What is an ocean ecosystem? An ocean ecosystem is a community of organisms that lives together in the ocean.
Ocean ecosystems are also often called marine ecosystems. Below, you will find a guide to ocean ecosystems.
Characteristics of ocean ecosystems: Ocean ecosystems usually include:
- Salt water.
- Currents and tides.
- A variety of fish, birds, mammals, non-vertebrates and plant life.
- Distinct strata (such as the deep sea and the surface of the ocean).
- A delicate balance of organisms and their environment.
Major types of ocean ecosystems: There are various types of ocean ecosystems, including.
- Deep sea communities: creatures that live right on the sea bed and get energy not from the sun but from geysers springing from the earth’s crust.
- Surface communities: mammals, birds and fish nearer the air at the surface of the sea.
- The intertidal zone: spaces that are sometimes underwater and sometimes dry, depending on the tides.
- The broad ocean: communities living far out to sea, in the center of the oceans.
Conclusion: Marine ecosystems are incredibly biodiverse. Do you live near a marine ecosystem? What is it like?
Laura