Warm-Up
 Write your homework – leave it out to be stamped
 Update your Table of Contents for today!
 REVIEW: What is an ecosystem? What are biotic &
abiotic factors? What are water ecosystems called?
Land ecosystems? How can they be connected?
 Our focus today is marine ecosystems…what does
marine refer to?
Date
Session
#
5/19 &
5/20
8
Activity
Page
#
Ocean Zones & Marine Ecosystems Note Guide
9
Marine Vocabulary Swim
10
Intertidal Zone
 Shoreline area
that falls
between the
high tide and
low tide mark.
Life in the Intertidal Zone
 Animals in this
area are able to
adapt to being
both underwater
and in open air
Common Life Forms:
 Crabs
 Urchins
 Starfish
 Clams
 Snails
 Mussels
Neritic Zone
 The ocean zone
that slopes
down from the
shoreline
towards the
ocean floor.
Life in the Neritic Zone
 Animals in the Neritic
Zone have access to both
shallow and deeper
water. The life in this
zone is very diverse!
Common Life Forms:
 Sea Turtles
 Dolphins
 Seals
 Variety of fish
Oceanic Zone
The oceanic
zone is made
up of the open
waters of the
ocean
Life in the Oceanic Zone
 Marine life varies
greatly due to the
changes in depth,
temperature, pressure
and amount of
sunlight.
Common Life Forms:
 Whales
 Sharks
 Squid
 Angler Fish (deep)
Intertidal
zone
Neritic
zone
Oceanic zone
Marine Ecosystems:
Within these zones are
many different and
separate ecosystems.
Coral Reefs
 Extremely diverse
ecosystems - “The
Rainforests of the
Ocean,” are
sensitive to
change and
protect coastlines
from storm surges
Estuary
An area where
fresh water from
a river mixes
into the salt
water of the
ocean creating
“brackish”
waters
Estuary Demo
 Salt Water is denser than freshwater
therefore it does not fully mix…watch
what happens in our mini estuary
Kelp Forests
 Large underwater
forests of brown
algae that provide
a habitat for
animals and many
resources for
humans
http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/underwaterforests/
http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/seaotterkelphumans/welcome.html
Salt Marshes
A transitional
area between
land and water
that acts like a
filter for
pollution
Mangrove Forests
 A transitional area
between land and
water in tropical
areas that transfer
energy from land
to sea through the
food chain
What About the Deep
Ocean Ecosystem?
 http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-videos/deep-ocean-
explorers
 What are some characteristics of the
deep ocean ecosystem and the
organisms within it?
What Is Ocean Life Like?
Investigate what makes the ocean so
unique by taking a “Vocab Swim”
through the ocean’s…
 Features & Zones
 Nutrients & Processes
 Physical Conditions
 More Unique Ecosystems
 Essential Organisms
The Ocean as a Resource…
What is the value of marine ecosystems…what
do we get from them and what do we use
them for?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euY7vdM5mpE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuW__C9wLPQ