Higher Animals ~ New Jersey Scuba Diving

Higher Animals

"Higher animals" is a catch-all term for vertebrates other than fish. This is rather self-congratulatory, since the so-called "lower animals" - fishes and invertebrates - are actually the dominant species on the planet, both in numbers and diversity! The four classes of higher animals are:

Amphibians - class Amphibia
Reptiles - class Reptilia
Birds - class Aves
Mammals - class Mammalia

Of these, amphibians are absent from marine environments ( with one or two exceptions. )

Sea Turtles ...
Sea Birds ...

Sea Mammals ...

Sea Turtles

There are few marine reptiles and even fewer in the cold North Atlantic. While it would be possible for a salt-water crocodile to swim up from the Caribbean, there is no record of one ever having done so. Nor are there any of the sea-snakes that are famous in the South Pacific. The only marine reptiles that are encountered in our waters are sea turtles.

The one exception to this is the little Diamondback Terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin. (right) This small turtle ( about 6 inches ) is found only in salt marsh environments. Adults are very strong swimmers and have even been noted in the ocean surf, although I don't think they venture offshore.

Green Sea Turtle

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Sea Birds

Most sea birds are strictly protected by law, and may not be approached or harassed.

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Sea Mammals

All marine mammals are strictly protected by law, and may not be approached or harassed. Foxes excepted.

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Marine Life Colonization of Experimental Reef Habitat

Marine life colonization of experimental reef habitat
in temperate ocean waters off New Jersey, 1996-2004

By Jennifer Resciniti and Bill Figley
November 2005

This investigation was partially funded by the Federal Aid to Sportfish Restoration Program

for the original paper, see here.

ABSTRACT

A biological colonization study of experimental reef habitats in temperate ocean waters off New Jersey was conducted over a 96-month period. A total of 145 different taxa of 9 phyla were identified within the experimental units, including 42 arthropoda, 37 annelida and 43 molluska. Individual organisms had an estimated mean abundance of 534,566 organisms/m² of habitat footprint, including 105 fish, 4,639 crabs and 14 lobsters. Colonial organisms covered 87,554 cm² of the habitat surface area. Mean total biomass of the organisms inhabiting the units was 84,175 g/m², with blue mussel comprising 63 percent of the total. The carrying capacity of the experimental habitat for all species of marine life was about 152,801 g/m². Predation accounted for an 80 percent reduction of biomass between surfaces exposed and not exposed to predators. There were no statistically significant differences in biological colonization rates of sessile epibenthos on concrete, rock, steel and rubber substrates. On an equivalent area basis, the biomass enhancement ratios of the experimental reef habitats over surf clam-dominated and polychaete/crustacean-dominated sand bottom habitats ranged from 35 to 1,124 and 2,773 to 3,200 times, respectively. A simplified, three-tiered reef habitat food chain consisted of 84.5 percent sessile/sedentary invertebrates, 11.0 percent mobile invertebrates and 4.5 percent juvenile and adult fish. The results suggest that complex reef habitats provide both attachment surfaces and refuge habitats that support a diverse and abundant marine life community.

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