Editing Cold seep (section)

{{short description|Ocean floor area where hydrogen sulfide, methane and other hydrocarbon-rich fluid seepage occurs}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2016}}
[[File:Lamellibrachia luymesi1.png|[[Lamellibrachia|Tube worms]] (''[[Lamellibrachia luymesi]]'') are among the dominant species in one of four cold seep community types in the Gulf of Mexico.|thumb]]
{{Ocean habitat topics}}

A '''cold seep''' (sometimes called a '''cold vent''') is an area of the [[ocean floor]] where seepage of fluids rich in [[hydrogen sulfide]], [[methane]], and other [[hydrocarbon]]s occurs, often in the form of a [[brine pool]]. ''Cold'' does not mean that the temperature of the seepage is lower than that of the surrounding sea water; on the contrary, its temperature is often slightly higher.<ref>{{Cite book |first1 = Katsunori |last1 = Fujikura |first2 = Takashi |last2 = Okutani |first3 = Tadashi |last3 = Maruyama |year = 2008 |title = Sensui chōsasen ga mita shinkai seibutsu : shinkai seibutsu kenkyū no genzai |trans-title=Deep-sea life: biological observations using research submersibles |publisher = Tokai University Press |isbn = 978-4-486-01787-5 }} p. 20.</ref> The "cold" is relative to the very warm (at least {{convert|60|C|F|abbr=on|disp=or}}) conditions of a [[hydrothermal vent]]. Cold seeps constitute a [[biome]] supporting several [[endemism|endemic]] species.

Cold seeps develop unique [[topography]] over time, where reactions between methane and seawater create [[carbonate]] rock formations and [[reef]]s. These reactions may also be dependent on bacterial activity. [[Ikaite]], a [[Hydrate|hydrous]] calcium carbonate, can be associated with oxidizing methane at cold seeps.