classifying organisms:
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Classifying Organisms:. Biological Zonation – Based on where they live / lifestyle This is how ecologists talk about systems Taxonomic Classification – Based on structural characteristics - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Classifying Organisms:Classifying Organisms:Biological Zonation –Biological Zonation –
Based on where they live / lifestyleBased on where they live / lifestyleThis is how ecologists talk about This is how ecologists talk about
systemssystems
Taxonomic Classification – Taxonomic Classification – Based on structural characteristicsBased on structural characteristicsThis is how evolutionary biologists This is how evolutionary biologists
talk about organisms and the talk about organisms and the relationships between them.relationships between them.
Biological Zonation:Biological Zonation:Neritic – Shallow, coastal zone. Neritic – Shallow, coastal zone.
Extends to the edge of the Extends to the edge of the continental shelf.continental shelf.
Oceanic – The rest of the ocean. Oceanic – The rest of the ocean. This zone is broken into layers This zone is broken into layers based on how much sunlight based on how much sunlight penetrates.penetrates.
Benthic – lives on, in, or attached to theBenthic – lives on, in, or attached to thebottom of the sea floorbottom of the sea floor
Benthic Organisms:Benthic Organisms:
Elkhorn Elkhorn CoralCoral
Fire CoralFire Coral Gorgonian Gorgonian
CoralCoral
Animals that walk on the bottom:
Benthic Organisms:Benthic Organisms:
CrabsCrabs LobstersLobsters Sea Sea
UrchinUrchin
Plants/Algae growing Plants/Algae growing in the sedimentin the sediment
Benthic Organisms:Benthic Organisms: AlgaeAlgae SeagrassSeagrass
Burrowing Burrowing AnimalsAnimals
Mole Mole CrabCrab
Coquina Coquina ClamsClams
WormsWorms
Benthic Organisms:Benthic Organisms:
Benthic organisms can also be Benthic organisms can also be described by their relation to the tides.described by their relation to the tides.
Biological Zonation:Biological Zonation:Benthic organisms can also be Benthic organisms can also be described by their relation to the tides.described by their relation to the tides.
Supratidal – live above the high Supratidal – live above the high tide line.tide line.
Blue Land Blue Land CrabCrab
Ghost Crab
Fiddler CrabFiddler Crab
Land Hermit CrabLand Hermit Crab
Coconut Coconut CrabCrab
Can grow up to 3 feet Can grow up to 3 feet acrossacross
Spray Zone
Biological Zonation:Biological Zonation:Benthic organisms can also be Benthic organisms can also be described by their relation to the tides.described by their relation to the tides.Intertidal – live between the high tide Intertidal – live between the high tide line and the low tide line.line and the low tide line.
Stressful Environment –Stressful Environment –Underwater part of the dayUnderwater part of the dayExposed to air part of the dayExposed to air part of the dayHuge temperature change dailyHuge temperature change daily
LimpetsLimpets
SnailsSnails
OperculumOperculum
MusselsMussels
OystersOysters
Wrack Line
AmphipodAmphipod
BarnaclesBarnacles
ChitonChiton
WormWormss
Mudskippers
Birds like sandpipers and oystercatchers move between the
intertidal and supratidal. They rely on the neritic
area for food.
Biological Zonation:Biological Zonation:Benthic organisms can also be Benthic organisms can also be described by their relation to the tides.described by their relation to the tides.
Subtidal – live below the low tide Subtidal – live below the low tide line.line.
Classifying Organisms:Classifying Organisms:
The subtidal organisms are classified The subtidal organisms are classified based on their swimming behavior.based on their swimming behavior.
Nekton - swimmingNekton - swimming
Nektonic Organisms:Nektonic Organisms:
FishFish
Nektonic Organisms:Nektonic Organisms:
SharksSharksTurtlesTurtlesRaysRays
Classifying Organisms:Classifying Organisms:Nekton – swimmingNekton – swimmingPlankton – Anything that can’t Plankton – Anything that can’t
swim against a current. swim against a current. From Greek “planktos”, which From Greek “planktos”, which means “drifter”means “drifter”
PlanktonPlankton Phytoplankton – PlantsPhytoplankton – Plants
DinoflagellatesDinoflagellates Primarily tropicalPrimarily tropical Often bioluminescentOften bioluminescent
Bio Bay off the coast of Puerto
Rico
The water has approximately
750,000 dinoflagellates
per gallon.
PlanktonPlankton Phytoplankton – PlantsPhytoplankton – Plants
DinoflagellatesDinoflagellates Primarily tropicalPrimarily tropical Often bioluminescentOften bioluminescent Responsible for red tidesResponsible for red tides
Red TideRed Tide
PlanktonPlankton Phytoplankton – PlantsPhytoplankton – Plants
DiatomsDiatoms Primarily arcticPrimarily arctic SiOSiO22 shell shell
PlanktonPlankton Phytoplankton – PlantsPhytoplankton – Plants Zooplankton - animalsZooplankton - animals
Holoplankton – always planktonicHoloplankton – always planktonic
PlanktonPlankton Holoplankton – always planktonicHoloplankton – always planktonicArrow Worm
Copepod
Eggs
PlanktonPlankton Phytoplankton – PlantsPhytoplankton – Plants Zooplankton - animalsZooplankton - animals
Holoplankton – always planktonicHoloplankton – always planktonic Meroplankton – planktonic for part of Meroplankton – planktonic for part of
their lifetheir life
Planktonic Organisms:Planktonic Organisms:
Larvae of Larvae of MANY MANY marine marine organismsorganisms
Coral Larvae
Sea Star Larvae
Crab LarvaeFish Eggs
Shrimp Larvae
Not all plankton is small!!Not all plankton is small!!Ocean Sunfish
Many marine mammals also spend time in
multiple zones. They are part of all of them!
Bioluminescence is very common in the ocean
Especially in the deep sea.