Section 2

Large Marine

Ecosystems of the world

Objectives To understand relationships between organisms

within ecosystems

To identify the connection between environment, biodiversity and ecological niches

Review Binomial nomenclature created by Linneaus in the

mid-1700s

Each species has a two part name

1st – generic name (genus)

2nd – specific name (species)

Terms to Know!Term Definition Example

Habitat Place where organisms live

EcologicalNiche

The role of an organism within an ecosystem

Species A group of similar organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

Population Organisms of the same species, living in the same area

Community All the different species living in a habitat at the same time

Ecosystem Living organisms and the chemical and physical factors which influence them

With a partner, take 2-3 minutes and come up with marine examples of the terms listed above!

The ecosystem is affected by…

Biotic Factors

ECOSYSTEM

Abiotic Factors

Biotic Factors

ECOSYSTEM

Abiotic

Factors

The ecosystem is affected by…

What identifies an ecosystem:Biotic Abiotic

Living components of an ecosystem

Nonliving components of an ecosystem

Greek meanings:

Bio = living

tic = of or pertaining to

A = not; without

List 5 examples of each!

Marine Ecosystem Example http://vimeo.com/28417462

Rocky Shore – organisms living here, linked together by flows of energy forming a food web, and their environment

Animals must be able to adapt to changing tides

Habitat Example Hydrothermal vent – provides habitat for species of

tube worms

Population Example Ghost crabs (Ocypode

saratan) living in the sandy shores

Mollusc community on a rocky shore (all different species of molluscs)

Species Examples Skipjack tuna

(Katsuwomus pelamis) Red mangrove trees

(Rhizophora mangle)

Ecological Niche Examples Ecological niche of great white shark = top predator

Organisms which occupy similar niches will tend to compete with each other for

Resources

Food

Space in their habitat

Biodiversity Takes into account:

# of different species present

Range of habitats and ecosystems

Examples:

CORAL REEFSHigh biodiversity w/ many species present

SANDY SHORELow biodiversity w/ few

species present

Quadrat A square used in ecology and geography to isolate a

sample, usually about 1m2 or 0.25m2

Used to investigate the diversity of organisms in a suitable habitat (example: rocky shore or sandy shore)

Symbiosis The relationship between 2 different organisms, where

BOTH derive some benefit from the relationship

Examples

Corals and zooxanthellae

Cleaner fish and grouper

Chemosynthetic bacteria and tubeworms

Parasitism Relationship between organisms where 1 organisms

benefits at the expense of the other (the host)

Parasites obtain nutrients from host

Ectoparasites

Live on OUTSIDE of the host

Example: Fish lice

Endoparasites

Live INSIDE host (digestive system, attached to gills, muscle tissue)

Example: nematodes (roundworms)

living in fish

Trophic Levels

“feeding levels” in a food chain or a food web

Producers 1st trophic level

Primary consumers2nd

trophic level

Secondary consumers 3rd

trophic level

More Terms…Term Definition

Producer Organisms which synthesize organic substances from simple organic compounds using light from the Sun

Consumer An organism that obtains its energy by feeding on other organisms

Primary Consumer

Feed on plant material (AKA Herbivore)

Secondary Consumer

Feed on herbivores ((AKA Carnivore)

Predator An animal that catches, kills, and eats another animal

Predator-Prey Relationship Factors which affect # of predators in an ecosystem

Availability of food

As the # of prey increases the # of predators increases

As the # of prey decrease the # of predators decrease

http://vimeo.com/45154593

What would a graph of this relationship look like? With a partner create a graph? Be prepared to explain your

graph!

Predator-Prey Graph

Chemosynthesis Symbiotic bacteria convert H2S into organic material:

H2S + CO2 + O2 + H20 CH2O + H2SO4

Hydrogen sulphide is the primary energy source for hot vents and cold seeps

What is a Shoal? Large numbers of fish of the SAME species and

approximately the SAME size.

Referred to as a ‘school’ when the group of fish is swimming together in a coordinated way.

Benefits of Shoaling1. Hydrodynamic efficiency

Groups of fish save energy when swimming together

Benefits of Shoaling2. Predator avoidance:

a) Confusion effect: It is difficult for predators to pick out individual prey from groups

b) Many eyes effect as size of group increases, the task of scanning for predators can be spread out

Benefits of Shoaling3. Foraging Advantages : Time taken to find food is

decreased

4. Reproductive Advantages: Provides increased access to potential mates

Types of shoalers Fish can be obligate or facultative shoalers:

Obligate – spends all their time shoaling or schooling and may become agitated when separated from the group (examples: tuna, herring, anchovy)

Facultative – shoal only some of the time, perhaps only for reproductive purposes

(examples: Atlantic cod)

What is Succession? The gradual process of change that occurs in

community structure over a period of time

Example

Succession As plant communities

change the animal communities change.

Succession at Hydrothermal Vents One of the first animal species to inhabit the area

around a hydrothermal vent is the tube worm Tevnia.

Tevnia is replaced by the larger and faster growing tube worm Riftia.

Riftia tubeworms can grow up to two meters

long. This adult tubeworm that has been removed from its white

tube.

Tevnia are usually white, but this clump of worms is stained brown from iron in the vent fluids. The largest worm in this clump (with more white color) is a different species - a Riftiatubeworm.

TevniaRiftia

What is a Whale Fall? When a whale dies, the carcass sinks to the sea

floor…this is known as a “whale fall”

The video below shows the gradual change in the community structure over time

Feast in the Deep

Boneworms on Dead Whales in Monterey Bay

Extreme & Unstable Environments

Tend to have LOW biodiversity!

Example 1: Sand-easily dries out and easily eroded by wind and water currents

Example 2: hydrothermal vents-high pressure, high temperature, few organisms adapted to these conditions

Stable & Favorable EnvironmentsTend to have HIGH biodiversity!

Example: Coral Reefs

Specialized Niche Generalized Niche

Narrow range of food requirements

Live in specific habitat

Example: Butterfly fish

Territorial

Live closely w/corals and anenomes

Exploit a wider range of food sources

Live in wider range of habitats

Ex: Tuna

Migratory

Feed on many different species of fish

Why do habitats with highbiodiversity tend to contain narrow ecological niches?

Each species has its OWN niche within the ecosystem

What would happen if the niches overlapped?

INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION and one species will die out!

Narrow niches reduce overlap and therefore reduce competition

Assignments Complete D.O.D chart [Notebook pg. 16]

Chapter 2: Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Read pgs. 10 – 28

Answer ALL Self-Assessment Questions

#’s 1-9 [Notebook pg. 17]

Begin researching your Marine Organism