ENVS 1200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Keystone Species, Commercial Fishing, Ecosystem Services
3 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Ocean Ecosystems
January 6, 2015
*Chapter 13
Ocean Ecosystems are influenced by:
• Depth of the water column
o Sunlight supplies both heat and energy for photosynthesis and since
80% of sunlight is absorbed in the top 10 meters, the upper layers of
the ocean are more productive
• Proximity to the shore
o The closer to land and rivers that empty into the ocean, the more
nutrient-rich
Oceans Provide Ecosystem Services:
• Temperature moderation
• Nutrient cycling
• Support for commercial fisheries
• Storm protection for coastal areas
• Recreational opportunities
• Source of Medicines
Different Zones:
*SEE DIAGRAM
Seafloor Topography can be rugged and complex:
• Seafloor consists of:
o Volcanoes
o Steep canyon
o Mountain range
o Mounds of debris
o Trenches
o Some flat areas
Various Marine Ecosystems:
1. Kelp Forest
2. Coral Reefs
o Most biodiverse ecosystem found in shallow, nutrient-poor water
o Mutualistic relationship with photosynthetic zooxanthellae enable
corals to live in nutrient-poor marine waters
o Corals are considered the ultimate keystone species because they are
extremely important to their ecological community as they provide
the primary structure for reef community
o In Cold-Water Reefs there are only 6 major reef-forming coral species
which create habitat for 23 fish species
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