introduction

Question 1

what is classed as the deep sea (depth & percentage of earth’s surface)?

Answer 1

beyond 200m water depth
~60% of Earth’s surface

Question 2

what types of deep-sea habitats are included?

Answer 2

• SOFT SEDIMENT BENTHOS (e.g. abyssal plains)
• HARD SUBSTRATUM BENTHOS (e.g. seamounts, ridges)
• CONTINENTAL SLOPES (incl canyons)
• OCEAN TRENCHES
• CHEMOSYNTHETIC ENVIRONMENTS (e.g. hydrothermal vents)
• EPHEMERAL FOOD-FALLS (e.g. wood-falls)
• MID-WATER MESOPELAGIC (dysphotic & aphotic)

Question 3

define ecology

Answer 3

the study of interactions between organisms and their environment

the study of interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms

the study of the principles which govern temporal and spatial patterns for assemblages of organisms

Question 4

What is the road-map for investigating the ecology of an unexplored habitat?

Answer 4

Description -> estimating species richness; characterising taxonomic composition; quantifying abundance
v
Dynamics -> spatial variation (e.g. zonation, biogeography); temporal variation (e.g. succession, seasonality, interannual)
v
Processes -> biological interactions (e.g. reproduction, feeding); physical factors (e.g. habitat patchiness, disturbance)