Ecology of a Rocky Shore Ecology of a Rocky Shore CommunityCommunity

Zones of Life along a Rocky Zones of Life along a Rocky ShoreShore

• Why are some animals and plants Why are some animals and plants located in special zones and not all located in special zones and not all over?over?

Adaptations for life on a high energy Adaptations for life on a high energy rocky shorelinerocky shoreline

• High energy wavesHigh energy waves

• Low tide exposureLow tide exposure

Animals on a typical New England Animals on a typical New England rocky shorerocky shore

• Asian Shore CrabAsian Shore Crab

• Periwinkle snailsPeriwinkle snails

• Blue MusselsBlue Mussels

• Purple Sea UrchinPurple Sea Urchin

• Rock BarnaclesRock Barnacles

• Common Sea StarCommon Sea Star

Algae on a typical New England rocky shoreAlgae on a typical New England rocky shore

• FucusFucus

• Knotted Knotted WrackWrack

• UlvaUlva

• ChondrusChondrus

• KelpKelp

Adaptations to life on a rocky shore Adaptations to life on a rocky shore lineline

Adapting to Wave ShockAdapting to Wave Shock

• BarnaclesBarnacles

• Cements shell Cements shell to rockto rock

• SnailsSnails

• Use a suction Use a suction cup like footcup like foot

Adaptations to Wave ShockAdaptations to Wave Shock

• Sea Stars Sea Stars and Urchinsand Urchins

• Tube feet Tube feet with suction with suction cup endscup ends

Adaptations to Wave ShockAdaptations to Wave Shock

• Blue MusselsBlue Mussels• Byssel Threads ( strong cables)Byssel Threads ( strong cables)

Adaptations to Wave ShockAdaptations to Wave Shock

• Crabs and LobstersCrabs and Lobsters• Wedge into rock spacesWedge into rock spaces• Hide under rocks Hide under rocks

Adaptations to Wave ShockAdaptations to Wave Shock

• Sea Weeds (macroalgae) Sea Weeds (macroalgae) • Hold fasts attach to rocksHold fasts attach to rocks

Rocky shore animal feeding Rocky shore animal feeding adaptationsadaptations

• BarnaclesBarnacles• Filter food with Filter food with

feathery legs feathery legs (filter feeder)(filter feeder)

• SnailsSnails• Scrape food with a Scrape food with a

radula - tongue radula - tongue with teeth with teeth (grazers and (grazers and carnivores)carnivores)

• Sea stars Sea stars • Use tube feet and Use tube feet and

stomach stomach

Reproduction adaptationsReproduction adaptations

• Barnacles are hermaphroditesBarnacles are hermaphrodites

• Each barnacle has both male and female Each barnacle has both male and female reproductive organsreproductive organs

• Marine snails mate and deposit egg casesMarine snails mate and deposit egg cases

• Sea stars and Urchins broad cast eggs and Sea stars and Urchins broad cast eggs and sperm into the watersperm into the water

• Marine Arthropods like crabs and lobsters Marine Arthropods like crabs and lobsters mate. Female attracts male using mate. Female attracts male using pheromones.pheromones.

• After the female molts and mates with the After the female molts and mates with the male, eggs will later be deposited on male, eggs will later be deposited on underside of her abdomen and carried until underside of her abdomen and carried until they hatch.they hatch.

• Lobster with eggsLobster with eggs

• Green crab with Green crab with eggseggs

EcologyEcology

• Ecology – the study of the relationships Ecology – the study of the relationships between living organisms and with their between living organisms and with their environment.environment.

• The marine environment for all marine life The marine environment for all marine life is composed of the nonliving environment, is composed of the nonliving environment, or or abioticabiotic factors factors

• and the living organisms, or and the living organisms, or bioticbiotic factors factors

What are the abiotic factors that these tide What are the abiotic factors that these tide pool organisms deal with every day?pool organisms deal with every day?

• How about How about organisms in organisms in this deep sea this deep sea vent vent community?community?

What are the abiotic factors What are the abiotic factors here?here?

The biotic factors are the organisms and The biotic factors are the organisms and how they interact with each other.how they interact with each other.

• Not a good day for the Sea LionNot a good day for the Sea Lion

Biotic factors in the marine Biotic factors in the marine environmentenvironment

PlanktonPlankton

• Phytoplankton Phytoplankton ZooplanktonZooplankton

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

• There are four distinct levels of There are four distinct levels of organization in the biotic sector of the organization in the biotic sector of the environment:environment:

• The The individual individual organismorganism• The The populationpopulation of that species of that species• The The communitycommunity of organisms that species of organisms that species

exists withinexists within• The The ecosystemecosystem the community exists in the community exists in

along with the abiotic factors affecting along with the abiotic factors affecting those organismsthose organisms

The The individualindividual organism organism (species)(species)

• Littorina littoreaLittorina littorea – – the Periwinkle Snail

• How is this animal adapted to its environment?

The The populationpopulation of Periwinkle of Periwinkle SnailsSnails

• How do these How do these snails interact snails interact with each with each other?other?

• Competition?Competition?

• For what?For what?

The The communitycommunity of orgnanisms that the of orgnanisms that the Periwinkle snails live inPeriwinkle snails live in

• How do How do these these organisorganism m interact interact with with each each other?other?

A Rocky Shoreline EcosystemA Rocky Shoreline Ecosystem

The Flow of The Flow of Energy and Energy and

the Recycling the Recycling of Nutrientsof Nutrients

• All the living organisms in this rocky All the living organisms in this rocky shoreline community require energy for shoreline community require energy for survival.survival.

• How is this energy acquired and how How is this energy acquired and how much is passed on?much is passed on?

• How do these organism obtain atoms and How do these organism obtain atoms and molecules for growth and repair? molecules for growth and repair?

• and how are these nutrients passed on?and how are these nutrients passed on?