Ocean Environments

1.Benthic Zone – bottom 2.Pelagic Zone - water Two Basic Divisions

Benthic Zones 1. Intertidal –Shallowest area –Between the low and high tide lines –Changing environment

Periwinkle

Fingernail Limpet

Buckshot Barnacles Barnacle mating

Gooseneck Barnacles

Mussel with barnacles on it Mussels Mussel with barnacles on it

Sea star Sea Urchin Chiton Seaweed Sea anemones – closed above water, open below water

Benthic Zones 2. Sublittoral –Always underwater –On continental shelf –Most variety of benthic life

Coral Sponge with brittle star

Benthic Zones 3.Bathyal - starts at continental slope and extends to 4000 m - little or no sunlight - cold 4°C - very high pressure Brittle Stars

Crinoids (Sea Lilies)

Sea cucumbers

Benthic Zones 4.Abyssal - No sunlight – 6000 m - On abyssal plain Tube worms

Benthic Zones 5.Hadal 6000m -11,000m Trench Foraminifera

Pelagic Zone – water area 1.Neritic  water area above continental shelf 2. Oceanic  water off of continental shelf  further divided into 5 areas based on depth

Oceanic zone is further divided into 5 areas based on depth

Neritic Zone Life Herring Angel fishClown fish Bluefin Tuna Seahorse Jellyfish

Plankton

Oceanic Zones 1.Epipelagic Surface – 200 meters Sunlight, warm

Oceanic Zones 2.Mesopelagic twilight zone - some light but no photosynthesis 200 – 2000 meters contains thermocline (large temperature change) low-energy tissues and sluggish lifestyles to cope with low food energy, since no algae can grow. Many animals are bioluminescent Firefly Squid Cuttlefish

Coelacanth Deep Sea Angler Ogrefish

Giant Siphonophore

Bloodbelly Comb Jelly

Pelagic Zones 3.Bathypelagic zone 2,000 – 4,000 meters Vampire Squid Giant Squid

Pelagic Zones 4.Abyssopelagic zone – 6000 meters -low oxygen, nutrients and food -Dark and cold Snipe Eel Zoarcid Fish

Resources Anderson, Genny (2002). The splash zone. Retrieved August 5, 2008, from Allison, M., DeGaetano, A., & Pasachoff, J. (2006). Earth Science. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Deep Sea. Retrieved August 10, 2008, from Monteray Bay Aquarium Online Field Guide Web site: Flach, Author's first name initialEls, & Heip, Carlo (1996). Vertical distribution of macrozoobenthos within the sediment on the continental slope of the Globan spur area. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 141, Monsters of the Deep Sea. Retrieved August 10, 2008, from Sea and Sky Web site: sea/creatures-menu.htmlhttp:// sea/creatures-menu.html Rager, Nicolle (2004). Sea Vent Viewer. Retrieved August 7, 2008, from Natinal Science Foundation Web site: Roach, John (2005, Feb. 3). Life Is Found Thriving at Ocean's Deepest Point. Retrieved August 10, 2008, from National Geographic News Web site: Yancey, Paul (2008). Deep Sea Biology. Retrieved August 7, 2008, Web site: Viau, Elizabeth A. (2003). The littoral zone. Retrieved August 5, 2008, from World Builders Web site: