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Planet Earth – Ocean Deep
Based on the BBC Planet Earth DVD
1. What is the limiting factor for most animal life in the open ocean?
The Euphotic zone
The first segment covers the top part of the ocean, where there is enough sunlight for photosynthesis.
2. What producers serve as the basis of the food chain in this layer of the ocean?
3. The whale shark is accompanied by pilot fish, who ingest any parasites they find on the surface of
the shark’s skin. Identify the relationship as predator-prey, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, or
interspecific competition.
4. Make a food web based on the segment you just watched. Include the following: sunlight,
whale sharks, plankton, bait fish, yellowfin tuna
5. Why is a strong sense of taste so important for open ocean predators like oceanic whitetip sharks?
6. What adaptation is present in the dolphins that help them in searching for prey?
7. Would you classify the relationship between the dolphins and Cory’s Shearwaters as interspecific
competition or mutualism? Explain.
8. Describe any adaptations you see in the manta ray that help it gather food.
The Aphotic zone
The second segment covers the bottom part of the ocean, where there is not enough sunlight for photosynthesis.
The adaptations of these animals are very similar, however, focusing on energy conservation and gathering
food.
9. Since the aphotic zone does not receive enough sunlight for photosynthesis, plankton are not present.
What is basis of the food chain here?
10. Describe an adaptation that the sea spider has for gathering food and conserving energy.
a. Gathering Food –
b. Conserving Energy –
11. Explain how the dumbo octopus swims differently than other octopus species, and why this would be
an advantage in the aphotic zone.
12. The vampire squid produces bioluminescence. What is bioluminescence, and how does the squid
produce it? What advantage does it give to the squid?
The Ocean Floor
The third segment covers the floor of the ocean itself. This is the darkest part of the ocean and experiences the
highest amount of water pressure.
13. Describe the physical layout of the ocean floor.
14. Finding food at the ocean floor can be very challenging. Compare the methods of gathering food used
by sea urchins, shrimp, and monkfish.
Sea Urchins –
Shrimp –
Monkfish –
15. Isopods, crabs, and eels are all considered scavengers. Describe their niche in the ocean floor
ecosystem.
16. Why are scavengers so important to an ecosystem?
Black Smokers and Chimneys
Certain areas of the ocean floor have hydrothermal vents; an area where superheated water from below the
ocean floor is able to escape.
17. The community of organisms around the black smoker lives completely independently of the sun.
Describe the food chain of this community. What serves as the base source of energy?
18. Why are the types of organisms that live at each underwater hot vent so dramatically different?
19. What happened to the community of tubeworms that caused it to die off?
The Coral Reef
The next segment covers a coral reef; the most biodiverse ecosystem in the ocean. The first coral reef is in the
aphotic zone, along a massive underwater volcano. The second is in the euphotic zone.
20. Whip corals and sponges both rely on marine snow as a food source. How does each collect it
differently?
21. How does the nautilus move, if it does not have fins or a tail?
22. Describe the relationship between the butterfly fish and the Mola mola (Ocean Sunfish).
23. Why would being so incredibly light for its size be an advantage for frigate birds:
24. Hypothesize why the sea turtles choose to lay their eggs on land, even though the newly hatched turtles
are so vulnerable.
The Open Ocean
The last segment once more explores the open ocean, far from any coast or reef.
25. How do the sailfish communicate with each other during a hunt?
26. Why is the blue whale such a vulnerable species?
Classification
This is a listing of some of the prominent animals from Planet Earth Deep Oceans. Mark which phylum each
would fall into, and give one defining characteristic for that animal.
Vampire Squid
Sea Urchins
Shrimp
Monkfish
Isopods
Crabs
Whip corals
Sponges
Nautilus
Chordata
Dumbo Octopus
Annelida
Sawtooth Eel
Echinodermata
Sea Spider
Arthropoda
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Mollusca
Yellowfin Tuna
Ctenophora
Baitfish
Cnidaria
Porifera
Whale Shark