Marine Ecosystems A great abundance of life is found in the intertidal zone despite the very difficult conditions there. Intertidal organisms must adapt to high-energy, crashing waves. They also must be able to withstand repeated exposure to air during low tides. Hard shells protect many intertidal organisms from waves as well as drying out. The moving water also requires many of the organisms to have a means of attaching themselves to rocks or other stationary surfaces. Corals are tiny animals that deposit calcium carbonate to create rock reefs near the shore. Many other organisms... Show more Marine Ecosystems A great abundance of life is found in the intertidal zone despite the very difficult conditions there. Intertidal organisms must adapt to high-energy, crashing waves. They also must be able to withstand repeated exposure to air during low tides. Hard shells protect many intertidal organisms from waves as well as drying out. The moving water also requires many of the organisms to have a means of attaching themselves to rocks or other stationary surfaces. Corals are tiny animals that deposit calcium carbonate to create rock reefs near the shore. Many other organisms live in or around coral reefs. In fact, they are among the most densely inhabited and diverse ecosystems on Earth. Because coral reefs are close to shore, they are subject to pollution from land. Corals are also very sensitive to temperature and are stressed by rising ocean temperatures due to global warming. Almost all of the food in the vast oceanic zone is created by phytoplankton that live near the water surface. Zooplankton and larger animals feed on the phytoplankton and on each other. The relatively few species that live at greater depths in the oceanic zone are very specialized. Food is relatively scarce, so they have adaptations that allow them to get by on less. These may include small body size, very low metabolic rate, and minimal bone structure. To maximize the chances of catching prey, some species have jaws that unhinge to accept a larger fish or backward-folding teeth to keep prey from escaping. Many fish that live in the absolute darkness of the deep ocean have the ability to produce light with chemical reactions. An example is the angler fish, which has a glowing “lure” to attract prey. Hot, chemical-rich water pours out of hydrothermal vents at mid-ocean ridges. Unique ecosystems form around these vents. There is no sunlight for photosynthesis this far below the surface, so producers make food by chemosynthesis. They are bacteria that use chemicals in the hot water for energy to make food. Consumers in the vent ecosystem giant tube worms and certain species of shrimp, clams, and fish. The chemosynthetic bacteria live inside the tubeworms in a symbiotic relationship. The bacteria get a safe place to live, and the tubeworms get a reliable source of food. Show less
Marine Ecosystems A great abundance of life is found in the intertidal zone despite the very difficult conditions there. Intertidal organisms must adapt to high-energy, crashing waves. They also must be able to withstand repeated exposure to air during low tides. Hard shells protect many intertidal organisms from waves as well as drying out. The moving water also requires many of the organisms to have a means of attaching themselves to rocks or other stationary surfaces. Corals are tiny animals that deposit calcium carbonate to create rock reefs near the shore. Many other organisms live in or around coral reefs. In fact, they are among the most densely inhabited and diverse ecosystems on Earth. Because coral reefs are close to shore, they are subject to pollution from land. Corals are also very sensitive to temperature and are stressed by rising ocean temperatures due to global warming. Almost all of the food in the vast oceanic zone is created by phytoplankton that live near the water surface. Zooplankton and larger animals feed on the phytoplankton and on each other. The relatively few species that live at greater depths in the oceanic zone are very specialized. Food is relatively scarce, so they have adaptations that allow them to get by on less. These may include small body size, very low metabolic rate, and minimal bone structure. To maximize the chances of catching prey, some species have jaws that unhinge to accept a larger fish or backward-folding teeth to keep prey from escaping. Many fish that live in the absolute darkness of the deep ocean have the ability to produce light with chemical reactions. An example is the angler fish, which has a glowing “lure” to attract prey. Hot, chemical-rich water pours out of hydrothermal vents at mid-ocean ridges. Unique ecosystems form around these vents. There is no sunlight for photosynthesis this far below the surface, so producers make food by chemosynthesis. They are bacteria that use chemicals in the hot water for energy to make food. Consumers in the vent ecosystem giant tube worms and certain species of shrimp, clams, and fish. The chemosynthetic bacteria live inside the tubeworms in a symbiotic relationship. The bacteria get a safe place to live, and the tubeworms get a reliable source of food.
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