Ocean Habitats Chapter 12 Animals of the Benthos

Ocean Habitats Chapter 12

Animals of the Benthos 98% of marine species are benthic Hydrothermal vents Rocky shore Sandy shore Coral reefs

Coral Reefs of the World (Figure 12 -16)

Coral Reefs: Tops in Marine Biodiversity

Coral & Zooxanthellae (Figure 12 -14)

Coral Reef Morphology (Figure 12 -17) wave surge, currents, sunlight, water depth

National Marine Sanctuaries Map courtesy of NOAA National Marine Sanctuary System

The World Ocean Floor

Maps courtesy of National Park of American Samoa

Artwork by Jayne Doucette, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

By Or. St grad student Emily Larkin

FBNMS: Some Major Issues Natural & human impacts – Crown-of-thorns invasion, hurricanes, bleaching – Illegal fishing, sewage outfall Photos courtesy of NOAA National Marine Sanctuary System

FBNMS: Some Major Issues Prior to 2001… – Sanctuary largely unexplored below depths of ~30 -60 m – no comprehensive documentation of the plants, animals, and submarine topography. Little is known of tropical “twilight zone” – shelf-edge (50 -120 m deep) of coral reef habitats throughout the world

Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 2001 bathy

SCUBA / Rebreather Technology Images courtesy of Kip Evans, Nat. Geographic and Rich Pyle, Bishop Museum

Rebreather Dive Mission, FBNMS, 2001

GIS Terrain Analysis of the Bathymetry Emily Lundblad, Or. St M. S. Thesis

Emily Lundblad, Or. St M. S. Thesis

More “Ground Truthing” Towboard survey

2005 Hawaii Undersea Research Lab Submersible Dives R/V Ka‘imikai-o-Kanaloa Pisces V

Map by Or. St grad student Emily Larkin

HURL Cruise Ko. K 0510 Dives Short program - 3 dives – Taema Bank (2), Fagatele Canyon (1) 32 species of invertebrates IDed 91 species of fish 9 new “records, ” i. e. , never before seen in American Samoa

Map by former Or. St grad student Emily Larkin

Black-blotched stingray, 100 -200 m

Deepsea Corals live off of the dead www. divediscover. whoi. edu Desmophyllum cristagalli