Hydrothermal Vents
Past
In the past these vents were hot with temperatures decreasing the further away from the vent the water was. The vent itself heated the area directly around it to temperatures as high as 450 degrees Celsius. The ocean of early earth, as proteins from the time suggest, had a pH level lower than in today's water, which means the water was more acidic. The area around the vent is also thought to have been surrounded by the various elements that are thought to have been how life was first created.
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Present
Present day Hydrothermal vents experience much the same temperatures as those in the past. They also share many of the same features and chemical surroundings. Although they are now larger (because they are built up continuously) and have a higher pH, which whilst still being relatively low, can maintain more life. Hydrothermal vents are able to sustain many life forms because they spew out nutrient rich material and some organisms have adapted to be suited to this. In these communities thermophiles make up the base of the food chain.
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Hydrothermal Springs
Past
Hydrothermal springs from the past are thought to be almost identical to present day hot springs. Although it has been suggested that there were more of them and that they may have been both more toxic and more heated. The location where hydrothermal springs are thought to be the most similar to those in the past is Yellowstone national park.
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Present
On present day earth many hydrothermal springs have become far less hostile than those of the past, however as is mentioned earlier, it is thought that the conditions in past hydrothermal springs are mirrored in the hydrothermal springs in Yellowstone national park.
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