Exploring Marine Ecosystems
Ecosystems are communities of plants, animals, and microbes interacting with
each other and their environment. Here two ecosystems that are thousands of
miles apart in nature are only a few feet apart in the exhibit, enabling visitors
to observe their similarities and differences up close. The environment of each
ecosystem greatly influences the diversity of organisms found there. The harsh,
fluctuating conditions experienced by the Gulf of Maine prevent many organisms
from being able to survive there, whereas the stable, constant conditions characteristic
of coral reefs promote high diversity.
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| Marine Ecosystems Main Page |
Tropical Coral Reef | Scientists at Work |
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| Blue Whale | Giant Squid | Mighty Marlin |
