MSC 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Littoral Zone, Red Tide, Benthos

• School: University of Miami
• Department: Marine Science
• Course: MSC 111
• Professor: Peterson Larry

Document Summary

Benthic environments (life in, on, or near the bottom) Involve characteristics of both water column an underlying sediments. Tides and waves produce obstacles for organisms. Motile organisms crawl under rocks/overhangs for shelter. Air bladder- holds gas so plant stays upright. Blade- leaf-like portion, provides high surface area for photosynthesis. Holdfast (not roots)- attaches thallus to bottom. No true vascular tissue- don"t transport nutrients or water. Water an nutrients diffuse directly through tissue. Use appendages to strain particulate food matter out of water. Giant clam, scallop- can propel it"s body by auirting water. Scallop- absorbs and concentrates toxins from red tide into meat- shellfish poisoning. Larvae of sessile animals settle at height suitable for adults. Mobile animals adjust by responding to light, gravity, moisture. High intertidal- species more tolerant of desiccation, reduced feeding, hypoxia, extreme temperature fluctuations. Marine predators limited by tidal cycle- lower tidal is threatened more. Depends on adaptation to predation (dominant control)