-a body of water that contains a mixture of fresh water and salt water that serves as a nursery...
TRANSCRIPT
-A body of water that contains a mixture of fresh water and salt water that serves as a nursery ground
Mobile Bay Estuary
Image C
redit: Geological Survey of A
labama &
Alabam
a Aw
are Program of the
Alabam
a Gam
e & Fish D
ivision; Funding by Federal Sport Fish Restoration Program
Drainage Basin Index MapT e n n e s s e e
F l o r i d a
G e o r g i
a
M i
s s
i s s
i p
p
i
ESCATAWPA
MOBILEDELTA
CHATTAHOOCHEE
PERDIDOMOBILEBAY
BLACKWATER
YELLOW CHIPOLA
CHOCTAWHATCHEE
Smooth Cordgrass
Black Needle rush
Benthic Algae
Benthic Algae Producing Oxygen
Hydric Soil and Detritus
Ecological Functions ofSalt Marshes
• Nursery habitat for juvenile fishery species• Habitat for coastal birds• Habitat for adult benthic organisms (worms,
clams, oysters) and mammals (Nutria) • Habitat for permanent residents:
– Marsh Periwinkle snail– Olive Nerite snail – Fiddler Crab– Ribbed Mussel
• Traps sediments and impurities in run-off• Production of detritus• Supports a complex food web
Nursery
habitat for
juvenile
fishery specie
s
Habitat for coastal birds
Oysters and mussels
Nutria
Habitat for adult
benthic organisms
and mammals
Saltmarsh Periwinkle
Habitat for permanent residents
Olive Nerite snail
Fiddler Crab
Ribbed Mussels
The word plankton comes from the greek word planktos which means “wanderer.”
Plankton are Drifters
PLANKTON - drifters- drifters
NEKTON - free-swimmersNEs
squid
BENTHOS - benthic animals live in or on the bottom
oysters worm crabcrab
Mola mola can reach 8 ft. in length
Photo Credit: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration / Dept. of Commerce
Mola mola washed up on Dauphin Island January, 2004
Groupings of Plankton1) Phytoplankton - primary producers
2) Zooplankton - consumers
Groupings of Plankton3) Holoplankton - zooplankton that spend their whole lives as plankton
4) Meroplankton - zooplankton that spend only part of their lives as plankton
CommonPhytoplankton
Photo Credit: Dr. Neil Sullivan, University of Southern Calif. / National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration / Dept. of Commerce
Diatoms (Division Chrysophyta)
Diatom Frustules
© www.micrographia.com
Common Zooplankton
Copepod with EggsCopepod
Copepod with Increased Surface Area
© www.micrographia.com
Photo Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP)
Ctenophore
Krill
Photo Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP)
Humpback Whales Feeding on Mostly Krill
Some Meroplankton….. Just to name a few
Photo Credit: M. Youngbluth; OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP);
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Jelly Feeding on Plankton within Watery Boundaries
Photo Credit: OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP)
Collecting Larval Planktonic Fish off of California
Primary Producers(Phytoplankton)
Primary Consumers(Zooplankton)
Secondary Consumers
Humans
Carnivores
Only about 10% of the energy is
transferred(Filter Feeders)
PlanktonAppreciation