Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Mangrove Swamps Characterized by salt- tolerant evergreen trees – –protect coastlines from erosion, filter pollutants from the water and are home and food for a variety of organisms. Some have aerial roots that collect oxygen not available in the mud. Some excrete salt in their leaves. Ex: The famous Florida Everglades

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Seagrass Beds Another source of food and protection for aquatic organisms living near the coast fully marine flowering plants grow best in shallow bays and lagoons very susceptible to pollution important food source for aquatic turtles, manatees, dugongs, and other marine herbivores

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Kelp Forest common name for brown seaweed, a type of algae that is photosynthetic Kelp forests grows in cold water and certain species can grow to reach 265+ feet! gas floats on the surface, allowing access to sunlight Unlike seagrass, kelp does not have root systems Photograph by Frans LantingFrans Lanting

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Lagoons & Fjords Fjords - deep, sheltered seas created by ancient, glacial erosion, often bordered by steep cliffs Lagoons - partially enclosed body of sea water Both areas are characterized by slower moving waters protected from the strong currents of the coast.

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Coral Reef solid structures built from the remains and deposits of marine organisms called polyps (most the size of your fingernail) organisms secrete limestone and other calcified compounds to eventually grow into larger reef structures Reefs provide for, protect, and exhibit a tremendous diversity of aquatic life

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Gray reef sharks and red snappers hover above a patch of table coral, waiting for prey fish to emerge. Because of their abundance and the resulting competition for food, the sharks and snappers at Kingman Reef are always on the verge of hunger Kingman Reef is part of a chain of Pacific atolls and islands (called the Line Islands) that straddles the Equator south of Hawaii. Coral Reef

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Fringing & Barrier Reefs 3 basic shapes to reefs. – –Fringing reefs form near land and there is little separation from the shore along the continental shelf. – –Barrier reefs are separated from land by a stretch of water (often a lagoon) and can be miles wide and yards deep. – –Atoll reefs can be exposed above the surface of water and often exist around a now submerged island. ring shaped and the most isolated of the reefs. All reefs are in danger of bleaching, the loss of color in a reef which indicates stress – –caused by pollution, fluctuations in ocean temperatures, and issues connected to tourism.

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Polar Seas: Icebergs & Sea Ice Icebergs - floating chunks of ice which have broken from a large glacier or ice shelf. – –Some are the size of cars while some are bigger than small countries! – –carried by currents to the open ocean and eventually melt Sea ice - frozen seawater, which freezes at 28.8° F. – –essential for polar life, from seals and polar bears, to penguins and arctic foxes. – –Experts study the summer melt of sea ice which is declining in recent years due to global warming and the rise in ocean temperatures.

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Zones of the Open Ocean The open ocean is divided into specific zones – –from the sunlit and twilight zone between 0 and 3,300 feet – –to the dark to hadal zones between 3,300 and 36,100 feet. The sunlight and twilight zone are also categorized as the photic zone due to the presence of light. Most of the nutrients in the ocean is found in the top three feet of water. The areas of the ocean without light are known as the aphotic (dark) zone – –animals are specially adapted to life without light, tremendous pressure, and cold temperatures.

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve Sieren Zones of the Open Ocean Observe the varying zones of the ocean on the graphic below. Observe the varying zones of the ocean on the graphic below.

Photograph by Steve SierenSteve SierenConclusion Life on planet Earth is centered around water, which is why our ancestors built great cities near a source of fresh water. The aquatic ecosystems of the planet are hugely susceptible to changes in temperature, chemical contaminants, and the role humans plan interacting with the planet. Understanding the various aquatic ecosystems and their roles in the health of the planet allows us to understand how best to protect the ecosystems of our world.