Ch. 13 - Communities and Ecology of the Offshore Oceans

How is the North Atlantic Ocean portrayed as the "standard" cold-temperate ocean?

Contrast the compensation depth with the critical depth.

Describe seasonal patterns for a typical phytoplankter in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Light Comp. Depth Stirring Depth

Winter

Spring

Summer

Fall

What role does the thermocline have? What is it? When does it form?

Contrast the Sargasso Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean.

Contrast the North Polar Sea to the North Atlantic Ocean.

Contrast the North Polar Sea to the South Polar Ocean.

Where and why does upwelling occur?

How is net primary productivity (NPP) defined?

Contrast eutrophic and oligotrophic ocean communities. Where are they? Contrast them with the "apple index."

Where is the mesopelagic community? What are its typical organisms? How do they get their food?

Suggest alternative (not necessarily mutually exclusive) hypotheses that might account for vertical migration of mesopelagic animals.

What affect does vertical migration have on overall oceanic productivity?

Where is the bathypelagic community?What are its typical organisms? How do they get their food?

Describe some feeding and reproductive adaptations to life in this environment.

What is typical ocean bottom? What organisms are there? About how dense are they?

Where do hydrothermal vent communities occur? How do they contrast with typical ocean bottom communities?

Describe the energy flow of a hydrothermal vent community.What are some feeding adaptations of hydrothermal vent communities?