Aquatic Biome & Species Diversity PowerPoint

Aquatic Biome & Species Diversity

Oceans....

  •  Oceans occupy 75% of Earth surface
  •  Oceans are areas of low diversity and low produc%vity except for near the shoreline
  •  Areas are low in nitrogen & phosphorous which limits plant growth small organisms that feed on them
  •  Large animals occur but in low density

Ocean Food Energy Pyramid

Intertidal....

  •  Area of shoreline exposed to water during high %de & air during low %de
  •  Water movement brings in nutrients & removes waste products
  •  Water has high thermal capacity so organisms dont spend energy on temp. regula%on
  •  Water screens out UV radia%on

Intertidal Zone....

  •  Extremely rich in biodiversity
  •  Suscep%ble & sensi%ve to pollu%on from land runoff & ocean pollu%on

Filter Feeders

**Use a siphon to filter feed phytoplankton reducing energy spent on finding food

Sea Urchins & Star Fish....

Water moves gametes & larvae to new areas. Larvae travels like plankton.

Intertidal Foodweb...

Species Evolution....Intertidal

  •  Species have evolved methods of not being swept away by waves
  •  Evolved ways to prevent water loss during low tide through shells & exoskeletons
  •  Have salt-removing mechanisms & lower metabolic rates due to cooler ambient temperatures

Biome....Coastal Zones

  •  Includes estuaries, wetlands & coral reef
  •  High diversity & counts of animal & plant species due to runoff from land
  •  Examples: Goleta Slough, Montana de Oro, Morro Bay, Tijuana Estuary

Tijuana Estuary

Goleta Slough

Estuary...Brackish Waters

Biome....Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs....

  •  Warm, clear, shallow ocean habitats near land
  •  Generally in the tropics

Fringing Reefs....

Grow on continental shelves near coastline

Coral Reefs... --Environmental Problem

  •  Disappearing at an alarming rate due to:
  •  Increase in sea temperature
  •  Pollution
  •  Dredging
  •  Sedimentation

Barrier Reefs

Parallel to shoreline but farther from shore

Coral Atolls

Rings of coral that grow on top of sunken oceanic volcanoes-- Midway Island

Biome...Benthos (Hadal)

  •  Bottom of the oceans
  •  No sunlight = no plant life
  •  Primary input of energy comes from dead organic ma\er se\ling & chemosynthesis (at hyrdothermal vents)

Biome...Hydrothermal Vents

  •  Occur in deep ocean
  •  Located where hot-water vents (black smokers) at mid-ocean ridges
  •  Rich in sulfur compounds that provide energy from tube worms through chemosynthetic bacteria


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