Marine Ecosystems. Natural Capital from Marine Resources Ecological Services Climate moderation CO 2...
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Transcript of Marine Ecosystems. Natural Capital from Marine Resources Ecological Services Climate moderation CO 2...
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.