Adapting to Life in the Ocean

Adapting to Life in the OceanAdaptation- process whereby a population becomes better suited to its habitat; takes place over many generationsAdapting to salinityOsmotic stress- sudden change in solute concentration around a cell, causing movement of water across its membrane. Under conditions of high salinity, water is drawn out of the cells through osmosisOsmotic pressure- the pressure that must be applied to a solution to prevent the inward flow of water across a semipermeable membrane

Osmoregulation- active regulation of osmotic pressure of an organisms fluids to maintain water content; it keeps organisms fluids from becoming too dilute or too concentratedOsmoconformer- match their body osmolarity (salinity) to their environmentOsmoregulator- regulate their body osmolarity by actively controlling salt concentrations despite salt concentration of the environment

OsmoregulatorStenohaline- restricted to either salt or fresh water and cannot survive in water with a different salt concentration than they are adapted toEuryhaline- show a tremendous ability to effectively osmoregulate across a broad range of salinities

Adapting to temperatureOrganisms lose heat more quickly in water than in airAdaptationsEctotherm/ poikilotherm- internal body temperature varies along with the ambient environmental temperature; dependent on environmental heat sources; relatively low metabolic rates (most fishes and reptiles)

AdaptationsEndotherm- internal body temp. varies but is elevated above ambient environmental temps as a result of metabolic heat production (some fishes)

Homeotherm- internal body temp. remains relatively constant despite the ambient environmental temp. (birds and mammals)

Adapting to viscosityViscosity describes a fluids internal resistance to flow; water is thin, having a lower viscosity, while honey is thick, having a higher viscosityDrag refers to forces that oppose the relative motion of an object through a fluidHydrodynamic adaptationsFusiform- body shape characterized by being tapered at both the head and the tailFish secrete mucous from glands under their skin; reduces drag by 60%Sharks have denticles on their skin that cause the water to form a thin film that reduces drag in much the same way as the slimy mucous

Adapting to pressureHydrostatic pressure- press. At a given depth in a static liquid is a result of the weight of the liquid acting on a unit area at that depth plus any pressure acting on the surface liquidPressure increases 1 atmosphere (or bar) for every 10 meter or 33 ft of depth in ocean waterAdaptationsLight skeletons and water musclesFluid filled body cavities rather than gas- filled spacesPiezophile- organism that thrives at high pressures (deep sea bacteria or acrhaea)

Buoyancy- upward force, caused by fluid pressure that keeps things afloatArchimedes principle- any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the objectAdaptationsSmall size reduces sinking (plankton)Using fins as hydrofoils (sharks)Using low density organic compounds (oil) or body fluids (plankton, sharks)Gas- filled bladders (bony fishes)