Life in the Ocean Plankton: floaters Nekton: swimmers Benthos: bottom dwellers.

Life in the OceanPlankton: floaters

Nekton: swimmers

Benthos: bottom dwellers

PhytoplanktonCarry on photosynthesisDiatoms, coccolithophores, dinoflagellates

ZooplanktonConsumersRadiolarians, forams, others

Plants vs. animals

PHYTOPLANKTON

ZOOPLANKTON

Time as a planktonic organism

Meroplankton Part of life as a plankton; rest as nekton or benthos

HoloplanktonAll of life as plankton

NektonMany varietiesConsider commercial fisheries

Commercial fisheriesChanges in last 50 yearsOverfishing

Causes: human population, changes in fishing practices, environmental degradation, poor management, by-catchSolutions: close fishing areas, marine sanctuaries, tighter regulations, consumer choices (http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_regional.aspx)

AquacultureA solution to overfishing?Pros and cons

BenthosRocky shoresTide poolsSand and mudDeep seaCoral reefs

Just a few examples

Where benthic organisms live

EpifuanaLive on top of sediments

InfaunaLive within sediments

Epifauna

Infauna (a, b, c, e)

Land 86%Sea 14%

Benthic 98%Pelagic 2%

Why these patterns?

DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE