Sympagic organisms at ice-ocean interfaces are important part of the marine ecosystems of the polar regions.
Hydrothermal vents at the seafloor of Earth’s ocean host vast macrofaunal, microbial, and bacterial communities
Microbial life can thrive in highly saline and low temperature ice-water environments.
Radiolytic products delivered from Europa’s surface to the ocean provide nutrients for life at the ice-ocean interface.
Water-rock reactions at the ocean floor of icy ocean worlds provide the necessary energy and chemistry for life.
The ice-ocean interface of icy worlds provides rich chemical gradients for putative ecosystems.
The chemistry detected in the ocean water-derived plumes of Enceladus indicates methanogenesis may be occurring at the ocean floor.