Student

Ocean Facts Oceans are interconnected bodies of salt

water. They cover 70.8% of the Earth’s surface or

139,782,000 sq. miles.(97% of all water) Floor spreads at a rate of 2 in. per year. The shapes of the continents and oceans are

changing. In an ecosystem (like the ocean) there are 4

abiotic (non-living) factors:W,So,Su, and A.

Animals - Moon Jellyfish ( Biotic) 3’’ high & 16’’ wide Umbrella shaped and

translucent Have stringy tentacles Feeding tube-short and

expands M&F- Specific Colors Characteristics are

Adaptations for life

Moon Jellyfish - Habitat

The Moon Jellyfish floats near the surface just off the shore.

The habitats range from the Atlantic to Florida and Mexico plus Alaska to Southern California.

Animals - Lined Seahorse

-5’’ and has a vertical compressed body w/ camouflage. Is a Biotic organism. Color is light brown, gray, etc. (speckled w/ white or gold dots) Dorsal Fin is like a fan. Very poor swimmers (H20) Its color, body, etc. are its adaptations.

Lined Seahorse - Habitat

The Lined Seahorse is usually around vegetation like eelgrasses and sargassum. The habitats range from Nova Scotia to Argentina plus Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico.

Animals - Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Can be 13’, 9’’long

Elongatedcompressedhead (lateral)

Eyes are on eachside of head

Gray = topWhite = bottom

Usually foundeating fishesand squids

Can attack theirown kind plushumans

Can be found inocean and inestuaries

Ranges fromNew Jersey toSouth Brazil

Also Ranges atGoM andCaribbean

More on the Hammerhead

NJ-----------S. Brazil

13’ and 9’’

Animals - Pacific Pink Scallop

2-31/4’’ highand like acircle

Front and hindears on body(squarish)

Small teeth onlower marginof body

Ex: white,yellow, orange,& pur.

Right valve ispaler. Haverounded ribs.

Lower part issmoothed. En.is paler

Encased indifferentsponges

Rocks, sand,mud, low tideto 500’

S. Alaska toSanta Barbara,CA

S

C

A

LLOP

Sand

Rock

500’

Low Tide

Golf of Mexico - Climate

The climate can change from tropical to subtropical.

Hurricane season is from June 1 to Nov. 1

GoM = Gulf of Mexico

Ocean and weather conditions are good for forming hurricanes in this area.

Hurricanes spawned in the Atlantic can move through the gulf also.

GoM - Other Facts

Major habitat for birds that winter along the coasts and islands

A lot of fish are along the continental shelf

Shrimps, shellfish, flounder, red snappers, mullet, oysters, and crabs are good food for humans.

GoM - Human Activity

The population generates sewage and wastes that go into fresh and salt waters.

Drilling brings oil spills that kill organisms.

Erosion has caused the sinking of wetlands.

GoM - Human Effects

Algae and oxygen depletion causes destruction to fish.

Pollution and filling have destroyed almost half of the gulfs man groves and coral reefs.

GoM -Temperatures/Tidal Range

In Feb. it can be 64 degrees F in the N. and 76 degrees F in the S. or the Yucatan coast.

In the summer it can get to 90 degrees F but it usually stays the same.

The tidal range is small (Less than 2 ft.).

The Food Web

C o n su m e rs:S e co n d a ry

T e rtia ry :(W e a re te rt ia rya n d o m n ivo re s)

D e co m p o se rs(P o llu tio n canca u se h a rm )

P ro d u ce rsT yp e tit le h e re

Animals in Food Web

B a le e n W h a le (S C)Z o o p la n k to n (S C)

T u n a (T C )S h a rks (T C )

L o b s te rs (D )B a c te ria (D )

P h y to p lan k to n (P )Z o o p la n k to n (C )

Zones - Sealife

Water column of the ocean is an ecosystem called the pelagic zone. Life forms in it are near the surface (a lot of light).

The neritic zone is the part that is above the continental shelves.

Finally, the littoral zone is along the shoreline (exposed to the air in certain times of the day - low tides).

Zones - By Light

05000

10000150002000025000300003500040000

Depth by

Feet

Zones

Different Depths of Zones

SunlightTwilightDark

Surface waters = sunlight zone

Next level is the twilight zone - (supports at least 850 species of fish)

Deepest region is the dark zone - (no light)

O

C

EA

N

S

The ocean can be a very interesting ecosystem.

There are a lot of facts, including zones, food web, temperature, effects, animals, and more.

Even with all our knowledge about the ocean, we still have a lot to learn in the future.

Resources Cited

“eNature Online Field Guides.” www.enature.com. 23 April 2001

“Gulf of Mexico.” Britannica.com. 23 April 2001

Weigel, Marlene. Encyclopedia of Biomes. (Vol.2). Farmington Hills: The Gale Group, 2000.