2. What are Ocean Habitats ?
The marine environment supplies many kinds of habitats that
support marine life. Marine life depends in some way on the
saltwater that is in the sea (the term marine comes from the
Latin mare, meaning sea or ocean). A habitat is an ecological
or environmental area inhabited by one or more living species.
3. LIFE IN THE OCEAN
Scientist classify organisms
according
where they
live and how they move .
to
Plankton : are a diverse group of organisms that live in the water
column and cannot swim against a current. They provide a crucial
source of food to many large aquatic organisms, such as fish and
whales.
Nekton : refers to the aggregate of actively swimming aquatic
organisms in a body of water (usually oceans or lakes) able to
move independently of water currents.
Benthos : is the community of organisms which live on, in, or near
the seabed, also known as the benthic zone. This community
lives in or near marine sedimentary environments, from tidal
pools along the foreshore, out to the continental shelf, and then
down to the abyssal depths.
4.
5. THE INTERTIDAL ZONE
The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore and seashore
and sometimes referred to as the littoral zone, is the area that is
above water at low tide and under water at high tide (in other
words, the area between tide marks). This area can include
many different types of habitats, with many types of animals,
such as starfish, sea urchins, and numerous species of coral.
The well-known area also includes steep rocky cliffs, sandy
beaches, or wetlands (e.g., vast mudflats). The area can be a
narrow strip, as in Pacific islands that have only a narrow tidal
range, or can include many meters of shoreline where shallow
beach slopes interact with high tidal excursion.
6. WHAT IS ESTUARY ?
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of brackish water
with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free
connection to the open sea . Estuaries form a transition zone
between river environments and maritime environments and are
subject to both marine influences, such as tides, waves, and the
influx of saline water; and riverine influences, such as flows of
fresh water and sediment.
7. WHAT ARE TIDE POOLS ?
Tide pools, or rock pools, are rocky pools on the sea shore
which are filled with seawater. Many of these pools exist as
separate pools only at low tide. Many tide pools are habitats of
especially adaptable animals that have engaged the attention of
naturalists and marine biologists.
8. CORAL REEFS
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium
carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny
animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most
coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of
polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps belong to a group of
animals known as Cnidaria, which also includes sea anemones
and jellyfish.
9. KELP FORESTS
Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp.
They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic
ecosystems on Earth. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called
kelp beds. Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate
and polar coastal oceans.
