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 Related Knowledge (120)
 3 SUB-TOPICS:
 Coastal and Marine Habitats Coastal and Marine Habitats
 Ecosystems Ecosystems
 Food chains Food chains
 6 RELATED TOPICS:
 Biology Biology
 Fisheries and Aquaculture Fisheries and Aquaculture
 Governance Governance
 Marine Biotechnology Marine Biotechnology
 Non-Consumptive Uses Non-Consumptive Uses
 Recreation and Tourism Recreation and Tourism
 Topic Overview
 ID# : 1893
 Visits: 64935
 Added: 01-Jan-2000
 Updated: 03-May-2012
  E-Mail Topic link
 Editors
 John Everett
 Frances B. Michaelis
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Ecology Maintained by FAO-FI  
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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 and other animals and also serve as food for many organisms.
In the Ocean, therefore, a 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 oceans (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).

 
 
 
 
All  (120) News   (36) Events   (8) Websites   (18) Documents   (16) Books   (33) Multimedia   (3) Institutional Contact   (6)
 All
 
Books
Annual reviews of key ocean-related topics Ocean Yearbook Annual reviews of key ocean-related topics 
Photographic essay and in-depth features on the oceans Ocean. The World's Last Wilderness Revealed Photographic essay and in-depth features on the oceans 
A Scientific American Reader with thirty articles published in the last 10 years Oceans A Scientific American Reader with thirty articles published in the last 10 year...  
The first comprehensive guide to tropical shallow-water genera of the Central-West Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea Soft Corals and Sea Fans The first comprehensive guide to tropical shallow-water genera of the Central-W...  
Report that details the status of the world's coral reefs Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2004 Report that details the status of the world's coral reefs Editor's Choice
Practical Applications in the Sustainable Coastal Development in East Asia The Dynamics of Integrated Coastal Management. Practical Applications...n East Asia Practical Applications in the Sustainable Coastal Development in East Asia...  
Discusses twelve sites in detail, integrating physics and biology, engineering, economic and social issues. Award winning. The Environment in Asia Pacific Harbours Discusses twelve sites in detail, integrating physics and biology, engineering,...  Editor's Choice
Alphabetical listing of key environmental issues such as pollution, water resources The Essentials of the Environment Alphabetical listing of key environmental issues such as pollution, water resou...  
Textbook on estuaries; also suitable researchers The Estuarine Ecosystem. ecology, threats and management Textbook on estuaries; also suitable researchers 
In depth coverage of planning, implementing, evaluating and administering tourism marketing and management programmes. See Chapter 16. Complexity at Sea: Managing Brands within the Cruise Industry by Adam Weaver. pp 269 - 284. Discusses the state of the cruise ship industry from the point of view of the employer, the employee and the customer. Tourism Management. Analysis, Behaviour and Strategy In depth coverage of planning, implementing, evaluating and administering touri...  
It is important to maintain our estuaries as healthy, productive environments. Describes Australia's 974 estuaries. Where River Meets Sea: Exploring Australia's Estuaries It is important to maintain our estuaries as healthy, productive environments. ...  
Multimedia
Lists over 1800 fish with educational material Coastal Fishes of S E Australia Lists over 1800 fish with educational material 
CD outlining geology, biology with slideshow of Stellwagen Bank Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary - An Underwater Tour CD outlining geology, biology with slideshow of Stellwagen Bank 
Workshop output documents, papers, resources and background materials Workshop on the Governance of High Seas Biodiversity Conservation Workshop output documents, papers, resources and background materials 
Institutional Contact
Identifying and quantifying links between the environment and production of marine ecosystems and marine resources Environment Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center for... Laboratory Identifying and quantifying links between the environment and production of mar...  
Multidisciplinary research to forecast ecosystems in the Great Lakes Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory Multidisciplinary research to forecast ecosystems in the Great Lakes 
Research on linkages between environmental and human health. Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina Research on linkages between environmental and human health. 
Centre to further the sustainable development of tropical habitats. International Marine Project Activities Centre Centre to further the sustainable development of tropical habitats. 
Implements the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical research Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Implements the Australian Government's Marine and Tropical research 
Beach Safety Surf Life Saving Queensland Beach Safety 
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979 Topics - 5229 Related Knowledge - 11257 Members - 47 Editors
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