The Marine Biome By Kyle Donahue and Susan MacNeil

Map The yellow is the marine biome.

Climate There isn’t really a climate in the marine biome due to the large area world wide but if you averaged it out it would be roughly room temperature.

Fact’s The marine biome is divided into three regions which are the coral reefs, estuaries, and oceans. The oceans represent the largest and most diverse of the ecosystems. Most of the oxygen in our atmosphere is generated by algae. Algae is also responsible for the absorption of large amounts of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.

The ocean connects to the land by a inter-tidal zone. Because of the rising and falling tides, coastal areas are constantly changing with various animals and marine plants living at the bottom and on the seashore. Rocky coastal areas are host to fewer species due to the fact that only the highest of tides will reach the top of the cliffs.

The deepest part of the ocean is called the abyssal zone. It has many different species of invertebrates and fish including the coelacanth, a prehistoric fish once thought extinct about 65 million years ago and was found in the depths of the Indian Ocean. There are fish that glow in the dark using a process called photoluminescence.

The abyssal zone is very cold, and highly pressurized. Its floor has vents formed by spreading tectonic plates which release hydrogen sulfide and other minerals which are consumed by the bacteria Which eventually get eaten by fish.

Plants The plants in the marine biome include many different kinds of coral reef. They are photosynthetic and can get their own food by it and like animals they can catch microorganisms as food with help of their tentacles. There are millions of species of algae and aquatic plants, most of which we haven't found yet.

There are also various types of algae, sea grasses, phytoplankton, seaweeds, mangroves, sea anemones and marsh grasses, sea cabbage, etc.

Animal’s Most animals have made adaptations to survive in the special requirements of the oceans.   These adaptations include blubber in most mammals, and the dense fur of the sea otter.    The marine biome can also house the largest animals on the planet, such as the Blue Whale.   Common animals are whales, sea otters, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and millions more.

Threats One main human influence that concerns the marine biome is oil spills. The oil can get in the animals skin or be swallowed by an animal, which would poison it.

Runoff’s containing fertilizer, industrial dumpings, and other wastes enter into rivers, ponds, and lakes and tend to promote abnormally rapid algae growth. When algae dies, dead organic matter accumulates in the water. This makes the water unusable and it kills many of the organisms living in the habitat.

Bibliography http://www.buzzle.com/articles/marine-biome-marine-biology.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biome