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A seamount is a mountain rising from the seafloor that does not reach to the surface of the ocean. Seamounts are often found in groupings or submerged archipelagos. A classic example, one clearly demonstrating plate tectonics, is the Emperor Seamounts. Isolated seamounts and those without clear volcanic origins appear to be less common.
Seamounts often project upwards into shallower zones more hospitable to sea life, providing habitats for marine species that are not found on or around the surrounding deeper ocean bottom. In addition to simply providing physical presence in this zone, the seamount itself may deflect deep currents and create upwelling. This process can bring nutrients into the photosynthetic zone, producing an area of productivity in an otherwise desert-like open ocean. Seamounts may thus be vital stopping points for some migratory animals such as whales.
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