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SEEP VOCABULARY

Seep

Hydrocarbon liquids/gases

Hydrocarbon liquids/gases

A flow or leak  of hydrocarbons slowly through porous material or small holes. 

Hydrocarbon liquids/gases

Hydrocarbon liquids/gases

Hydrocarbon liquids/gases

These compounds are what the seeps release into the atmosphere or ocean - molecules made up of just carbons and hydrogens. Some common examples are butane (used in lighters) and plastic which is made from hydrocarbon oils!

Hydrostatic pressure

Hydrocarbon liquids/gases

Hydrostatic pressure

Pressure on the seabed caused by a liquid’s weight. This is the same pressure we feel when diving deep into a pool.

Methane

Trophic Levels

Hydrostatic pressure

  Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, more so than CO2. It is often found near dairies and is the main hydrocarbon gas released from seeps.  

Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels

  Trophic levels are the level an organism occupies in a food web. Higher trophic levels contain predators, while the lowest trophic level is primary producers or autotrophs   

Coal Oil point

Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels

 The COP seep field is the largest studied seep field in the world. It is located in the Santa Barbara Channel near UCSB.   

Chemosynthesis

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen Sulfide

 Chemosynthesis is similar to photosynthesis, however, no sunlight is needed to create energy. Instead of sunlight, chemosynthetic organisms are able to convert seep materials  

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide is  a neurotoxin with the smell of rotten eggs.If not properly handled, it can cause life-threatening health problems. Sewage and manure handling operations are well-known sources of this gas.

Bubble Plumes

Hydrogen Sulfide

Bubble Plumes

 Bubble plumes are large trails of bubbles produced by seeps as hydrocarbon gasses are released from the source into surrounding water. These affect surrounding marine biology.

Tarballs

Primary productivity

Bubble Plumes

  Tarballs are clumps of weathered oil that wash up on the beach. They are hard and contain less volatile chemicals than oil does. 

Volatile Chemicals

Primary productivity

Primary productivity

  These chemicals evaporate in room temperature and float around in the air. Seeps release some volatile chemicals that can be dangerous to human health.   

Primary productivity

Primary productivity

Primary productivity

 Primary productivity is the process of converting carbon (CO2/hydrocarbons) into nutrients performed by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms    

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