4.2 pg. C. 121 Conditions Differ Away From

Shore

By: Tiara Liebe and Joanne Solfest

Ocean Environments Change in Depth and Distance from Shore

• Near shore- sunlight reaches most of the way to the ocean bottom

• The ocean supports many kinds of living things• The temperature stays constant from the

surface to the bottom

The Waters near shore support diverse life forms

• More animals live near shore, mostly microscopic organisms.

• Two Important habitats near shore are the kelp forest and the coral reef.

• Kelp forests are found in cooler waters.• Coral Reefs are found in tropical warm waters.

Coral ReefsKelp Forests

Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs- built-up limestone deposits formed by large colonies of ant-sized organisms called corals

• When coral dies it produces a hard layer of limestone• New generations of coral grow on top of that, for example Australia’s

Great Barrier Reef is about 2,000 kilometers long.• Coral eats algae• Turn to page C.122 and read 2nd paragraph under Coral Reefs• Coral reefs contain 25% of all the species in the ocean• Coral reefs are endangered habitats due to pollution that is dumped

in the water.Here is a game about coral reefs. http://www.coralfilm.com/fun.html#mult(Find “Test of Knowledge” and click on Beginner “Go”.)

Coral Reef Organisms

Anemone’s can paralyze fish with it’s stinging tentacles.

The Anemone fish can survive in the Anemone because it covers itself with mucus.

The parrot fish uses its hard teeth to chew on coral.

The moray eel spends its day hidden in cracks or holes in the reef.

The giant clam can grow to be over 1 meter long.

Kelp Forests

Kelp Forests- a large community of kelp, a type of seaweed that can attach to the ocean floor.

• Kelp live in cold waters• Kelp attaches itself to the ocean floor• Kelp uses sunlight to produce food• Turn to page C.124 and read the Kelp Forest

Section!

Kelp Forest Organisms

The Star Fish LobstersAbalones

Octopuses

Environments in the open ocean change with depth

• Read the first paragraph on page C. 126

Surface Zone

Phytoplankton- microscopic floating organisms that live in water, and like plants, convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into food.

• phytoplankton are an important source of oxygen that you breathe

• Zooplankton eat phytoplankton• Phytoplankton’s bodies have big surface areas and

use their bubble droplets to stay near the ocean floor.

Deep Zone

• The deep zone lies under the surface zone• Since no sunlight reaches the deep zone, no

plants can live there.• Many deep-sea animals must eat each other

for food, or rely on food drifting down from above.

Life in the Open Ocean

Dolphins

Jellyfish

Phytoplankton

Zooplankton

• the surface zone is the top 200 meters of the ocean.

•Many kinds of phytoplankton and zooplankton live in the surface zone.

No sunlight reaches below this line

The anglerfish is a predator that lives in the deep zone.

New Discoveries about ocean life continue

• In 1977, scientists found ocean-life on the deep ocean floor including crabs, fish, mussels, shrimp, giant clams, and tubeworms, these animals live near opening in Earth’s crust.

Hydrothermal vents- an opening in the sea floor from which heated water rises and mixes with the ocean water above.

• Scientists found that at hydrothermal vents depend on a special type of bacteria, some animals that live there eat this bacteria

Hypothermal vents

Your Homework!

Do your 3 key concept questions on page C.128