Pacific Ocean.

     

Olivia Peters

March 6, 2011

Biology

     There are many different ecosystems in the earth, including deserts, rainforests, and even smaller patches of land. The Pacific Ocean is one of the largest ecosystems on this planet.  Millions of different plants and animals live in the ecosystem and they each have their own way of surviving in it. Other major rivers and streams feed into the Pacific Ocean as well. There are different temperatures in different parts of this ecosystem too. And sadly, there are also a lot of problems with this ecosystem, not of which it brought upon itself, mainly all man caused.

     Some of the many plants that live in this ecosystem are Phytoplankton, Kelp, and Coral. Phytoplankton, as they are microscopic, make up most of the oxygen the earth gets. Because they are so photosynthetic, they are monitored by NASA with the emission of fluorescence. The health of the Phytoplankton also determines the amount of carbon dioxide is absorbed and even the climate. The Phytoplankton are able to absorb the carbon dioxide because they use photosynthesis and convert the carbon dioxide into energy. Phytoplankton live near the surface of the ocean because they need sunlight like all green plants. They also need water and nutrients to live. Phytoplankton use water and CO2 to grow, but phytoplankton still need other vitamins and minerals, like iron to survive.

     When conditions are right, Phytoplankton populations can grow immensely, something called bloom (Red Tide). Blooms may cover hundreds of square miles and can be seen from satellite. A bloom can last several weeks but no individual Phytoplankton will survive more than a few days.

     Kelp also lives in this ecosystem. Kelp is some of the most exotic and colorful plants out there. They prefer the cold shallow waters because they are rich in nutrients, and they are mostly seen in the Pacific ocean on the coast of California. They can survive in cold waters as cold as 20 degrees Celsius, and so they can be seen even in Antarctica. Kelp has the ability to grow very quickly. Like Phytoplankton, they depend on sunlight so they usually grow no more than 40 feet under the water. They are also very large, so they can cover vast areas. Kelp is a flat-leafed plant that sits on the top of the water collecting sunlight. It is very important that kelp gets sunlight, or else it’ll die.

     Also, Coral is found in this ecosystem, and it is seen in warm waters. Coral reefs also make up a huge part of this ocean’s ecosystem. It is said to be that Coral supports up to 25 percent of marine life. The way to Coral is designed, lets tiny fish and eels protect themselves in it. Coral is also home to many sharks that prey around that specific area. Because of its ability to attract exotic wild life, it is a huge tourist attraction. Coral needs sunlight because they get their nutrients through photosynthesis. They also need clear water so that the light can flow through and get to the coral.

      There are also many marine animals that live in this ecosystem, including orca, northern fur seals, and seahorses. Orca or otherwise called, Killer Whales, are the most widely distributed cetacean in the world. They usually feed on  harbor seals, Dall's porpoises, harbor porpoise, California sea lions, gray whale calves, Steller sea lions, elephant seals, and minke whales. They survive on their good hunting skills. They travel in pods too, so that keeps them safer.

     Northern fur seals live in this ecosystem too. Fur seals are known and named for their thick fur, which has 300,000 hairs per square inch. Europeans first named them "sea bears" which is similar to their scientific name Callorhinus ursinus, meaning "bear-like.” Northern fur seals feed on small schooling fish, such as walleye pollock, herring, hake and anchovy, and squid. Although they feed on fish found in the open ocean, they are not deep divers. These seals survive in their ecosystem by hunting and because of their think layer or skin, fat, and fur.

     Seahorses also live here. There are over 50 different types of seahorses, also called Hippocampus. They are fish, and like most, they have gills for breathing, a swim ladder for buoyancy, two pectoral fins for balance, and dorsal fins that flutter as much as 35 times per second. They also lack teeth and a stomach. What makes this animal so unique is that the male carries the babies. The seahorses survive best in captivity and are actually an endangered species. Millions of them are captured every year for the use of Chinese medicine.

     The Columbia River is the largest river that flows into the Pacific Ocean. The Columbia originates in two lakes that lie between the Continental Divide and Selkirk mountain ranges in British Columbia. The river's course is convoluted. It flows north for its first 200 miles, then it turns south and runs to the border. The Columbia is mainly used for hydroelectric things and it is the most hydroelectric developed system in the world.

     Currents regulate the temperature of the Pacific Ocean. Usually, ocean waters are layered and each layer has a different temperature. The Northern Pacific waters tend to be warmer than the Southern Pacific. It is this way because of the more coastal regions.

     There are, sadly, also many problems with this ecosystem including a warehouse full of de-finned shark carcasses and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is not uncommon to see refrigerated warehouses full of dead fish waiting to be sold in markets and for export. It is every uncommon to see de-finned shark carcasses though, because sharks are usually accidental catch. But one pair of shark fins are worth more than a kilo of tuna. The fins are dried and used for shark soup that could cost up to one hundred dollars per bowl in a Chinese restaurant. So by de-finning and killing sharks all over the Pacific, the animal’s population is growing smaller and smaller.

     The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is an area of water where garbage is packed into a convergence zone that links the two eastern and western garbage patches together. As humans, we have hundreds of landfills everywhere, but in fact, our largest landfill isn’t even on land. It is the this garbage patch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is described as a galaxy of garbage populated by millions of smaller trash “islands” that could possibly be hidden under the water.

     There are also many interesting things about this amazing ocean. The Pacific Ocean’s name has the original meaning of “peaceful sea”. It is also home to the incredible Mariana Trench, the deepest place in the world. If you were to stick Mount Everest at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, you would still have over 2000 meters in-between the peak of the mountain and the surface of the water.

     The Pacific Ocean is also surrounded by the Pacific Ring of Fire, a large number of active volcanoes. This ocean is the largest of the major oceans, and it was also discovered first by the Europeans.

     So there are many plants and animals that live in this detailed ecosystem, where every organism plays an important part to keep it alive. There are many different temperatures even though they always change, and sadly, there are also many different problems with this ecosystem mainly man caused. But this ecosystem is so beautiful and unique you can’t help but love it.

Word Count: 1,251