Subtidal Hard Substrata Ecosystems

Vocabulary flashcards derived from lecture notes on Subtidal Hard Substrata Ecosystems.

Coastal Subtidal

The region extending from the intertidal zone to the edge of the continental shelf at approximately 200 meters depth.

Infralittoral Zone

The shallowest subtidal zone extending to about 5 meters depth, dominated by macroalgae.

Circalittoral Zone

The subtidal zone just below the infralittoral zone, dominated by invertebrate sessile epifauna.

Biodiversity

Variety of life in an ecosystem, driven by plant, animal, and substrata heterogeneity.

Clonal Organisms

Species that reproduce asexually, forming genetically identical offspring.

Kelp Forests

Among the most productive marine ecosystems, primarily composed of kelp species like Macrocystis and Laminaria.

Kelp Beds

Smaller kelp habitats compared to those that form forests, primarily consisting of smaller kelp species.

Overgrazing

Excessive grazing of kelp by herbivores, such as sea urchins, which can lead to 'kelp barrens,' biological deserts in normally high kelp abundance regions.

Zonation

The distribution of various ecosystems or communities in relation to physical environmental gradients.

Coral Reefs

The most diverse and structurally complex marine ecosystems, capable of hosting a diverse array of species and complex food webs.

Zooxanthellae

Symbiotic algae found within the tissues of corals, critical for their feeding and health.

Broadcast Spawning

A reproductive strategy in which corals release gametes into the water column to enhance genetic diversity.

Coralligenous Habitat

Biogenic structures formed by coralline algae, hosting a diverse array of invertebrate life.

Rhodolith Beds

Habitats formed by slow-growing, long-lived coralline red algae, providing key habitat between lower intertidal and photic zones.

Mesophotic Zone

Marine zone that extends from 30 to 150 meters below sea level, where light diminishes but still supports photosynthesis.

Mangroves

Coastal vegetation that prevents erosion and provides nursery habitat for many marine species.

Nutrient Cycling

The circulation of nutrients through an ecosystem, essential for sustaining biological productivity.

Trophic Networks

The complex interconnections of predator-prey relationships and nutrient flow within an ecosystem.