AICE Marine Science: Unit 5: Examples of Marine Ecosystems

What are the 5 oceans?

Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, Arctic

Where is the Pacific Ocean located?

between Asia and Australia to the west and the Americas to the east, extending from the Arctic in the north to the Antarctic in the south

Where is the Atlantic Ocean located?

between the Americas on the west and Europe and Africa on the east

Where is the Indian Ocean located?

between the Americas on the west and Europe and Africa on the east

Where is the Southern Ocean located?

in the southernmost waters of the world ocean, encompassing the waters surrounding Antarctica

Where is the Arctic Ocean located?

the North Pole, the top of the world

theca

the walls of the calyx

hard corals

stony corals capable of reef-building that have a relationship with zooxanthellae

soft corals

corals that do not build reefs and lack calcification

zooxanthellae

symbiotic, photosynthetic dinoflagellates living within the tissues of many invertebrates

Which zone is located between 0-200m?

epipelagic zone

Which zone is located between 200-1000m?

mesopelagic zone

Which zone is located between 1000-4000m?

bathypelagic zone

Which zone is located between 4000-6000m?

abyssopelagic zone

Which zone is located below 6000m/the seafloor?

benthic zone

this zone receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis and has high productivity levels

epipelagic zone

this zone has enough light for organisms to see but not for photosynthesis, causing organisms to adapt due to the lack of oxygen/nutrients

mesopelagic zone

this zone is completely dark and organisms survive on detrius/marine snow (detrivores) and adapt to be transparent or bioluminescent

bathypelagic zone

this zone is made up of unending darkness and has very high pressure and is very cold (near freezing) with organisms that are blind/colorless

abyssopelagic zone

this zone is completely dark in the open ocean but may receive light in shallower bodies of water like estuaries

benthic zone

What are organisms in the benthic zone called and what do they include?

benthos; crustaceans, echinoderms, polychaetes

What is coral bleaching?

whitening of coral that results from the loss of a coral's symbiotic zooxanthellae -- in essence, it occurs when hard corals become stressed by environmental factors, particularly rising water temperature and reduced pH

What happens if coral bleaching lasts for an extensive period of time?

the coral will die due to a lack of nutrients and poor water condition

What makes rocky shores difficult to live on?

- fluctuating temperatures

- wave action

- exposure to air based on tides

True or False: Rocky shores have significant biodiversity.

true

What do organisms living on rocky shores have to adapt to?

- type of rock making up the substrate

- whether the habitat is temperate or tropical

- how much sunlight is at any time during the year

What are the 4 areas of the intertidal zone of rocky shores?

- splash zone

- upper shore

- middle shore

- lower shore

What makes sandy shores difficult to live on?

- the porous substrate, as they are extremely unstable, a single wave/gust of wind can remove a lot of the fine sand, they do not hold water well, and lack places for attachment

(there is also high competition and predation)

How do organisms living on sandy shores have to adapt?

living in instead of on the substrate by burrowing

Most organisms living on sandy shores are...

detrivores

True or False: Sandy shores have significant biodiversity.

false - low biodiversity

Describe mangrove trees.

salt-tolerant trees that prefer to live in coastal or estuarine environments between latitudes 25N or 25S

adaptations of (red) mangroves to live in seawater

1. prop root structure for stability

2. prop roots for oxygen absorption using lenticels

3. salt exclusion with filtration at the roots and salt sent to leaves and is eliminated from the tree when the leaf dies

4. viviparous reproduction by developing propagules while still attached before releasing them to float in the ocean

What are the conditions needed for the formation of mangrove forests?

- saltwater areas with a large tidal range where deposition is more frequent than erosion due to calmer waters and reduced wave action (so propagules can embed in the sand and take root)

- temperature must be warm year-round (never below a 20C avg)

- preferably areas with healthy coral reefs due to the protection provided

What is the ecological importance of mangroves?

- provide a home for organisms with cage-like roots

- prevent and reduce storm and wave erosion

- cause deposition of sediments protecting buildup in coral reefs and seagrass beds nearby

- help control carbon levels

What is the economic importance of mangroves?

- used for food and timber by island communities

- provide natural protection for coastlines from erosion and storms

- sponge for floodwaters

- purification system for waters

- tourism