Pure Rec Diving

[tomfcrist]

Rich, it's just flat out not true. Oceanography 101 bro.

This site should be able to explain it to you in simple terms.

Ocean Light Zones

In 2002 the link you provided would have been accepted as truthful.
Since then, we have been told Pluto is not a planet, and then told that it was miraculously a planet again. The point is that your information is about 13 years old.

CURRENT research has indicated that the available biomass in deeper ocean zones was underestimated greatly, and that the biomass in the 200m-1000m range far outweighs what is available between 0-33ft as was stated in this thread.

http://www.natureworldnews.com/arti...c-fish-ocean-10x-higher-initial-estimates.htm

I could link more articles for you, as well as scholarly ones, but if you really are interested....google is your friend.

 

[Rich Keller]

In 2002 the link you provided would have been accepted as truthful.
Since then, we have been told Pluto is not a planet, and then told that it was miraculously a planet again. The point is that your information is about 13 years old.

CURRENT research has indicated that the available biomass in deeper ocean zones was underestimated greatly, and that the biomass in the 200m-1000m range far outweighs what is available between 0-33ft as was stated in this thread.

Biomass of Mesopelagic Fish in the Ocean 10x Higher Initial Estimates : Animals : Nature World News

I could link more articles for you, as well as scholarly ones, but if you really are interested....google is your friend.

The link you posted is talking about the biomass of swimming fish not all biomass in the ocean. This is not covering plankton, zooplankton, krill and seaweed just to name a few of the larger groups. These are not just the base of the food chain in the ocean they are the base of the food chain for the planet. Plankton alone out weigh every other living thing in the ocean put together and generate about 50% of our oxygen. All of these need as much sun light as they can get so they are all shallow as are most of the things that feed on them.

 

[tursiops]

This site should be able to explain it to you in simple terms.

Ocean Light Zones

Well, two things, for starters. The site refers to 90% of marine life in the sunlit zone, which is the top 200m, not 10m. Secondly, this is ancient information before the discovery of the vast biomass in the deeper ocean, although that biomass is not pretty little fish swimming around.

Here is one of the more recent data compilations. PLOS ONE: Global Patterns and Predictions of Seafloor Biomass Using Random Forests

[added to stay on topic....]
I really like swimming around at shallow to moderate depths, although I'm advanced trimix and rebreather trained. I started the technical training because there was one wreck (Windjammer) I wanted to see in Bonaire. I'm perfectly happy looking for tesselated blennies at 10 feet.

I concur with the OP that there is not much training you can take to further your shallower interests, but here are some suggestions: Fish ID, and get into the REEF.org surveying; a blenny class in some place like Bonaire; and Coral conservation, ID, and restoration.

 

[tomfcrist]

The link you posted is talking about the biomass of swimming fish not all biomass in the ocean. This is not covering plankton, zooplankton, krill and seaweed just to name a few of the larger groups. These are not just the base of the food chain in the ocean they are the base of the food chain for the planet. Plankton alone out weigh every other living thing in the ocean put together and generate about 50% of our oxygen. All of these need as much sun light as they can get so they are all shallow as are most of the things that feed on them.

Well lets talk about plankton then...The highest percentage of their total biomass is in the first 33fsw as you claimed? Nope.

All I'm telling you is that your original statement is BS. I'm not saying in any way, shape or form that the biomass of cool fish to look at is higher the deeper you go.

 

[Rich Keller]

Here is one of the more recent data compilations. PLOS ONE: Global Patterns and Predictions of Seafloor Biomass Using Random Forests

This study is talking about biomass on the sea floor itself not the whole water column.

 

[tomfcrist]

This study is talking about biomass on the sea floor itself not the whole water column.

You are pretty combative considering you haven't substantiated your claim in the slightest.

 

[tursiops]

This study is talking about biomass on the sea floor itself not the whole water column.

No, read the article, not the title. In fact, just look at Figs 2, 3, 4.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[Rich Keller]

You are pretty combative considering you haven't substantiated your claim in the slightest.

Not combative at all just pointing out the flaw in your argument. But I guess as an instructor you are not used to people disagreeing with you. Take your own advice and Google plankton facts.

---------- Post added December 9th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ----------

No, read the article, not the title. In fact, just look at Figs 2, 3, 4.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I did read it and the article references food filtering down to the bottom from above but it is not covering the whole environment just the effect this food has on the life on the sea floor. Also it suggests that most of that food is coming from where I said it is in the first place.

 

[Steve_C]

Returning to the topic.

In my own case I find there is lots of learning to do but it is not in PADI/SDI/SSI classes. Never had a course in fish ID or photography. Read the manuals but pretty basic. But I have an ever growing library of books on various types of marine life which I read and a growing personal photograph collection. There are also numerous special groups with sites where you can learn a lot.

As one example, now on local dives I always keep my eyes out for nudis. Now NC is not known as nudibranch heaven. But I am up to 5 species one of which is new to the area and one appears new to this coast.

Another is photography. I am a point and shoot sort of guy but my pictures are slowly getting better and they encourage me to look more carefully at the world around me. {If it is big or small, inert or moving, if it looks interesting to me I shoot it}

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Should add that I have nothing against the classes. I have SDI (OW, AOW, Nav, Buoy, Boat, Drift, Resecue, Solo), PADI (Deep, DPV, Recovery, DM), and SSI (equipment, Dry, night). It is just that there are none left of interest.

 

[tomfcrist]

Not combative at all just pointing out the flaw in your argument. But I guess as an instructor you are not used to people disagreeing with you. Take your own advice and Google plankton facts.

---------- Post added December 9th, 2014 at 11:45 AM ----------



I did read it and the article references food filtering down to the bottom from above but it is not covering the whole environment just the effect this food has on the life on the sea floor. Also it suggests that most of that food is coming from where I said it is in the first place.

Show me how wrong I am...