Ecosystem Of The Ocean Floor

There are many different parts that make up an ecosystem and each part plays a role in maintaining balance within the system.

Ecosystem of the ocean floor.

The national park service has ten parks with coral reefs. Some coral reefs are so large they are even visible from outer space. Like land the ocean floor is not completely flat but features abyssal plains valleys deep trenches massive mountains and other undulations. We know very little about the deep ocean floor and the life it holds due to the depth and the difficulties this creates for scientists.

Over the last century they have been the focus of extensive research particularly. But coral reefs only occupy less than one tenth of one percent of the ocean floor. In fact humans know more about the surface of the moon than the ocean floor. Coral reefs alone are home to over 25 of all marine life despite occupying less than 1 of the ocean floor.

In 2007 kelp forests were also discovered in tropical waters near ecuador. But then hydrothermal vents were discovered. The deepest reaches of the ocean were once thought to be devoid of life since no light penetrates beyond 1 000 meters 3 300 feet. In fact it has been said that we know more about the surface of the moon than about the deeper ocean trenches.

An ecosystem is defined as a community and the interactions of living and nonliving things in an area marine ecosystems have distinct organisms and characteristics that result from the unique combination of physical factors that create them. Ocean floor and trench ecology. Like all ecosystems marine ecosystems are finely balanced and highly complex. Nearly half of the world s sea floors are over 3 000 meters 9 800 ft deep.

The ocean floor covers 70 of the earth s surface. Physically formed by brown macroalgae kelp forests provide a unique habitat for marine organisms and are a source for understanding many ecological processes. Different areas of the ocean can be classified as different types of marine ecosystems. Deep ocean hydrothermal vent ecosystems were discovered in 1977.

Many of these newly discovered species live deep on the ocean floor in unique habitats that depend on plate movement underwater volcanoes and cold water seeps. Only about 1 of the sea floor has been explored by humans. Contrary to popular belief most of the sea floor known as the open ocean is not really a habitat for animals just a place they pass by on the way to somewhere else. Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate and polar coastal oceans.

Offering vibrant colors and the greatest biodiversity of any marine ecosystem on the planet. This sciencestruck article highlights facts structure and lifeforms belonging to this ecosystem. Coral reefs are amazing habitats. New species are discovered in the ocean each year by marine biologists and other ocean scientists.