the easy meal [2, 4, 5]. This is what the BBC calls a “brine pool of death” – not because it’s evil, but because its edges support life by harvesting death from its center [2]. Even more amazingly, life can also be found within the pool. The microbial communities vary significantly across different depths [5]. In the top layers, including the rim of the pool where microbes forming colorful “beaches,” the microbes are primarily aerobic. However, in the deeper regions, anaerobic microbes that can survive without oxygen take over. Those microbes are equipped with diverse metabolic capabilities to generate energy in low-oxygen environments, such as sulfate reduction, methanogenesis and fermentation. Why Do Scientists Care? Brine pools aren’t just weird – they’re scientific treasure chests. Because of its inhospitability to animals, the seafloor remains undisturbed due to the lack of burrowing animals. The sediments at the bottom stay perfectly layered, like pages in a history book. In the NEOM pools, scientists pulled up a 1,200-year-old sediment core that records flash floods, underwater landslides, and even tsunamis – including the one possibly linked to the powerful 1995 Nuweiba earthquake [4, 5]. So next time you watch SpongeBob surf at Goo Lagoon, remember: The ocean is full of real
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