Marine Ecology Marine Ecology of of Sub Tidal California Sub Tidal California Ecology: The inter- relationship between organisms and their environment
Dec 16, 2015
Marine EcologyMarine Ecologyofof
Sub Tidal CaliforniaSub Tidal California
Ecology: The inter-relationship between organisms and their
environment
Introduction: ImagesIntroduction: Images White Shark (Charcarodon carcharius) California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) California Hydrocoral (Stylaster californicus)
Habitat: Open OceanHabitat: Open Ocean
Primary producers: Phytoplankton Top predators: Sharks; Pinnipeds;
Tuna; Toothed Whales Some large animals eat plankton No place to hide
Open Ocean: ImagesOpen Ocean: Images Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Pacific White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus
obliquidens) Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) Mola Mola (Mola mola) Purple Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca)
Habitat: Sandy PlainsHabitat: Sandy Plains
Primary producers: Phytoplankton Protection
– Camouflage– Burying
Common job: Detritus Consumer Flat Fish, Tube Anemones, Worms, Sea
Stars, Clams, Snails, Sea Pens, Octopus
Sandy Plains: ImagesSandy Plains: Images Speckled Sand Dab (Citharichthys stigmaeus) Thornback Ray (Platythinoidis triseriata) Spotted Cusk-Eel (Chilara taylori) Bat Ray (Myliobatis californica) Sand Dollar (Dendraster excentricus) Sea Pen (stylatula elongata) Worm evidence Clam syphon Tube Anemone (Pachycerianthus fimbriatus)
Habitat: Kelp ForestHabitat: Kelp Forest
Kelp requires a rocky substrate Giant Kelp and Bull Kelp Kelp rarely deeper than 130’ Camouflage, Protection, Food Holdfast, Stipe, Blades, Pnuematocysts Requires water movement
Ode to a Kelp ForestOde to a Kelp ForestWhere waves crash and currents roar, Where rocky bottoms meet the shore,Where water’s cold and nutrient rich,Where organism’s find that special niche,There you’ll find that algal formcalled Kelp - from which the forest’s born.
The Kelp Forest: not just a place for plants,But a community, a vital dancein the web of life.A player in a seamless whole,that touches the mind and touches the soul.
© Neil Robertson, 2010
Kelp Forest: ImagesKelp Forest: Images Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) Articulated Coralline Algae Kelp Bass (Paralabrax clathratus) Kelp Lace Bryozoan (Membranipora membrancea)
Habitat: Rocky ReefsHabitat: Rocky Reefs
Cracks & crevices Substrate for Kelp Primary producer: Kelp Detritus Feeders and Grazers Carnivores
Rocky Reefs: ImagesRocky Reefs: Images California Hydrocoral (Stylaster californicus) Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) Cabezon’s Eye (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus) Giant Sunflower Star (Picnopodia helianthoides) Brown Rock Crab (Cancer antennarius) Strawberry Anemones (Corynactis californica) Abalone (Haliotis rufescens)
Phyla of Kingdom AnimaliaPhyla of Kingdom Animalia
Porifera Cnidaria Ctenophora Entoprocta
Mollusca Annelida Arthropoda Echinodermata Chordata
Phylum: PoriferaPhylum: Porifera Sponges: around 5,000 living species Simplest multi-cellular organisms Cellular-level organization
– Their cells are specialized– Similar cells are not organized into tissues
All sessile and benthic Filter feeders
Porifera: ImagesPorifera: Images Orange Puffball (Tethya aurantia) Cobalt Encrusting Sponges (Hymenamphiastra
cyanocrypta) Red Volcano Sponge (Acarnus erithacus) Aggregated Nipple Sponge (Polymastia pacifica)
Phylum: CnidariaPhylum: Cnidaria Radially or Biradially symmetric Tissue level of organization True organs do not occur Two basic body forms:
– Medusa: free swimming or floating– Polyp: usually sessile
Nematocysts
Phylum: CnidariaPhylum: Cnidaria Corals Hydroids Sea anemones Jellyfish Sea pens
Cnidaria: ImagesCnidaria: Images Orange Cup Coral (Balanophyllia elegans) Cobalt Sponge (Hymenamphiastra cyanocrypta) California Hydrocoral (Stylaster californicus) Strawberry Anemones (Corynactis californica) Metridium Anemones (Metridium giganteum) Blue Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) Fish Eating Urticina (Urticina piscivora) Giant Green Anemone (Anthopleura
xanthogrammica) White-Spotted Rose Anemone (Urticina lofotensis) Purple Jellyfish (Pelagia noctiluca)
Phylum: EchinodermataPhylum: Echinodermata
Calcereous endoskeleton Pentaradial symmetry Water vascular system (tube feet)
– Decentralized nervous system
Phylum: EchinodermataPhylum: Echinodermata
Sea stars Brittle stars Sea urchins Sand dollars Sea cucumbers
Echinodermata: ImagesEchinodermata: Images
Giant Spined Star (Pisaster giganteus) Leather Star (Dermasterias imbricata) Bat Star (Asterina miniata) Giant Sunflower Star (Pycnopodia
helianthoides) California Sea Cucumber (Parastichopus
californicus) Warty Sea Cucumber (Parastichopus
parvimensis) Orange Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria miniata)
Phylum: ArthropodaPhylum: Arthropoda
Bilaterally symetrical Strongly segmented bodies Exoskeletal construction Molting required for growth More species of Arthropod than all
other species combined
Phylum: ArthropodaPhylum: Arthropoda Barnacles Shrimp Crabs Lobster Isopods Amphipods Copepods
Arthropoda: ImagesArthropoda: Images Coonstripe Shrimp(Pandalus hypsinotus) Moss Crab (Loxorhynchus crispatus) Hermit Crab (Pagurus armatus) Cryptic Kelp Crab (Pugettia richii) Red Rock Crab (Cancer productus) Giant Acorn Barnacle (Balanus nubilus)
Phylum: MolluscaPhylum: Mollusca
Bilaterally symmetrical Strongly cephalized Complicated digestive system Complicated nervous system Most have a shell Over 50,000 living species
Phylum: MolluscaPhylum: Mollusca
Abalone Nudibranchs Octopi Squid Scallops Sea hare
Mussels Oysters Clams Periwinkles Chitons Snails Limpets
Mollusca: ImagesMollusca: Images
Red Abalone (Haliotis rufescens) Lewis’ Moon Snail (Polinices lewisii) Purple Ringed Top Snail (Calliostoma annulatum) Whitecap Limpet (Acmaea mitra) Sea Hare (Aplysia californica) Spanish Shawl (Flabellinopsis iodinea) Sea Lemon (Anisodoris nobilis) Rock Scallop (Crassedoma giganteum) Clam Syphon Lined Chiton (Tonicella lineata) Red Octopus (Octopus rubescens) Humboldt Squid (Dosidicus gigas) Market Squid Eggs (Loligo opalescens)
Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)
Organisms that possess a Notochord– a rod that serves to stiffen the body and act
as a support during locomotion Bilateral symmetry Segmented body Ventral heart and closed blood system Bony or cartilaginous endoskeleton
Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates) Tunicates Salps Sharks Rays Skates Bony fish
Sea lions Seals Whales Sea otters Dolphins Birds
Chordata: ImagesChordata: Images California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) Pacific Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Great Egret (Ardea alba) Lightbulb Tunicate (Clavelina huntsmani) Blue Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) Rubberlip Seaperch (Rhacochilus toxotes) Blackeye Goby (Coryphopterus nicholsi) Snubnose Sculpin (Orthonopias triacis) Female Kelp Greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) Copper Rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) Vermillion Rockfish (Sebastes miniatus) Garibaldi (Hypsypops rubicundus) Feather Duster Worm (Eudistylia polymorpha)