THE OPEN OCEAN Polar Seas and the Abyss Marine Biology

The Open Ocean Also called the PELAGIC ZONE Covers 75% of the Earth’s surface Most organisms here never come across solid surfaces Phytoplankton (tiny plants) are the largest food source in the world Which is more fertile: green sea water or blue sea water? green

The Open Ocean

The Open Ocean Many whales eat phytoplankton and krill They create ‘bubble nests’ Blow tiny bubbles under water Bubbles rise, trapping krill Whales ambush from underneath Swallow the krill

Polar Seas Two polar areas of the world ARCTIC ANTARCTIC Artic (north pole) Antarctic (south pole) ARCTIC Huge mass of ice Beneath the ice is the Atlantic ocean ANTARCTIC Huge land mass Land is frozen, covered with ice miles thick

Polar Seas: How Do Animals Survive? Fish are poikilothermic Cold blooded Water temps are below 4 degrees Celcius They should freeze solid These fish have a chemical adaptation Their blood contains antifreeze

Polar Seas: How Do Animals Survive?

Polar Seas: Seals All but a few species here are extinct Ross seal hunting Ross seal rarest Weddell seal Can hold its breath for an hour Ringed seal Gives birth on the ice

Polar Seas: PENGUINS!!!!!!!! Most penguins live in warm water Penguins can’t fly They are the only birds in the world that don’t have hollow bones They have a blubber layer to keep warm Much heavier than other birds their size

Penguins: Love and romance Every year, thousands flock together in search of a mate. Once they pair up, they stay together, as a monogamous couple, until the chick is a year old.

The penguins travel up to 80 miles on foot to find a safe mating ground away from predators. They only produce one fertile egg per year so it is critical that the egg (and eventually the chick) is safe.

The couple will practice the transfer of the egg dozens of times before the actual egg is laid. If it isn’t done right and the egg touches the frigid ice for too long…

Then the egg will die.

Once the egg is safely transferred, the male will carry it on his feet for weeks, standing perfectly still or shuffling his feet, being careful to never let the egg touch the ice.

When the chick hatches, it will remain on the feet of the male until all of its downy feathers grow in and a blubber layer forms. The father will go months without eating. In the meantime, the mother is off collecting food.

When the chick is ready to be on it’s own, it will give a call

Then the male, female, and chick go their separate ways Then the male, female, and chick go their separate ways. Next year, they will do it all over again. THE END