Chapter 9 Marine Ecology

The place where an organism resides Habitat The place where an organism resides

The study of the interaction of organisms with their environment Ecology The study of the interaction of organisms with their environment

Biotic Living

Abiotic Non-living

Anything an organism needs to survive Resources Anything an organism needs to survive Trouble when short

Required substances other than O2, CO2, H2O, & sunlight Nutrients Required substances other than O2, CO2, H2O, & sunlight

Growth Curve A graph representing growth over time

Growth rate depends on its own population due to limited resources Self Regulation Growth rate depends on its own population due to limited resources

Survival of the fittest Natural Selection Survival of the fittest

Genetic changes over many generations due to natural selection Evolution Genetic changes over many generations due to natural selection

Fighting over resources Competition Fighting over resources

Competitive Exclusion When one species becomes extinct due to losing out in the struggle for resources

Resource Partitioning Sharing resources Each species find a way to get its share of resources

Ecological Niche How each species fits in Unique methods that species adapt to

One organism eating another Predation One organism eating another

The organism doing the eating Predator The organism doing the eating

The organism getting eaten Prey The organism getting eaten

Carnivore Meat eater

Herbivore Plant or algae eater

Coevolution When two species are involved in competition or predation, both improve

Living together in some association Symbiosis Living together in some association

Smaller partner in a symbiotic relationship Symbiont Smaller partner in a symbiotic relationship

Larger partner in a symbiotic relationship Host Larger partner in a symbiotic relationship

Types of Symbiosis Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit Mutualism A symbiotic relationship in which both partners benefit

Commensalism A symbiotic relationship in which one partner benefits while the other is unaffected

Parasitism A symbiotic relationship in which one partner benefits at the others expense

Autotrophs Produce their own food Carbon fixers Producers

Heterotrophs Must consume food Consumers

Food Chain Chain of organisms in which successively larger organisms eat smaller ones

Trophic Levels Primary producers Primary consumers, 1st Secondary consumers 2nd etc

Food Web Because most species eat many different species, each species can be linked to many

Determining Trophic Levels Each trophic level is classified as one level above the highest level its organisms consume

The top animal in any food chain Top Predator The top animal in any food chain

The total mass of an entire species or designated group Biomass The total mass of an entire species or designated group

Trophic Pyramid Pyramid of levels designed to show relative biomass of each level

Organisms that help break down other organisms Decomposers Organisms that help break down other organisms

Detritus The combination of sediment, dead organic matter, waste products, and decomposers on the bottom

Productivity A measure of the carbon fixation within an unit volume

Carbon Fixation Converting atmospheric carbon in the form of carbon dioxide to a usable form (organic matter)

Nitrogen Fixation Converting atmospheric nitrogen in the form of nitrogen gas to a usable form (organic matter)

The biomass of organisms that exist at any given time Standing Stock The biomass of organisms that exist at any given time

Chlorophyll The main pigment that absorbs energy in the form of light that is used to drive photosynthesis

Nutrient Cycles Carbon Cycle:

Nutrient Cycles Nitrogen Cycle:

Biological Zonation

Pelagic In the water column

Planktonic Organisms that cannot swim against the currents Floating or drifting organisms

Photosynthetic plankton Phytoplankton Photosynthetic plankton

Heterotrophic plankton Zooplankton Heterotrophic plankton

Organisms that can swim against the currents Nektonic Organisms that can swim against the currents Swimming organisms

Benthic Bottom dwelling

Epipelagic Surface water where light can penetrate Photic zone

Mesopelagic Middle water just below where light can penetrate where shadows exist Twilight zone

Deep water where it is completely dark Bathypelagic Deep water where it is completely dark

Water near the sea floor Abyssopelagic Water near the sea floor

Hadopelagic Water in deep trenches

Splash Zone Area of the shoreline just above the highest tides that get wet with spray from the waves

Area of shoreline between the lowest and the highest tides Intertidal Zone Area of shoreline between the lowest and the highest tides

Subtidal Zone Benthic area from the lowest tides to the edge of the continental shelf (shelf break)

Benthic region along the continental slope Bathyl Zone Benthic region along the continental slope

Benthic areas in trenches Hadal Zone Benthic areas in trenches

Benthic area of the sea floor Abyssal Zone Benthic area of the sea floor

Coastal Zone Area of the oceans near shore or along the coastline Neritic Zone

Area of the oceans away from shore Oceanic Zone Area of the oceans away from shore