Ocean HabitatsChapter 12

Animals of the Benthos

98% of marine species are benthic Hydrothermal vents Rocky shore Sandy shore Coral reefs

Coral Reefs of the World(Figure 12-16)

Coral Reefs: Tops in Marine Biodiversity

Coral & Zooxanthellae(Figure 12-14)

Coral Reef Morphology(Figure 12-17)

wave surge, currents, sunlight, water depth

National Marine Sanctuaries

Map courtesy of NOAA National Marine Sanctuary System

The World Ocean Floor

Maps courtesy of National Park of American Samoa

Artwork by Jayne Doucette, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

By OrSt grad student Emily Larkin

FBNMS: Some Major Issues Natural & human impacts

– Crown-of-thorns invasion, hurricanes, bleaching– Illegal fishing, sewage outfall

Photos courtesy of NOAA National Marine Sanctuary System

FBNMS: Some Major Issues Prior to 2001…–Sanctuary largely unexplored below depths of ~30-60 m

– no comprehensive documentation of the plants, animals, and submarine topography.

Little is known of tropical “twilight zone” – shelf-edge (50-120 m deep) of coral reef habitats throughout the world

Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 2001 bathy

Images courtesy of Kip Evans, Nat. Geographic and Rich Pyle, Bishop Museum

SCUBA / Rebreather Technology

Rebreather Dive Mission, FBNMS, 2001

GIS Terrain Analysis of the Bathymetry

Emily Lundblad, OrSt M.S. Thesis

Emily Lundblad, OrSt M.S. Thesis

More “Ground Truthing”Towboard survey

2005 Hawaii Undersea Research Lab

Submersible DivesR/V Ka‘imikai-o-Kanaloa Pisces V

Map by OrSt grad student Emily Larkin

HURL Cruise KoK0510 Dives

Short program - 3 dives–Taema Bank (2), Fagatele Canyon (1)

32 species of invertebrates IDed

91 species of fish 9 new “records,” i.e., never before seen in American Samoa

Map by former OrSt grad student Emily Larkin

Black-blotched stingray, 100-200 m

Deepsea Coralslive off of the dead

Desmophyllum cristagalli

www.divediscover.whoi.edu