Ocean Zones & Layers The ocean is divided into three zones across and three layers down. Use the diagram on the next slide to label the diagram on your paper!

Continental Shelf Continental Slope Continental Rise Intertidal Zone Neritic Zone Open Ocean Zone Photosynthetic Layer 0-200m deep Bathyal Layer m deep Abyssal Layer 4000m - ocean floor

The Crazy Zone: Intertidal Zone Crazy Environment: Water level changes 4 times a day! Organisms must deal with extreme changes of: Temperature Temperature Drying out Drying out Different levels of water, oxygen and light. Different levels of water, oxygen and light.

Intertidal Zone Tide Pools are an ecosystem in the Intertidal Zone. Tide Pools are an ecosystem in the Intertidal Zone. Biodiversity is very high in tide pools. There are many different species in 1 small area. Biodiversity is very high in tide pools. There are many different species in 1 small area.

Advantages of Living in a Tidepool Lots of O 2 and sunlight Lots of O 2 and sunlight Currents and tides mix the water to take away waste and bring in new nutrients Currents and tides mix the water to take away waste and bring in new nutrients Lots of nutrients Lots of nutrients Rocks for shelter Rocks for shelter There are few large carnivores, so less predators are there to eat you There are few large carnivores, so less predators are there to eat you Rich food sources Rich food sources

Challenges of Living in a Tidepool Desiccation = drying out. Organisms need to be able to breathe in and out of water Organisms need to be able to breathe in and out of water

How do you survive Tidepool Living? One way is to move between tidepools, like hermit crabs do. One way is to move between tidepools, like hermit crabs do. Olive Snail: burrows into moist sand.(Sand dollars, clams and worms do this too) Olive Snail: burrows into moist sand.(Sand dollars, clams and worms do this too) Limpet: Dig a hole in the rock – traps water, and protects animal from waves Limpet: Dig a hole in the rock – traps water, and protects animal from waves Olive Snail Limpet

How do you survive tidepool living? Use Cracks: Organisms can crawl into these protected areas. Protects the animal from waves and each other. Use Cracks: Organisms can crawl into these protected areas. Protects the animal from waves and each other. Rockweed: This plant can lose up to 90% water and still survive! Rockweed: This plant can lose up to 90% water and still survive! Crab

How do you survive tide pool living? *Barnacles: Close their shells to reduce evaporation *Sea Anemones: withdraws into itself and covers itself with a thick outer skin (

How do tidepool organisms deal with extremes in temperature? Snails: have light colored shells to reflect sunlight and absorb less heat Snails: have light colored shells to reflect sunlight and absorb less heat Decrease the surface area of their body (shrink up) to decrease evaporation of water sea anemones: Decrease the surface area of their body (shrink up) to decrease evaporation of water

How do tidepool organisms deal with Wave Action? Waves pound the shore and can damage fragile organisms. Waves pound the shore and can damage fragile organisms. Olive Snail: Buries into sand Olive Snail: Buries into sand Barnacles: Clamp onto rock, streamlined shape, armored from wave energy Barnacles: Clamp onto rock, streamlined shape, armored from wave energy Chiton: clings to rock with suction cup/muscular foot Chiton: clings to rock with suction cup/muscular foot

Deal with Wave Action… Starfish: have suction cups to stick to rocks, but they don’t work on sand Starfish: have suction cups to stick to rocks, but they don’t work on sand Sea Palm: Plant that is flexible and streamlined, so it can take the beating of waves. Sea Palm: Plant that is flexible and streamlined, so it can take the beating of waves. Sea Star

Zone Two: The Neritic Zone This is the area from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf. This is the area from the shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf.

Challenges in the Neritic Zone: Turbulent wave action Turbulent wave action Depths, temperature, etc. will be affected by the tides. Depths, temperature, etc. will be affected by the tides. High levels of UV radiation High levels of UV radiation Currents effect habitat Currents effect habitat

Realize, the neritic zone changes based on the season, climate & location. Realize, the neritic zone changes based on the season, climate & location. This zone is influenced by the land around it. River run-off and sediment cycles lead to different amounts of minerals in the water. This zone is influenced by the land around it. River run-off and sediment cycles lead to different amounts of minerals in the water. Neritic Zone The surface of the ocean constantly has access during the day to sun, deeper areas only receive sunlight when the sun is overhead.

Animal life in the Neritic Zone: Many different types, sizes, species. Animal life in the Neritic Zone: Many different types, sizes, species.

Types of Animals in the Neritic Zone Plankton = Floating animal (usually one to a few cells) Plankton = Floating animal (usually one to a few cells) Nekton = Swimming, maneuvering animals (fish, sharks, seals, etc.) Nekton = Swimming, maneuvering animals (fish, sharks, seals, etc.) Benthos = Bottom dweller (on or in the ground) Benthos = Bottom dweller (on or in the ground) Plankton Nekton Benthos (ex. Halibut)

Zone 3: The Open Ocean Zone This is the rest of the ocean from the continental slope out. This is the rest of the ocean from the continental slope out. Plants & Animals change a lot depending on what layer of the open ocean they live in. Plants & Animals change a lot depending on what layer of the open ocean they live in. Open Ocean Layers: Layers going down through the depth of the ocean (Photosynthetic, Bathyl & Abyssal) Open Ocean Layers: Layers going down through the depth of the ocean (Photosynthetic, Bathyl & Abyssal)

Open Ocean ~ Photosynthetic Layer: This is the top 200 meters of the ocean across the entire ocean. This is the top 200 meters of the ocean across the entire ocean. This is the area that receives sunlight, so it is the only area that plants & algae can exist. This is the area that receives sunlight, so it is the only area that plants & algae can exist.

Open Ocean ~ Photosynthetic Layer Benefits to living here are: Warmer water Warmer water Low pressure Low pressure More nutrients, food and plants. More nutrients, food and plants. Challenges are: More competition & danger More competition & danger Have to deal with water movement (waves, tides & currents) Have to deal with water movement (waves, tides & currents) UV Radiation and some temperature changes. UV Radiation and some temperature changes.

Open Ocean ~ Bathyal Layer: This is the area from 200 meters to 4000 meters deep. This is the area from 200 meters to 4000 meters deep. Light doesn’t reach into this area, so there are less animals and NO plant life. Light doesn’t reach into this area, so there are less animals and NO plant life.

Open Ocean ~ Bathyl Layer Benefits to living in the Bathyal Layer: Less competition Less competition Easier to hide in darkness from predators Easier to hide in darkness from predators Challenges to living in the Bathyal Layer: It’s Dark! It’s Dark! High pressure (increases with depth) High pressure (increases with depth) Always very cold (but at least the temperature is constant) Always very cold (but at least the temperature is constant)

Open Ocean ~ Abyssal Layer: Area from 4000 meters to the bottom, also known as “The Deep” Area from 4000 meters to the bottom, also known as “The Deep” There is NO light here and VERY few animals live here. There is NO light here and VERY few animals live here. These animals are WEIRD, with strange adaptations to living in such a cold, dark place These animals are WEIRD, with strange adaptations to living in such a cold, dark place

Open Ocean ~ The Abyssal Layer Benefits to living in the Abyss: Less predation & competition (because not much lives here) Less predation & competition (because not much lives here) Uniform temperature & salinity Uniform temperature & salinity Challenges to living in the Abyss: Extreme pressure Extreme pressure Low nutrients Low nutrients No light & cold temperatures No light & cold temperatures Low numbers of living things (so finding a mate/food is hard) Low numbers of living things (so finding a mate/food is hard)

Along the ocean floor we see these land features: Abyssal Plains = Flat sea floor Abyssal Plains = Flat sea floor Trench = A valley. These are carved out by water currents. Trench = A valley. These are carved out by water currents.

Ocean land features Mid-Ocean Ridge – in the middle of the ocean floor = a continuous mountain range that winds around Earth under the ocean waters. Mid-Ocean Ridge – in the middle of the ocean floor = a continuous mountain range that winds around Earth under the ocean waters.

On the ocean floor we also see Hydrothermal Vents! HTV’s are cracks in the Earth’s crust that spew hot water (up to 350 °F!). HTV’s are cracks in the Earth’s crust that spew hot water (up to 350 °F!). The water is heated by magma under the sea floor. The water is heated by magma under the sea floor. Only bacteria can live in this water. Only bacteria can live in this water. Interesting because the bacteria do “chemosynthesis” by changing sulfur in the hot water into food energy (instead of photosynthesis, which changes sunlight into food) Interesting because the bacteria do “chemosynthesis” by changing sulfur in the hot water into food energy (instead of photosynthesis, which changes sunlight into food)

Ocean Vocab 25 Plankton- Floating animal (usually one to a few cells) Nekton - Swimming, maneuvering animals (fish, sharks, seals, etc.) Benthos- Bottom dweller (on or in the ground) Thermocline- Layer of ocean water with a sudden change in temperature in relation to depth. Salinity-the total amount of salt material dissolved in water Desalination-is the process of removing salt from water Upwelling- The movement of deep, cold, and nutrient-rich water to the surface Hydrothermal Vents- seawater moves into the ocean from cracks in Earth’s crust. Water around area is very high temperatures Open Ocean Zone- Layers going down through the depth of the ocean (Photosynthetic, Bathyl & Abyssal) Neritic Zone - shoreline to the edge of the continental shelf. Zone where the plankton, nekton and benthos animals are found Intertidal Zone- Part of the shoreline that is under water at high tide and exposed to the air at low tide. Crazy Environment: Water level changes 4 times a day! Phosynthetic Zone - This is the top 200 meters of the ocean across the entire ocean. This is the area that receives sunlight, so it is the only area that plants & algae can exist.