There are many Abiotic Factors in the surface ecosystem such as ,the temperature, water movement, salinity, light, pressure and many more. And all of these factors affect the different organisms living in the ocean surface.
Temperature
The temperature changes as the water column goes deeper. The temperature is warmer near the top and then drops as it gets deeper. The epipelagic zone (upper pelagic) is typically the warmest section of the surface, since its reflected by the sun most of the time. The temperature varies in different locations and at different seasons of the years. Temperatures are measured from approximately 10 µm below the surface (infrared bands) to 1mm (microwave bands) depths using radiometers.
The temperature changes as the water column goes deeper. The temperature is warmer near the top and then drops as it gets deeper. The epipelagic zone (upper pelagic) is typically the warmest section of the surface, since its reflected by the sun most of the time. The temperature varies in different locations and at different seasons of the years. Temperatures are measured from approximately 10 µm below the surface (infrared bands) to 1mm (microwave bands) depths using radiometers.
Thermocline
The thermocline is when temperature is warmer near the surface and then it gets cold quickly as it gets deeper. The temperature change occurs very frequently in the oceans water column.
The image in the right demonstrates a graph on how temperature changes in the ocean. It shows the rapid change occurring in the deeper levels of water.
The thermocline is when temperature is warmer near the surface and then it gets cold quickly as it gets deeper. The temperature change occurs very frequently in the oceans water column.
The image in the right demonstrates a graph on how temperature changes in the ocean. It shows the rapid change occurring in the deeper levels of water.
Water Movement
When the surface water becomes dense it looses its ability to float. It becomes denser then the water below causing overturn. The thermocline breaks and the surface water sinks, and nutrient rich deep water is mixed to the surface. The mixing of deep nutrients to the surface is helped by winter storms bringing large winds and waves. Overturn and mixing during the winter bring large amounts of nutrients to the surface. Overturn is not the only process that transports nutrients to the surface; upwelling is very similar because the surface water mixes with the deep ocean water. Also, when prevailing winds blow in the right direction along the coast, an Ekman spiral transports surface water offshore. Deeper water rises into the photic zone, carrying rich nutrients with it referred as coastal upwelling. Major costal upwelling areas are among the most productive waters of the epipelagic. There is also equatorial upwelling which are caused by the Coriolis affect. The image on the top left is representing upwelling in the ocean surface.This method brings rich nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the top.
When the surface water becomes dense it looses its ability to float. It becomes denser then the water below causing overturn. The thermocline breaks and the surface water sinks, and nutrient rich deep water is mixed to the surface. The mixing of deep nutrients to the surface is helped by winter storms bringing large winds and waves. Overturn and mixing during the winter bring large amounts of nutrients to the surface. Overturn is not the only process that transports nutrients to the surface; upwelling is very similar because the surface water mixes with the deep ocean water. Also, when prevailing winds blow in the right direction along the coast, an Ekman spiral transports surface water offshore. Deeper water rises into the photic zone, carrying rich nutrients with it referred as coastal upwelling. Major costal upwelling areas are among the most productive waters of the epipelagic. There is also equatorial upwelling which are caused by the Coriolis affect. The image on the top left is representing upwelling in the ocean surface.This method brings rich nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the top.
The image above is the Ekman Spiral this is when a wind blows on the ocean surface, that wind moves a wave that moves the wave under that and so on. It creates movements underneath the ocean.
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The image at right demonstrates the different currents that blow across the ocean. The currents in the west are colder because they come from the arctic ocean. The currents in the east are warmer because they come from the equator. These currents create movement in the water by creating different waves.
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Salinity
Salinity varies due to evaporation, precipitation over the ocean, river runoff and ice melting. Along with temperature, salinity is a major factor in contributing to changes in density of seawater and ocean circulation.
The image in the left demonstrates a graph where the salinity is in the ocean.
Salinity varies due to evaporation, precipitation over the ocean, river runoff and ice melting. Along with temperature, salinity is a major factor in contributing to changes in density of seawater and ocean circulation.
The image in the left demonstrates a graph where the salinity is in the ocean.
Light and Pressure
Conditions change deeper down the water column; the pressure increases, and there is less light. In the epipelagic zone there is enough light for photosynthesis production; it is the best lit. The ocean surface is fueled by solar energy captured by photosynthesis. The photic zone is from the surface to the depth water where there is enough light for organisms to grow by photosynthesis.
The light in the water column changes as you get deeper. The really light colors become less visible as it goes further down.
Conditions change deeper down the water column; the pressure increases, and there is less light. In the epipelagic zone there is enough light for photosynthesis production; it is the best lit. The ocean surface is fueled by solar energy captured by photosynthesis. The photic zone is from the surface to the depth water where there is enough light for organisms to grow by photosynthesis.
The light in the water column changes as you get deeper. The really light colors become less visible as it goes further down.
Specific Organisms
The ocean surface has many different organisms living in its environment.Examples of organisms living in the epipelagic zone are plankton, seaweed, jellyfish, tuna, sharks, and dolphins.
Plankton: Many get pushed by currents into shallow water. They are the most abundant in sea, and are the base of the epipelagic food chain. They can convert energy into food for themselves. They are familiar with nekton(strong swimmers), and are eaten by suspension feeders. They are a source of food for many large predators.
Phytoplankton: Do 95% of photosynthesis. They are the base of the food pyramid, and if they decrease so do zooplankton and apex predators because they consume phytoplankton. Diatoms is a type of micro plankton (neritic or oceanic) it dominates phytoplankton because it does most of the photosynthesis; they are made out of silica. Dino-flagellates (neritic and oceanic) are better in warmer areas; they can bloom in larger numbers and create red tides. They are important seasonal algae blooms.
Cyanobacteria (oceanic) are very abundant, and are half of the oceans primary producers.
Zooplankton: Include larvaceans, salps, and some pteropods; they are an important source of detritus in the epipelagic. They are food for birds, marine organisms, and other mammals.
Pico plankton: Some examples are archea, bacteria, and silicoflagellates which are important primary producers in neritic waters.
There are many suspension feeders but no deposit feeders because there is no bottom. There is hardly any see weeds and sea grass because there is no place to attach on.
Nanoplankton: include coccolithophorids which are abundant, and cryptophytes which are important primary producers. They can live in both neritic and oceanic waters.
Copepods: They're small crustaceans that are abundant and make up 70% or more of the community; they are carnivores.
Krill: Eat detritus, are very small and are considered an important trophic level connection near the bottom of the food chain because they feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton. It converts these into a form suitable for many larger animals for whom krill makes up the largest part of their diet. In the Southern Ocean, one species, the Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, makes up an estimated biomass of over 500,000,000 tonnes, roughly twice that of humans. Of this, over half is eaten by whales, seals, penguins, squid and fish each year, and is replaced by growth and reproduction. Most krill species display large daily vertical migrations, thus providing food for predators near the surface at night and in deeper waters during the day.
Phytoplankton>Zooplankton>Cyanobacteria>Bacteria>Picoplankton>Nanoplankton>Microplankton>Mesoplankton>Macroplankton
>Megaplankton
The ocean surface has many different organisms living in its environment.Examples of organisms living in the epipelagic zone are plankton, seaweed, jellyfish, tuna, sharks, and dolphins.
Plankton: Many get pushed by currents into shallow water. They are the most abundant in sea, and are the base of the epipelagic food chain. They can convert energy into food for themselves. They are familiar with nekton(strong swimmers), and are eaten by suspension feeders. They are a source of food for many large predators.
Phytoplankton: Do 95% of photosynthesis. They are the base of the food pyramid, and if they decrease so do zooplankton and apex predators because they consume phytoplankton. Diatoms is a type of micro plankton (neritic or oceanic) it dominates phytoplankton because it does most of the photosynthesis; they are made out of silica. Dino-flagellates (neritic and oceanic) are better in warmer areas; they can bloom in larger numbers and create red tides. They are important seasonal algae blooms.
Cyanobacteria (oceanic) are very abundant, and are half of the oceans primary producers.
Zooplankton: Include larvaceans, salps, and some pteropods; they are an important source of detritus in the epipelagic. They are food for birds, marine organisms, and other mammals.
Pico plankton: Some examples are archea, bacteria, and silicoflagellates which are important primary producers in neritic waters.
There are many suspension feeders but no deposit feeders because there is no bottom. There is hardly any see weeds and sea grass because there is no place to attach on.
Nanoplankton: include coccolithophorids which are abundant, and cryptophytes which are important primary producers. They can live in both neritic and oceanic waters.
Copepods: They're small crustaceans that are abundant and make up 70% or more of the community; they are carnivores.
Krill: Eat detritus, are very small and are considered an important trophic level connection near the bottom of the food chain because they feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton. It converts these into a form suitable for many larger animals for whom krill makes up the largest part of their diet. In the Southern Ocean, one species, the Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, makes up an estimated biomass of over 500,000,000 tonnes, roughly twice that of humans. Of this, over half is eaten by whales, seals, penguins, squid and fish each year, and is replaced by growth and reproduction. Most krill species display large daily vertical migrations, thus providing food for predators near the surface at night and in deeper waters during the day.
Phytoplankton>Zooplankton>Cyanobacteria>Bacteria>Picoplankton>Nanoplankton>Microplankton>Mesoplankton>Macroplankton
>Megaplankton
Jennifer inputted all this information (pictures and writing).