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Transcript
Oceans 11 Date:___________________________ Marine Biome Ecology Terms Ecology: the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment. Population: a group of individuals of the same species, living in the same area. Ex. All the cows on a farm All the humans in Halifax Community: all living things in an area. Ex. All things living in Point Pleasant Park Biosphere: the regions of Earth where life exists (most of it!) Ecosystem: an interacting system that consists of groups of organisms and their non-living environment. Abiotic: all non-living parts of an ecosystem. (“a” = not; “biotic” = living) Ex. Rocks, soil, water, oxygen concentration Biotic: All living parts of an ecosystem. Ex. Plants, animals, bacteria, fungi Structure of an ecosystem Habitat: The habitat of an organism is the place in which it lives. Ex. A lake has many habitats 1. The habitat of a trout is the deep cool water 2. The habitat of a turtle is the edge of a lake * Overlapping of a habitat Trout swim into the shallow area to feed. Niche: The Niche of an organism is its total role in the community. Ex. The niche of a frog in a pond is to feed on insects and to become food for snakes and other animals. Don’t confuse the habitat and niche. Think of the habitat as the address of the organism and niche as the organisms occupation (job). Competition: Two species in the same habitat will compete with one another (interspecific – different species; intraspecific – same species) Ex. trout and perch, or several trout for same food Density Dependent/Independent Factors: related to the population density; such as food/habitat availability. Dependent=caused directly by populations; independent – change in currents, temperature, overfishing, etc. 1 Oceans 11 Date:___________________________ Trophic levels Feeding levels Three Levels: 1. Producers Store the sun’s energy in the form of sugar, starch and other molecules. These plants contain chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis to store this energy. They are called autotrophs because they can supply their own food. (“self-feeding”) 2. Consumers Organisms that feed on or consume other organisms. They cannot make their own food - heterotrophs 3. Decomposers These organisms are mainly bacteria and fungi such as yeasts and moulds. They breakdown (decompose) and feed on non-living matter such as dead plants and animal wastes. * If aquatic ecosystems had no decomposers the ecosystem would clog up with wastes and dead organisms. They return valuable nutrients to the water. An Aquatic Food Chain Diatoms Form of algae (producer) growing on the rocks in a stream Diatoms are eaten by the Mayfly Nymph The Mayfly Nymphs are eaten by the Fish Physical factors affecting the Marine Life in the Oceans Light Light is an essential requirement for life. Marine organisms depend on the mechanical energy of the sun to convert inorganic matter into organic compounds. Seawater is relatively transparent allowing sunlight to penetrate into the water column. Blue light is absorbed to the greatest depth while red light is absorbed near the surface in clear ocean water. The light energy turns to heat. The depth to which light is absorbed is determined by the concentration and characteristics of the particles in the water. Near the coasts the waters become dark at depths of 30-40 m. In very clear tropical waters blue light can be seen up to 200 m. Light is not only required for photosynthesis. Some fish use light for body orientation, feeding, and predator avoidance. Phytoplankton also respond to light with a physiological rhythm called vertical migration. 2 Oceans 11 Date:___________________________ Nutrients There are many nutrients required for the production of organic matter. The main nutrients required include: Nitrogen (as Nitrate) and Phosphorus (as Phosphate). Temperature The temperature determines the rate of an organism’s metabolism. The metabolic rate of an organism increases with every 10 degree Celsius increase. However, there is a threshold when exceeded that metabolism stops. Many marine organisms are ectothermic meaning that the surroundings control their body temperature (cold-blooded). This in turn controls their rate of metabolism. Others are endothermic, where they regulate their own body temperature. These endothermic organisms are able to tolerate a wide range of temperatures and because of it need more food and quicker rates of gas exchange than ectothermic creatures. Salinity Cell membranes are greatly affected by the salinity of the water they live in. Salinity influences buoyancy of an organism, membrane stability, protein structure, and water balance. Dissolved Gases Oxygen and carbon dioxide are required for virtually all marine organisms. Oxygen does not dissolve readily in water but quantities are sufficient for life in most areas. Oxygen is added to the water through current mixing and photosynthesis. Occasionally, oxygen depletion can occur. This can cause death of marine plankton and fish. Carbon dioxide is essential to photosynthesis. The ocean holds about 60 or more times the amount of CO2 than the atmosphere. Due to this abundance marine organisms never run out of carbon dioxide. pH Seawater is slightly alkaline at about a pH of about 8. This is maintained by the carbonate buffer system. 3 Oceans 11 Date:___________________________ Questions: 1. Define these relationships: A) Parasite B) Commensalism C) Mutualism Read The Grazers and Predators… 2. What does a “top-down” force mean? Describe and give an example. 3. Why are microscopic organisms in planktonic food webs important? Describe in detail. 4. What types of ecosystems have the largest amount of primary and secondary production? Why would this make sense? Explain. 5. Why are “grazers” important? How can the balance be negatively affected if people introduce foreign species to a lake, such as bass? 6. Describe and explain what the “trophic cascade” is, and how it can be altered. Provide an example. 4