BIOL 302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Buoyancy, Ovoviviparity, Viscosity
Document Summary
Bio 302 lecture 7 (sept. 25th): adaptation to aquatic environments. Aquatic environments are highly variable: depth, topography, nutrient availability, salinity, even within landlocked lakes. Carbon: dissolved bicarbonate is a widespread source but diffusion through water is slow. Liquid water: always available, but osmotic challenges vary from fresh salt water: can impede protein function if too high, mediate challenges of type of water. Nutrient: vary in their availability with depth, currents: vary w. ocean currents and topography. Oxygen: limited solubility in water, slow diffusion: can be limiting (a cut off from the air = freshwater pondsetc, death of fish over the winter in some environments, deep ocean no photosynthesis, o2 decrease as. Heat loss occurs much faster in water vs. air. Water is denser and more viscous than air. Buoyancy is an issue for organism that must maintain optimal depth above bottom. Epipelagic zone open ocean: oceanic white tip shark pic.