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Marine Zonation

Plant zonation in coastal ecosystems is determined by light availability. Light penetration decreases with depth, so plants are limited to the euphotic zone near the surface where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis. This results in horizontal and vertical zonation of plant communities based on factors like tide level, wave exposure, and water depth. Key zones include the intertidal area that is regularly exposed and submerged, as well as subtidal zones extending from the low tide mark down to depths where limited light still allows some photosynthesis.

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Muhib Monowar
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123 views11 pages

Marine Zonation

Plant zonation in coastal ecosystems is determined by light availability. Light penetration decreases with depth, so plants are limited to the euphotic zone near the surface where there is sufficient light for photosynthesis. This results in horizontal and vertical zonation of plant communities based on factors like tide level, wave exposure, and water depth. Key zones include the intertidal area that is regularly exposed and submerged, as well as subtidal zones extending from the low tide mark down to depths where limited light still allows some photosynthesis.

Uploaded by

Muhib Monowar
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Plant zonation in the Coastal Ecosystem

Plant requires light to survive. So, not all the


area of a sea is a concern for growing plants
On the other hand
Light diminishes exponentially with the
increase in water depth

So there must be a zonation in the sea both


horizontally and vertically in consideration to
the availability of light penetration and
dispersion and the distribution of
photosynthetic organisms (plants)
Light characteristics of some oceanic water

1. Intertidal community on clear day near equator


experience PAR input of 2500 µmol photon/m2/s
(or µE/m2/s)
2. At 140 m depth, a population of tropical green
alga Halimeda incrassata enjoy maximum 25
µmol photon/m2/s
3. Normal depth distribution of seaweeds is ~ 200
m in highly transparent ocean having percent
transmission 0.01%
4. The greatest depth of ocean at which macro alga
recorded in Bahamas is 268 m with irradiance
0.009 µmol photon/m2/s
Coastal means the near shore area of a sea and
an
Ecosystem -

the term was first proposed by the British


Ecologist AG Tansley in 1935

’Any unit that includes all the living organisms


(i.e., the community) in a given area interacting
with the physical environment so that a flow of
energy leads to clearly defined trophic structure,
biotic diversity and material cycles within the
system is an Ecological System or Ecosystem’

For example: grassland, forest, coral reef, pond,


etc.
Marine zonation and its importance to plants
Plants must respond to light, means where plants exists light must be there
Based on this principle, marine plants - limited to euphotic zone or upper regions
of oceans where submarine irradiance sufficient for photosynthesis. Valid for both
benthic (attached) and planktonic (free floating) marine plants
Distribution of marine plants critical to light penetration, defined by
compensation point = a point where rate of photosynthesis just equals rate of
respiration. Plants living this point have no gain in production (i.e., net production
0). So, any plant crossing this point does not survive
Broad classification of marine environment:

(1) Exposed coasts, (2) Estuaries and (3) Oceans

Vertical subdivisions of rocky coastal environments separated based on


light penetration, euphotic region where submarine light supports
plant growth, aphotic depth where light does not penetrate. Most
commonly used biological zonations of marine environment has been
summarized in Tabel 1-2 depending upon characteristics of the exposed
coasts
Supralittoral fringe: upper limit of Littorina, covered only by extreme high-water spring
tide
Midlittoral zone: lies between upper limit of barnacles and upper limit of Laminaria
Infralittoral fringe: extends from midlittoral zone to extreme low water spring tide
3 divisions of euphotic zone
supralittoral: spray zone
eulittoral: zone that shows periodic or aperiodic exposure
sub-littoral zone: either never exposed or occasionally immersed but wetted by
waves
Since, demarcation of marine zones based on
distribution of key organisms, not possible to relate
biological classification of one habitat to another.
Euphotic zone - highly characteristic for occurrence
of plants, this particular zone can be divided into:
Maritime
-lies above high tide mark, essentially terrestrial but
under oceanic influence being subjected to varying
degrees of wave spray, mist and salt carried by
wind
- vegetation comprises mainly halophytic plants i.e.
tolerant to salt, lack water, communities found
growing on sand dunes, as coastal prairie,
chaparral, or forests
Spray (supralittoral)
-plants must tolerate long period of desiccation, extremes of
climatic factors, includes lichens, blue-green algae (BGA)
In colder water: red algae e.g. Porphyra, Bangia,
small green alge: Clodiolum, Blidingia, Urospora, large brown
algae Pelvetia, Fucus may occur if waves high
In tropics: if wetted by high wave activity, BGA occur
due to intense sunlight,high air, water temperatures
Intertidal
- regularly cover/uncover by tides, may range few cm - 15 m
in height
-upper limits controlled by abiotic factors (desiccation, intense
sun, wetting, etc.)
- lower limit controlled by biotic factors such as grazing,
competition, parasitism, etc. - common plants: Porphyra,
Fucus, Pelvetia, Ascophyllum, Laminaria, etc.
Subtidal fringe
-lower portion of intertidal region, exposed to air
frequently, species can tolerate short period of
exposure, well adapted to high wave energy.
In temperate: dominant macroalgae: brown
e.g.,Alaria, Laminaria, red: Palmaria, Mastocarpus
seaweeds
In tropical: brown e.g., Padina, Sargassum,
red: Laurencia, Pterocladia
Subtidal
-plant extends from lowest tide mark to edge of
continental shelf in presence of irradiance
-shallow sub-tidal upto 50 m depth may contain
giant kelp forests (west coast of North America),
abundance limited to shade tolerant forms
Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV)
- includes macroalgae, seagrass (angiosperm), primary
food source for many organisms. Biotic factors:
predation, competition play major role in distribution.
- using SCUBA (self contained underwater breathing
apparatus), underwater research vessels - deep water
oceanic flora explored, demonstrates - brown, green,
red algae can grow at depths of 88-268 m where
irradiance only 0.009 µmol photons/m2/s.

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