1. Water
Properties
Surface Tension
Viscosity
Changes in State

2. Temperature
Most important factor governing life processes and the distribution of organisms
High Specific heat of water allows it to absorb or lose lots of heat without changing temperature much

3. Temperature
SST (Sea Surface Temperature) varies with latitude and ranges between -1.9 º - 40 º C

4. Temperature
Surface Mixed Layer (Redish Color): water layer of almost uniform temperature caused by mixing from wind and waves
Thermocline (Green): area where temperature changes rapidly with depth
Deep Ocean (Blue): gradual temperature change (water temp between º C)

5. Temperature
Depth profile of temperature from South to North in Atlantic Ocean

6. Temperature SST can be used to designate biogeographic zones
Organisms adapted to specific temp ranges
Ectotherm
Endotherm

7. Salinity Weight (grams) of inorganic salts dissolved in 1 kg of water
Units are ‰ or psu (Practical Salinity Units)

8. Salinity
Where do Salts come from?

9. Salinity

10. Salinity What impacts salinity in the oceans?
Ocean Salinity ranges between psu (34.7 psu average)

11. Salinity
Salinity Profile of the Atlantic Ocean

12. Salinity Why do we care about salinity as biologists?
Salinity will impact the salt content inside organisms bodies
Affects the buoyancy of pelagic organisms
Partly impacts the density of water

13. Salinity
Diffusion: molecules tend to migrate away from regions of higher
concentrations to areas of lower concentrations

14. Salinity Osmosis: movement of water across a selectively permeable
membrane from areas of low salt content to areas of
high salt content
Osmoconformer
Osmoregulator

15. Salinity