oceanography
Terms
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- Need to sample the bottom
- 􀂄 Try towing a net on the bottom 􀂉 “otter trawl†􀂄 Just grab some mud and sieve out the critters.
- Otter trawl:
- a fishing net towed along bottom to catch fish, shrimp
- Ocean Color
- 􀂄 Ocean color is used to estimate biomass of plants in the water 􀂄 Ocean color can be sensed remotely by satellites 􀂉 Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) 􀂉 SeaWifs 􀂉 MODIS
- SeaWifs
- 􀂄 The satellite was placed at the end of a relatively small rocket which was attached to the bottom of an airplane which then took off, climbed to about 40,000 feet, pointed its' nose in the correct direction and then dropped the rocket. Three seconds later the rocket motor ignited sending the spacecraft and satellite into orbit.
- How to make sense of it all?
- 􀂄 Sort organisms into groups of a range of similarity (taxonomy) 􀂄 Focus on different locales 􀂉 Big divisions are water column and bottom. 􀂉 Subdivide slightly differently in the two 􀂄 Divide in terms of “function†(ecology) 􀂉 Follow the energy (from light to heat) 􀂉 Follow the nutrients
- Divisions of Marine Environment
- ô€‚„ The pelagic (“of the seaâ€) environment is the water where organisms are unattached ô€‚‰ Swimming- nekton ô€‚‰ Floating- plankton ô€‚„ The benthic (“bottomâ€) environment is the ocean bottom, plants and animals that are attached (benthos)
- Oceanic Provinces- water column
- ô€‚„ The neritic (“shallowâ€) province extends from the shore seaward to a bottom depth of 200 m ô€‚‰ Why important? ô€‚„ The oceanic province extends to all bottom depth greater than 200 m and includes waters from the surface to great depths
- Biozones – functional divisions
- 􀂄 Euphotic zone extends from surface to where light can still support photosynthesis; to about 100 m 􀂄 Disphotic zone extends to about 1000 m and have small but measurable amount of light 􀂄 Aphotic zone extend to depths greater than 1000 m where there is no light
- Species Distribution on Earth
- 􀂄 Only 17 % of species live in the ocean 􀂄 Most species live in the benthos 􀂄 Uniform conditions of the open ocean do not force organisms to adapt, change 􀂄 Although fewer species, ocean is more varied.
- Marine Organism’s Environment
- 􀂄 Physical Support- drag 􀂄 Density 􀂄 Viscosity 􀂄 Salinity 􀂄 Osmosis 􀂄 Nutrient 􀂄 Light 􀂄 Temperature 􀂄 Size
- Plankton
- Phytoplankton-plants Zooplankton-animals Bacterioplankton-microbes
- Floating Organisms
- 􀂄 Buoyancy and frictional resistance to sinking keep organisms in the ocean at desired positions 􀂄 Organisms have specialized adaptations so they can efficiently position themselves in the water column 􀂄 density