1. Vanessa Borgia Ecology
The Oceans
Vanessa Borgia
Ecology

2. Geography 360 million km, Continuous interconnected mass of water
3 major basins
Pacific- 180 million km2, deepest~ 4000 m
Atlantic- 106 million km2, pole to pole
Indian- under 75 million km2, Southern Hemisphere
Undersea mountain stud the floor

4. Structure
Littoral/ intertidal- shallow shorelines under rise and fall of the tides
Neritic zone- from coast to the margin of the continental shelf.
Oceanic zone- beyond continental shelf.
3 vertical depth zones
Mesopelagic m
Bathypelagic m
Abyssal m
Hadal Zone- deepest part of ocean
Benthic- habitats on bottom of ocean
Pelagic- off the bottom regardless of depth

5. Physical Conditions Light
80% solar energy absorbed in first 10m. Ultraviolet/infrared first few meters. Below m it is a blue twilight.
Temperature
Sunlight increased kinetic state or velocity of motion of water molecules, keeps temp up. Thermocline- layer of cold water on bottom and warm on top. Thermal Stratification- layering of water by temp.
Water Movements
Winds drive currents-transport nutrients and O2. Currents moderate climate, fertilize the surface H20 and stimulate photosynthesis. Gynes- currents sweep over oceans to create circulation system. Upwelling- deep H20 moved to the surface.

6. Chemical Conditions Salinity Oxygen
Varies with latitude among sea. 34g of salt per kg of water= about 36.5%. Baltic Sea- surrounded by temp and boral forest biomes receives large inputs of freshwater, local salinities of 7% or lower. Red Sea- deserts over 40% salinities.
Oxygen
Increase near ocean surface and decrease with depth.

7. Biology
Phytoplankton- microscopic organisms that drift with the currents.
Zooplankton- small animals that drift w/ current.
Deep sea organisms are nourished by organic matter fixed by photosynthesis near the surface.
Ocean shines with blue of pure water and is called a “biological desert.”

8. Human Influences
Decline of large whale population gave a warning of what we can do to open an ocean system.
Overfishing led to major decline in commercially important fish stocks.
Another threat possibility of dumping nuclear and chemical wastes.