Snorkeling in Grand Cayman, Cruise Ship Excursions, Private Snorkeling Guide Photographer Website Created in 1996
Reef Identification:
Grand Cayman Reefs
Marine Awareness Understanding the Marine Environment.
The marine environment is best observed by s of marine life. These habitats are controlled
by the source of sunlight which generates the stored energy in the plant life. All regions of an aquatic enviornmnet
weather fresh or salt water are bound by the depth light rays penerate the water and the nutrients and plant life
that is avilable for the herbafor fish and other aquatic life to consume and be consumed by the carnivorous animals.
As the depth of the water increases, observation of the types of marine will
change in food sources and habitat. If the sediment form creek or rivers increase the
sunlight rays penerate less creating a limit on how deep the aquatic plants and animals can find nutrients or
food sources. This is also why as depth increases the water tempature decrease due to the lack of sunlight to warm the waters.
The colder the water the more slugish the animal will react and usually is a carnivorous type animal. An
exsample would be Black Coral, Red Coral, basketstar starfish, arrow crabs.
Another consideration is the impact of the local community has on the aquatic environment such as fishing,
agriculture, sewage treatment and other forms of pollution which might alter the nutrients or sediment
run off which can alter an ecosystem.