Marine Biology Quest

Producers

organisms that make their own energy

Photoautotrophs

use photosynthesis

What is the most common photoautotroph in marine ecosystems?

algae

Microalgae

single-celled

Macroalgae

multicellular

Algae vs plant population (%)

Algae = 90%, plants = 10% of total producers in ocean

What is an example of a marine plant?

Seagrasses

Scavengers are a type of

heterotroph

Scavengers

consume dead organisms to get energy

Some scavengers eat...

marine snow

Marine snow

a combination of mostly gelatinous substances that slowly sink from shallow water to deeper water

- Discarded fish slime

- Fish waste

- Partially decomposed gelatinous organisms

Plankton

organisms that cannot swim against the current

Example of large plankton

plankton do not have to be small

- examples of large plankton: giant jellyfish and kelp torn off of sea floor

Phytoplankton

planktonic autotrophs

Zooplankton

planktonic heterotrophs

Nekton

organisms that can swim against the current

Substrate

substance that covers the bottom of a body of water

Mud

Sand

Rocks

Coral

Benthic zone

portion of ocean that includes the substrate and a few feet of water above the substrate

Pelagic zone

area above the benthic zone to the surface of the water

Continental shelf

the portion of the continent that stretches into the ocean

Intertidal zone

Portion of the continental shelf that lies between the high and low tide lines (covers only part time)

Lots of algae in the intertidal zone because

of abundant light and runoff of nutrient-rich (nitrate and phosphate) water

Sandy intertidal zone

Creatures can bury themselves to stay moist and cool

Major component: microalgae (benthic)

No macroalgae

Muddy intertidal zone

Creatures can bury themselves to stay moist and cool

Major component: microalgae (phytoplankton)

No macroalgae

Rocky intertidal zone

Minor component: microalgae (phytoplankton)

Major component: macroalgae

Rocky intertidal challenges

Desiccation (drying out)

Wave force (impact power of wave hitting that rocks that organisms are glued to)

Competition for space

Subtidal zone

larger water that permanently covers the continental shelf

What are the two vertical zones?

benthic and pelagic

After the continental shelf, there is a steep dropoff called

the continental slope

The continental slope is divided into the

bathyal, abyssal, and hadal zones

3 major phylums for macroalgae

Chlorophyta- green

Rhodophyta- red

Phaeophyta- brown

Info abt microalgae in the sandy and muddy intertidal zones...

- Some grow on particles of the substrate, but the vast majority are phytoplankton

- These same phytoplankton visit the rocky intertidal zone

- However their ecological impact is dwarfed by the impact of the macroalgae in this area

Examples of chlorophyta

caulerpa and dead man's fingers

Caulerpa are native to

the tropical water worldwide

Where was caulerpa invasive?

the mediterranean & were once invasive in Huntington Harbor of Southern California

How was the caulerpa invasion stopped?

The california invasion was stopped by the agency California Fish & Wildlife

They tarped the substrate with caulerpa & prevented them from photosynthesizing for a year

Because even a very small fragment can grow into an adult caulerpa algae, they sent bleach under the tarps to ensure the caulerpa were all dead

Types of brown macroalgae

southern sea palm + feather boa kelp

southern sea palm:

- found in california oceans

- It is very good at resisting wave force but suffers from desiccation easily

- often lives at the boundary between the intertidal & subtidal zone

feather boa kelp:

This california algae is very resistant to desiccation but cannot withstand intense waveforce

What kinds of red algae are there?

fleshy and coralline

Where does coralline algae get its name?

The coralline algae get their names because they have calcium carbonate in their cell walls

This same substance makes up coral skeletons

What are the two types of corraline algae?

Encrusting- these algae get their shape based on what they are growing on

Articulated- these algae get their shape based on their genetics

Browsers are

heterotrophs that feed mainly on macroalgae

Filter feeders take in

water & separate it from the organic molecules & small plankton within it

True predators (+ ex)

(fish & crabs) eat primary & secondary consumers

echinoderms (+ phylem)

type of heterotroph

These organisms are in the phylum echinodermata

Two types of echinoderms

purple urchins + bat stars

Purple urchins

- These are found on the west coast of North America

- The farther north, the less frequently they are seen

- They are gradually replaced by red urchins

- These organisms primarily eat macroalgae but can take DOM (dissolved organic matter) directly from the water column when no algae is around

Bat stars

- These sea stars have a webbed material between their arms

- They also live on the west coast of North America

- However they are more abundant the further you go north

- They eat sessile (nonmoving) invertebrates

What do all sea stars eat?

clams and mussels

Hoe do sea stars eat clams and mussels?

- Make a small gap in the shellfish's shell (uses pure force)

- The sea star sticks its stomach out of its mouth

- This is inserted into the shell of the clam or mussel

- The clam or mussel then opens itself up in a vain attempt to flush away the stomach acid inside its shell

- The stomach acid & digestive enzymes liquify the clams internal organs

- The sea star sucks its stomach back into its body

- It then sucks in the liquified clam or mussel

Crustaceans phylem and subphylem

the phylum arthropoda & the subphylum crustacea

What do pistol shrimp eat?

- They use their oversized claw to create shock waves which stun their prey (other crustaceans)

- They are found in oceans throughout the world

The fiddler crab is found

in the Southern portion of the east coast of North America and in the mudflats of India & Pakistan

What do fiddler crabs eat

These tiny crabs eat microalgae and macroalgae as well as detritus (partially decomposed dead material)

The males have a giant claw in order to attract female crabs

California spiny lobsters are found

off the coast of Baja California & California

California spiny lobster prey

They eat sessile invertebrates

Do we eat California spiny lobster?

They are eaten by humans, but it is not a major fishery

This is partially due to management of lobster as a resource

The state of Maine does a much better job of managing their lobster populations & their shellfish are eaten all over the world

While both states implement a minimum size restriction, only Maine also insists on a maximum size

This ensures that the largest lobsters are left to breed (best adapted & produce exponentially more offspring)

Copepods

the crustacean group

- While there are hundreds of benthic species, they are most famous for being the most abundant zooplankton

- Copepods eat phytoplankton

Barnacles are

crustaceans

While the adult forms do not resemble other crustaceans, the larva look very similar to other crustaceans

barnacles

Gooseneck barnacles are found

in Southern California

They are filter feeders & live in colonies

Red barnacles also live in

Southern California

They are filter feeders & live as solitary organisms

Acorn barnacles

- They are filter feeders & live in colonies

- There are two species of acorn barnacles that live in Southern California

- The larger of the two often dislodges the small species as they compete for space

- This is done by growing under the smaller barnacle & slowly prying it off the rock

- However these small acorn barnacles (very resistant to desiccation) can live in the splash zone & escape competition

- Large acorn barnacles are less resistant to desiccation

order of zones on continental slope

bathyl, abyssal, hadel, abyssal plains (ocean floor)