Life in the Ocean
Biology and Ecology of the Ocean

What is ecology?
– Interactions between groups of organisms and their environment
• Predator/prey
• Competition
• Parasitism
• Symbiotic relationships
• Depth
• Temperature
• Salinity
• Light penetration
• Bottom conditions
• Energy
• Availability of nutrients and food
• shelter

Life Zones
• Pelagic Zone
– Photic vs. aphotic
– Epi-, meso-, bathy-, abysso-
• Benthic
– Supralittoral, littoral, sublittoral
– Bathyal, abyssal, hadal

Groups of Organisms - based on Life Zones
• Plankton
• Nekton
• BenthosGroups of Organisms - Taxonomy
• The Linnean system
– Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
• The 5 major Kingdoms

Living in the Ocean
• Flotation and Buoyancy
– Floats
– Buoyancy regulation
– Swim bladders
– Oil and blubber

Living in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Salinity and Osmosis
– Osmosis is the passage of water from a dilute solution through a semi-permeable membrane to a more concentrated solution
– Diffusion - osmosisLiving in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Adaptations for dealing with salinity:
– Fish
– Invertebrates
– Tolerance/distributional limits

Living in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Temperature and Temperature Regulation
• Metabolic Rates
– Ectotherms
– Endotherms
• Distribution patterns
• Tolerance

Living in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Pressure
– Invertebrates versus vertebrates
– myoglobin

Living in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Gasses
– Carbon dioxide and Oxygen
– Concentrations
• Vertical circulation
• Demand
• Temperature & salinity
• circulation

Living in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Light
– Photic zone
– Aphotic zone
Living in the Ocean - Physical Factors
• Adaptations based on light
• Color
• Bioluminescence

Living in the Ocean - Chemical Factors
• Chemicals of Life
– Major components
– Nutrients
– Micronutrients
– Concentrations = distribution patternsLife in the Ocean