1. Marine Ecosystems
8th Grade Science, SWMS

2. Types of Organisms Organisms classified based on: Three types:
How they move
Where they live
Three types:
Benthos
Plankton
Nekton

3. Benthos Live on or near bottom of ocean
Snails, Starfish
Sometimes attached to ocean floor
Kelp Forests, Sponges

4. Plankton Tiny organisms that move due to currents.
Zooplankton- animal like. Example: Krill
Phytoplankton- plant-like. Example-algae and diatoms.

5. Nekton Free-swimming Found in all layers of ocean
Examples: Fish, Whales, Eels, Seals, etc.

6. Oceanic Zones Three different zones based on distance from shoreline.
Intertidal
Neritic
Oceanic
Each house different organisms! **1**

7. Intertidal Description: Shoreline area between high and low tide mark.
Organisms: sea anemones, starfish, crabs, seaweed, barnacles, birds
Adaptations: Need to be to survive at high tide and low tide. Be able to hang on and not get washed away by the waves.
Characteristics of the water: Shallow.

9. Neritic Zone
Description: gentle slope from the shore to the deeper ocean floor.
Organisms: coral reefs, kelp forests, fish, algae, starfish, eels, clownfish, sea anemones, turtles
Adaptations: Home to most life in the oceans.
Characteristics: Fairly constant temperature, sunlight, and salinity. Ocean depth up to 200 feet.

11. Neretic Zone (coral reefs and kelp forests)
First day
nemo

12. Oceanic Zone Description: Deep open waters. Hydrothermal vents
Organisms: whales, dolphins, sharks, squid, jellyfish, krill.
Adaptations: Most live in top 200 meters of the surface.
Characteristics: Sunlight only in the top 200 meters. High pressure and low temperatures below 200 meters. No sunlight and dark below 200 meters.

13. Oceanic Zone
Angler attack
Angler
nemo

14. Hydrothermal Vents
Seawater moves into ocean from cracks in Earth’s crust.
High temperatures
Chemosynthesis- bacteria use chemicals to make oxygen.
Unique ocean life!

16. Challenger Descent
Images
Full length