Marine ecology

Ecology

the branch of biology that studies the relationships between living organisms and their environment

Examples of biotic effects organisms have on each other

Predition; Facilitation; mutualism; competition

Examples of abiotic effects on animals

Temperature; salinity; waves; water pressure

A niche

The resources that an organism uses to grow, survive and reproduce and the role it plays in its environment

k-selected species

Species that produce a few, often fairly large offspring but invest a great deal of time and energy to ensure that most of those offspring reach reproductive age.

r-selected species

Species that reproduce early in their life span and produce large numbers of usually small and short-lived offspring in a short period.

Benthic

bottom of an aquatic ecosystem; consists of sand and sediment and supports its own community of organisms

Pelagic

Describing organisms that live in the water column away from the ocean bottom.

Nektons

-Freely swimming marine animals

-Eat zooplankton

Plankton

Organisms that float in the water currents

Neuston

Planktonic organisms living at the sea surface

The neritic zone

The region of shallow ocean water over the continental shelf.

What are the 4 Levels of ocean depth?

Epipelagic = photic zone

Mesopelagic

Bathypelagic

Abyssopelagic