Marine EcosystemsMarine Ecosystems

Natural Capital from Marine ResourcesEcological Services

Climate moderation

CO2 absorption

Nutrient cycling

Waste treatment and dilution

Reduced storm impact (mangrove, barrier islands, coastal wetlands)

Habitats and nursery areas for marine and terrestrial species

Genetic resources and biodiversity

Scientific information

Economic Services

Food

Animal and pet feed (fish meal)

Pharmaceuticals

Harbors and transportation routes

Coastal habitatsfor humans

Recreation

Employment

Offshore oil and natural gas

Minerals

Building materials

Categories of marine Categories of marine ecosystemsecosystems

1. Coastal ecosystems – includes:1. Coastal ecosystems – includes:

estuaries, salt marshes, mangrove estuaries, salt marshes, mangrove swamps, rocky and sandy shoresswamps, rocky and sandy shores

2. Coral reefs2. Coral reefs

3. Oceans3. Oceans

EstuariesEstuariesDefinition: an area in which fresh water from a river Definition: an area in which fresh water from a river

mixes with salt water from the ocean; a transition area mixes with salt water from the ocean; a transition area from the land to the ocean. Water is from the land to the ocean. Water is brackishbrackish: a : a mixture of freshwater and saltwatermixture of freshwater and saltwater

Other names: bay, sound, lagoon, harbor, bayouOther names: bay, sound, lagoon, harbor, bayou

River bringing freshwater to

the sea

The Ocean

Area where fresh and salt

water mix

Important Important functions of functions of estuaries: for estuaries: for living thingsliving things

1. habitat1. habitat2. nursery2. nursery3. fisheries3. fisheries4. recreation4. recreation

Important functions of Important functions of estuaries: related to waterestuaries: related to water5. Water purification

6. Flood control (from upstream)

7. Buffer land from hurricanes, absorb storm surge

Loss of coastal wetlands in Louisiana made Hurricane Katrina’s effect worse than it would have been

Estuary plantsEstuary plantsPlants must be adapted to salty habitatPlants must be adapted to salty habitat

cordgrass eelgrass glasswort – a succulent

Narrow leaved cattail

Estuary animalsEstuary animalsoystersoysters lobster

Flounder Striped BassMosquito

Estuary animalsEstuary animals

Common ternGreat White Egret

Manatee

Sea lions

Salt MarshesSalt MarshesDefinition: a low area that is subject to regular, Definition: a low area that is subject to regular,

but gentle, tides but gentle, tides

Dominated by grasses (Remember, marshes do Dominated by grasses (Remember, marshes do not have trees or shrubs)not have trees or shrubs)

Location: Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coastLocation: Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coast

Texas salt marsh

Alabama salt marsh

Mangrove Mangrove SwampsSwampsDefinition: coastal Definition: coastal wetlands located in wetlands located in tropical and tropical and subtropical zones; subtropical zones; characterized by salt-characterized by salt-tolerant trees and tolerant trees and shrubs, such as shrubs, such as mangrove treesmangrove trees

Rocky shoresRocky shoresAlso called rocky intertidal zone – many places to Also called rocky intertidal zone – many places to

live in this habitat, means high biodiversitylive in this habitat, means high biodiversityOrganisms must be adapted to wave action, Organisms must be adapted to wave action,

changing tide levelschanging tide levelsSome examples of rocky shores organisms are at Some examples of rocky shores organisms are at

the Monterey Bay Aquarium website below.the Monterey Bay Aquarium website below.

At low tides, there are often tide pools left behind where you can see starfish, anemones, crabs, octopus

Rocky Shore BeachSea star Hermit crab Shore crab

Nudibranch

Monterey flatworm

Kelp Sea lettuce

Barnacles

Sea urchin Anemone

Low tide

Mussel

Periwinkle

High tide

Sculpin

Sandy Shores (Beach)Sandy Shores (Beach)Not as much biodiversity as rocky shores – Why?Not as much biodiversity as rocky shores – Why?

1.1.not much habitat diversity not much habitat diversity

2.2.sand dries out at low tide sand dries out at low tide

some small things can live in the sand, food for shorebirdssome small things can live in the sand, food for shorebirds

Barrier IslandsBarrier Islands

Narrow islands made of Narrow islands made of sand that provide a sand that provide a buffer for the mainland buffer for the mainland from the seafrom the sea

Constantly shifting, Constantly shifting, especially with stormsespecially with storms

Ex: NC Outer Banks, Ex: NC Outer Banks, Florida KeysFlorida Keys

Barrier beach

Silversides

Blue crab

Low tide

Dwarfolive

Clam

Beach flea

Tiger beetle

High tide

GhostshrimpMole

shrimp

Sandpiper

Peanut worm

White sandmacoma

Sand dollar Moon snail

Ocean Beach

Intensive recreation,no building

Primary Dune

No direct passage

or building

Trough

Limitedrecreation

and walkways

Secondary Dune

No direct passage

or building

Bay orLagoon

Intensiverecreation

Back Dune

Most suitablefor development

Grasses or shrubs Taller shrubs

Taller shrubs and trees

Bay shoreNo filling

Barrier IslandsBarrier Islands

Think about ecological succession as you move away from the ocean. What is the “disturbance” in this ecosystem?

Coral ReefsCoral ReefsCorals are animals that belong to the phylum Corals are animals that belong to the phylum

Cnidaria, the stinging-celled animals such as Cnidaria, the stinging-celled animals such as jellyfish and hydrajellyfish and hydra

Coral polyps resemble small sea anemones with Coral polyps resemble small sea anemones with tentacles that can sting and paralyze preytentacles that can sting and paralyze prey

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

There are many different kinds of corals:There are many different kinds of corals:

Soft coralsHard corals

Coral ReefsCoral ReefsGrowing on the reef with the corals are other Growing on the reef with the corals are other

animals, such as sponges, worms, shrimps, animals, such as sponges, worms, shrimps, crabs, molluskscrabs, mollusks

Living in and around the reef are fish, sea turtles, Living in and around the reef are fish, sea turtles, sea snakes, marine mammalssea snakes, marine mammals

Coral Reef DestructionCoral Reef Destruction1. Coral bleaching – when 1. Coral bleaching – when

temperatures go above temperatures go above normal, the normal, the zooxanthellae (algae) in zooxanthellae (algae) in the coral can be the coral can be rejected, the coral turns rejected, the coral turns a whitish color and dies a whitish color and dies

Natural causes: El NinoNatural causes: El Nino

Manmade causes: Global Manmade causes: Global warmingwarming

Coral Reef DestructionCoral Reef Destruction2. Physical damage 2. Physical damage

Ships, anchors, tourist diversShips, anchors, tourist divers

Dynamite fishing - reefs are damaged by physical Dynamite fishing - reefs are damaged by physical destruction that may occur when people collect destruction that may occur when people collect fishfish

Coral Reef DestructionCoral Reef Destruction

3.3. Land development and pollution – loss Land development and pollution – loss of mangrove forests means more of mangrove forests means more nutrients and sediments flow out to the nutrients and sediments flow out to the sea; coral may die from sediment or sea; coral may die from sediment or algal bloomsalgal blooms

4.4. Fish and coral tradeFish and coral trade

5.5. Increased exposure to UV due to ozone Increased exposure to UV due to ozone depletiondepletion

Ocean: Ocean: Importance of Oceans• Oceans provide food for most living

things and a place for many organisms to live.

Temperature of Ocean WaterTemperature of Ocean Water

Warm water holds less dissolved Warm water holds less dissolved gas than cold water.gas than cold water.

When ocean water is cold, like in When ocean water is cold, like in polar regions, it sinks and carries polar regions, it sinks and carries oxygen rich water to the ocean oxygen rich water to the ocean depths.depths.

As a result, fish and other As a result, fish and other animals can live in deep partsanimals can live in deep parts of of the ocean.the ocean.

Waves

• A wave in water is a rhythmic movement that carries energy through the water.

• Waves are caused by high winds blowing on top of the water.

Tides• Throughout a day, the water level

at the ocean’s edge changes. This rise and fall in sea level is called a tide.

• A tide is a giant wave that can be thousands of kilometers long but only 1 m to 2 m high in the open ocean.

• Tides are created by the gravitational attraction of Earth and the Moon and of Earth and the Sun.

TidesTides

UpwellingUpwelling

UpwellingUpwelling brings up brings up tiny ocean tiny ocean

organisms, minerals, organisms, minerals, and other nutrients and other nutrients

from the deeper from the deeper layers of the water; layers of the water;

without upwelling the without upwelling the surface of the ocean surface of the ocean

would be nutrient would be nutrient deficientdeficient..

Upwelling is the upward movement of cold water from the ocean depths.

Down wellingDown welling The process of The process of

accumulation accumulation and sinking of and sinking of higher density higher density cold salt water cold salt water beneath lower beneath lower density warm salt density warm salt water. water.

El NinoEl Nino

El Nino interrupts up the pattern of upwelling.

Without nutrients provided by upwelling, fish and other organisms cannot find food.

Fish and other organisms die and weather patterns are disturbed.

El Nino is an abnormal climate event that occurs every 2-7 years in the Pacific Ocean, causing changes in the winds, currents, and weather patterns.

Continental ShelfContinental Shelf The The continental shelfcontinental shelf is the is the

gradually sloping end of a gradually sloping end of a continent that extends under the continent that extends under the ocean.ocean.

The ocean covering the The ocean covering the continental shelf can be as deep continental shelf can be as deep as 350 m.as 350 m.

Large mineral, oil and natural gas Large mineral, oil and natural gas deposits are found here.deposits are found here.

Continental SlopeContinental Slope At the edge of the continental At the edge of the continental

shelf, the ocean floor plunges shelf, the ocean floor plunges steeply 4 to 5 kilometers.steeply 4 to 5 kilometers.

The The continental slopecontinental slope extends from the outer edge extends from the outer edge of the continental shelf down of the continental shelf down to the ocean floor.to the ocean floor.

The Ocean FloorThe Ocean Floor

The ocean floor has higher mountains, The ocean floor has higher mountains, deeper canyons, and larger flatter deeper canyons, and larger flatter plains than the surface. plains than the surface.

Earthquakes occur more often there.Earthquakes occur more often there. The rocks are very different.The rocks are very different. The crust is thinner.The crust is thinner. 90% og all metals are found there90% og all metals are found there

Abyssal PlainsAbyssal Plains Large, flat areas on the ocean Large, flat areas on the ocean

floor are called floor are called abyssal plains.abyssal plains. The abyssal plains are larger in The abyssal plains are larger in

the Atlantic and Indian than in the the Atlantic and Indian than in the Pacific due to the deposition of Pacific due to the deposition of sediments by large rivers.sediments by large rivers.

Abyssal plainsAbyssal plains are close to the are close to the continent and are made of mud, continent and are made of mud, sand and silt.sand and silt.

Seamounts and GuyotsSeamounts and Guyots SeamountsSeamounts are underwater volcanic are underwater volcanic

mountains that rise more than 100 mountains that rise more than 100 meters above the ocean floor. Most meters above the ocean floor. Most have been found in the Pacific Ocean.have been found in the Pacific Ocean.

Some seamounts reach above the Some seamounts reach above the surface of the water to form islands, surface of the water to form islands, like the Azores in the Atlantic and the like the Azores in the Atlantic and the Hawaiian islands in the Pacific.Hawaiian islands in the Pacific.

GuyotsGuyots are flat-topped seamounts. are flat-topped seamounts.

TrenchesTrenches TrenchesTrenches are the are the

deepest parts of deepest parts of the ocean found the ocean found along the edge of along the edge of the ocean floor.the ocean floor.

The Mariana Trench The Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Ocean contains the contains the deepest spot (1100 deepest spot (1100 meters) on Earth meters) on Earth known as known as Challenger Deep.Challenger Deep.

Mid-ocean RidgesMid-ocean Ridges• A mid-ocean ridge is the area in an ocean

basin where new ocean floor is formed.

The mid-ocean ridges form an almost The mid-ocean ridges form an almost continuous mountain belt that extends continuous mountain belt that extends from the Arctic Ocean down through the from the Arctic Ocean down through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean around Africa middle of the Atlantic Ocean around Africa into the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific into the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific Ocean.Ocean.

In the Atlantic it is called the mid-Atlantic In the Atlantic it is called the mid-Atlantic Ridge and in the Pacific, the Pacific-Ridge and in the Pacific, the Pacific-Antarctica Ridge.Antarctica Ridge.

Ocean Life ZonesOcean Life Zones The plant and animal life in the The plant and animal life in the

ocean is affected by several ocean is affected by several factors.factors.

One factor is the amount of One factor is the amount of sunlight that penetrates the sunlight that penetrates the ocean.ocean.

Another factor is the Another factor is the temperature of the ocean water.temperature of the ocean water.

Water pressure is also a factor.Water pressure is also a factor.

Ocean LayersOcean Layers

PlanktonPlanktonPlanktonPlankton float at or near the surface float at or near the surface

where sunlight can penetrate.where sunlight can penetrate.Most of the plankton are very small, such Most of the plankton are very small, such

as algae.as algae.These organisms drift with the currents These organisms drift with the currents

or tidesor tides..Plankton are the main food for many Plankton are the main food for many

larger organisms. They account for most larger organisms. They account for most of the organisms in the ocean.of the organisms in the ocean.

BenthosBenthos

Organisms that live on the ocean floor Organisms that live on the ocean floor are are benthos.benthos.

Crabs, and lobster are just a few Crabs, and lobster are just a few examples of benthos.examples of benthos.

The deep bottom environments are The deep bottom environments are sparsely populated with benthos.sparsely populated with benthos.

Some benthos are plants that live on Some benthos are plants that live on the ocean floor in shallow waters the ocean floor in shallow waters where sun can penetrate.where sun can penetrate.