1. Student

2. Ocean Facts w Oceans are interconnected bodies of salt water. w They cover 70.8% of the Earth’s surface or 139,782,000 sq. miles.(97% of all water) w Floor spreads at a rate of 2 in. per year. w The shapes of the continents and oceans are changing. w In an ecosystem (like the ocean) there are 4 abiotic (non-living) factors:W,So,Su, and A.

3. Animals - Moon Jellyfish ( Biotic) w 3’’ high & 16’’ wide w Umbrella shaped and translucent w Have stringy tentacles w Feeding tube-short and expands w M&F- Specific Colors w Characteristics are Adaptations for life

4. Moon Jellyfish - Habitat w The Moon Jellyfish floats near the surface just off the shore. w The habitats range from the Atlantic to Florida and Mexico plus Alaska to Southern California.

5. Animals - Lined Seahorse -5’’ and has a vertical compressed body w/ camouflage. Is a Biotic organism. Color is light brown, gray, etc. (speckled w/ white or gold dots) Dorsal Fin is like a fan. Very poor swimmers (H20) Its color, body, etc. are its adaptations.

6. Lined Seahorse - Habitat The Lined Seahorse is usually around vegetation like eelgrasses and sargassum. The habitats range from Nova Scotia to Argentina plus Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico.

7. Animals - Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

8. More on the Hammerhead NJ-----------S. Brazil 13’ and 9’’

9. Animals - Pacific Pink Scallop

10. S C A L L O P Sand Rock 500’ Low Tide

11. Golf of Mexico - Climate w The climate can change from tropical to subtropical. w Hurricane season is from June 1 to Nov. 1 w GoM = Gulf of Mexico w Ocean and weather conditions are good for forming hurricanes in this area. w Hurricanes spawned in the Atlantic can move through the gulf also.

12. GoM - Other Facts w Major habitat for birds that winter along the coasts and islands w A lot of fish are along the continental shelf w Shrimps, shellfish, flounder, red snappers, mullet, oysters, and crabs are good food for humans.

13. GoM - Human Activity w The population generates sewage and wastes that go into fresh and salt waters. w Drilling brings oil spills that kill organisms. w Erosion has caused the sinking of wetlands.

14. GoM - Human Effects w Algae and oxygen depletion causes destruction to fish. w Pollution and filling have destroyed almost half of the gulfs man groves and coral reefs.

15. GoM -Temperatures/Tidal Range w In Feb. it can be 64 degrees F in the N. and 76 degrees F in the S. or the Yucatan coast. w In the summer it can get to 90 degrees F but it usually stays the same. w The tidal range is small (Less than 2 ft.).

16. The Food Web

17. Animals in Food Web

18. Zones - Sealife w Water column of the ocean is an ecosystem called the pelagic zone. Life forms in it are near the surface (a lot of light). w The neritic zone is the part that is above the continental shelves. w Finally, the littoral zone is along the shoreline (exposed to the air in certain times of the day - low tides).

19. Zones - By Light w Surface waters = sunlight zone w Next level is the twilight zone - (supports at least 850 species of fish) w Deepest region is the dark zone - (no light)

20. O C E A N S The ocean can be a very interesting ecosystem. There are a lot of facts, including zones, food web, temperature, effects, animals, and more. Even with all our knowledge about the ocean, we still have a lot to learn in the future.

21. Resources Cited w “eNature Online Field Guides.” www.enature.com. 23 April 2001 w “Gulf of Mexico.” Britannica.com. 23 April 2001 w Weigel, Marlene. Encyclopedia of Biomes. (Vol.2). Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2000.