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Marine ecosystems are among the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include oceans, salt marshes, intertidal zones, estuaries, lagoons, mangroves, coral reefs, the deep sea, and the sea floor. They can be contrasted with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content. Marine waters cover two-thirds of the surface of the Earth. Such places are considered ecosystems because the plant life supports the animal life and vice versa. See food chains. Marine ecosystems are very important for the overall health of both marine and terrestrial environments. According to the World Resource Center, coastal habitats alone account for approximately 1/3 of all marine biological productivity, and estuarine ecosystems (i.e., salt marshes, seagrasses, mangrove forests) are among the most productive regions on the planet. In addition, other marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, provide food and shelter to the highest levels of marine diversity in the world.〔(Marine Ecosystems | Biological Indicators of Watershed Health | US EPA )〕 Marine ecosystems usually have a large biodiversity and are therefore thought to have a good resistance against invasive species. However, exceptions have been observed, and the mechanisms responsible in determining the success of an invasion are not yet clear.〔Stachowicz, Fried, Osman, Whitlatch ESA Online Journals - BIODIVERSITY, INVASION RESISTANCE, AND MARINE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION: RECONCILING PATTERN AND PROCESS. http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/0012-9658%282002%29083%5B2575%3ABIRAME%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=ecol.〕 ==See also== * Aquatic ecosystem * Aquatic toxicology * Blue carbon * Fishing down the food web * Hydrobiology * IMBER * Large marine ecosystem * Marine biology * Marine habitats * Biomass (ecology)#Ocean biomass * Tropical marine climate 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「marine ecosystem」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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