Marine
From Palaeos
| Ecosystem |
| Benthic | Biome | Brackish | Floodplain | Freshwater | Lake | Lowland | Lowland water margins | Marginal Marine | Marine | Pelagic | Pond | River | Stream | Terrestrial | Upland |
[edit] Marine ecosystems
Marine ecosystems cover approximately 71% of the Earth's surface and contain approximately 97% of the planet's water. They generate 32% of the world's net primary production [1]. They are distinguished from freshwater ecosystems by the presence of dissolved compounds, especially salts, in the water. Approximately 85% of the dissolved materials in seawater are sodium and chlorine. Seawater has an average salinity of 35 parts per thousand (ppt) of water. Actual salinity varies among different marine ecosystems. [2]
Marine ecosystems can be divided into the following zones: oceanic (the relatively shallow part of the ocean that lies over the continental shelf); profundal (bottom or deep water); benthic (bottom substrates); intertidal (the area between high and low tides); estuaries; salt marshes; coral reefs; and hydrothermal vents (where chemosynthetic sulphur bacteria form the food base). [1]
In the Cenozoic, Classes of organisms found in marine ecosystems include brown algae, dinoflagellates, corals, cephalopods, echinoderms, bony fish, and sharks. [1]
[edit] References
[1] Alexander, David E. (1999-05-01). Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Springer. ISBN 0412740508.
[2] United States Environmental Protection Agency (2006-03-02). Marine Ecosystems. Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
