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    Aquatic Zonation

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    Anna SkullHong ChullyHeenim
    The document summarizes different aquatic zones based on depth and environmental factors. It describes 5 main zones: 1) the intertidal zone near shore which is alternately submerged and exposed by tides, 2) the neritic zone over continental shelves which includes coral reefs in warm waters, 3) the open ocean pelagic zone beyond shelves with plankton as primary producers, 4) the benthic zone along the ocean bottom with communities relying on detritus from above, and 5) the abyssal zone of the very deep sea floor with adaptations for extreme cold, pressure and lack of light.

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    Aquatic Zonation

    Uploaded by

    Anna SkullHong ChullyHeenim
    1K views28 pages
    The document summarizes different aquatic zones based on depth and environmental factors. It describes 5 main zones: 1) the intertidal zone near shore which is alternately submerged and exposed by tides, 2) the neritic zone over continental shelves which includes coral reefs in warm waters, 3) the open ocean pelagic zone beyond shelves with plankton as primary producers, 4) the benthic zone along the ocean bottom with communities relying on detritus from above, and 5) the abyssal zone of the very deep sea floor with adaptations for extreme cold, pressure and lack of light.

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    The document summarizes different aquatic zones based on depth and environmental factors. It describes 5 main zones: 1) the intertidal zone near shore which is alternately submerged and exposed by tides, 2) the neritic zone over continental shelves which includes coral reefs in warm waters, 3) the open ocean pelagic zone beyond shelves with plankton as primary producers, 4) the benthic zone along the ocean bottom with communities relying on detritus from above, and 5) the abyssal zone of the very deep sea floor with adaptations for extreme cold, pressure and lack of light.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    1K views28 pages

    Aquatic Zonation

    Uploaded by

    Anna SkullHong ChullyHeenim
    The document summarizes different aquatic zones based on depth and environmental factors. It describes 5 main zones: 1) the intertidal zone near shore which is alternately submerged and exposed by tides, 2) the neritic zone over continental shelves which includes coral reefs in warm waters, 3) the open ocean pelagic zone beyond shelves with plankton as primary producers, 4) the benthic zone along the ocean bottom with communities relying on detritus from above, and 5) the abyssal zone of the very deep sea floor with adaptations for extreme cold, pressure and lack of light.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 28

    Aquatic Zonation

    In general, the deep sea is


    considered to start at the
    aphotic zone, the point where
    sunlight loses its power of
    transference through the water.[
    citation needed] Many life forms that live at
    these depths have the ability to
    create their own light a unique
    evolution known as bio-luminescence
    .

    Marine life also flourishes around


    seamounts that rise from the depths,
    where fish and other sea life
    congregate to spawn and feed.
    Hydrothermal vents along the
    mid-ocean ridge spreading centers
    act as oases, as do their opposites,
    cold seeps. Such places support
    unique biomes and many new
    microbes and other lifeforms have
    been discovered at these locations . [
    citation needed]

    Open ocean
    Main article: Pelagic zone
    The open ocean is relatively
    unproductive because of a lack of
    nutrients, yet because it is so vast, in
    total it produces the most primary
    productivity. Much of the aphotic zone
    's energy is supplied by the open
    ocean in the form of detritus. The open
    ocean consists mostly of jellyfish and
    its predators such as the mola mola.

    Intertidal and shore


    Intertidal zones, those areas close to shore, are
    constantly being exposed and covered by the
    ocean's tides. A huge array of life lives within
    this zone.
    Shore habitats span from the upper intertidal
    zones to the area where land vegetation takes
    prominence. It can be underwater anywhere
    from daily to very infrequently. Many species
    here are scavengers, living off of sea life that is
    washed up on the shore. Many land animals
    also make much use of the shore and intertidal
    habitats. A subgroup of organisms in this
    habitat bores and grinds exposed rock through
    the process of bioerosion.

    A black smoker, a type of hydrothermal vent

    Aquatic biomes
    Occupy largest part of biosphere. Two
    major categories of aquatic biomes
    Freshwater
    salt concentration of <1%

    Marine
    salt concentration of ~ 3%
    Many exhibit pronounced vertical stratification

    Vertical stratification
    Based on physical and chemical variables,
    such as
    Light
    is absorbed by organisms and the water
    intensity decreases rapidly with depth

    ecologists distinguish between 2 zones


    based on light penetration
    photic zone
    zone through which light penetrates
    light is sufficient for photosynthesis

    aphotic zone (profundal)


    very little light can penetrate
    insufficient for photosynthesis

    Temperature.
    Light-penetrated layer
    warmed by heat energy from sunlight

    Thermocline
    narrow stratum of rapid temperature
    change
    separates a more uniformly warm upper
    layer from more uniformly cold deeper
    waters

    Deep waters
    beyond penetration of light
    are uniformly cold

    Benthic zone
    bottom of any aquatic biome
    the substrate, made up of
    sand
    organic and inorganic sediments

    contains detritus
    dead organic matter

    occupied by communities of
    organisms collectively called benthos
    for whom a major source of food is
    detritus
    rains down from waters of photic zone

    Often classified according to their


    production of organic matter into three
    general categories
    1. Oligotrophic
    deep
    cold
    small surface area relative to depth
    nutrient-poor
    phytoplankton are sparse, not very productive
    dont contain much life
    waters often very clear
    sediments low in decomposable organic
    matter
    example: Lake Baikal, Siberia

    2. Eutrophic
    shallow
    warm
    large surface area relative to depth
    nutrient-rich
    phytplankton more plentiful and
    productive
    waters often murky
    high organic matter content in benthos
    leads to high decomposition rates and
    potentially low oxygen

    Eutrophication
    process in which some oligotrophic
    aquatic ecosystems become eutrophic
    occurs over long periods of time
    The ecosystem pass from oligotrophic to
    mesotrophic to eutrophic
    occurs as runoff brings in nutrients and silt
    pollution from fertilizers can cause
    explosions in algae population and cause a
    decrease in oxygen content

    3. Mesotrophic
    moderate nutrient content
    moderate amount of phytoplankton,
    reasonably productive.

    Estuaries
    areas where freshwater (stream or river)
    merges with ocean
    freshwater meets salt water

    salinity varies
    from that of fresh water to that of ocean water
    spatially (based on location)
    temporally (due to tidal activity)

    one of most productive biomes on earth


    due to nutrients delivered by rivers
    major producers are salt marsh grasses, algae,
    phytoplankton

    support diverse communities


    are crucial feeding areas for many types
    of water fowl
    threatened by same types of activities as
    wetlands

    Marine biomes
    salt concentration of ~ 3%
    cover ~ 75% of the earths surface
    have enormous impact on planets
    climate
    evaporation of seawater provides most
    rainfall
    ocean temperatures affect wind
    patterns, distribution of energy to land
    via currents
    supply substantial portion of worlds
    oxygen

    photosynthesis by marine algae &


    photosynthetic bacteria
    consume huge amounts of
    atmospheric carbon dioxide
    result of photosynthesis by marine
    algae and photosynthetic bacteria
    communities are distributed
    through several zones
    based on

    depth of water
    degree of light penetration
    distance from shore
    open water versus bottom

    There are 5 general zones in


    marine communities
    1.
    2.
    3.
    4.
    5.

    intertidal zone
    neritic zone
    oceanic pelagic zone
    benthic zone
    abyssal zone

    Ad 1. Intertidal zone
    where land meets water
    is alternately submerged and
    exposed twice daily die to tides
    communities are subjected to huge
    daily variations in
    availability of saltwater
    temperature

    organisms are subject to


    mechanical forces of wave action
    can be rocky or sandy
    are often destroyed by pollution
    and human activity

    vertical zonation
    based on percentage of time spent
    submerged
    uppermost zone
    middle zone
    bottom zone

    uppermost zone
    submerged only during highest tides
    have adaptations that prevent
    dehydration and overheating
    inhabited by grazing mollusks,
    suspension-feeding barnacles, a few
    algae

    middle zone
    submerged at high tide
    exposed at low tide
    inhabited by array of algae, sponges,
    sea anemones, mollusks, crustaceans,
    echinoderms, small fishes

    bottom zone
    exposed only during lowest tides
    inhabited dense cover of seaweeds,
    diver community of invertebrates and
    fishes

    Ad 2. Neritic zone
    beyond intertidal
    includes shallow regions over the
    continental shelves
    in warm tropical waters, this
    region contains
    coral reefs
    dominated by structure of coral itself
    formed by diverse group of cnidarians
    that secrete hard external skeletons
    made of calcium carbonate
    cerates a substrate upon which other
    corals, sponges, algae grow

    include a very diverse assortment


    of vertebrates and invertebrates
    very productive
    currents and waves constantly renew
    nutrients
    light penetrates to ocean floor allowing
    photosynthesis

    easily degraded by
    pollution
    development
    high water temperatures

    Ad 3. Oceanic pelagic zone


    extends past continental shelves,
    can be very deep, is the open water
    includes most of the oceans water.

    water is constantly mixed by ocean


    currents
    plankton live in photic zone and are
    producers for this biome
    nutrient concentrations generally
    lower than in coastal areas
    includes a great variety of free
    swimming animals (fish, large squid,
    sea turtles, marine mammals )

    Ad 4. Benthic zone
    ocean bottom below neritic and
    oceanic pelagic zones.
    Substrate and temperature are very
    important characteristics in
    determining community
    development
    nutrients "rain" down from above in
    form of detritus
    communities consist of bacteria,
    fungi, seaweed and filamentous
    algae, numerous invertebrates, and
    fish.

    Ad 5. Abyssal zone
    very deep benthic communities
    organisms are adapted to
    continuous cold.
    high pressure
    low to no light
    low nutrients

    deep-sea hydrothermal vents of


    volcanic origin found here.
    dark, hot, oxygen-deficient
    environment
    producers are chemoautotrophs

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