Summary of Module 14 1.

The mesopelagic zone is the pelagic layer of the ocean where light can penetrate, but not enough to support photosynthesis. There is enough light for creatures to see one another, so many of them have light producing structures called photophores. The temperature division called the thermocline is in this zone. Though there are some exceptions, most are relatively smaller compared to the organisms in the epipelagic. This is because; with no photosynthesis, this zone depends on excess food from other zones, meaning there is little food available to support large organisms. Since there is not enough light for photosynthesis, phytoplankton cannot survive here, although zooplankton can. As the ocean depth increases, the amount of organisms decreases because there is less and less food available to support organisms. The two most common fishes in the mesopelagic zone are bristlemouth and lampfishes. Ostracods, or seed shrimp, are interesting crustaceans that live in this zone as well. Because food is relatively scarce, it is helpful for organisms in this zone to have mechanisms to capture as much prey as possible. Many have eating habits, eating nearly anything that comes into their path. Some have a sit and wait strategy, with body features like very little muscle, watery flesh, and no swim bladder because they do not have to chase down prey. Many are neutrally buoyant, meaning that they do not have to expend energy to remain in one spot. A second feeding strategy in this zone is vertical migration, where organisms swim up to the shallow waters to feed at night and move back down to the depths in the day. These fishes have large muscles, strong bones, and a swim bladder for buoyancy. They can also tolerate drastic changes in pressure and temperature as they migrate. Fishes in this zone have sensory organs such as tubular eyes and long lateral lines that follow the length of their bodies. To keep from being detected, many creatures exhibit either transparency or bioluminescense. Red light does not penetrate water as deeply as other light and therefore cannot be seen in great depths. Another successful strategy is to use counterillumination. This is used to break up an organisms silhouette. It can also be used to identify members of the or as means of disguise. The two biological chemicals that create this light are luciferase and oxyluciferan. This light reaction is unique in that it is a cool reaction and will not harm living organisms. At cold temperatures, the chemical reactions that cause light run more slowly than in warm temperatures. Pressure in an important physical factor in determining where deep sea organisms can live. This factor goes along with depth. The deep sea is divided into three zones based on the amount they experience, the bathypelagic, the abyssopelagic, and the hadalpelagic zone. In the deep sea there is no light so organisms do not need big eyes. They are generally grayish, and have either small eyes or none at all. Most creatures are bioluminescent, but their photopores are not located on their ventral side like mesopelagic creatures.

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