The discoverer of the titanic, Dr Robert Ballard famously referred to the deep sea as ‘far more alien than going to mars or the moon.’ The deep sea is one of the largest virtually unexplored ecosystems on the planet; it is found at a depth of 1000 fathoms [1] and is subject to adverse changes in temperature, pressure and light penetration amongst other factors. Therefore as expected fish decrease in abundance, and species diversity. This trend is prominent as in order to survive the harsh conditions of the deep sea, fish need a number of specific adaptations. Allowing them to ultimately survive, feed, and reproduce.
The deep sea is one of the most hostile environments in the world, which a living organism is subjected to. As you progress from the surface (the epipelagic zone) through to the abyssopelagic zone near the basin of the ocean; the environmental characteristics begin to alter dramatically. Light, pressure, oxygen, temperature and food are abiotic factors that have all led to the fascinating adaptations of deep sea life. Pressure alone increases by 1 atmosphere for each 10m in depth which is an astonishing rate. The deep sea temperature remains between 2-4°c, which is just another factor inhabitants must overcome in order to survive, along with a reduced quantity and accessibility of essential factor’s like ;oxygen, food and light[3].
From the surface to its deepest depth the ocean is 11km deep, and with this distance comes a vast change in physiological feature of fish as they try to survive the changing conditions.
The bottom of the deep sea exists in darkness as little light penetrates through the surface. Therefore most inhabitants have to rely on their senses to survive. The fish require light to survive; they ...
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... any environment but in the deep sea the fish have had to evolve immensely just to survive.
Works Cited
[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/habitats/Deep_sea
[2] http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/ocean-layers.html
[3] http://marinebio.org/Oceans/Deep
[4] http://www.suite101.com/content/adaptations-of-deep-sea-fish-a230044
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[6] http://www.eoearth.org/article/Bathypelagic_zone?topic=49523
[7] http://www.allthesea.com/Deep-Sea-Fish.html
[8] http://www.suite101.com/content/adaptations-of-deep-sea-fish-a230044#ixzz17YRH7Amz
[9] Deep sea and extreme shallow water habitats: affinities and adaptions by Franz Uiblein, Jorg Ott and Michael Stacowitsh 1996
[10] http://www.marinebiology.org/fish.htm
[11] Adapted from http://www.mbari.org/earth/mar_tech/EITS/ob_deep/od_back.html
[12] http://sanctuarysimon.org/regional_sections/deepSea/overview.php
oxygen to survive. If the oxygen level is depressed to zero, all fish in the
The biggest of all fish is the whale shark (50 feet long).Sharks evolved 400 million years ago. But, the fish that dominates the sea today is the Bony fish. They have bone, swim bladder and paired fins. They can swim as fast as 70 miles per hour. In addition, 10 million years ago mammals invaded the sea and became streamlined. Dolphins and killers whales were descended from land carnivores. Walrus and seals are more recent invaders of the sea. They haven't yet lost their feet and come ashore to rest. There are more different types of organisms in the sea than on land, and there are a number of different environments. Large areas of the ocean floor have nothing but sand. The film talks about the cuttle fish, which bury themselves in the sand to hide from prey. Floating plankton need light to survive, so are the only found near the surface.
Though food is everlasting in both the coral reef and deep sea, space is very limited. Organisms in both habitats have to compete for space and survival, having defense mechanisms to keep other species from killing out their kind. Some fishes in the coral reef hide in cracks and crevices along the rocks and corals to hide from their predators. Other fishes camouflage within the brightly colored corals to hide from predators, or even humans looking into their tank. The deep sea holds many small fish, but with large mouths. The large mouths and pointy teeth help the miniscule fish eat their prey, whi...
Levvit, Tom. "How Deep-sea Mining Could Destroy the." The Ecologist. N.p., 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 27 Mar. 2014. .
The study used a variety of species of fish, crab, shrimp, lobster, and other crustaceans known to live on the bottom waters of the Long Island Sound were exposed to low levels of oxygen in the laboratory. The effect of different concentration of oxygen on growth and survival was measured.
• Understand the movement of fish. Since small water bodies have limited oxygen supply, fish tend to stay shallower. On the contrary, fish in larger lakes have adequate oxygen supply; hence, fish tend to stay where there is food. The fish may also stay deeper because the temperature of the deep water is slightly higher.
The heavily armored jawless fish had many adaptations that permitted them to still move and hunt successfully. Can you postulate on the details of exactly how heavily armored jawless fish caught and ingested their prey without the mechanical advantages of a hinged jaw?
Some organisms may not be able to survive in deeper waters, whereas others may not be able to survive if
Sea horses have adapted to better survive in their habitat by using special skills they have and their body parts to help them thrive in their habitat. Adapting means to change overtime to better survive in the environment. All animals adapt to their lifestyle in some way.
The heterogeneity among species is also apparent with respect to both “space and time” (28). Observations have revealed that different species dwell in different patches along the ocean bottom; this patchwork of species is what, in effect, provides all species in the deep-sea with adequate sustenance. Phytoplankton blooms, sinking fish carcasses, pieces of wood, pieces of seaweed, disturbances created by fish feeding, and the polychaete fecal mounds all create microhabitats within the larger habitat of the ocean bottom; different species derive sustenance from different patches or microhabitats generated by such activities. In addition, seasonal changes and the passage of time affect these microhabitats and thus, those organisms present in each. Therefore, it is the heterogeneity of the deep-sea habitat with its mosaic of patches that permits the great diversification of life on the ocean floor.
Electroreception is the process of locating prey by detecting weak electrical signals in the water produced by organisms. Chondrichthyes use this system to locate nearby potential prey, and it is assumed lampreys do the same (Bodznick and Northcutt, 1981). Electrophysical responses can be sensed in lampreys in the dorsal medulla, a portion of their brain (Bodznick and Northcutt, 1981). It is assumed lampreys use mechanoreception to detect changes in pressure in the water, but its exact use is largely unknown. The caudal region of the lateral line contains most of the photoreceptors. Tests have shown that when the tail was illuminated it causes the animal to swim forward or perform left and right turns (Deliagina et al, 1995). The purpose of this is thought to be a way to keep the animal out of bright areas to prevent being predated upon (Deliagina et al,
Having you ever wanted to go to another planet, or travel the world? Scuba diving is a lot like that and is nothing like anything else on earth. Diving into the water, as your submerge underneath currents, millions of colorful fish flow into your face. This experience is what attracts people to look further into the diving and go and try it for themselves. Scuba Diving is an amazing pastime but it does come with a lot of dangers to lookout for and work to prevent. Just a few of the many dangers are Barotrauma, Nitrogen Narcosis, and of course, sea life. All of these things can be stopped from happening by taking the proper precautions and being aware.
Vannela, Raveender. "Are We “Digging Our Own Grave” Under the Oceans?" Environmental Science & Technology 46.15 (2012): 7932-933. Print.
As a mariner its important to know about the marine life, that was one reason I have chosen this topic for my today’s short presentation.
Ichthyologists say that there are more than 32,000 species of fishes discovered on Earth so far which is more than all the amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals combined. Still, new species are being discovered almost every day. Large areas beneath the ocean surface still remain unexplored. It is predicted that there might be more species of fish which are hidden from the eyes of humans till now. All fish differ in sizes. A fish can be as big as a 51 ft long Whale/Shark or as small as an 8mm Stout infant fish. Common type of fish include; gold-fish, Drum, Spadefish, Trout, Skate, Thalla, Tuna, Hogfish, Wahoo, Grunt, Monkfish, Roughy etc. Some organisms which are considered to be a fish actually do not fall into the category of fish. Examples include; shellfish, cuttlefish, starfish, crayfish and jellyfish.