Coastal Wetlands

1
Coastal Wetlands

• Land areas covered by salt water at least part of
  the year are called coastal wetlands
• Provide habitat and nesting for fish and wildlife
• Absorb excess rain to help prevent flooding
• Filter out pollutants and sediments

2
Plants and Animals of Estuaries

• Estuaries support many marine ecosystems
• Rivers supply nutrients that have washed from the
  land
• Sunlight and nutrients support large populations
  of plants and plankton
• Larger marine animals feed from estuaries

3
Threats to Estuaries

• In populated areas, they were used as landfills
• Pollutants include sewage, industrial waste, and
  agricultural runoff
• Estuaries cannot cope with the excessive amounts
  of human pollution

4
Salt Marshes

• In estuaries, where rivers deposit mineral rich
  mud, salt marshes form
• Salt marshes support communities of clams, fish,
  and aquatic birds
• Act as a nursery for shrimp, crabs, fish which
  are then consumed by other ocean animals or people

5
Mangrove Swamps

• Mangroves are several species of small trees
  adapted for growing in shallow salt water
• Mangroves have wide, above-ground root systems
  for support
• Dense growth of mangroves in swampy areas are
  mangrove swamps
• They help protect the coastline from erosion

6
Rocky and Sandy Shores

• Rocky shores have more plant and animal diversity
  than sandy shores
• Rocks anchor seaweed, sea anemone, mussels, and
  sponges
• Sandy shores has abundant life in the water and
  sandy sediments
• Barrier islands run parallel to sandy shores and
  protect the mainland from storms

7
Coral Reefs

• Coral reefs are limestone ridges built by tiny
  coral animals called coral polyps that secrete
  skeletons of limestone that slowly accumulate
  into reefs
• Thousands of species of marine plants and animals
  live in the cracks of reefs making them among the
  most diverse ecosystems on Earth
• Are only found in shallow, warm salt water

8
Coral Reefs in Danger

• Coral reefs are fragile ecosystems
• If the water gets too hot, too cold, too polluted
  for too long, the algae that live there will move
  or die--when this happens, the coral turns white
  and is known as coral bleaching
• Bleaching is occurring more frequently now
  because of human activity

9
Oceans

• Sunlight penetrates only about 100 m (330 ft)
• As a result, much of the ocean's life is
  concentrated here
• Seaweed and algae grow anchored to rocks and
  phytoplankton drift on the surface

10
Plants and Animals of Oceans

• Phytoplankton grows only where there is enough
  sunlight and nutrients
• This makes the open ocean one of the least
  productive ecosystems
• Phytoplankton use oils and air bubbles to keep
  from sinking to the bottom
• The smallest herbivores (jelly fish shrimp, fish
  larvae) live near the phytoplankton they eat

11
Deeper in the Ocean

• The depths of the ocean are perpetually dark
• Most of the food is dead organisms
• Decomposers and filter feeders will be found here

12
Threats to the Ocean

• Oceans are steadily becoming more polluted
• Runoff from fertilized fields may cause algal
  blooms
• Waste from cities and industries, fertilizers,
  and sewage are the main sources of pollution
• Overfishing is destroying some fish populations

13
Arctic and Antarctic Ecosystems

• Ecosystems are marine
• The Arctic Ocean is nutrient rich because of
  surrounding land masses
• The Antarctic is the only continent never
  colonized by humans
• Plankton is the basis for both of these food webs

14
Copy Now, Answer Later

• Explain why estuaries are very productive
  ecosystems. Why are estuaries vulnerable to the
  effects of pollution?
• Compare salt marshes with mangrove swamps.
• Describe two factors that can damage coral reefs.
  
• List two ways in which animals of the oceans are
  threatened.
• Suppose the sea suddenly rose 100 m. What would
  happen to the world's coral reefs? Explain.