Transcript Deep Sea Biology

Deep Sea Biology
Characteristics and Adaptations
I. Environmental characteristics
A. Sunlight
1. No sunlight
2. No plants
3. Organisms must use other
senses to find food; not eyes
4. only light in deep sea comes
from the organisms themselves
bioluminescence – light generated
B. Pressure – means compression
1. measured as atmospheric
pressure or ATM’s
2. at sea level, 1 ATMs = 2117 lbs.
per sq. ft
*for every 33 ft or 10 m down
pressure increases 1 ATMs
*so at a depth of 1000ft or 320m
there is 30.3 ATMs = 64,400
lbs/ft
*at 30,000 ft or 10,000m = 909 ATMs =
1,250,000 lbs.ft
3. Liquid can withstand compression,
air cannot
(so lungs will implode at great depths)
4. Pressure in the ocean is exerted evenly
in all directions
5. Pressure does effect the distribution of
organisms
further down in the ocean, the
fewer critters
6. How can animals live that deep?
a. most animals from deep were dead
by the time they reach the
surface – couldn’t really study them
b. deep sea critters have special
physiology and biochemical
adaptations
c. muscle enzymes very inefficient
d. metabolic rates very sluggish –
slow moving organisms
e. calcium dissolves after 5,500m
so skeleton made of something
other than bone
f. a lot to still learn about survival of
the deep
C. Temperature
1. constant temperature = cold
2. no seasonal changes
3. about 4oC except at hydrothermal
vents
4. Temp plays important role in
distribution of organisms
5. Critters are slow because of cold
and pressure
D. Oxygen
1. Oxygen minimum zone – between
500m-1000m has the least
amount of oxygen in the entire
ocean
2. most deep sea creatures found
here, so O2 is used up quickly
through respiration
3. Above 500m, has the most
animals in the ocean, but have
plenty of plants
4. below 1000m, fewer animals so
more O2, also lower metabolic
rates (don’t use up the oxygen
fast)
5. Oxygen gets to the deep by
currents and density
differences
E. Food
1. Food gets to the deep by:
a. sinking
b. currents
2. most food gets eaten before it
reaches the deep
3. no basis for a food chain: because
no light = no plants
4. deeper you go less food = smaller
critters = fewer critters
5. Sources of food for deep sea
creatures
a. baby deep sea creatures
b. large dead bodies
c. fecal matter
d. exoskeleton
6. Must find food
a. use bioluminescence to attract
food
b. may have electrical impulses (to
detect food)
II. Adaptations of deep sea Animals
A. Color
1. fish – gray or deep black, not
counter-shaded like surface
fish
2. invertebrates – deep purple
3. shrimp-like – bright red
4. No light – dark colors hide the critter
makes invisible to sneak up on
prey or hide from predators
5. Bright red will blend with
bioluminescence
6. Bottom dwellers are usually clear –
no pigmentation
B. Eyes
1. upper aphotic (200m – 2000m)
have large eyes for maximum
light collecting
2. lower aphotic fish have very small
eyes or no eyes at all – live in
complete darkness – not like
you’re going to see anything
C. Large Mouth –
1. lack of food gives rise to the
adaptation of a large mouth in
deep sea animals
2. mouth has long teeth that curve
towards the throat;
3. this ensures what is caught
doesn’t escape
4. mouth is also hinged so animals
can open mouth twice the size of
its body to
swallow the prey whole
5. some use a bioluminescent lure
to attract prey and swallow them
D. Finding a mate
1. since the deep sea is so dark
and has great pressure, it’s
hard for deep sea animals to
reproduce
2. Solution:
a. most deep sea critters are
hermaphroditic – this
ensures someone gets
pregnant or in this case
both
b. Females are usually much larger
than males;
1) The males act as parasites on
the female;
2) The male attaches to the
female
3) and so the male becomes part of
the female and reproduction
occurs
4) some females have 3 or 4 males
attached to her
E. Bioluminescence- found throughout
the entire ocean, but very
important in the deep sea
1. bioluminescence is simply the
production of light by a living
organism (fireflies)
2. usually blue or green light occurs
(varies from animal to animal)
3. organs called photophores
produce the light
4. Or bacteria living inside the animal
5. bioluminescence used for three
major reasons:
a. protection – animals produce a
“blinding” flash and escape
b. getting food – lures other animals
close to them
c. mating – photophores are
displayed in certain patterns
(varies from species to
species),
but acts as an identification
signal
F. Deep-sea animals have many
adaptations so they may survive
their environment of the deep sea;
still many unanswered questions.