Transcript The Deep Sea

The Deep Sea
Mesopelagic
Deep Sea
1
Division of the Deep Sea
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Deep Sea
Mesopelagic
 Effective light
penetration - 1,000
m.
Bathypelagic
 1,000 - 4,000 m.
Abyssopelagic
 4,000 - 6,000 m.
Hadopelagic
 6,000 m. or more
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Sampling Considerations
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The depth of the habitat
creates a logistical problem
Animals arrive dead due to
the drastic pressure change
These problems lead to the
possibility of inaccurate
conclusions on population
size
Deep Sea
4
Submersibles and ROV’s
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Submersibles and Remotely
Operated Vehicles (ROV) are the
ideal method for sampling the
deep sea
Deep Sea
Visit the Alvin website
Alvin submersible. Photo
source: WHOI
5
Submersibles and ROV’s
Jason II Photo source:
WHOI
Deep Sea
Visit the Jason II website
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The Mesopelagic
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A world of twilight which
cannot support
photosynthesis
Animals that live in the
mesopelagic must deal
with the Oxygen Minimum
Layer
Deep Sea
7
Mesopelagic Fauna
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Krill and copepods dominate
Arrow worms, squid, jellyfishes and other
invertebrates are important predators
Most of the animals that live in the mesopelagic have
light organs or photophores
Deep Sea
8
The Deep Scattering Layer
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Many mesopelagic animals also migrate to the
surface waters at night to eat
Deep Sea
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Mesopelagic Fish
Deep Sea
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Bioluminescence
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Definition - _____________________________
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Bioluminescence occurs most notably in the
mesopelagic
Light producing organs are called ___________
What are photophores used for?
Deep Sea
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The Deep Sea
The world of complete darkness
Deep Sea
12
Environmental conditions
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Light
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Deep Sea
Most of the deep sea is aphotic
Due to the dependence on the surface waters for
nutrients, there is very little life below the
mesopelagic
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Pressure
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Until recently, physiology on these animals was
very difficult since bringing them to the surface
usually results in mortality
Deep Sea
14
Temperature
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At 1000 m temperature is 4-6 C
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With an increase in depth temperature changes
very little
There is no other habitat on the planet
which exhibits such a stable temperature
Deep Sea
15
Adaptations of Deep Sea
Organisms
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Food is a limiting
factor!
How do deep sea
organisms ensure
food capture?
Deep Sea
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Adaptations of Deep Sea
Organisms
Deep Sea
17
Hinged Head
Deep Sea
18
You Have
Beautiful
Eyes
Reproduction
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In a sparsely
populated world
mates are difficult to
find
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Deep Sea
Most deep sea fishes
are _____________
and attract each
other through
bioluminescence
20
Invertebrates
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Invertebrates are purple (jellyfish) or red (copepods)
Many invertebrates are transparent
Deep Sea
21
Abyssal Gigantism
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The phenomena
where some species
attain large sizes not
seen any where else
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Isopod – sea roach can
reach 40 – 50 cm.
(Bathynomeus giganteus)
Amphipod – 15 cm.
(Alicella gigantca)
Deep Sea
22
Hydrothermal Vents
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Animals are found concentrated around hot water
geysers
Deep Sea
23
Chemosynthetic Bacteria
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Using sulfides bacteria
create organic compounds
Most animals have
symbiotic relationships
with the chemosynthetic
bacteria
Deep Sea
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Vestimentiferan worm
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These worms
contain 10 billion
grams of microbes
per 1 gram of
tissue!