Transcript Marine Environment

MARINE
ENVIRONMENTS
2014
I. MARINE
LIFE
ZONES
A. Intertidal zones- between high and low
tide
1. marked by strandline(seaweed and
debris deposited on beach at high
tide)
2. organisms must be adapted to
alternating periods of wet and dry.
B. Supratidal zone- above intertidal up to
dunes
1. salt spray limits plant growth
2. terrestrial animals and birds
c. Subtidal zone- below low tide line.
1. heavy wave impact and high
turbulence
2. marine life has adaptations to help
cling to surfaces
METHODS OF
ATTACHMENT
• Encrusting sponges
TUBE FEET USED
BY SEASTARS
SNAILS AND
MOLLUSKS CLING
USING MUSCULAR
FOOT
MUSSELS
ATTACH USING
BYSSAL
THREADS
BARNACLES
SECRETE
CEMENT
KELP AND
ROCKWEED HAVE
HOLDFASTS
FLATTENED
BODIESFLOUNDER AND
SAND DOLLAR
PELAGIC ZONE-COVERS
ENTIRE OCEAN OF WATER
ABOVE THE SEA BOTTOM
1. Neritic zone-fewer than 200 m in
depth above continental shelf
2. Oceanic zone- open ocean
• Where most commercial
fishing takes place
• Very productive because of
river runoff which provides
nutrients
• Photic zone- light penetrates
and supports life
• Disphotic zone- small amounts
of light penetrate
• Aphotic zone- no light. Deep
sea animals adapted to high
pressure and no light. Includes
ocean basin.
– Ex. Deep sea fish, worms,
crustaceans
SANDY BEACH ENVIRONMENT- COMPOSED
OF SAND(LOOSE SEDIMENTS EASILY
SHIFTED BY WIND AND WAVE ACTION).
A. Upper Zone
1. zone with most temperature change.
a. desiccation(drying out) in summer
b. freezing in winter
2. limited times of water inundation means
limited MARINE food sources.
3. fauna- mostly scavengers(amphipods, insects and oligochaetes).
Nocturnal to avoid desiccation and predation.
a. amphipods(sand fleas)- crustaceans that crawl or hop
along sand. Use gills that act similar to lungs, must stay
moist but will drown if completely submerged. Can burrow
up to 3 feet. Predators include shorebirds, beetles and
occasional fox, raccoons etc.
b. beetles and flies
c. oligochaetes (segmented worms)
B. MID ZONE- AREA BEFORE UPPER ZONE.
1. MODERATE INUNDATION TIMES SO STILL
EXPERIENCES TEMPERATURE ISSUES.
2. INCREASED WAVE ACTION CAUSES RAPID
SEDIMENT REMOVAL AND THEREFORE
REQUIRES HIGHLY MOBILE FAUNA.
3. Fauna- isopods which are carnivorous
scavengers. Will burrow approx. 1 cm near the
low tide line and forage when tide comes in.
Predators are mainly shorebirds.
C. SURF ZONE- REGIONS OF CRASHING
WAVES
1. Constantly moving water, sand is moved by
wave action.
Fauna- most be adapted to land, sea and wave
action.
a. mole crab- paddle-like appendages
(swimming), smooth, flattened body
b. surf clam- thick shell to resist wave
action and muscular foot allows for
digging (avoid predation)
II. ROCKY COAST ENVIRONMENT- SHORES MADE OF SOLID
ROCK, ROCKS PROVIDE SUBSTRATE FOR PLANTS AND
ANIMALS
A. Zones- Upper intertidal (splash zone)
•
1.large amounts of blue- green algae
•
2. dominant fauna- periwinkle snails to feed on algae
•
3. main predators are shore birds
• B. Mid-Intertidal zone
•
a. dominant fauna – barnacles, whelk, mussels and sea stars
•
b. barnacles are filter feeders when covered with water,
overlapping plates close when not covered with water to prevent
desiccation.
•
c. dog whelk feed on barnacles(drill though plates)
•
d. Mussels
•
e. Sea stars are predators
• C. Lower Intertidal Zone- region dominated by sea
weed.
•
1. red seaweed (Irish moss) common
•
2. tide pools- many types of algae, small
invertebrates and fish
• D. Subtidal zone-below low tide line.
•
1. sea urchins common, eats holdfast of kelp
•
2. sea stars move in with tide and feed on
mussels
III. Estuary- brackish water found at the mouth of a
river, where it enters the ocean.
A. Very productive region
1. called “nature’s nursery”- many
organisms lay eggs and young develop in
nutrient rich waters.
2. formed by melting ice flooding the
mouths of rivers.
3. found on the bay side of a barrier beach
where calmer waters are found
B. Salt Marsh Community- (wetlands)
1. dominant species- marsh grasses
a. cord grass (Spartina)- resistant to salt, can
secrete salt crystals.
b. when the grasses die, provide nutrients
c. Phosphates and nitrates used by plankton
and plankton are filtered by larger animals
d. other animals include fiddler crabs, hermit
crabs and fish
C. Mud Flat Community
1. dark, muddy sand with no grasses
a. very little aeration and minimal
flushing action
2. nature’s graveyards
a. high amounts of decomposition by
bacteria
b. Rotten egg smell from hydrogen sulfide
H2S
c. Invertebrates scavenge for food- mud
snails, sandworms and clams
D. Mangrove Community-found in tropical and
subtropical regions.
1. trees are adapted to salt water. Low wave
action and large exposed roots act as a nursery
area for organisms lower in the food chain and
protect shore from erosion.
2. dominant species- red mangrove trees
3. wildlife sanctuary- home to raccoons, snails,
oysters, crabs, conchs, pelican and osprey
E. Coral Reef Environment
1. stony formation built by coral polyp.
2. made of calcium carbonate CaCO3.
3. symbiotic algae-zooxanthellae which give coral
its color
a. live inside coral polyp
4. coral features
a. found btwn 30°N and 30°S
b. longest reef- Great Barrier Reef
c. hard coral- elkhorn ,staghorn and brain
d. Soft coral- sea fans, sea whips
e. very fragile ecosystem
Reef inhabitants
1. Butterfly fish-snout able to get prey in small
crevices
2. Parrotfish- eats coral polyps and grinds the
skeleton to sand
3. many able to hide in small crevices
4. colorful coral – many fish camouflaged to
blend in