Both runoff of fresh water from the land and rainfall may dilute water along the seashore. Alternatively, tide pools may become saltier than the sea because of evaporation during exposure at low tide. Both perturbations tend to increase in magnitude as height above the mean low tide line increases (Laboratory Manual for Principles of Biology, 1992). [pic] Figure 1. The marine intertidal zone.
Lab 1 – Introduction to Science Exercise 1: The Scientific Method Dissolved oxygen is oxygen that is trapped in a fluid, such as water. Since many living organisms require oxygen to survive, it is a necessary component of water systems such as streams, lakes, and rivers in order to support aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen is measured in units of parts per million (ppm). Examine the data in Table 4 showing the amount of dissolved oxygen present and the number of fish observed in the body of water the sample was taken from and then answer the questions below. QUESTIONS 1.
These organisms that are able to have adaptations that enable their survival in these harsh conditions are known as highly specialised organisms. The greater the degree of specialisation an organism has to a particular set of environmental conditions the more vulnerable that organisms is to changes in those conditions. An example is coral – Corals are highly specialised organism that flourishes in relatively shallow, nutrient deficient waters of the tropics. Any increase in nutrient levels promotes the growth of algae and the destruction of the coral. Proximity to large concentrations of people is another important factor contributing to ecosystem vulnerability.
Oxygen levels remain relatively unchanged until elevation levels reach 50,000 feet. The reason for the body’s inability to get oxygen at higher elevations is due to atmospheric pressure. At higher levels, the atmospheric pressure is increasing. Therefore, the amount of oxygen per breath is less. At sea level, the air pressure is 760 mmHg.
A study on this topic was done to explore how much of an impact these tiny animals have on the ocean currents as they travel in masses. The thought behind this was the mere through of how many of these organisms are contained in our bodies of water, and how larger singular mammals such as jellyfish can move sizable amounts of water by swimming (Lee, 2014, p.1). The study performed was a test with a small organism called brine shrimp, or the nickname “Sea Monkeys”. “Wind-and tide-driven currents move nutrients, heat, and salt around the ocean, and help to regulate the planet's temperature, Dabiri says. In recent years, scientists have started to seriously consider whether collective animal movements—like plankton swimming up and down en masse—could also be contributing to currents” (Lee, 2014, p.1).
Aquatic environments are generally split into three categories; fresh water, marine (salt water) and estuarine (a combination of salt and fresh water). The organisms that live in each of these environments have specific adaptations that allow them to respond to changes in their surrounds. Fish generally prefer either fresh water or salt water and are unable to cope with a change from one to the other. For example the cells in fresh water fish are saltier than the surrounding water, so due to osmosis (the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane) water is constantly flowing into its body. For this reason fresh water fish require very efficient kidneys to remove all of the extra water, and methods of maintaining and collecting the salt lost through urination.
The salinity and temperature of the water influence its density, and the differences in density are the major factor in understanding the formation of currents and the positions of water masses in the sea. In addition, temperature and salinity play major roles in influencing the distribution of plants and animals. The sediments of the sea floor may be divided into lithogenous, hydrogenous, biogenous, and cosmogenous sediments. Lithogenous sediments are the major sediments on the ocean floor. They are derived from the chemical and mechanical weathering of rocks.
Chad Walker 1/25/12 Bio 151 MW 4:00-5:15 Biological Adaptation Assignment Biological adaptation is necessary for a species to increase their fitness in an environment. As organisms face different environmental challenges they must be able to develop different phenotypic traits over time to respond to the conditions. One example of an organism that can adapt to different extreme environments would be the bull shark. Bull sharks may seem like a typical shark because they are most often seen in marine habitats, but they can survive elsewhere. What I find peculiar about the bull shark is its ability to live in both marine habitats and freshwater habitats.
In larger organisms, simple diffusion is not an efficient way of transporting gases between cells in the body and the gas exchange surface. In many animals a blood circulatory system carries gases to and from the gas exchange surface. The gas-carrying capacity of the blood is increased by respiratory pigments, such as haemoglobin. Animals with an internal gas exchange surface ventilate it by passing fresh air or water through their
Phytoplankton populations have also been affected by the warming temperatures in the ocean. Phytoplankton play a role in the conversion of carbon dioxide into organic carbon, and since the rising temperature of the ocean has caused a decrease in the phytoplankton population, higher carbon dioxide levels endanger other marine life, like the coral reefs mentioned earlier. Callum Roberts, a professor at the University of York, explains the importance of marine life by stating that, “They are essential to the health of the oceans and the well-being of