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Introduction to OCEAN ZONES and Marine Organisms Ms. Bridgeland. 3 Major Ocean Zones. Intertidal Neritic Open Ocean. Ocean Zones.
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Introduction to OCEAN ZONES and Marine Organisms Ms. Bridgeland
3 Major Ocean Zones • Intertidal • Neritic • Open Ocean
Ocean Zones • Intertidal Zone: the shallow zone that begins at the highest high-tide line on land and stretches out to the point on the continental shelf that is the lowest tide -the distance between the highest and lowest tides • Neritic Zone: extends from the lowest tide line out to the edge of the continental shelf • Open-ocean Zone: everything beyond the continental shelf that includes the deepest, darkest part of the ocean
Life in the Ocean • Scientists classify marine (ocean) organisms based on two ways: 1) Where they live 2) How they move
3 Categories of Ocean Organisms • Plankton – floating • Nekton –free swimming • Benthos –still or moving on the ocean floor
3 Categories of Ocean Organisms 1) Plankton: tiny algae and animals that float in the water and are carried by waves and currents. • Algae plankton include geometrically shaped diatoms • Animal plankton include tiny fish and microscopic crustaceans, such as copepods. • There are a few larger plankton such as jellyfish.
2) Nekton: free-swimming animals that can move throughout the water column. *What are examples of Nekton?
2) Nekton • Squid • Most FISH • Marine Mammals
What are Marine Mammals? (Nekton) • Whales • Seals
3) Benthos • Organisms that live on the ocean floor: • Can stay stationary (still) • Sponges • Sea anemones • Can move around from place to place • Crabs • Sea stars • Octopus • Lobsters
Fun Fact • Many plankton are algae • Certain plankton, nekton, AND benthos eat other algae or organisms –what is this called?
Consumers • Animals that eat other organisms
Food Webs • All of the feeding relationships that exist in a habitat • PLANKTON is highly important in ocean food webs. All organisms depend either directly or indirectly on it • Why?
Plankton • Some of the largest sharks on earth feed directly on tiny plankton • The Earth’s largest animal (the Blue Whale) also feeds only on plankton (krill)