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Aquatic Life Zones: 2 major categories

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

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  1. 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

  2. Major types of Organisms • Plankton: small free-floating organisms • Phytoplankton: plant-like • Photosynthetic • diatoms, protists, etc

  3. - Zooplankton: animal-like • Heterotrophic • Protozoans • Larvae • Copopods, cnidarians, krill…etc. - Ultraplankton: TINY (less than 2 micrometers) • includes bacteria

  4. Benthos (benthic organisms): bottom dwellers – anchor to one spot, burrow, or walk along bottom

  5. Nekton: active swimmers – don’t follow currents

  6. Baleen whales: filter feedersPlates (baleen) hang from upper jaw – filter plankton from waterincludes: humpbacks and blue whales

  7. Toothed whales: teeth used to bite and chew foodincludes:orca (killer whale) and sperm whale

  8. Marine Lifezone: Subcategories: * Coastal * Open Ocean (Sea) euphotic zone bathyal zone abyssal zone

  9. Subcategory: Coastal • High tide to Continental shelf • (Ample sunlight) high NPP • 90% of all marine species

  10. 1. Coral reefs: MOST biodiverse areas of all aquatic life zones • “The Aquatic Rainforest” • Hundreds of thousands of coral polyps excrete CaCO3 skeletons

  11. Grow slowly, disrupted easily: • Biggest threat: sediment run-off • Bleaching (even from 1 degree temp increase)

  12. Removal (aquariums/jewelry) • Pollution • Damage (tourists, anchors, natural disasters) • Overfishing • Cyanide/dynamite “fishing” • 1 m2 of reef killed for every fish caught

  13. 2. Intertidal zone: shoreline between low and high tide • Tides caused by gravitational pull of moon • Organisms adapted to HARSH conditions

  14. 3. Barrier Islands: islands separated from the mainland by a shallow sound, bay, or lagoon

  15. Constantly shifting beaches due to erosion • Can be helped with a jetty

  16. Dunes – backbone that provides stability • Plants hold sand in place • Protect from natural disasters

  17. 4. Coastal wetlands: inlets, bays, sounds, Mangrove forest swamps

  18. 5. Estuary: where freshwater meets saltwater (mouth of a river)

  19. Marine Lifezone: Subcategories: * Coastal * Open Ocean (Sea) euphotic zone bathyal zone abyssal zone

  20. 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

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