Let’s get the facts….
Marine Aquatic Ecosystems – Chapter 16
Ocean ecosystems
1. The ocean can be divided into three general areas – photic zone, pelagic, and benthic. For each layer:
a. give the location in the ocean
b. source of energy for organism living there
c. examples of organisms living there
2. Which are of the ocean is the most productive? What does that mean?
Kelp Forest
3. What is kelp?
4. Why is kelp important in the ocean?
5. What are other uses for kelp?
6. Don’t forget about the warm-up – disappearance of the sea otter example.
Coral Reefs
7. What is coral?
8. What are coral reefs? What gives them their color?
8. What is a barrier reef? An atoll?
9. Why are coral reefs important?
10. What is coral bleaching and what is causing it?
11. Explain 4 other problems that are causing damage to coral reefs.
Intertidal Zones
12. Where is the intertidal zone located?
13. What adaptations must organisms living in this area have?
14. What organisms would you find living here?
Salt Marshes
15. Where are salt marshes located?
16. What type of plants would you find in a salt marsh?
17. Why are they important?
18. How have salt marshes been damaged?
Mangrove Forest
19. Where mangrove forest located?
20. What type of plants would you find in a mangrove forest?
21. Why are they important?
22. How have mangrove forest been damaged?
Estuaries
23. What are estuaries?
24. Why would estuaries be considered an ecotone?
25. What type of organisms live in an estuary?
26. Why are they important?
27. How have mangrove forest been damaged?
Let’s get the facts….
Marine Aquatic Ecosystems – Chapter 16
Ocean ecosystems
1. The ocean can be divided into three general areas – photic zone, pelagic, and benthic. For each layer:
a. give the location in the ocean
b. source of energy for organism living there
c. examples of organisms living there
2. Which are of the ocean is the most productive? What does that mean?
Kelp Forest
3. What is kelp?
4. Why is kelp important in the ocean?
5. What are other uses for kelp?
6. Don’t forget about the warm-up – disappearance of the sea otter example.
Coral Reefs
7. What is coral?
8. What are coral reefs? What gives them their color?
8. What is a barrier reef? An atoll?
9. Why are coral reefs important?
10. What is coral bleaching and what is causing it?
11. Explain 4 other problems that are causing damage to coral reefs.
Intertidal Zones
12. Where is the intertidal zone located?
13. What adaptations must organisms living in this area have?
14. What organisms would you find living here?
Salt Marshes
15. Where are salt marshes located?
16. What type of plants would you find in a salt marsh?
17. Why are they important?
18. How have salt marshes been damaged?
Mangrove Forest
19. Where mangrove forest located?
20. What type of plants would you find in a mangrove forest?
21. Why are they important?
22. How have mangrove forest been damaged?
Estuaries
23. What are estuaries?
24. Why would estuaries be considered an ecotone?
25. What type of organisms live in an estuary?
26. Why are they important?
27. How have mangrove forest been damaged?