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Adaptations to Living in the Ocean

Adaptations to Living in the Ocean. Ecology February 13, 2009. Adaptations of organisms to the marine environment. Marine organisms have various adaptations for the conditions of the marine environment. Let’s focus on a few of the adaptations that marine organisms possess for:

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Adaptations to Living in the Ocean

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  1. Adaptations to Living in the Ocean Ecology February 13, 2009

  2. Adaptations of organisms to the marine environment • Marine organisms have various adaptations for the conditions of the marine environment. • Let’s focus on a few of the adaptations that marine organisms possess for: • Flotation & Buoyancy • Salt Regulation • Temperature • Water Pressure • Oxygen

  3. Adaptations to Stay Afloat • Remember: Viscosity increases with decreasing temperature. So, small organisms float more easily in cold waters than warm waters. In tropical waters, organisms have appendages to keep them afloat. Some animals (ex: Portuguese man-of-war) secrete gases into a float that enables them to stay at the sea surface

  4. Adaptations for Buoyancy • Many species of fish have internal swim bladders filled with gas that keep them neutrally buoyant • When a fish changes depth, it adjusts the gas pressure in its swim bladder to compensate for pressure change (gets smaller when swim deeper)

  5. Adaptations to Salt Regulation Marine fish have adaptations to maintain body water…

  6. Adaptations for Temperature Regulation • Marine animals other than birds & mammals are ectotherms so body temp is same as surroundings • Seabirds & mammals are endotherms & have adaptations to maintain body temps in cold water. • Blubber (insulating fat & connective tissue) under their skin

  7. Adaptations for Pressure • Many organisms do not have gas-filled cavities or lungs. • Deep-diving marine mammals may have: • Streamlined bodies (to reduce drag) • high conc. of myoglobin (holds oxygen) • collapsible lungs

  8. Adaptations to Obtain Oxygen • Whales have blow holes Marine animals need oxygen to survive Many marine animals use gills to extract dissolved oxygen from seawater Marine mammals must breath air

  9. Can you think of any others? We’ve highlighted only a sampling of the adaptations that marine organisms have to survive in the oceans. Can you think of any others?

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