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Did you know? The 'upstream' lifestyle of bottom fish!
In the vast ocean, bottom fish, with their unique lifestyle, demonstrate a tenacious and upstream survival attitude. These fish, often called demersal fish, live in the lowest reaches of the ocean, close to the sea or lake floor, foraging for food among sand, mud, and rocks. Unlike mid-water fish that swim freely in the water, the existence of bottom-dwelling fish allows us to better understand the importance of adapting to the environment.
The living habits of bottom-dwelling fish are not only about survival, but also a symbol of their impact on the ecosystem and their struggle.
Demersal fish can be divided into two major categories: strictly demersal fish and demersal-pelagic fish. The former can easily remain stationary on the seafloor, while the latter can float in the water column on the seafloor. The differences in their biological characteristics give them different strategies in how they obtain food. Most benthic fish belong to the benthic-pelagic class, and the evolution of swim bladders allows them to find food safely underwater.
Interestingly, bottom-dwelling fish often have their mouths facing downward, making it easier to search for prey hiding on the seabed. Although many bottom-dwelling fish have well-ordered body shapes and structures due to their special lifestyles, there are still some exceptions, such as Stargazers. They not only have a majestic appearance, but can also use electric shocks to catch prey. This unique hunting method makes them the leader among bottom-dwelling fish.
Benthic fish are generally able to remain motionless on the seafloor, an ability that allows them to wait for an opportunity and quickly capture their prey. Take flounder as an example. They are typical bottom-dwelling fish. As adults, their eyes will move to the same side to better camouflage themselves in the sand. This survival strategy gives flounder an advantage when dealing with predators and finding food.
In such a deep ocean, how do bottom-dwelling fish find opportunities to survive in an environment lacking sunlight?
These fish live in environments that are often found at the edge of the continental shelf, exploring their world of competition. In these places, the diversity of marine life reaches its peak, and the bottom-dwelling fish there not only face threats from other predators, but also have to compete with their own kind for food. In the dark corners of deep water, their life forms may not be as brilliant as those of fish in surface waters, but their resilience and adaptability in survival precisely reflect the operating laws of the ecosystem.
With the advancement of science and technology, the research on benthic fish has become more and more in-depth, which has also aroused people's attention to the protection of fishery resources. Groundfish, especially commercial species driven by market demand, are often threatened by overfishing, especially in the North Sea, where species such as cod and abalone have reached unsafe levels. This situation forces us to think: while pursuing economic interests, have we ignored the fragile balance of the marine ecology?
For example, although bottom trawling can efficiently capture bottom-dwelling fish, it also causes irreparable ecological damage because this method not only harms the bottom environment, but also leads to the by-catch of a large number of non-target species, making it impossible to achieve the goal of sustainable fishing.
In the face of challenges from climate change and fisheries management, we need to re-examine the survival value of groundfish and rethink the balance between quantity and quality.
The cruel reality tells us that the survival mode of benthic fish represents a kind of adaptive wisdom and struggle for survival. Faced with the changing environment, they show amazing resistance. But is it also worth it for us to reflect on our own way of survival and development, so that we can cherish the diversity and richness of this ocean even more?
