Exploring the Continental Shelf
land at the edge of a continent that is covered by salt water that slowly slopes downward before the ocean floor drops off quickly
What is the continental shelf?
Name for organisms that are large and swim around with more powered motion.
What is Nekton?
large herbivores who rely on sea grasses for food; nicknamed "sea cows"
What are manatees?
a beautiful and diverse habitat found in shallow waters of the neritic zone, containing remarkable and vibrant species
What is a coral reef?
a biological partnership between two or more species that benefits BOTH species
What is mutualism?
ocean waters above the continental shelf
What is the neritic zone?
the zone of the ocean that includes the floor and all creatures who live there
What is the benthic zone?
a dramatic temporary increase in algae that suffocates other animal species on the continental shelf
What is algae bloom?
small, individual organisms, much like the sea anemone, that make up a coral reef.
What is a polyp?
when coral loses its color and turns white, due to extreme temperatures and other stressors like pollution
What is coral bleaching?
A combination of sunlight and these which are dredged up from the bottom of the ocean or dumped into the ocean from the mouthwaters of rivers, help organisms grow
What are nutrients?
tiny free floating organisms found in the litterol zone
What are plankton?
leads to fertilizer and sewage entering the ocean and triggering algae blooms, particularly near esuaries
the two main categories of coral
What are "hard" and "soft"?
organisms that grow along the bottom or even on top of old corals
What are sea sponges and sea anemones?
the process used to create food using sunlight; utilized by producers at the bottom of a food chain.
What is photosynthesis?
includes crabs, lobsters, clams, oysters, and more
What are benthos?
the chemical responsible for respiration in organisms that is removed from water by algae blooms
What is oxygen?
The chemical responsible for the hard exterior of some types of coral that grows at a rate of centimeters or less per year
What is calcium carbonate?
the biggest coral reef predators that can grow to the length of a small car
What are giant groupers?
the name for the neritic zone, intertidal zone, estuaries, and all near shore habitats
What is the litteral zone?
organisms that have a dramatic influence on their ecosystem, the over abundance or absence of which would completely destroy the ecosystem (ex: the presence of otters in a kelp forest)
What is a keystone species?
an Old Testament reference to Jesus that is found in the book of Psalms which helps us to view His presence in our faith as a "keystone"
What is a cornerstone?
harpoon-like organelles that coral polyps use to hunt food
What are cnidocysts?
big groups that help confuse predators so they do not know who to attack-- or if the group is actually one big fish!
What are schools of fish?