Aquatic Ecosystems Coral Reefs Open Ocean Deep Ocean

Learning Objectives Describe the conditions of the different aquatic biomes Explain plant and animal adaptations to each aquatic biome Compare and contrast plant and animal adaptations across the aquatic biomes Aquatic Ecosystems

Coral reefs are living structures in coastal tropical waters Composed of living organisms growing on layers of dead coral – Dead coral composed of calcium carbonate – Polyp - living coral organism Opportunistic feeders Coral Reefs

Corals form mutualistic relationships with algae called zooxanthellae – Corals provided with food as zooxanthellae carry out photosynthesis – Zooxanthellae use corals’ waste for food Coral Reefs

Adaptations on coral reefs: – Crustaceans live in crevices between corals – Mutualism between sea anemones and clownfish Anemones provide shelter for clownfish Clownfish protect anemones from invertebrates – Fish bodies built for maneuverability – Specialized feeding structures Coral Reefs

Oceanic zone – all waters outside the neritic zone – Nutrient-poor – Few organisms Adaptations in the open ocean: – Pelagic – fish that live in the open ocean Streamlined and built to swim long distances Open Ocean

Adaptations in the open ocean: – Countershading – camouflage technique in which an animal’s topside is dark and underside is light Blends in with dark ocean bottom when viewed from above Blends in with light surface water when viewed from below – Schooling confuses predators and acts as warning system Open Ocean

Vertical migration – organisms migrate to different depths in water column – Ex) Zooplankton move to deeper water during day to avoid predators and return to surface at night to feed Open Ocean

Sargassum is brown seaweed that floats in open ocean – Creates habitat for fish and invertebrates – Provides camouflage for organisms like planehead filefish – Sea life around Sargassum attracts predators Open Ocean

Deep ocean includes all water 200 meters below surface Aphotic zone – depth at which amount of sunlight is insufficient for photosynthesis to occur Deep ocean water is: – Very cold – Low light – High water pressure Deep Ocean

Adaptations in the deep ocean: – Red color makes fish invisible to predators in low light – Bioluminescence – specialized cells emit light Attract mates Confuses predators and prey Deep Ocean

Adaptations on the deep-sea floor: – Corals provide shelter for fish and invertebrates – Corals have large surface area to capture food – Starfish have long legs to stay above sediment – Vertical migration at night to find food – Proteins that act as antifreeze Deep Ocean

Hydrothermal vents: – Jets of heated water from cracks in the seafloor – Mineral rich Tubeworms and bacteria live near hydrothermal vents – Bacteria live within the worms and use hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) from the vent to make food for the tubeworms Deep Ocean

Marine Biomes BiomeConditionsPlant AdaptationsAnimal Adaptations Coral reefsWarm water Shallow Constant temperature N/ASymbiotic relationships Specialized feeding adaptations Streamlined for maneuverability Open oceanNutrient poorAir sacsCountershading Schooling Vertical migration Deep ocean Pelagic zoneCold Dark High water pressure N/ALarge eyes Drab/red body coloring Vertical migration Bioluminescence Antifreeze proteins Benthic zoneCold Dark Dense N/ALarge limbs Symbiotic relationships Chemosynthesis