Types of Aquatic Ecosytems

1. OVERVIEW OF MARINE AND COASTAL
ECOSYSTEMS ANDTHEIR PHYSICO- CHEMICAL
CHARACTERISTICS
PRESENTED BY:
V.RISHIKA

2. WHATIS ECOSYSTEM?
• A system that includes all living organisms (biotic
factors) in an area as well as its physical
environment(abiotic factors) interacting with each
other and functioning together as a unit.
• An ecosystem is generally made up of
plants,animals,microorganisms,soil,water and the
local atmosphere interacting with each other.

3. MARINE ECOSYSTEM
• Marine ecosystem is the
largest among the earth’s
aquatic ecosystem.
• As 71% of earths surface is
covered by water and
oceans occupy 97% of water
on earth.
• Marine ecosystem has a
wide habitat and rich
diversity of species.

4. • Ocean is called as the “life blood of the earth”.
• 70% of the oxygen human consumes comes from
the marine plants in the ocean.
• Oceans are responsible for removing the CO2 from
atmosphere and producing 02 supporting earth life.
• Marine ecosystem is highly diverse ecosystem.

5. • According to NOAA only about 5% of the ocean is
explored.
• 95% of the ocean is completely unexplored.
• About 2/3rd of the ocean species are yet to be
discovered.
• Ocean is a home for millions of species and is also
responsible for providing life to millions of
organisms on the earth.

6. RECENT DISCOVERIES
Sea cucumber
Mariana snail fish

7. Blob fish
Spiny crab ctenophora Hairy crab

8. BASIC NEEDS OF AN ECOSYSTEM
• CO2
• O2
• Sunlight
• Nutrients-food and minerals

9. SIGNIFICANCE OF PHYSICO CHEMICAL PARAMETERS ON
ECOSYSTEM
• Physico-chemical parameters influence the species
diversity, pattern of diversity,spawning breeding
and reproductive activities.
• Improper balance of these parameters lead to
reproductive failures of organisms and poor species
diversity.
• A balanced physical environment is needed for the
conservation of our rich marine ecosytem.

10. TYPES OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
• Coral reef ecosystem
• Deep sea
• Kelp forests
• Polar seas
• Open ocean

11. CORAL REEFS
• A coral polyp is a tubular sac like animal with a central
mouth surrounded by tentacles.
• Base is attached to the substrate.

12. CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM
• Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems held
together by calcium carbonate structures.
• Coral reefs are believed to have the highest
biodiversity than any other ecosystem.
• The rich biodiversity in oceans is because of corals
supporting 33% of the marine life.
• Coral reefs exhibit symbiotic relationship with
unicellular algae zooxanthellae.

13. Moray eel Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)
Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

14. Brittle star Sea pen
Serpulid worm (Serpula
columbiana)

15. EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON CORAL REEFS:
• Corals are very sensitive to changes in the temperature.
• Due to the increase of temperature corals cannot persist
zooxanthellae in their tissues and expels them into the
water.
• Without zooxanthellae corals turn white because the
algae provides food and required colour by
photosynthesis.
• White unhealthy corals are called bleached corals.

16. CONTD:
• Bleached corals are weak , have
reduced growth rates,decreased
reproductive activity and
susceptible to diseases.
• Coral bleaching effects the
complete marine ecosystem and
biodiversity.
• Decline in genetic and species
diversity occurs due to
bleaching.

17. BLEACHED CORALS DEAD CORALS

18. EFFECT OF CARBON DIOXIDE
• Most of the CO2 that enters into the
atmosphere by human activities and
burning of fossil fuels dissolves in
the ocean.
• As carbon dioxide in the oceans
increases PH decreases ad the water
becomes more acidic.
• Due to ocean acidification corals
cannot absorb calcium carbonate
into their tissues and the corals
become softy and destroyed.

19. Deep sea ecosystem
• The deep sea floor represents
the largest habitat on earth.
• It ranges from the edge of
the continental shelf at 200m
to the bottom of the ocean.
• The deep sea zone is no light
zone or aphotic zone.
• Extreme pressure
• Cold water
Goblin shark

20. CHARACTERISTICS OF DEEP SEA ECOSYSTEM
• The temperature of the waters of the deep sea
varies from 4°C to -1°C.
• The lowest temperatures are found in the Antarctic
Ocean and are about -1.9°C.
• The most predictable physical variable is hydrostatic
pressure.
• For 10m increase in depth the pressure increases by
1atm.

21. • On the deep-sea floor, many mounds and
depressions are formed by benthic animals such as
worms, molluscs, crustaceans, starfish, brittlestars,
shrimps, fishes, sea cucumbers and sea urchins.
• Because the deep-sea floor is poor in food
resources, it cannot support large populations of big
animals.
• For this reason, many animals adopt a “sit and
wait” strategy. This strategy means that the animals
stay at one place and wait until food falls down on
them or carried to them in the currents.

22. BIOTIC FEATURES
• The organisms commonly found on deep sea are
angler fish,jelly fish,squid,octopus and giant clams.
• The organisms present in the deep sea
communicate by bioluminiscence and fluoroscence.

23. Deep-sea bottom with fish Gorgonian feeding on basket star
Squid with many light organs
Jelly fish

24. Foraminifera
Radiolaria
Isopod
Nematode
Polychaete worm

25. KELP FORESTS
• Kelp forests are large brown
algae that live in cool, shallow
waters close to the shore.
• Kelp can grow 20 inches per day.
• These underwater kelps provide
food and shelter for thousands
of fish, Invertebrates and marine
mammal species.
• They generally occur in cool
nutrient rich waters.

26. OPEN OCEAN
• These are the areas of water that
are not near shore.
• The open ocean is offshore beyond
the continental shelf and tidal
influence.
• Ocean water is clear moving water
because of winds and major ocean
currents.
• Characterised by presence of large
schools of fishes, mammals, whales
and sharks.

27. POLAR SEA
• Despite the harsh whether
and ice cover, polar seas are
teeming with life.
• Cold water and little sunlight
during few periods of the
year.
• Dominated by ice, snow and
cold temperatures.
• Animals such as polar bears,
beluga whales,krill,seals and
penguins are present.

28. COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
• Coastal ecosystems are areas where land and water
join to create an environment with a distinct
structure, diversity and flow of energy.
• Coastal ecosystems support 1/3rd of world
population.

29. TYPES OF COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS
• Mangroves
• Sandy shore
• Rocky shore
• Barrier islands
• Estuaries

30. MANGROVES?
• Mangroves are shrubs and trees that grow in saline
coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropics.
• They grow in loose, wet soils, salt water and are
periodically submerged by tidal flows.
• Their distribution is affected by climate,salinity of
water, fluctuation of tides and type of soil.
• They are unique ecosystems generally found along
sheltered coasts.

31. IMPORTANCE OF MANGROVES
• They are the buffer zone between land and sea.
• They provide food,nesting and nursery areas for many
animals which include atleast 200 fish species,20
reptiles and amphibian species,15 mammal species
and over 150 bird species.
• Protects the soil from erosion.
• Purify the water by absorbing nutrients and harmful
heavy metals.

34. ABIOTIC COMPONENTS OF
MANGROVES
PH:
• Neutral or slightly acidic due to the sulfur reducing
bacteria and the presence of acidic silt.
Oxygen:
• Dissolved oxygen is low.
• Mangroves are home for anaerobic bacteria which
releases hydrogen sulfide gas when the bacteria utilise
organic matter without oxygen.

35. NUTRIENTS:
• As the mangrove soil is perpetually waterlogged, there is
a little free oxygen.
• Anaerobic bacteria liberate nitrogen gas,soluble
iron,inorganic phosphates and methane which makes the
soil less nutritious.
SALINITY:
• They grow in water having higher salinities.
• To tolerate the salinities the plants having some special
modifications.

36. ADAPTATIONS TO SALINITY
WAXY LEAVES:
• Leaf have coated with waxy cuticle on the
outer side that prevents water loss.

37. SALT EXCLUSION AT LEAVES:
• Mangroves have ability to exclude salt at the
surface of their leaves.
• In this way the salt content in the plant is regulated.

38. PNEMATOPHORES:
• These are the breathing roots from underground
root system, which appear laterally.
• These roots are used for respiration of the plant.

39. MODIFICATION OF ANIMALS:
MUDSKIPPER:
• This fish has modified fins which helps to move on the
land.
• It breathes through the damp skin and by holding water in
its mouth.
• Huge eyes on top of it to see better,allowing it to hunt for
prey and escape from predators.

40. TREE CLIMBING CRABS
• During high tide the tree climbing crab climbs up a tree to
avoid being eaten by predatory fish.
• Once out of the water it shows some behavioural patterns
to avoid predation.

41. EFFECT OF SEA RISE LEVEL ON MANGROVES
• Rise of sea level leads to threats to mangroves.
• Leads to increased erosion ,salinity and mangrove
inundation.
• Forces mangroves to migrate landwards.
CHANGES IN SALINITY AND PRECIPITATION
• 90% of the mangrove degradation occurs due to
high salinity ,high temperature and low
precipitation.
• Reduced fresh water flow affects the growth and
survival of mangroves.

42. SANDY SHORE

43. • Sandy shores or beaches are loose deposits of sand, gravel
or shells that cover the shoreline in many places.
• Sandy shores have soft bottoms and they are unstable and
shift in response to waves, tides and currents. so
organisms do not have solid places to attach.
• Beaches serve as buffer zones or shock absorbers that
protect the coastline, sea cliffs or dunes from direct wave
attack.
• It is an extremely dynamic environment where sand,
water and air are always in motion.

44. • Sandy beaches are soft shores that are
formed by deposition of particles that have
been carried by water currents from other
areas.
• The two main types of beach material
are quartz (=silica) sands of terrestrial origin
and carbonate sands of marine origin. The
carbonate sand is weathered from mollusc
shells and skeletons.

45. • Sandy beaches generally seems lifeless when
compared to other ecosystems, however they
have a surprising amount of biodiversity.
• The sandy shore has low diversity but greater
abundance.
• Animals in sandy beach ecosystem need to
adopt to constantly changing environment.
• They need to deal with tides, wave action and
water currents, which all may sweep marine
animals off the beach,and also move sand and
rock to different locations.

46. ADAPTATIONS TO FLUCTUATING
ENVIRONMENT
• Marine life in a sandy beach
ecosystem may burrow in
the sand to prevent wash
away by the waves.
• They need to move quickly
out of reach of the waves.

47. • Several groups of vertebrates make use of sandy beaches
for foraging, nesting and breeding.
• Turtles nest on the backshore of sandy beaches.
• Birds use the beach for foraging, nesting and roosting.
• Seals use several areas of the beach for nesting, molting,
breeding and raising pups.
• Other terrestrial animals such as otters, baboons,
raccoons, lions,… They descend onto the beach to forage.
LIFE ON SANDY SHORE

48. Prickly pear cactus
Beach mouse
Sea oats

49. Tubeworm Lanice conchilega
Amphipod Onisimus edwardsi
Bivalves

50. SIGNIFICANCE
• Beaches are widely used for recreational activities.
• They are significant for their natural
beauty,heritage,and education.

51. ROCKY SHORE

52. • Rocky shore is an intertidal zone of water
between high tide and low tide.
• To live on a rocky shore organisms must have
the following adaptations that allow them to
prevent:
 Removal from the substrate by waves(e.g.byssus
threads in mussels,hold fast in algae.
 Physical damage from waves(limpets have thick,low
profile shells and digs pits in the rocks).
 Dessication(run and hide or clam up).
 Temperature extreme fatality
 Salinity extreme fatality

53. • A rocky shore is an intertidal area that consists of solid
rocks.
• Characterized by biologically different habitats - steep
rocky cliffs, platforms, rock pools and boulder fields.
• Erosion is a common feature due to continuous action
of the tides.
• Organisms must be able to tolerate extreme changes in
temperature, salinity, moisture and wave action to
survive daily fluctuations in their environment.

54. LIFE ON ROCKY SHORE
• Marine algae
• Birds
• Invertebrates such as crabs,lobsters,sea
stars,urchins,mussels,sea squirts and sea
anemones.
• Fish
• Seals and sea lions.

56. SIGNIFICANCE

57. BARRIER ISLANDS

58. BARRIER ISLANDS
• Barrier islands are coastal landforms.
• A type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or
lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal
action parallel to the mainland coast.
• They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything
from a few islands to more than a dozen.
• They are separated from the main land by a shallow
sound, bay, or lagoon and are often found in chains
along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico

59. THANK YOU