Name: ________________________ Period: _________________ Date: __________________
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. Circle the type of relationship this is…
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?
McClellan 2014
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.
7. Since the aphotic zone does not receive enough sunlight for photosynthesis, plankton are not present.
What is basis of the food chain here?
8. Explain how the dumbo octopus swims differently than other octopus species, and why this would be
an advantage in the aphotic zone.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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?