Life in the OceanPlankton: floaters
Nekton: swimmers
Benthos: bottom dwellers
PhytoplanktonCarry on photosynthesisDiatoms, coccolithophores, dinoflagellates
ZooplanktonConsumersRadiolarians, forams, others
Plants vs. animals
PHYTOPLANKTON
ZOOPLANKTON
Time as a planktonic organism
Meroplankton Part of life as a plankton; rest as nekton or benthos
HoloplanktonAll of life as plankton
NektonMany varietiesConsider commercial fisheries
Commercial fisheriesChanges in last 50 yearsOverfishing
Causes: human population, changes in fishing practices, environmental degradation, poor management, by-catchSolutions: close fishing areas, marine sanctuaries, tighter regulations, consumer choices (http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_regional.aspx)
AquacultureA solution to overfishing?Pros and cons
BenthosRocky shoresTide poolsSand and mudDeep seaCoral reefs
Just a few examples
Where benthic organisms live
EpifuanaLive on top of sediments
InfaunaLive within sediments
Epifauna
Infauna (a, b, c, e)
Land 86%Sea 14%
Benthic 98%Pelagic 2%
Why these patterns?
DISTRIBUTION OF LIFE