Marine Phyla and Adaptations to Living in the Ocean Ecology

Q of day: List five different types of marine organisms. What are some of the obstacles that organisms face when they live in the ocean? What types of adaptations might marine animals have to live in the ocean?

Marine Phyla Echinodermata Includes starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, sea cucumbers

Marine Phyla (Continued) Mollusks (include a cephalopod) Includes clams & snails Octopus & squid are cephalopods

Marine Phyla (Continued) Cnidaria Includes jellyfish, sea anemones, & corals

Marine Phyla (Continued) Arthropods Includes lobsters, shrimp, barnacles, & crabs

Marine Phyla (Continued) Vertebrates Includes fish, sea turtles, whales, porpoises, sea lions, etc.

Adaptations of organisms to the marine environment Marine organisms have various adaptations for the conditions of the marine environment. Let’s focus on a few of the adaptations that marine organisms possess for: Flotation & Buoyancy Salt Regulation Temperature Water Pressure Oxygen

Adaptations to Stay Afloat Some animals (ex: Portuguese man-of-war) secrete gases into a float that enables them to stay at the sea surface Remember: Viscosity increases with decreasing temperature. So, small organisms float more easily in cold waters than warm waters. In tropical waters, organisms have appendages to keep them afloat.

Adaptations for Buoyancy Many species of fish have internal swim bladders filled with gas that keep them neutrally buoyant When a fish changes depth, it adjusts the gas pressure in its swim bladder to compensate for pressure change (gets smaller when swim deeper)

Adaptations to Salt Regulation Marine fish have adaptations to maintain body water…

Adaptations for Temperature Regulation Marine animals other than birds & mammals are ectotherms so body temp is same as surroundings Seabirds & mammals are endotherms & have adaptations to maintain body temps in cold water. Blubber (insulating fat & connective tissue) under their skin

Adaptations for Pressure Many organisms do not have gas-filled cavities or lungs. Deep-diving marine mammals may have: Streamlined bodies (to reduce drag) high conc. of myoglobin (holds oxygen) collapsible lungs

Adaptations to Obtain Oxygen Marine animals need oxygen to survive Many marine animals use gills to extract dissolved oxygen from seawater Marine mammals must breathe air Whales have blow holes

Can you think of any others? We’ve highlighted only a sampling of the adaptations that marine organisms have to survive in the oceans. Can you think of any others?