What Is An Abyssal Plain?

The vast, sediment-covered area of the deep ocean floor is referred to as an abyssal plain. The abyssal plain is characterized by almost flattest area having a slope less than 1 ft covering each thousand feet of distance. The abyssal plain is predominantly made up of wind-blown dust, volcanic ash, chemical precipitates, and occasional meteorite compounds. It may also comprise the protuberance of manganese along with iron, nickel, cobalt and copper.

The rate at which the sediments accumulate on the abyssal plain is significantly slower – for example, less than 1 inch of sediments accumulation may take thousand of years. But the slowness of accumulation does not mean that the abyssal plains are a stable and unchanging phenomenon, rather it is a dynamic form of environment. However, in the oceanic biology abyssal plain does not have much significance, but some of the species have developed their natural habitat in this desolate environment.