Marine Phyla and Marine Phyla and Adaptations to Adaptations to Living in the Living in the

OceanOcean

EcologyEcology

Q of day:Q of day:

List five different types of marine List five different types of marine organisms.organisms.

What are some of the obstacles that What are some of the obstacles that organisms face when they live in the organisms face when they live in the ocean?ocean?

What types of adaptations might marine What types of adaptations might marine animals have to live in the ocean?animals have to live in the ocean?

Marine PhylaMarine Phyla EchinodermataEchinodermata

Includes starfish, sea Includes starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, sea urchins, sand dollars, sea cucumberscucumbers

Marine Phyla Marine Phyla (Continued)(Continued)

Mollusks (include a Mollusks (include a cephalopod)cephalopod) Includes clams & snailsIncludes clams & snails Octopus & squid are Octopus & squid are

cephalopodscephalopods

Marine Phyla Marine Phyla (Continued)(Continued)

CnidariaCnidaria Includes Includes

jellyfish, jellyfish, sea sea anemoneanemones, & s, & coralscorals

Marine Phyla Marine Phyla (Continued)(Continued)

ArthropodsArthropods Includes lobsters, shrimp, Includes lobsters, shrimp,

barnacles, & crabsbarnacles, & crabs

Marine Phyla Marine Phyla (Continued)(Continued) VertebratesVertebrates

Includes fish, sea turtles, whales, Includes fish, sea turtles, whales, porpoises, sea lions, etc.porpoises, sea lions, etc.

Adaptations of organisms Adaptations of organisms to the marine to the marine environmentenvironment

Marine organisms have various adaptations Marine organisms have various adaptations for the conditions of the marine for the conditions of the marine environment.environment.

Let’s focus on a few of the adaptations that Let’s focus on a few of the adaptations that marine organisms possess for:marine organisms possess for: Flotation & BuoyancyFlotation & Buoyancy Salt RegulationSalt Regulation TemperatureTemperature Water PressureWater Pressure OxygenOxygen

Adaptations to Stay Adaptations to Stay AfloatAfloat

Some animals (ex: Some animals (ex: Portuguese man-of-Portuguese man-of-war) war) secrete gases secrete gases into a floatinto a float that that enables them to stay enables them to stay at the sea surfaceat the sea surface

Remember: Viscosity increases Remember: Viscosity increases with decreasing temperature. So, with decreasing temperature. So, small organisms float more easily small organisms float more easily in cold waters than warm waters. in cold waters than warm waters. In tropical waters, organisms have In tropical waters, organisms have appendages to keep them afloat.appendages to keep them afloat.

Adaptations for Adaptations for BuoyancyBuoyancy Many species of fish have Many species of fish have internal internal

swim bladdersswim bladders filled with gas that filled with gas that keep them neutrally buoyantkeep them neutrally buoyant When a fish changes depth, it adjusts When a fish changes depth, it adjusts

the gas the gas

pressure in its swim bladder to pressure in its swim bladder to compensate for pressure change (gets compensate for pressure change (gets smaller when swim deeper)smaller when swim deeper)

Adaptations to Salt Adaptations to Salt RegulationRegulation

Marine fish have adaptations to Marine fish have adaptations to maintain body water…maintain body water…

Adaptations for Temperature Adaptations for Temperature RegulationRegulation Marine animals other than birds & Marine animals other than birds &

mammals are ectotherms so body mammals are ectotherms so body temp is same as surroundingstemp is same as surroundings Seabirds & Seabirds & mammals are mammals are endotherms & endotherms & have adaptations have adaptations to maintain body to maintain body temps in cold temps in cold water.water. Blubber Blubber

(insulating fat & (insulating fat & connective tissue) connective tissue) under their skinunder their skin

Adaptations for PressureAdaptations for Pressure Many organisms do not have gas-Many organisms do not have gas-

filled cavities or lungs.filled cavities or lungs. Deep-diving marine mammals may Deep-diving marine mammals may

have:have: Streamlined bodies (to reduce drag)Streamlined bodies (to reduce drag) high conc. of myoglobin (holds oxygen)high conc. of myoglobin (holds oxygen) collapsible lungscollapsible lungs

Adaptations to Obtain Adaptations to Obtain OxygenOxygen Marine animals Marine animals

need oxygen to need oxygen to survivesurvive

Many marine Many marine animals use animals use gills to extract gills to extract dissolved dissolved oxygen from oxygen from seawaterseawater

Marine Marine mammals must mammals must breathe air breathe air Whales have blow holesWhales have blow holes

Can you think of any Can you think of any others?others?

We’ve highlighted only a We’ve highlighted only a sampling of the adaptations that sampling of the adaptations that marine organisms have to survive marine organisms have to survive in the oceans. Can you think of in the oceans. Can you think of any others?any others?