Does the ocean have a high or low biodiversity?
Ecosystems based upon water can either be highly diverse or have a very low biodiversity. The ecosystems that are marine, or made up of saltwater, include coral reefs and the intertidal zone, which are both highly diverse, as well as the open ocean, which has a fairly low biodiversity.
Why is it that ocean is a biodiversity?
Oceans cover 70% of our planet and represent over 95% of the biosphere. … Deep-sea life is essential to life on Earth because of its crucial role in global carbon and biogeochemical cycles, including nutrient regeneration. This tremendous wealth of biodiversity and ecosystem services is not, however, infinite.
What is biodiversity in the sea?
Marine biodiversity is an aggregation of highly inter-connected ecosystem components or features, encompassing all levels of biological organization from genes, species, populations to ecosystems, with the diversity of each level having structural and functional attributes (Table 1).
What percentage of biodiversity is in the ocean?
Scientists now estimate that 80 percent of Earth’s species live on land, 15 percent in the ocean, and the remaining 5 percent in freshwater.
What part of the ocean has the least biodiversity?
The arctic regions of the world have the least biodiversity because plants don’t survive in the extreme cold and ice that cover these regions year-round. However, life does exist in the arctic regions, mostly affiliated with the seas that surround them.
What are examples of biodiversity?
Most people recognize biodiversity by species—a group of individual living organisms that can interbreed. Examples of species include blue whales, white-tailed deer, white pine trees, sunflowers, and microscopic bacteria that can’t even be seen by the naked eye.
How do coral reefs support biodiversity?
Healthy coral reefs provide: Habitat, feeding, spawning, and nursery grounds for over 1 million aquatic species, including commercially harvested fish species. Food for people living near coral reefs, especially on small islands.
How does the ocean ecosystem function?
One of the most important functions of marine ecosystems is the production of plant biomass from sunlight and nutrients (primary productivity), which represents the basic food source for all life in the ocean, and ultimately also for humans.