Terms of Use All rights reserved. No part of this packet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means - electronic, mechanical, photo-copies, recording, or otherwise - without prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by US copyright law. Copyright Natural Beach Living You are permitted to use this file for personal use only. You may download the file to your own computer and print it as many times as you need for your own family. Please DO NOT edit or share the file. DO NOT store these on any website, forum, or other online venue. DO NOT present this file as your own creation. DO NOT resell or distribute to other people. If you would like to share this file with others, please share the blog post link not the direct download link. Questions or concerns: naturalbeachliving@gmail.com.
What is Marine Biology? Marine biology is the study of life in the ocean. This huge body of saltwater covers about twothirds of our planet's surface and contains many different marine ecosystems. Life within it is more diverse than life on land!
Life in the Ocean Sea creatures have special adaptations which allow them to live underwater. The flounder is a fish that can disguise itself to mimic its surroundings. Its ability to camouflage helps it to survive. Humans get oxygen by breathing air through their lungs. Fish get oxygen from the water through their gills. Sea turtles have flippers that help it move quickly through the water. An octopus can squirt a blast of water to propel itself through the water. The anglerfish dangles a light to lure its prey.
The sunlit zone is near the top of the ocean. It is full of life. Algae bloom here, and provides food for other animals that live in this zone. Seals, sea turtles, sea lions, manta rays, and sharks are just a few of the animals that live in the sunlit zone. The twilight zone is darker and colder than the sunlit zone., Zooplankton and sea snow provide most of the food for the animals that live in the twilight zone. Viper fish, squid, and the chambered nautilus are just a few of the animals found in the twilight zone. The dark (or midnight) zone is ice cold, and there are very few animals that live here. Humans can t come this far down into the ocean. The sun can t reach this far so it is pitch-black. Giant squid, hatchetfish, and bioluminescent jellyfish live here. The abyss is found far down in the ocean. Most creatures that live in this zone are invertebrates. Hagfish and blind shrimp can be found here.
Coral reefs are giant ecosystems built by thousands of tiny organisms called coral polyps. The outside of a coral reef is alive, while the inside is made up of the skeletons of dead coral. They are found in shallow water. The algae that live with them need the sunlight for photosynthesis. Mangroves can be found along tropical coastlines. They are very important. A mangrove tree grows along the ocean s edge. It s roots then become home to hundreds of other species of sea creatures. A kelp forest is an ecosystem which can be found in cool coastal waters. Here, seaweed can grow over 100 feet tall, and kelp forests can stretch for miles. This ecosystem provides shelter and protection for sea urchins, snails, and crabs. An estuary is an ecosystem that forms where rivers meet the sea. Saltwater from the sea mixes with freshwater from the river. This blending of freshwater and saltwater creates a unique ecosystem. It is full of plankton, algae, numerous types of fish, and many types of invertebrates.
Trace the Lines