PHYSICOCHEMICAL ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGICAL NOTATIONS :

PHYTOPLANKTON: SEA GRASS AND CORALS

PREPARED & PRESENTED BY BHUKYA BHASKAR & BHUKYA KALYAN

Introduction: About 71% of the earth planet is covered with S.W with an average

depth of 3.8km,giving a volume of 1370 x 106 km3

Ocean constitutes single largest repository of organisms on planet include representatives of virtually all phyla and tremendously varied all

Properties of water: H2O IS substance surrounds all marine organisms , both inside outside living organisms .

Chemical composition of H2O: the polar nature of water molecules with weak bonds called hydrogen bonds between adjacent

Hydrogen bond, polarity of the water molecule that responsible for many of the unique chemical and physical properties of water

oxygen__

2

+

+

Physical and chemical properties

• cohesion, Surface tension and Viscosity, High heat of vaporization and high latent heat of fusion

High heat capacitypeculiar density temperature relationshipSolvent action of water : polar character, is hydrogen bond eg:

Nacl,H2CO3

Major and minor constituents of the sea waterMajor constituent of S.WIons % by wt

Minor constituents of S.WIons % by wt

Cl- 55.04 bicarbonate HCO3- 0.41

Na+ 30.61

SO4 7.68 Bromide[Br-] 0.19

mg2+ 3.69 Boric acid [H3BO3] 0.07

Ca2+ 1.16

K+ 1.10 Strontium[sr2+] 0.04

Sub total 99.28% Sub total 0.71

Cont…

•S.W at 35ppt has freezing point of -1.90c •Gases important for metabolic activities are O2 and CO2.• SOLIBILITY OF GASES •At 35ppt and 00c S.W 8ml O2 /lit ,at 200c 5.4ml/lit• CO2 is abundant in S.W and has a capacity to absorbs the gas

and reacts with water to produce carbonic acid • In contrast to O2, a CO2 is more abundant in S.W than in air

Geography and geomorphology of oceans

• 4 major oceans are unequally distributed on earth (the pacific , the Atlantic , the Indian , the arctic oceans)• Ocean cover >80% area of southern hemisphere and

61%northern hemisphere(most earth land masses occur)• continental shelf ,forming only 7-8% of the total of the ocean

area.• abrupt steepening of the bottom to became continental slope

descends precipitously to depth of 3to 5km.

cont…Ridges are the extensive contiguous submarine mountain

chains eg :mid Atlantic ridge which bisects the Atlantic ocean into east and west basins

In certain areas the abyssal plains are cut by deep , narrow troughs called as “trenches”. Trenches have depth from 7000mto >11000m

The deepest area known as 11022m challenger deep in Mariana trench

Isolated islands and submarine sea mounts formed by isolated volcanic action.

Temperature and vertical stratification

• Temperature is a measure of the energy of molecular motion . oceans it varies horizontally with changes in Latitude and vertically in depth.• governing the life process ,distribution of organisms . vital life

process termed as metabolism , function in narrow range 0oc and 400c .the blue-green algae living in 850c hot springs.• Metabolic processes are increased by 2for each 10oc rise in

temperature• exception of marine birds, mammals , marine organisms are

Poikilothermic or ectothermic ,(body temperature vary with surrounding water mass . • Homoeothermic or endothermic birds and mammals

Cont… surface ocean temperature and over all organisms distribution 4 major Bio geographical zone there are polar , cold

temperate ,warm temperate , tropical• depth range of 50-300m undergoes a very rapid decline ,the

zone of most rapid temperature decline is the thermo cline • Thermo cline: is a persistent feature of tropical water and it

occurs summer in temperate water and it is absent in polar waters.

• Zone of rapid density change is called a pycnocline• Water masses and circulation: upper water masses of oceans is in

constant motion ,motion is produced primarily by action of winds blow across the surface of water • winds produce 2 kinds of motions wave and currents.• Waves range size from ripples few centimeters to >30m height as

storm waves• Wave length, Wave period

Cont…waves may be generated by earthquakes ,volcanic explosions, and under

water land slides ,which creates the destructive waves known as tsunamis.

The attraction of the moon and the sun produces the standing waves known as tides.

The wave form and energy are transported horizontally , with each depth interval below surface equal to 1-9th the wavelength ,by the time of ½ a wave length is reached ,the movement is almost perceptible.

a point where the water depth is 1.3 times the height of the wave ,it will “break ”, releasing the energy onto the shore

Currents are water movements that result in horizontal transport of water mosses , Currents systems are produced a few major wind belts that succeed each other latitudinal around the world and where winds are steady and persistent in direction .

These winds caused by differential heating of the atmospheric air masses aided by the Coriolis force .

The back bone of the system is northeast trade wind blowing from northeast to southwest between the equator and 300 N latitude and southeast trades in similar position south of equator ,moving air from southeast to northwest .

Between 300 and 600 N and S latitudes westerlies blow from southwest to the north east in southern hemisphere.

In polar regions cold air flows into toward the equator as the polar easterlies.

Horizontally moving currents are of transporting huge volumes of water across vast distance ,leads to displacement of biogeographical zones through transport of warm water into colder regions vise versa.

Because of coriolies force ,the direction of water movement deflected from that of initiating wind.

At the same time due to coriolies force, each layer set in motion is deflected respect to one above it . result is Ekman spiral of current direction and velocities from surface downward.

ecological Species is a natural group of actually or potentially

inbreeding individuals reproductively isolated from other such groups.

Population all the individuals of a given species in an area Community several spp of populations that tend to occur

together in a particular geographical area Ecosystem a community or a series of communities and the

surrounding physical and chemical environment together

Ecosystem components Autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms Trophic structure an arrangement of autotrophs and succeeding

levels of heterotrophs, in which each successive level is called trophic level, finally decomposers

Pyramids energy or trophic pyramid the combination of all food chains in a given community or

ecosystem is called foodweb Biogochemeical cycle among many of chemical elements

compounds in ecosystems there is a cycling back and forth(repeated transfer) between organisms and physical environment eg:carbon ,N2,Phosphorus.ss

biogeochemical cycle

ECOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF ECOSYSTEM

A niche in ecology defined today as role of an organism in a community

Summary of opportunistic and eqilibrium species

feature Equilibrium(k) Opportunistic(r)

1.Reproductive periods Few /year Many/year

2.development slow rapid

3.Death rate Low high

4.recruitment low high

5.Colonizing time late early

6.Adult size Generally large Generally small

7.mobility high low

Ecological notations

corals• Corals are found in tropical clear water usually at 60m depth or less. • Stony corals responsible for large colonial masses that make up bulk

of a coral reef forming, rely on symbiotic dinoflagellates • zooxanthellae and turf algae are oases of high productivity in

nutrients, efficiently recycled.• Inhabitants of coral reefs display many adaptations help to avoid

predation or to be more efficient predators. Coral are huge, interactive complexes full of intricate independencies.

• Coral as an ecosystem: Coral colonies• Sexual reproduction in corals: . Mostly species are hermaphroditic and broadcast

spawners• Reproduction by fragmentation• Nutrition : >90% of nutrition needs of stony corals are supplied by symbiotic

zooxanthellae living in their tissue. 16 spp of known dinoflagellates are to form zooxanthellae. nutrients in the form of glucose, glycerol’s, amino acids, and suitable habitat for its symbionts and variety of nutrients. Also bacteria DOM, mesenteric filaments, coiled tubes attached to the gut wall. Corals as predators

• Reef formation:

Reef structure:

• Distribution: reef do not develop at< 180c , best growth at range 23-250c (tropical) and depth at 25m or less,• Producer community: productivity (gm C m-2 d-1): approximate %

• Fleshy benthic algae 0.1-4 0.1-5• Crustose coralline algae 0.9- 5 10-50

• Turf algae 1-6 10-50• Zooxanthellae 0.6 10-50• Sand algae 0.1-0.5 10-50• Phytoplankton 0.1-0.5 10-50• Sea gasses 1-7 0-40

Threats to coral reefs: Effect of physical changes on health, Coral bleaching and

Coral disease(30): White pox: (white lesions), Other coral diseases white band disease, white plaque (by Aurantimonas coralicida bacteria), yellow blotch disease.

• Reef ecology and communities: Sponges and cnidarians , Annelids, Crustaceans and Mollusks , Echinoderms.

Evolutionary effects of reef dwellers protective body covering(trunk fishes, File fishes, Trigger fishes) ,• Protective behaviors(soap fishes Pearly razor fish, Puffer fishes.

parrot fishes, wrasses)• Role of colors in organisms(Barracuda ), Camouflage (trumpet fish,

pipe fishes . Stone ), Warning coloration( lion fish ) -• Symbiotic relationship on coral reefs: Cleaning symbiosis(eg cleaning

wrasse(Labrides dimidiatus) removes parasites from the gills of the mappa puffer fish(Arothron mappa),gobies other small fishes set up a cleaning station. Attractive Peppermint shrimp. Sabertooth blenny(Aspidontus) mimic the cleaner wrasse’s dance

Marine phytoplankton

•The Plankton consist of microscopic plants ("phytoplankton") and animals ("zooplankton").   On the smaller end of the spectrum exist bacteria ("bacterioplankton") and viruses ("virioplankton")

IMPORTANCE OF PHYTOPLANKTON DIVERSITY AND CLASSIFICATION

• Importance of phytoplankton: The food web, Climate and the Carbon CyclePhytoplankton blooms, Factors forming blooms, Parameters required for optimum growth and Impacts over the ecosystems,• Diversity and Classification” Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) – 100,000 species in

250 genera, passive floating, silicon cell walls, chain-forming• Chlorophyceae (green algae) – 2,500 species in 350 genera, self-propelled, green

pigmentation• Chrysophyceae (chrysomonads) – 1,000 species in 120 genera, self-propelled,

golden-brown pigmentation

Cont…Cryptophyceae (cryptomonads) – 60 species in 20 genera, self-propelled, tear

drop shapeCyanophyceae (blue-green algae) – predominantly tropical, either filamentous or

coccoid, photosynthetic bacteriaDictyophyceae (silicoflagellates) – only a few species, self-propelled, silicon

skeletonDinophyceae (dinoflagellates) – 4,000 species in 550 genera, self-propelled,

some species form “red tides”Euglenophyceae (euglenoids) – 800 species in 43 genera, self-propelled, pliable,

green pigmentationEustigmatophyceae (yellow-green algae) – very small, self-propelled, large

“eyespot”, high pigment concentration

cont…• Prasinophyceae (prasinomonads) – 120 species in 13 genera, self-propelled, heart

shape• Prymnesiophyceae (prymnesiomonads) – 500 species in 50 genera, self-

propelled, calcium carbonate scales• Raphidophyceae (chloromonads) – < 20 species, self-propelled, yellow-brown

Rhodophyceae (red algae) – few microalgal species, usually benthic, red pigmentation• Xanthophyceae (yellow-green algae) – 600 species in 90 genera, most are fresh-

water • Igmentation• Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) – 100,000 species in 250 genera, passive floating,

silicon cell walls, chain-forming

cont…• Chlorophyceae (green algae) – 2,500 species in 350 genera, self-propelled, green

pigmentation• Chrysophyceae (chrysomonads) – 1,000 species in 120 genera, self-propelled,

golden-brown pigmentation• Cryptophyceae (cryptomonads) – 60 species in 20 genera, self-propelled, tear

drop shape• Cyanophyceae (blue-green algae) – predominantly tropical, either filamentous or

coccoid, photosynthetic bacteria• Dictyophyceae (silicoflagellates) – only a few species, self-propelled, silicon

skeleton• Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates) – 4,000 species in 550 genera, self-propelled, some

species form “red tides”

cont… • Euglenophyceae (euglenoids) – 800 species in 43 genera, self-propelled, pliable, green

pigmentation• Eustigmatophyceae (yellow-green algae) – very small, self-propelled, large “eyespot”,

high pigment concentration• Prasinophyceae (prasinomonads) – 120 species in 13 genera, self-propelled, heart

shape• Prymnesiophyceae (prymnesiomonads) – 500 species in 50 genera, self-propelled,

calcium carbonate scales• Raphidophyceae (chloromonads) – < 20 species, self-propelled, yellow-brown

pigmentation• Rhodophyceae (red algae) – few microalgal species, usually benthic, red pigmentation• Xanthophyceae (yellow-green algae) – 600 species in 90 genera, most are fresh-water

Bacterio and virio plankton

Diatoms

Seagrass Sea grasses are floweringplants (Division Angiosperm) belonging 4

plant families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae,Hydrocharitaceae,

or Cymodoceaceae), all in the order Alismatales (in the class

of monocotyledons), which grow in marine, fully saline environments.

There are 12 genera with some 60 species known.

Among this around 45 species distributed in indo –Pacific Ocean and

around 30 species in Australia.

Structure of seagrasses

Zostera marina is a species of seagrass known by the common names common eelgrass and sea wrack. It is an aquatic plant native to marine environments on the coastlines of mostly northern sections of North America and Eurasia. Scientific name: Zostera marina

Types of sea grasses

Location of different sea grasses

threats to sea grasses

conclusion•More stable suitable communities may protect biodiversity• Physicochemical-environmental, ecological notations play

significant key role in marine ecosystem by governing and balance• Coral reef ecosystem protect associated communities by

providing habitat, facilitating escape of prey from predators•Marine phytoplankton base for marine food web and reduce

global warming by utilizing co2 in photosynthesis• Seagrass provide 3- dimensional space for associated organisms,

food for herbivores

references 1. Introduction to marine biology 2nd edition –karleskint, turner and

small2. Wikipedia3. Introduction to marine plankton- Gangopodhya4. Sea grass pdf 5. Google images

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