DEEP SEA ECOSYSTEM

Vaidehi
Vedika
Nikitha
Prachi
Namita
Vaishnavi
Anaswara
Roshni
DEEP SEA
➢ largest ecosystem on Earth, with approximately 50% of the
surface of the Earth covered by ocean more than 3,000 meters
deep.
➢ Not lifeless as thought 200 years ago.
➢ Shells first dredged from abyss in 1846
➢ Challenger expedition, 1873-1876
➢ Animals from 5500 m
➢ 1967: first quantitative measure of deep sea diversity by Hessler &
Sanders
➢ 2006: Venter sampling of microorganisms

➢ Deep sea - all environments below the compensation depth

(below Photic Zone)
➢ Up to 10,000 m
➢ Water column + Benthic habitats
➢ Some organisms are “depth specialists” but others move > 1,000
m vertically

➢ Ocean light zonation

➢ Photic zone- lighted zone
➢ Disphotic Zone- the upper layer of the deep sea which receives
some light.
➢ Aphotic zone- dark zone
 INTRODUCTION
● Heterotrophic habitats, the faunal communities depend, ultimately, on organic matter produced at the
surface by photosynthesis and are therefore dependent on solar energy.
● Chemosynthetic habitats, the biological communities are sustained by the energy provided by inorganic
reduced chemicals such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S) or methane (CH4) from the Earth’s interior.
● Devoid of light
● no photosynthesis
● bioluminescence
● rely on other senses other than vision
● Due to the absence of light, plants are generally absent in the deep-sea.
● The deep-sea is dominated by the animals.
● Physiological low metabolic rate low activity level low enzyme concentration.

● Ecological
➢ Slow
intermediate
growth
➢ High longevity
➢ Slow colonization
➢ Low population
densities
➢ Low mortality due
to low predation
pressure

● Physiological
➢ Low metabolic rate
➢ Low activity
➢ Low enzyme
concentration
 CLASSIFICATION

➢ The top 200 meters of the

ocean are known as
euphotic zone.
➢ These depths are also
➢ Plants, who convert the
subject to extreme
sun’s energy into food via
pressure, from about
photosynthesis, form the
40 to over 110 times
basis of the food chain at
the pressure of Earth’s
these depths, where there
atmosphere.
is indeed sunlight.
➢ At 200 meters depth, we
enter the twilight zone,
where light starts to
decrease rapidly.
➢ This means ➢ Ocean depths greater
the “deep” is than 1,000 meters (3,280
the part of our feet) are completely
ocean that is devoid of light and
dark, cold, photosynthesis does not
food-poor, take place.
subject to ➢ The deep ocean is also
intense cold – with an average
pressure, and temperature of only 4°C
typically (39°F).
deeper than
200 meters.
CLASSIFICATION

Epipelagic
0-200 meter
depth

Mesopelagic
200-1000m depth

Bathypelagic
1000-4000 m depth

Abysso pelagic
4000-6000m depth

Hadal zone 6000 to

the bottom depth

VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL

VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CLASSIFICATION
Epipelagic (0-200 meter depth)
● Epipelagic zone extends from the ocean floors 0-200m depth.
● Sun light is abundance.
● 90%of the all ocean life live is epipelagic zone.
● Fauna include many species of fish and some mammals, such as
whales and dolphins.
● Many feed on the abundant plankton.
● Species in these zone tuna, dolphin, blue whale.

Mesopelagic(200-1000m depth)
● ‘Twilight zone" of the ocean.
● Some light is as deep mesopelagic zone.
● Species lantern fish, squid, wolf eel, cuttlefish.
● Food becomes scarce – some animals migrate up to the surface
at night to feed.
● Ambush predator, ctenophore, jellyfish, Hatchetfish, Viperfish,
Dragonfish, Snipeel, Siphonophores

Bathypelagic (1000-4000 m depth)

● Only light is from bioluminescent organisms
● Only food is trickles down from above, or from eating other animals.
● Water pressure at this depth is considerable (~100 – 400 atmospheres).
● Most animals are either black or red in color.
● Narcomedusae, Vampire Squid, Snake Dragon, Angler Fish, Amphi - crustacean, Ctenophore – voracious, predator, Big
Red
VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CLASSIFICATION

Abyssopelagic
(4000-6000 m depth)
● ‘Twilight zone" of the ocean.
● Some light is as deep mesopelagic zone.
● Species lantern fish, squid, wolf eel, cuttlefish.
● Food becomes scarce – some animals migrate
up to the surface at night to feed.
● Ambush predator, ctenophore, jellyfish,
Hatchetfish, Viperfish, Dragonfish, Snipeel,
Siphonophores

Hadal zone
(6000 to the bottom depth)
● Only zone deeper than this is the hadalpelagic zone.
● Areas found in deep sea trenches and canyons. These
zone also characterised by continuous cold and lack of
nutrients.
● species in these zone angler fish and giant squids.
● Deep Water Squid Shrimp Deep Sea Smoker - 648°F
Basketstar Sea Pig Sea Spider Winged Sea Cucumber
Medusa Deep-sea Anemone Hydrothermal Vent.
STRATIFICATION
● Stratification is defined as
the separation of water in
layers based on a specific The pelagic zone is that ocean that is not associated with the shore or the bottom. The pelagic zone
quantity. inhabiting the zone does not come in contact with the bottom or the shore throughout their lives
● Light intensity decreases
rapidly with increasing
depth greatly influencing
the communities Photic Zone
Upper part of a
On the shore between ocean where
high and low tide lies the there is sufficient
intertidal zone, where light for
land and sea meet. The photosynthesis
intertidal zone is
underwater during high
tide and exposed to air Aphotic
during low tide. (profundal)
zone Deep
lower parts of
Benthic Zone Bottom of oceans where
the ocean at ANY no light
depth Has special penetrates
communities adapted
to living on the bottom

● Detritus - The poop and bodies of decaying organisms (detritus) fall like snow to the benthos (bottom) by gravity. Benthic bacteria
convert the detritus into nitrates that algae use as nutrients for photosynthesis. Currents bring these nutrients to the surface where
photosynthesis can take place (eutrophication)
● Littoral Zone Part of the sea,that is close to shore .Also subdivided into smaller areas. Dominated by herbivorous fish communities like
Perch and Bluegill and their predators.
● Limnetic Zone Part of the open water in a lake that is in the photic zone Off shore of the littoral zone and above the profundal zone.
Communities would include predators like pike, trout or bass.
PROTECTED DEEP SEA
THREATS

DISPOSAL OF WASTES FISHING ACTIVITIES ACCIDENTAL SPILLS NOISE POLLUTION CLIMATE CHANGE
OF OIL
DEEP SEA PROTECTION
➢ Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC)
● Robust Action
● 100 non-government organizations, fishers organizations and law
and policy institutes
● sustainability of deep-sea fisheries and addressing the potential
threat of deep-sea mining.
● Since 2014
● Deep-sea restoration experiments
● polluter pays' principle
● Likely to include mining, oil and gas, transportation and fishing
companies.
● key player in our planet’s carbon cycle
● Mining activities could disturb these deep-sea carbon sinks
FAUNA
● refers to animals that live below the photic zone of the ocean.
These creatures must survive in extremely harsh conditions, such as
hundreds of bars of pressure, small amounts of oxygen, very little
food, no sunlight, and constant, extreme cold.
● depend on food floating down from above.
● creatures live in very demanding environments, such as the abyssal
or hadal zones, which, being thousands of meters below - almost
completely devoid of light.
● between 3 and 10 degrees Celsius- has low oxygen levels.
● pressure is between 20 and 1,000 bar.
● Creatures that live hundreds or even thousands of meters deep in
the ocean have adapted to the high pressure, lack of light, and
other factors.

Deep sea creatures classification

VERTEBRATES
● Mammals
● Fishes
● reptiles
INVERTEBRATES
FAUNA
Epipelagic zone 0-200

Baird's Beaked Whale Southern Elephant Seal Sperm Whale Tuna

● Lifestyle: Up to 54 years - ● Lifestyle: 13 to 19 ● Lifestyle: Upto 23 Years ● Lifestyle: up to 50 years.
84 years Years ● Location:New ● Location: throughout
● Location:Alaska, West ● Location:Alaska, England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific the North Atlantic
Coast, Foreign West Coast, Islands, Southeast, West Coast Ocean

Mesopelagic 200-1000

Lantern fish Giant Squid Viperfish Humpback anglerfish

● Lifestyle: Up to 2-4 Years ● Lifestyle: About 5 ● Lifestyle: 15 to 30 Years ● Lifestyle: Upto 25 Years
● Location:exist off South years ● Location: tropical ● Location: Worldwide in
Africa, in the sub-Antarctic, ● Location:Southern regions of the major tropical to temperate
and in the Gulf of Oman Ocean oceans latitudes
Fauna
Humpback anglerfish
● Lifestyle: Upto 25 Years
● Location: Worldwide in
tropical to temperate latitudes
Humpback anglerfish
● Lifestyle: Upto 25 Years
● Location: Worldwide in tropical
to temperate latitudes
Amphipods
● Lifestyle: 1 and half Years for
males and 2 yrs for women
● Lifestyle: more than a decade
● Location: sea, lakes, rivers, sand ●
beaches, caves, and moist
(warm) habitats on many
tropical islands.
Bathypelagic (1000-4000m)
Telescope Fish
Pelican eel
Vampire squid
● Lifestyle: 6 to 25 Years ● Lifestyle: Upto 85 Years
● Lifestyle: Up to 8 Years
● Location: worldwide in tropical and ● Location: cold, deep tropical to ● Location: temperate and tropical
subtropical oceans subtropical waters worldwide areas of all oceans in the North
Atlantic
Abyssopelagic zone (4000- 6000m)
Tripod fish
● Lifestyle: 1 to couple of
Years
● Location: Worldwide
distribution in
Dumbo octopus temperate and tropical
Lantern fish oceans from the 40°
● Lifestyle: between 3-5 Years
● Lifestyle: Upto 25 Years ● Location: Worldwide in tropical to northern latitude to the
● Location: Worldwide in tropical temperate latitude New Zealand, 40° southern latitude
to temperate latitudes Australia, California, the Philippines
and New Guinea
Hadopelagic Zone (6000- bottom of sea)
Snailfish Grenadiers
Cusk eel
● Lifestyle: 56 years or more.
● Lifestyle: 17 to 20 months
● Location:along the Pacific
Location: found in cold water—in ● Location: found in temperate and
Coast from the Bering Sea
the North Atlantic and North tropical oceans throughout the
down to Northern Mexico, and
Pacific and the Arctic and world
as far West as Japan.
Antarctic seas.
 Thallophyta
Flora marine plants fall into
Thallophyta this botanical
division,made up of
primitive plants where
body shows no
vegetative organ
● No true root
● Stem
● leaf

Types Of Algae 1. Green algae (Chlorophyceae)

2. Red algae (Rhodophyceae) 3. Brown algae (Phaeophyceae)

 Flora
Thallophyta Brown Algae (Phaeophyceae)
➢ Brown algae
● Green algae
● Red algae

Brazilian brown alga False sargasso Iridescent algae

Encrusting fan-leaf algae Scroll algae Brown algae

Gulfweed White vein sargasso Pyramid seaweed

 Flora
Thallophyta Brown Algae (Phaeophyceae)
➢ Brown algae
● Green algae
● Red algae

Brazilian brown alga False sargasso Iridescent algae

Encrusting fan-leaf algae Scroll algae Brown algae

Gulfweed White vein sargasso Pyramid seaweed

 Flora
Thallophyta Green Algae (Chlorophyceae)
● Brown algae
➢ Green algae
● Red algae

Mermaid's wine glass Basket weave Fan weed

Spherical turtle shell Umbrella algae Banana algae

Small sea grapes

Palm tree algae Bladed sand moss
 Flora
Thallophyta Red Algae (Rhodophyceae)
● Brown algae
Flora
● Green algae
➢ Red algae

Spiny algae Red Sea Plume Red Grass

Red Razor Coralline algae Red star burst macroalgae

Pink Galaxy
Red wiry turf algae Graceful redweed
 ● The most common habitat is the abyssal plain, exhibiting low overall biomass and high
species diversity.
● Abyssal plains cover over 50% of the earth’s surface and are defined as ocean floor
between 3,000 and 6,000 m.
PROCESS OF ● The physical conditions are stagnant—slow currents and cold temperatures are the norm
Submarine Coastal
SUCCESSION Phytodetritus canyon
shoreline
plain

● Phytodetritus was assumed to be

in constant supply in the deep
sea, not adhering to seasonal
changes—this was only disproven
in the 1980s through the use of
time-lapse cameras Continental shelf
● Fast accumulation of organic
material Continental
slope
Hydrothermal vent fields Sea Mounts Continental rise
● Superheated water is ejected that Seamounts host a diverse
enables the creation of a unique Cold water corals
assemblage of flora and fauna, from
ecosystem based around deep-sea corals, fishes, cephalopods
chemosynthesis. Cold water corals can build
to turtles and even marine mammals.
mounds in the deep sea that
● Macrofauna abundance was Biodiversity at seamounts is high and
form unique habitats
especially low, while microbial seamounts are potentially important
communities flourished. in fostering speciation in the deep
sea
GREAT BARRIER REEF
Case Study 1
 ABOUT
➢ world's largest coral reef
system
Great Barrier Reef ➢ distinct feature of the East
Australian Cordillera
division
➢ area of approximately
344,400 square kilometres
➢ World Heritage Site in
1981
➢ reef's northern and
central parts have the
highest amount of coral
● off the coast of Queensland, cover
● composed of over 2,900 ➢ coral cover in the
Australia, individual reefs southern part of the reef
has decreased.

HOW THE REEF FORMED

Rise of Last Ice Age Peak of Last Ice Age Decline of Last Ice Age Glacier Retreat
-30,000 to 22,000 Years Ago -22,000 to 17,000 Years Ago -17,000 to 13,000 Years Ago -13,000 to 10,000 Years Ago

GREAT BARRIER REEF Modern Reef

-10,000 to Today
ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS

Climate change Shark culling

Pollution From Mining Dumping Crown-of-thorns starfish
● consequential rise of ● "shark control"
● into exploration ● GBRMPA issued a
sea temperatures, program (shark ● Crown-of-thorns
and production dumping permit
gradual ocean culling) that starfish and eaten
drilling for that will allow three
acidification and an deliberately kills sharks coral off the coast of
petroleum in the million cubic metres
increase in the in Queensland, Cooktown,
area of the Great of sea bed
number of "intense including in the Great Queensland
Barrier Reef
weather events" Barrier Reef.
MANAGING AND PROTECTING THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Reef 2050 Billion Dollar Reef Trust Reef Restoration Great Barrier Run-off reduction Reef 2050 Water
Long-Term Reef and Adaptation Reef Gully and and control of Quality
Sustainability Plan Protection Program Streambank crown-of-thorns Improvement
Package Joint Program starfish Plan

overarching long-term further $1 billion ● flagship investment RRAP involves government, focused on Additional actions to industry, government
strategy for protecting investment program to support scientific institutions, remediating gully and control crown-of-thorns and the community
and managing the towards protecting the delivery of the industry and the streambank erosion in starfish outbreaks and will work together to
Great Barrier Reef to the world’s largest Reef 2050 Long-Term non-government sector priority areas to reduce the incidence of improve the quality of
support its health and coral Sustainability Plan working in partnership - to significantly reduce new outbreaks through water flowing into the
resilience. ●$1.3 billion to the help coral reefs adapt to the amount of partnerships between Great Barrier Reef.
Reef Trust climate change. sediment entering the managing agencies and
Reef. marine tourism operators

GREAT BARRIER REEF

 Type of animal Approximate number of species
BIODIVERSITY OF GREAT BARRIER REEF
Hard coral More than 450

Soft coral 150

Fish 1,625

Rays and sharks 130

Marine mammals (whales, dolphins, dugongs, seals) 30

Crustaceans 1,300

Molluscs (e.g. clams, oysters, snails) More than 3,000

Worms 500

The Great Barrier Reef is a marine protected area Jellyfish More than 100
The experience gained in the GBR over 30 years is useful
for ecosystem-based management and World Heritage Echinoderms (e.g. starfish, urchins) 630
management at large-scales elsewhere
Marine turtles 6 of the world’s 7 species

● It’s a lot more than just coral reefs only 6% of the Birds 215
WHA is coral reef
● Six of the world’s 7 species of marine turtle ; also Sea snakes 14
largest green turtle breeding area in the world
● 3000 separate reefs containing over 1/3 of all the Sea anemones 40
world’s soft coral and sea pen species
● 13% of world’s species of echinoderms (eg. sea Marine insects More than 20
stars) (= 800 species)
● 5000 species of molluscs (one of the most diverse Marine spiders Probably more than 5
cuttlebone faunas in the world)
Sponges 2000
● Over 1500 species of fish
Sea squirts 720

GREAT BARRIER REEF

FAUNA
MANTA RAY
Location: below on Lady Elliot Island.
Threats: Poor water quality, sediment run-off,
pollution, rising temperatures and a changing
climate
Lifespan: at least 40 years
DUGONG
Location: warm water coastlines, both north and
south of the equator-freshwater and brackish
water, where seagrass beds can be
found-Australia- Dugongs, with the Reef providing
an important feeding ground.
Threats: Changes in water quality -coastal
development can lead to habitat degradation,
ruining vital seabeds- stresses -female Dugongs to
produce fewer offspring
Lifespan: live for up to 70 years.
GREAT BARRIER REEF
BLANKET OCTOPUS MANTIS SHRIMP
Location: subtropical and tropical oceans, Location: both in tropical and subtropical
living amongst the coral reefs waters
Threats: no great threats Threats: eaten in several cuisines
Lifespan: 3 to 5 years Lifespan: about 20 Years
CLOWN FISH GIANT TRITON
Location: found in warm waters, such as the
Location: Indo-Pacific Oceans, including the
Red Sea and Pacific Oceans, in sheltered reefs
Red Sea. They reside in coral reefs.
or lagoons
Threats: Due to the commercial harvesting this
Threats: not highly threatened-make up 43% of
entails, the triton population has dropped
the global marine ornamental trade, with 75%
significantly.
of these fish captured from the wild
Lifespan: around 20 years
Lifespan: 6 to 10 years.
FLORA

ENHALUS SEA GRASS ASIAN SURFGRASS

TURTLE GRASS
Scientific Name: Enhalus acoroides Scientific Name: Phyllospadix japonicus
Scientific Name: Thalassia testudinum
Features Features
Features
● massive rhizomes (1.5 cm in diameter) ● marine flowering plant
● perennial grass These are up to 30cm) long
● long strap like leaves (30–150 cm) ● require a rocky substrate
and 2 cm wide and have rounded tips.

EELGRASS
PADDLE GRASS SEA LETTUCE
Scientific Name: Zostera
Scientific Name: Halophila decipiens Scientific Name: Ulva
Features
Features Features
● grows on soft bottoms
● grow to be more than 400 mm
● almost stemless leaves ● Perennial
● contamination with toxic heavy metals at
● leaves are paddle-shaped and have a ● Roofs of eelgrass are said to be heavy, but
certain sites where it can be collected makes
finely serrated margin also much longer-lasting and easier to thatch
it dangerous for human consumption.
and maintain than roofs

GREAT BARRIER REEF

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS
Case Study 2
INTRODUCTION

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

● The Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands are home to some of the
country’s most beautiful coral reefs and host 89% of India’s coral
diversity.

● Andaman and Nicobar Islands, union territory, India, consisting of

two groups of islands at the southeastern edge of the Bay of
Bengal.

● North, Middle, and South Andaman, known collectively as Great

Andaman, are the main islands; others include Landfall Island,
Interview Island, the Sentinel Islands, Ritchie’s Archipelago, and
Rutland Island.

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR
MPA(marine protected
MPA(marine protected
area)
area)

● In India, MPAs are either

‘national parks’ or wildlife
sanctuaries’ under the
Wildlife Protection Act of
1972 (Rajagopalan, 2008).

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

 SMITH AND ROSS ISLAND

● The connected islands of Smith and Ross,

located in the North Andamans, well-known for
the sandbar that connects them to each other
and is visible at low tide.
● The islands are a part of the Sagardweep forest
beat of the Diglipur range. Smith also comes
under the marine beat.
● Ross was notified as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1987.
● Smith, on the other hand, covers an area of
2470 ha. It is inhabited by three villages, namely
Sagardweep, Balu Dera and Smith, all under
the Diglipur tehsil. Of the three, Sagardweep is
the main revenue village.
● m. The Diglipur Forest Division is largely in
charge of monitoring the space for land
encroachers and for the implementation of the
Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 by 18 19
checking the hunting of Schedule I species.
They also set the boundaries of the Protected
Areas and the rules for what activities may be
permitted within these boundaries

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

INTRODUCTION

The Role of Tourism , in fact, is responsible for the

current management plan at Smith and Ross. With
the advent of high numbers of tourists after the 80s
and the growing focus on Smith and Ross, the Forest
Departments notified the space as a sanctuary, and
began to regulate entry and activities in the area to
maintain its recreational and biological prestige.

Challenges for Management

● Intersecting jurisdictions
● Limited role of government staf
● Lack of public facilities and
infrastructure
● Boundaries
● Limited role of the community

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

 RANI JHANSI MARINE
NATIONAL PARK

● Ritchie’s archipelago comprises of Havelock Island,

Neil Island, Peel Island, Sir Hugh Rose Island, Inglis
Island, Henry Lawrence Island, Wilson Island, John
Lawrence Island, Nicholson Island and Outram
Island, in the South Andamans.

● In an attempt to make all uninhabited islands in

Ritchie’s archipelago part of a National Park to
preserve their ecosystem (Chandi et al., 2012), Rani
Jhansi Marine National Park (RJMNP) was notified. It
includes
● Henry Lawrence (2534 ha.),
● John Lawrence Island (1621 ha.),
● Outram Island (772 ha.),
● Inglis Island (137 ha.),
● North Button Island (17 ha),
● Middle Button Island (17 ha.)
● South Button Island (1 ha.).

● North Button, Middle Button South Button Islands were

recently included in RJMNP, in 2017. Apart from Neil
and Havelock, all other islands grouped in the MPA
are declared Reserved Forests and remain
uninhabited as of 2018

● The Forest Department has been responsible for

patrolling the islands within the park, establishing the
rules of usage, enforcement of the Wildlife Protection

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR Act, and regulating activities that are allowed within
and around the park.
RANI JHANSI MARINE NATIONAL PARK

The RJMNP Management Plan

● . Protection Zone
● Tourism Zone
● Multiple Use Zone

Challenges for Management

● Newly formed section of the Forest
Department
● Limited participation of the community
● Availability and quality of labour and
public infrastructure
● Unclear boundary demarcations
● Disengagement with other public
bodies

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

 FLORA
Name- Boulder Brain Coral
Scientific Name- Orbicella
annularis.
Features
● Enormous boulder-like
colonies
● Skeletal surfaces
● Folding patterns
Name- Mushroom Coral
Scientific Name- Fungia
Features
● Central mouth is slit-like
● Stubby tentacles
● Suspension feeders
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS
Name- TableCoral Name- Rice Coral
Scientific Name- Acropora Scientific Name- Montipora
Coral
Features Features
● Large axial corallite ● Uni- or bifacial plates
● Robust branches ● Irregularly shaped
● Two kinds of polyps branches
● Polyps immersed, evenly
distributed and small
Name- Hump Coral Name- Fire Coral
Scientific Name- Porites Scientific Name- Millipora
Features Features
● A finger-like morphology ● Composed of upstanding
● Widely spaced calices plates
● Bilaterally symmetrical ● Bright yellow-green and
brown skeletal covering
 FAUNA

Leatherback Turtle
Leopard coral grouper Napoleon wrasse
Found-4,200 feet
Lifespan- 45-50yrs Foundbetween depths of three
Found -200 ft
and 100 m
Lifespan- 30yrs
Lifespan- 16yrs

Bicolour Parrotfish Spiny lobster Long armed sea star

Found- 1m and 30m Found- 90m or more Found- 130m
Lifespan- 5-7yrs Lifespan- 15yrs. Lifespan- 2-3yrs

Tsochus Snail Magnificent Anemone Dugongs

Found near coral reefs
Found- More than 10000 and Found- 33ft
Lifespan- 15yrs
130000 Lifespan-70yrs
Lifespan-100yrs

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS

MARIANA TRENCH
Case Study 2
STRATIFICATION
Key to Features and Animals
1 Flying Fish, Family Exocoetidae
2 Spinner Dolphin, Stenella longirostris
3 White-Tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus
4 NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer
5 Sea Star, Coronaster sp.
6 Healthy Coral Reef
7 Orange-Fin Anemonefish, Amphiprion chrysopterus
8 Orange-Spine Unicornfish, Naso lituratus
9 Convict Tang, Acanthurus triostegus
10 Kidako Moray, Gymnothorax kidako
11 Smalltooth Sand Tiger Shark, Odontaspis ferox
12 Octopus, Family Octopodidae
13 Bumphead Parrotfish, Bolbometopon muricatum
14 Highly Acidic Reef at Maug
15 Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas
16 Short-Finned Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus
17 Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares
18 Ruby Snapper, Etelis carbunculus
19 Long-Tail Red Snapper, Etelis coruscans
20 Cusk Eel, Eretmichthys pinnatus
21 Benthic Platyctenid Ctenophore, Lyrocteis sp.
22 Groppo, Grammatonotus sp.
23 Sea Anemone, Order Actiniaria
24 Deep Sea Corals
25 Tubeworm, Lamellibrachia sp.
26 Barnacles, Alcockianum sp.
27 Hydrothermal Vent Crab, Gandalfus yunohana
28 Chemosynthetic Mussels, Bathymodiolus sp.
29 Squat Lobster, Munidopsis sp.
30 Champagne Vents at NW Eifuku
31 Shrimp, Family Sergestidae
32 Jellyfish sp.
33 Jellyfish sp.
34 Sea Cucumber, Order Synallactida
35 Aphyonid Fish, Barathronus sp.
36 Acorn Worm, Family Torquaratoridae
37 Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer

The image represents the geologic features and ecosystem species found
within the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, complete with an
identification key that aids this unique habitat and the marine animals that live
there.

MARIANA TRENCH
STRATIFICATION

Stratification of dissolved organic matter of

Mariana trench

● Molecular composition of DOM identified

by FT-ICR MS showed depth stratification.
● Hydrogen saturation state and
aromaticity could affect DOM distribution
in the ocean.
● High-molecular-weight SPE-DOM was
more refractory than
low-molecular-weight SPE-DOM.
● Strong correlations existed between
spectroscopic indices and DOM
molecular parameters.

MARIANA TRENCH
STRATIFICATION

The deepest part of the ocean is the Mariana Trench and it is also one of the least studied. Only four successful descents have been recorded
since the deep sea pioneering mission Trieste first reached the bottom of the Challenger Deep. The Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific
Ocean, just east of the 14 Mariana Islands (11″21′ North latitude and 142″ 12′ East longitude).

Our insightful infographic helps shed light on some of

the facts:

● The Challenger Deep plunges to a staggering

depth of 36,201 ft (11,034 m), the deepest
recorded in the ocean.
● 4 descent missions were successful in exploring
the area in 1960, 1995, 2009 and the most
recent in 2012.
● The average width is 43 miles (69 km).
● It extends to 1,580 miles (2,543 km) long!
● At it’s deepest, it exerts over 1000 times the
standard atmospheric pressure at sea level
(15,750 psi)
● Two tectonic plats formed the boundary of the
trench – The Izu-Bonin Mariana Subduction
System.

*Challenger Deep, the deepest point on Earth at about 36,000 feet, is just outside the southwest boundary of the Monument. At 35,210 feet,
Sirena Deep is Earth's second deepest point and the deepest point within the Monument.

MARIANA TRENCH
ABOUT

● western Pacific Ocean about 200 ● crescent-shaped and measures

about 2,550 km in length and 69
kilometres (124 mi) east of the Mariana
km) in width.
Islands

➢ deepest oceanic trench on Earth.

➢ maximum known depth is 10,984 metres
➢ at the southern end of a small slot-shaped valley in its floor known as the Challenger Deep.
➢ bottom of the trench, the water column above exerts a pressure of 1,086 bars
➢ part of the island arc that is formed on an overriding plate,

MARIANA TRENCH
PROTECTED AREA
➢ part of a protected marine reserve in 2009 by presidential proclamation.
➢ The majority of the Mariana Trench is now a U.S. protected zone as part of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, established by President George
W. Bush in 2009.
➢ Permits for research in the monument, including in the Sirena Deep, have been secured from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Permits for research in the
Challenger Deep have been secured from the Federated States of Micronesia.
➢ in 2009, approximately 506,000 square kilometers (195,000 square miles) of ocean were declared a protected marine reserve.
➢ This includes the Mariana Trench, which is now part of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument.
➢ Monument designation provides international, national, and local recognition that the Marianas is a refuge for seabirds, sea turtles, unique coral reefs, and a
great diversity of seamount and hydrothermal vent life worth preservation.

➢ submerged lands within the Mariana Trench

■ the Volcanic Unit, encompassing 21 designated volcanic features and the surrounding
submerged lands out to a radius of 1 nautical mile (nm)
■ the Islands Unit, encompassing the waters and submerged lands of the three northernmost
Mariana Islands (Farallon de Pajaros, Maug, and Asuncion) from the mean low water line
out approximately 50 nautical miles.

➢ Important bottom habitats are protected in the Volcanic and

Trench Units
➢ the Government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands (CNMI) maintains all authority for managing the three islands
within the Islands Unit above the mean low water line.
➢ approximately 24 million hectares of submerged lands and waters
of the Marianas Archipelago -managed by the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI), a
U.S. territory.

MARIANA TRENCH
 FLORA

Name- Forams Name- Xerophytes

Scientific Name- Foraminifera
Features
● Single-celled organisms
● Shells for protection
● Usually half and millimetre long.
Scientific Name- Xerophytes
Features
● Single celled
● Similar to amoebas
● Resembles flattened discs

Name- Red algae seaweed Name- Microalgae

Scientific Name- Rhodophyta Scientific Name- Phytoplankton
Features Features
● Contains red and blue pigments ● Lack well-defined body
● Multicellular ● Microscopic
● Grow on solid surfaces ● Single-celled

MARIANA TRENCH
 FAUNA

Dumbo Octopus Angler Fish Frilled Shark

Found-4,800 feet Found- 6600 feet Found -4900 feet
Lifespan- 3-5yrs Lifespan- 30yrs Lifespan- 25yrs

Goblin Shark Telescope Octopus Zombie worms

Found- 4265 feet Found- 6500 feet Found- 10000 feet
Lifespan- 60yrs Lifespan-4-5yrs. Lifespan- 500yrs

Barreleye Fish Deep-sea Dragon fish Snailfish

Found- 2600 feet
Lifespan- Several 100yrs Found- 5000 feet Found- 22000 feet
Lifespan-10yrs Lifespan- More than a decade

MARIANA TRENCH