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Aquatic Life Zones: 2 major categories. Marine (saltwater) Or Freshwater Types of organisms determined by: Salinity Temperature Sunlight availability D.O. (dissolved oxygen) Nutrient availability. Major types of Organisms . Plankton: small free-floating organisms
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Aquatic Life Zones: 2 major categories Marine (saltwater) Or Freshwater Types of organisms determined by: Salinity Temperature Sunlight availability D.O. (dissolved oxygen) Nutrient availability
Major types of Organisms • Plankton: small free-floating organisms • Phytoplankton: plant-like • Photosynthetic • diatoms, protists, etc
- Zooplankton: animal-like • Heterotrophic • Protozoans • Larvae • Copopods, cnidarians, krill…etc. - Ultraplankton: TINY (less than 2 micrometers) • includes bacteria
Benthos (benthic organisms): bottom dwellers – anchor to one spot, burrow, or walk along bottom
Baleen whales: filter feedersPlates (baleen) hang from upper jaw – filter plankton from waterincludes: humpbacks and blue whales
Toothed whales: teeth used to bite and chew foodincludes:orca (killer whale) and sperm whale
Marine Lifezone: Subcategories: * Coastal * Open Ocean (Sea) euphotic zone bathyal zone abyssal zone
Subcategory: Coastal • High tide to Continental shelf • (Ample sunlight) high NPP • 90% of all marine species
1. Coral reefs: MOST biodiverse areas of all aquatic life zones • “The Aquatic Rainforest” • Hundreds of thousands of coral polyps excrete CaCO3 skeletons
Grow slowly, disrupted easily: • Biggest threat: sediment run-off • Bleaching (even from 1 degree temp increase)
Removal (aquariums/jewelry) • Pollution • Damage (tourists, anchors, natural disasters) • Overfishing • Cyanide/dynamite “fishing” • 1 m2 of reef killed for every fish caught
2. Intertidal zone: shoreline between low and high tide • Tides caused by gravitational pull of moon • Organisms adapted to HARSH conditions
3. Barrier Islands: islands separated from the mainland by a shallow sound, bay, or lagoon
Constantly shifting beaches due to erosion • Can be helped with a jetty
Dunes – backbone that provides stability • Plants hold sand in place • Protect from natural disasters
4. Coastal wetlands: inlets, bays, sounds, Mangrove forest swamps
5. Estuary: where freshwater meets saltwater (mouth of a river)
Marine Lifezone: Subcategories: * Coastal * Open Ocean (Sea) euphotic zone bathyal zone abyssal zone
Subcategory: Open Ocean 1. Euphotic zone: top • Sunlight layer: phtyoplankton = photosynthesis: HIGH D.O. (dissolved oxygen) and low dissolved CO2, big fish and mammals 2. Bathyal zone: middle • Dimly lit – little/no producers, zooplankton, smaller fish 3. Abyssal zone: bottom • Dark, cold, little D.O., nutrients on floor • Chemosynthetic bacteria at hydrothermal vents