So what are the creatures of the sea? Mermaids?
While Ariel is only fiction, there are many animals or "sea creatures" living underwater.
Here are some examples of animals from each of the zones:
The intertidal zone:
-- small animals like mollusks (mm..scallops!)
-- herbivorous snails, crabs, sea stars, small fishes, invertebrates, worms, clams, and shorebirds.
-- The pelagic zone:
-- whales and dolphins
-- many fish like the bluefin tuna
-- jellyfish
-- seals and sharks
-- The benthic zone:
-- bacteria and fungi
-- sponges and sea anemone
-- worms, sea stars, and fishes
The abyssal zone:
-- the giant squid
-- the black swallower
-- LOTS AND LOTS of bacteria that thrive around the hydrothermal vents (note: these bacteria are remarkable because they can convert hydrogen sulfide that comes out of the vents into energy)
-- tube worms
-- fish such as the tripod fish and the deep-sea anglerfish
Some important animals:
Coral Reefs
-- Coral reefs are found in more shallow parts of the ocean and are quite the attraction.
-- Coral reefs are made up of the limestone skeletons of coral polyps
-- Two types of coral exist: hard coral and soft coral. Hard coral makes up the reefs.
-- Coral prefer temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit - so warmer water.
-- Animals found in the reefs include: sponges, fish (such as black-tip reef sharks, clownfish, eels, parrot fish, snappers, and scorpion fish), jellyfish, anemones, sea stars, crustaceans (such as crabs, shrimp, and lobsters), turtles, sea snakes, and mollusks (such as octopus and clams).
-- There are 3 main types of coral reefs, these are the fringing reefs, the barrier reefs, and the coral attols.
- Fringing reefs: form along the coastline, and grow along the continental shelf in shallow water.
- Barrier Reefs: grow parallel to shorelines, but farther out. They form a barrier between the reef and a lagoon and the sea.
- Coral Attols: rings of coral that grow on old, sunken volcanoes, in the ocean.
Another important topic....
Estuaries.
Estuaries are the areas where a freshwater body meets the ocean. This area has a unique mix of salt concentration and therefore has a unique range of species. Mangrove trees grow here, and have adapted by expunging salt onto their leaves. Many crabs live here, which have adapted by being able to climb trees. Marsh grasses and some seaweeds can also be found here.
Animal Competition and Predator-Prey Relationships:
Animals in the ocean, just like in any biome, are constantly struggling to survive.
-- For example...
-- sharks and swordfish often compete for fish to eat
-- animals that live in coral reefs compete for spots to hide in the coral reef
-- whales and dolphins compete for fish
-- sea animals must compete with fisherman for fish to eat
Some predator-prey relationships include:
-- sharks attack seals from down below them in the water
-- whales eat krill as a food source
-- killer whales eat cod and cod eat mussels
Animal Adaptations:
Ocean Animals must adapt to many things, salt being one of the main ones. Animals also have to deal with obtaining oxygen, adapting to water pressure, dealing with waves and changing temperatures, and getting enough sunlight.
Some examples of how they deal with these things are...
-- fish can eliminate salt water through their gills
-- instead of drinking salt water, whales get water from the organisms they eat
-- some organisms can take oxygen from the water either through gills(fish) or through their skin
-- many ocean animals are cold blooded so their body temperature is the same as their environment
-- some animals have a layer of blubber to keep warm (whales)
-- to adapt to water pressure, some animals, like the sperm whale, have their lungs and ribs collapse when they dive deep
-- because their is low visibility animals use their hearing to find prey
Here are some examples of animals from each of the zones:
The intertidal zone:
-- small animals like mollusks (mm..scallops!)
-- herbivorous snails, crabs, sea stars, small fishes, invertebrates, worms, clams, and shorebirds.
-- The pelagic zone:
-- whales and dolphins
-- many fish like the bluefin tuna
-- jellyfish
-- seals and sharks
-- The benthic zone:
-- bacteria and fungi
-- sponges and sea anemone
-- worms, sea stars, and fishes
The abyssal zone:
-- the giant squid
-- the black swallower
-- LOTS AND LOTS of bacteria that thrive around the hydrothermal vents (note: these bacteria are remarkable because they can convert hydrogen sulfide that comes out of the vents into energy)
-- tube worms
-- fish such as the tripod fish and the deep-sea anglerfish
Some important animals:
Coral Reefs
-- Coral reefs are found in more shallow parts of the ocean and are quite the attraction.
-- Coral reefs are made up of the limestone skeletons of coral polyps
-- Two types of coral exist: hard coral and soft coral. Hard coral makes up the reefs.
-- Coral prefer temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit - so warmer water.
-- Animals found in the reefs include: sponges, fish (such as black-tip reef sharks, clownfish, eels, parrot fish, snappers, and scorpion fish), jellyfish, anemones, sea stars, crustaceans (such as crabs, shrimp, and lobsters), turtles, sea snakes, and mollusks (such as octopus and clams).
-- There are 3 main types of coral reefs, these are the fringing reefs, the barrier reefs, and the coral attols.
- Fringing reefs: form along the coastline, and grow along the continental shelf in shallow water.
- Barrier Reefs: grow parallel to shorelines, but farther out. They form a barrier between the reef and a lagoon and the sea.
- Coral Attols: rings of coral that grow on old, sunken volcanoes, in the ocean.
Another important topic....
Estuaries.
Estuaries are the areas where a freshwater body meets the ocean. This area has a unique mix of salt concentration and therefore has a unique range of species. Mangrove trees grow here, and have adapted by expunging salt onto their leaves. Many crabs live here, which have adapted by being able to climb trees. Marsh grasses and some seaweeds can also be found here.
Animal Competition and Predator-Prey Relationships:
Animals in the ocean, just like in any biome, are constantly struggling to survive.
-- For example...
-- sharks and swordfish often compete for fish to eat
-- animals that live in coral reefs compete for spots to hide in the coral reef
-- whales and dolphins compete for fish
-- sea animals must compete with fisherman for fish to eat
Some predator-prey relationships include:
-- sharks attack seals from down below them in the water
-- whales eat krill as a food source
-- killer whales eat cod and cod eat mussels
Animal Adaptations:
Ocean Animals must adapt to many things, salt being one of the main ones. Animals also have to deal with obtaining oxygen, adapting to water pressure, dealing with waves and changing temperatures, and getting enough sunlight.
Some examples of how they deal with these things are...
-- fish can eliminate salt water through their gills
-- instead of drinking salt water, whales get water from the organisms they eat
-- some organisms can take oxygen from the water either through gills(fish) or through their skin
-- many ocean animals are cold blooded so their body temperature is the same as their environment
-- some animals have a layer of blubber to keep warm (whales)
-- to adapt to water pressure, some animals, like the sperm whale, have their lungs and ribs collapse when they dive deep
-- because their is low visibility animals use their hearing to find prey