Honors Marine Biology

Honors Marine Biology The Epipelagic Zone Module 13 March 17, 2015

Class Challenge

Any News you would Like to Share with the class? Extra Credit

Class Quiz 21 Name: March 17, 2015 Quiz # 21

Question 1 Name the two major categories of a Hard bottom sub-tidal Community.

Question 2 True or False ? Kelp is also know as brown seaweed.

Question 3 True or False ? Kelp can grow to 75 meters.

Questions 4-6 The “root” of the kelp is called the__________ The “stem” of the kelp is called the _________ The part of the kelp that helps keep the kelp upright is called the _____________.

Questions 7 and 8 The “leaf” of the kelp is called the ________ The kelp plant from the top to the “root” section is called the _____________

Question 9 TRUE OR FALSE: Kelp do not need roots to absorb their nutrients from the sediment; rather, they directly absorb nutrients from seawater, just like phytoplankton and other algae.

Question 10 Name at least 5 plants and/or animals found in a Kelp forest.

Question 1 Name the two major categories of a Hard bottom sub-tidal Community. • Rocky Bottomed Communities • Kelp Beds

Question 2 True or False ? Kelp is also know as brown seaweed. TRUE

Question 3 True or False ? Kelp can grow to 75 meters. FALSE Kelp can grow to 30 meters.

Question 9 Kelp do not need roots to absorb their nutrients from the sediment; rather, they directly absorb nutrients from seawater, just like phytoplankton and other algae. TRUE

Question 10 Senorita Fish : Preditor, carnivore, Consumer Sea lion- Big Flippers, ear flap :Consumer carnivore Seals – no ear flap: Consumer carnivore Stone crab : Consumer, herbivore, scavenger Sea otter: Consumer, carnivore Nudibranch (Sea Slug): Scavenger Kelp: Producer Sea lettuce: Producer Jelly Fish:: Carnivore, Consumer Commorant: Consumer, carnivore Sea urchin: omnivore, scavengers Sea Anemone : Consumer, herbivore Coral: Consumer, omnivore Sponge: Consumer, herbibore, decomposer Sea Star: Consumer, carnivore Bacteria: Decomposer Fungus: Decomposer Humans: Consumer, Omnivore Shark: Consumer, carnivore Killer Whale: :Consumer carnivore Albatross:Consumer, Consumer, Carnivore Annahinga: Consumer, Carnivore55

Homework What ingredients did you find, (which come from seaweed,) in the foods you have in your house: Carageenan (red algae) Alginates (brown algae) Beta-carotene (green algae)

The Epipelagic Zone The uppermost layer of the pelagic division is called the epipelagic zone. Is the area of water column that extends from the surface down to about 200 meters (650 feet). The prefix “epi-” means “top”

This zone overlaps the photic zone. This layer of the ocean’s surface is where light can penetrate to allow for photosynthesis.

In many parts of the world, the epipelagic and photic zones cover the exact same area because in very clear water, light (which defines the photic zone) can penetrate down to a depth of 200 meters (the bottom of the epipelagic zone.)

Figure 13.1 In areas of lesser sunlight intensity and / or diminished water clarity, the photic zone may be significantly thinner than the epipelagic zone. The epipelagic zone is relatively constant in depth around the world, the photic zone changes from area to area because of differences in light penetration. Question? What does this mean?

Figure 13.1 The Epipelagic zone is divided into two areas throughout the world. Neritic: That area of the epipelagic zone lying over the continental shelf Oceanic: The area the epipelagic zone of water lying over the rest of the ocean.

Life in the Epipelagic Zone This zone (Epipelagic – Oceanic) has no bottom surface. Therefore the unused organic matter sinks down into the lower zones, providing food for the creatures found there.

With no bottom, there will be no deposit feeders, but instead a great many suspension feeders, eating suspended materials in the water column. What!?!

There are also many fish and zooplankton that feed on the organic material in this zone, and they of course, have predators as well. Manta rays, eat plankton, crustaceans, and small fish.

Consider this…. If a fish swims into one of the deeper zones and is then eaten by a predator living there, it will have transported the food energy it got from feeding on epipelagic organisms into that deeper zone. In the same way, if an organism dies and sinks into a deeper zone, energy is once again transported from the epipelagic to a deeper zone.

An interesting feature of the oceanic waters of the epipelagic, is that there is no outside input of nutrients. Oceanic water is isolated (out in the middle of the ocean!), so there are no nearby ecosystems to produce food that could move into the area.

All the food that supports the region of the oceanic epipelagic zone ecosystem is self-produced. All the oceanic areas are on their own for primary production. These primary producers are so productive in this zone that they not only make enough food to support this ecosystem, but they also provide enough to support other communities as well. Question: What are the “Other Communities?”

So what are these Primary Producers? Epipelagic Phytoplankton (make their own food through photosynthesis) In order to be tremendously productive, tiny phytoplankton must be present in large numbers. Scientists have discovered that plankton range in size from large macroscopic organisms many meters in length to small, bacteria-sized organisms.

These organisms usually in the form of single cells or a small grouping of cells, actually are in such large quantity that they produce nearly half the primary production in the entire world. As you remember, oxygen is a product of photosynthesis. These small creatures produce about 50% of the oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere.

Figure 13.3 Besides diatoms and dinoflagellates, scientists have now discovered even smaller creatures called: • Picoplankton • Ultraplankton • Nanoplankton

Both diatoms and dinoflagellates are part of the group we call microplankton. Diatoms are common in temperate and polar regions of the world. Dinoflagellates are located in more tropical areas.

Pico- ultra – and nanoplankton are not limited to one climate. They are present in greater numbers than both the diatoms and dinoflagellates. They usually have higher production rates as well. This makes them even more important in the epipelagic in terms of production because they are present in greater quantities, are often more highly productive and can live throughout the oceans. Question: Why would they be important?

CoccolighophoresFigure 13.4 Are the most well know organisms among nanoplankton. They are single celled, armored with calcareous plates thought to reflect the intense light of the tropics, allowing them to thrive there.

Coccolighophores Reproduce asexually and die so the water in which they live often contain dense clouds of these plates that slowly sink to the ocean floor. While suspended in water, these dense clouds of coccolithophore plates give the water an opaque, turquoise appearance.

Coccolithophores, is the most abundant and widespread species,are considered to be the most productive calcifying organism on earth.

Coccolighophores Thrive in nutrient-poor waters and they do not require a continuous supply of nutrients form their environment. They do not compete well with other phytoplankton and tend to be found in abundance only in areas too nutrient-poor for most other plankton.

Epipelagic Zooplankton Phytoplankton is the primary food for zooplankton. Food web: phytoplankton --> herbivorous zooplankton --> carnivorous zooplankton Tiny nanoplankton, ultraplankton, and picoplankton are so small that they can be eaten only by minuscule protozoans.

CopepodsFigure 13.5 Larger than protozoans and are the most abundant zooplankton group in the epipelagic. Class Crustacea: crabs, lobsters and Shrimp

Ocean Life (Part 2): Oceanic Environment Zones Review • http://youtu.be/sNPHuUvW2Nk

Introduction Brine shrimp • are small crustaceans that are easily cultured. They occur in salt lakes or brine ponds worldwide. • The environmental conditions in these habitats are extreme and, therefore, very few brine-shrimp predators or competitors can survive. Consequently, brine shrimp often develop dense populations. • Brine-shrimp habitats are formed by the evaporation of sea water in landlocked bays or lagoons, i.e., salt pans. Brine shrimp are also found inland, as in the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Honors Marine Biology