By: Madison Poe, Chelsea Yarbrough, Alexis Treace, Megan Williams Open Ocean By: Madison Poe, Chelsea Yarbrough, Alexis Treace, Megan Williams

The Open Ocean covers a vast bulk of the world, over 360,000,000 square kilometers.

Regions of the Open Ocean The Pelagic Zone, is the largest area of the marine ecosystem. Vertical zonations depend on the depth to which sufficient light penetrates to support photosynthesis. Photic zone- supported by light and photosynthesis; supports life for plankton which begins the food chain Aphotic zone- almost no light which results in no support for photosynthesis

Life in the Open Ocean The open sea is a pelagic ecosystem, in which the living component are plankton and nekton. Nekton are the actively swimming organisms whose movements are not governed by currents or tides. Included in this group of animals are some larger invertebrates, fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Plankton are any drifting organisms (animals, plants, archaea, or bacteria) that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, and seas.

Plankton Femtoplankton: Akinetic- non moving plankton, drifters. Include most viruses and are the smallest prokaryotes. 0.02 Micrometers in size Picoplankton: Mostly akinetic plankton. Also include viruses, bacteria and the smallest prokaryotes. 0.2 Micrometers in size Nanoplankton: Kinetic- move by flagella, jet propulsion, undulation of the body, swimming appendages, or other means. Types of Nanoplankton- Cyanophytes, coccolithophores, silicoflagellates, green flagellates, ciliates. 2.0 Micrometers in size

More Plankton Microplankton: Kinetic Small plankton that can be caught by standard plankton nets (Advanced in cloth fabrication technology) Includes many diatoms, dinoflagellates, and invertebrate larvae. 20 Micrometers in size Mesoplankton: Also contains sargassum weed and detached rafts of benthic algae. Include most adult zooplankton and larval fishes 200-2000 micrometers in size Macroplankton: Organisms that are visible to the naked eye and generally exceed 1 millimeter. Include many gelatinous zooplankton, krill Megaplankton: Largest plankton Include large jellyfishes, colonies of siphonophores, salps, and sargassum weed. 0.2 Meters in size

Nekton: Invertebrates SQUID Open ocean dwellers Keen eyesight Achieve bursts of speed that are faster than the fastest fishes Intelligent Stream-lined body Sucker-laden tentacles

Nekton: Fish Adaptations to the open sea: Majority of bony fish that inhabit the open sea, have mouths at the front of their body with lower jaws that protrude farther forward than the upper jaw. This arrangement allows the fish to grab prey from a variety of positions. When the fish opens its mouth to seize its prey, the jaws project forward and retract quickly as the mouth closes.

Types of Fish Billfish- Marlin, Sailfish -Elongated upper jaw, lack teeth -They feed by swimming into schools of fish or squid, flailing their bills left and right beating their prey and then swallowing their stunned victims whole. Tuna- Bluefin, Yellowfin, Albacore, Ocean Bonitio - Must swim constantly or they will sink due to a lack of swim bladder. - Requires a lot of energy and a good supply of oxygen. - Must have a higher body temperature than water for a faster metabolism. - Large skeletal muscles for swimming - Exhibits bursts of speed up to 54 kilometers per hour. -Their streamlined body decreases water resistance.

More Types of Fish Ocean Sunfish: -Relaxed swimmers -Spend most of their time lying on their side at the surface of the water in the sun (Hints the name) -Highly modified caudal fin and prominent dorsal and anal fins. - May reach lengths of more than 10 feet and exceed weight of 1 ton - It is a haven for parasites More Types of Fish

Some More Types of Fish Sharks: - Most efficient types of predators - Sharks reproduce through copulation ( the male transferring sperm to the female) which increases the likelihood that the maximal number of eggs be fertilized. - Most species are viviparious (eggs hatch inside the mother’s body) - Reproductive strategies are more efficient and the survival rate of their offspring is better.

The Last Fish Manta Ray- “Devil Fish” - May measure 20 feet and weigh 1.5 tons - Primarily feed on small fishes and plankton and channel food into their mouth with their labial flaps. - Olden beliefs said that manta rays could drag ships by their anchors to the bottom and then they would devour them.

Reptiles Sharks and reptiles ruled the sea in the Mesozoic era. Sea Snakes: - The only open ocean reptile. - Cruises the Indian and Pacific oceans along drift lines in search of small fish to capture as prey. -The yellow-bellied sea snake cannot descend to the sea floor to rub its shedding skin against rock or coral. Instead the snake slips its body into and out of knots, abrading the skin against itself to remove and parasites. -They retain their eggs within the reproduction tract until hatching, giving birth at sea.

Birds And Mammals Birds: Penguins of the southern oceans -Flightless -Adapted to the open sea except for their need to return to the open ocean for reproduction - Consume large numbers of krill, squid and fish. Mammals: Whales (Cetaceans) -Baleen whales (toothless) consume krill and sometimes fish. - Sperm whales (toothed) consume squid and fish. -Most extensively adapted to the marine environment. -Travel in pods for feeding and mating purposes.

Credits Marine Biology 2nd edition Google Images “Part of Your World” (Piano Version)