Underwater Life
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revised and expanded - VERSION VERSION - 6 1 # SPECIAL ISSUE #1 VERSION 6 SPECIAL ISSUE ISSUE SPECIAL SUBAQUA DISCOVERING UNDERWATER LIFE French Federation of Underwater Studies and Sports Underwater Environment and Biology Commission DISCOVERING UNDERWATER LIFE UNDERWATER DISCOVERING DISCOVERING UNDERWATER LIFE WITH THE UNDERWATER ENVIRONMENT AND BIOLOGY COMMISSION SPECIAL ISSUE #1 - VERSION 6 SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE FRENCH UNDERWATER FEDERATION MAGAZINE CONTENT Introduction ........................................................................................ 4 3> Underwater plant life ................................................38 5> Diving sampling ........................................................... 124 9> DORIS ............................................................................................ 146 J. Dumas A.-P. Maniette - L. Gauthier J. Dumas - P. Bigot - P. Zani V. Maran - A.-P. Sittler Algae .................................................................................................41 1> The physical environment .................................... 6 6> Simple laboratory techniques ................ 128 10 > CROMIS ................................................................................... 147 P. Petit de Voize Spermatophyte ........................................................................43 Y. Muller - P. Maillard - P. Petit de Voize P. Giraudeau 11 > Bio signs ............................................................................... 148 .................................................................................44 2> The living environment ..........................................18 4> Animal life 7> Environment ....................................................................... 136 ............................................ The origin of life on Earth ..............................................20 Embryology of metazoans 46 F. Guimard A. Lafourcade - C. Delcausse - F. Guimard P. Petit de Voize 8> Training courses and tools of the ........................................................................................ Translated from the French version by : The tree of Life ........................................................................23 Sponges 48 Federation in underwater biology ............. 142 Patrick Giraudeau - Peter Culleton - Chris McDowell A.Lafourcade - C. Delcausse P. Maillard J. Dumas - L. Gauthier Photo credits are on page 152. ..................................................................................... Biocenosis and biotopes ................................................27 Cnidarians 52 P. Maillard P. Petit de Voize .............................................................................. Associations ................................................................................31 Ctenophores 67 P. Petit de Voize P. Petit de Voize .................................................................... The trophic chain ...................................................................36 Vermiform Fauna 68 P. Scaps A. Lafourcade - J. Bonnefis Bryozoans or Ectoprocts ................................................76 C. Bertrand Echinoderms ..............................................................................80 P. Maillard - C. Alégoët Molluscs .........................................................................................89 P. Le Granché Arthropods (crustaceans class) ................................95 C. Bergmann Urochordates ......................................................................... 102 P. Petit de Voize Vertebrates ............................................................................... 110 > Fishes ....................................................................................... 111 P. Petit de Voize > Marine Mammals .......................................................... 120 V. Maran INTRODUCTION You have in your hands the sixth version of the Subaqua special is- Inventory of Natural Heritage. The contributing divers therefore sue « Discovering underwater life», irrefutable proof of the interest make a valuable network of observers of marine and freshwater of divers in underwater environment and biology. environments, permitting the declaration of observations on all coasts throughout the year. Indeed, diving has evolved over the years with the awareness of the risks of the reduction in biodiversity and the influence of «The beginning of all sciences is the astonishment that things are human activities on the environment. A new diver, responsible, what they are,» as Aristotle said. So, the one who is surprised by concerned about his/her impact on the environment, has gradual- marine life, science graduate or not, can claim to contribute to ly emerged, and has fortunately replaced the diver of old, too often citizen- or participatory science. A sea hare (Aplysia punctata). Brittany. predatory. It is thanks to our three major achievements of the National Un- FFESSM has resolutely turned towards sustainable development. derwater Environment and Biology Commission that each diver Thus, partnership agreements with the National Museum of Na- can, we hope, continue to enrich his/her underwater knowledge, tural History in Paris, the French Biodiversity Agency and Longi- in order better to understand this fascinating aquatic world. Biolo- tude 181 Nature have been established. Naturally, the Underwater gy trainers, present throughout the territory, will be happy to share Environment and Biology Commission has been deeply involved their passion and knowledge with you, simply helping you to «see» in the education and training of divers for many years. The Tech- and thus to appreciate more your exploration dive. Thousands of nical Commission, for its part, has fully taken into account the training days, hundreds of training courses are organised each environmental dimension by integrating a training module on the year by our trainers; do not hesitate to go to them, you will see knowledge and respect for the marine environment into all the that biology is perfectly accessible and that the time of speeches technical courses, from the level 1 to the instructor diver. This is a in Latin is over. real fit with the International Charter of the responsible Diver from Oceans ignore the frontiers and the same threats exist all over the Longitude 181 Nature, to the development of which the National world. Our Commission recognizes that the environmental stakes Underwater Environment and Biology Commission contributed, have to be considered at the planetary scale and thus decided to and to which FFESSM adhered from the first day. turn its educational approach towards other countries. It is the This book therefore supports field training designed to «educate» reason why it has been decided to prepare an English version the eye and facilitate understanding of the living environment in in-order-to make the international exchanges easier and to al- which divers are exploring. This book is the result of a collective low our CMAS fellow divers to access the results or this common work of the College of National Biology Instructors in the continuity work. Respecting the spirit of the International Charter of the res- The sharp eye of the biologist of this spirit of discovery that is dear to us. Texts, drawings, pho- ponsible Diver, this book should contribute to protection thanks tographs, all emanate from divers commonly called «bio divers «. to knowledge. A place has been reserved for the two most beautiful achieve- And all this knowledge would be useless without the realisation ments of our commission. Thus, DORIS, known and recognised that this fabulous marine heritage is fragile, threatened and pe- by the scientific world, whose animation team can be proud, won rishable. It is this infinite beauty made of biodiversity that we all a gold medal at the Antibes underwater image festival in 2007 wish to preserve for future generations, and I hope that all di- in the category «educational site». DORIS allows each diver to vers will be able to live the emotions of the privileged encounters know better the common and sometimes rare species found on and be surprised for a long time by the incredible forms taken by French coasts, and is complemented by remarkable reference aquatic life. works, «Life in fresh water» and, more recently «The Bryozoans of Long live the oceans! Long live biodiversity! Long live the explo- Europe» and «the Sponges of France». ration dive! The second, more recent internet tool, CROMIS, makes it possible to link the descriptions provided by DORIS with the inventory of species encountered during explorations. Everyone can keep a memory of his/her observations during dives and can thus contri- bute to the enrichment of knowledge, or even now prepare his/ Jacques Dumas, her future explorations. The database is shared with the National Chairman of the Underwater Environment and Biology Commission Museum of Natural History in order to contribute to the National American sting ray (Dasyatis americana) 5 1 Overview ............................................................................................. 8 Subdivisions of the marine environment Sea water ......................................................................................10 > Density ...............................................................................................10 > Salinity ................................................................................................10 > Composition