Ch 17-3 Notes on Marine Ecosystems Phytoplankton: the microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that float near the surface of marine or fresh water. -the base if the ocean’s food chains
Estuary: an area where fresh water mixes w/ salt water from the ocean Estuary: an area where fresh water mixes w/ salt water from the ocean. Sargasso Sea: contains floating rafts of algae. Coral reef: made of the skeletons of small animals.
Key Biotic Factors: -water temperature -water depth -amount of sunlight Intertidal zone: the place where the ocean meets the land.
Abyssal Zone: the ocean floor, most of which gets no sunlight. Part of the Intertidal Ecosystem: - mudflats - rocky shores - sandy beaches *The polar ice ecosystem supports large numbers of phytoplankton b/c of its nutrient- rich waters.