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 Coastal and Marine Habitats Coastal and Marine Habitats
 Ecosystems Ecosystems
 Food chains Food chains
 Research foci on ecology Research foci on ecology
 Topic Overview
 ID# : 1893
 Visits: 8062
 Added: 01-Jan-2000
 Updated: 19-Jul-2002
 URL: http://www.oceansatlas.org/id/1893
 Editors
 John Everett
 Frances B. Michaelis
 
 
 
 
Ecology
        
Life in the Upper Layers
 
The Ocean provides a favourable environment for life and the development of plant and animal organisms. All organisms living in the Ocean are divided into three large groups: The vegetation (plants) such as seaweed and photosynthesising bacteria, using solar energy, transform biogenic nutrients using a process of photosynthesis. Also in this group are many bacteria that convert mineral substances to organic substances by a process called chemosynthesis. The second group, animals, consume plants and other animals. The Third group feeds on the remains of plants ad other animals and also serve as food for many organisms. In the Ocean, therefore, a certain dependency exists between its living things. Food is the primary dependency, followed by the effects of life on Ocean productivity and then our ability to use sea life as a resource. The diverse vegetative and animal life in the Ocean is extremely non-uniform in its distribution. Next to areas with abundant sea life, such as zones of upwelling, there may exist areas that have almost no living matter. These are similar to deserts on land. On the globe there exist 63 classes of animals and 33 classes of plants, a basic part of which live in the World Ocean (76% of the animals and about 50% of the plants).   See More...
 
Life at Depth
 
The World Ocean as an environment for vegetable and animal organisms is subdivided as such: pelagic (living in the layers of water from the surface to the bottom) and benthic (living on the bottom of ocean) In the pelagic class, epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic and abyssopelagic life forms live. Below the 3,000 depth and extending to the deepest parts of the ocean is the abyssopelagic zone. Inhabitants of the abyssopelagic zone are often colourless. The fishes and crabs most often have no eyes but some have special flashing organs used to assist them to find food. For distribution of benthic organisms (living on the Ocean bottom) a number of zones have been allocated. The upper zone - littoral and sub-littoral includes places from the tide line to depths of about 200 m; bathyal includes the range from 200 to 3,000 m; abyssal takes in the zone from 3,000 m and ultra-abyssal takes in the zone from 6,000 m to the floors of the deepest trenches in the Ocean. The littoral and sub-littoral are characterised by the greatest species varieties and abundance of food. Only in this zone does bottom vegetation develop..   See More...
 
Areas where Organisms Live in the Ocean
 
I. Pelagic 1. Epipelagic 2. Mesopelagic 3. Bathypelagic 4. Abyssopelagic II. Benthic 5. Littoral, Sub-littoral 6. Bathyal 7. Abyssal 8. Ultra-abyssal

Text and images are from Man and the Ocean, a CD-ROM produced by the Russian Head Department of Navigation and Oceanography (HDNO).

 
 
 
 
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Websites
Database of mangrove species and ecosystems Global Mangrove Database and Information System Database of mangrove species and ecosystems 
The office coordinates the agency’s exploration efforts and facilitates research expeditions. NOAA Ocean Exploration Program The office coordinates the agency’s exploration efforts and facilitates researc...  
The Bering Sea Climate and Ecosystem page is sponsored by NOAA NOAA's Bering Sea Climate and Ecosystem Program The Bering Sea Climate and Ecosystem page is sponsored by NOAA 
Manages fisheries for stable yields in the North Pacific North Pacific Fishery Management Council Manages fisheries for stable yields in the North Pacific 
Assisting state, tribal and local salmon conservation and recovery efforts. Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) Assisting state, tribal and local salmon conservation and recovery efforts....  
NOAA whale Acoustics Project Whale Acoustics Project NOAA whale Acoustics Project 
Documents
There is growing realization that deep-water coral reef environments are habitat to a rich collection of flora and fauna that may form an integrated community providing habitats for both vertebrate and invertebrate growth and reproduction. Consequently, Canada’s Deep-Water Corals There is growing realization that deep-water coral reef environments are habita...  
A review of status and trends in Russian European seas during the 1990s Ecosystems and Biological Resources of Russian European Seas at the T...1st Century A review of status and trends in Russian European seas during the 1990s...  
Deep-Sea Corals Briefing NOAA NURP Deep-Sea Corals Briefing Deep-Sea Corals Briefing 
NOAA’S DEEP-SEA CORALS RESEARCH NOAA’S DEEP-SEA CORALS RESEARCH NOAA’S DEEP-SEA CORALS RESEARCH 
International Planning and Collaboration Workshop for the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic Ocean Galway, Ireland, January 16-17, 2003 Summary: Deep-Sea Corals Workshop; Ireland 2003 International Planning and Collaboration Workshop for the Gulf of Mexico and th...  
PDF Presentation on The Health of Ocean and Coastal Waters (USA focus) The Health of Ocean and Coastal Waters (USA focus) PDF Presentation on The Health of Ocean and Coastal Waters (USA focus) 
The Health of the Oceans report discusses the most pressing issues in ocean conservation and management. The Health of the Oceans The Health of the Oceans report discusses the most pressing issues in ocean con...  
Books
Text chapter using Antarctica as laboratory for ecosystem disruptions Ch 48 Ecosystems Text chapter using Antarctica as laboratory for ecosystem disruptions 
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