Decades-long look at a deep-sea whale fall uncovers prolonged bone degradation by bacteria

Over 15 years, researchers revisited a 1,288-meter-deep whale fall off Vancouver Island, using centimeter-scale photogrammetry and ROVs to document bone decay. They observed a prolonged sulphophilic stage—driven by bone‑degrading bacteria—that lasted at least 21 years and may stretch another decade, with a shift from early ‘zombie worms’ to diverse sulphophiles such as tube worms and clams; bone shrinkage was measurable, illustrating a slow, complex whale-fall ecosystem. Climate-related expansion of oxygen minimum zones could hinder colonization and reduce biodiversity at future carcasses.