marine ecology test 1

distribution of marine organisms is determined by

geology, chemistry, physical processes

cohesion

water sticks to itself

heat of vaporization

lots of heat to evaporate water

high heat capacity

needs more energy to increase temperature

salinity

total amount of dissolved materials (psu)

principle of constant proportions

ions remain in same proportion irrespective of salinity

salinity is ____ when deep

constant

frozen seawater has salt

no

cold water holds _____ oxygen

more

when sunlight is absorbed by water, its converted to

heat energy

rate of metabolism

determines how much energy is needed for chemical reactions

nekton

not at the mercy of the current

nekton zone is (temp)

warmer

nekton zone is (size)

large

nekton zone salinity will be

constant

what governs metabolism

temperature

ectotherms

are the temp of their environment

endotherms

have a set temperature

4 major biogeographical zones (based on temp)

polar, cold temperate, warm temperate, and tropical

waves are dependent on

wind speed, fetch, and duration

fetch

distance over which the wind blows

currents are driven by

stable wind patterns

3 major wind belts in each hemisphere

westerlies, easterlies, trade winds

winds defined by

origin

coriolis effect

the path of an object moving over earth spinning earth on axis appears to curve (not straight)

vertical circulation

vertical movement caused by upwelling and sinking processes

upwelling

the upward movement of ocean water toward the surface as a result of diverging currents

thermohaline circulation

dense surface water sinks

three common criteria for classification

geographic distribution, evolutionary interrelationships, and trophic interactions

infauna

living in sediment

epifauna

living on the sea bottom

littoral

on the continental shelf

sublittoral

below the continental shelf

neritic

water over shelf

epipelagic

surface/photic zone

mesopelagic

second zone (twilight)

bathypelagic

third zone

abyssalpelagic

water over abyssal plains; fourth zone

hadalpelagic

in the trenches; bottom zone

locomotion

adaptations that allow these animals to move through water

locomotion subgroups

adaptations necessary to create propulsive forces and reduce the resistance of the body's movement through water

nekton

actively swimming organisms

plankton

carried by the currents

autotrophic

make own energy by photosynthesis

heterotrophic

feed on autotrophs/heterotrophs

decomposers/detritivores

use oxygen to decompose

frictional resistance

proportional to amount of surface area in contact with water

what shape has the minimum SA for a given volume

sphere

turbulence

provides resistance

form resistance

frictional experience by the body as it goes thru the water; increases drag if flow separate from body

species

group of interbreeding animals

population

all individuals of species in an area

community

several populations of species in a given area

ecosystem

community together w/ surrounding physical/chemical environment

realized niche

actual distribution of species w/ respect to food, space, and breeding

what shape has the least form resistance

long thin cylinder

species richness

total number of species in a community

species diversity

total number of species and the distribution of the total number of individuals

liebigs law of the minimum

each species in a community has certain tolerances w/ respect to environmental factors; need a minimum amount of various materials

populations, communities, and ecosystems are regulated by

energy, physical environmental features, and species interactions

plankotrophic larvae

produce large number of eggs, hatch quickly, free floating larvae

lecithotrophic larvae

produce fewer eggs w/ more yolk

direct development

produce few eggs w/ very large yolk

r selected

lots of offspring, little care, short life

k selected

fewer offspring, lots of care, long life

phytoplankton

free-floating organism capable of photosynthesis

zooplankton

free-floating animals

bacterioplankton

hetero and auto bacteria

virioplankton

recent discovery of viruses in ocean (not living)

holoplankton

entire life as plankton

meroplankton

part of life as plankton (e.g. larvae)

cyanobacteria

found everywhere light and water are available

chrysophyta

diatoms

red tides

blooms of toxins

deleterious

eventually will sink

primary productivity

the rate at which energy is converted by photosynthetic and chemosynthetic autotrophs to organic substances

most common way to move a body forward is by undulating with ____ or ____

body or fins

undulating the body

animal moves forward by sweeping posterior part of the body

gross production

total amount of organic material fixed

net production

total production left to support other trophic levels

standing crop

total amount of organisms biomass present at given time

compensation/critical depth

depth at which rate of photosynthesis = rate of respiration

nutrients

nitrogen and phosphorus (and silicon)

hydrology

forces that move water and affect both light and nutrients

propulsive forces generated because movement a mass of water around the fish _____

accelerates

vertical migration

daily movement of small marine animals between the photic zone (day) and lower depths (night)

fastest fin types

lunated (1st) and forked (2nd)

maneuverable fin types

rounded (1st) and truncated (2nd)

what makes a fish faster (based on fin type)

more 'concave' fin

which fin helps fish steer/turn/balance

pectoral

if undulation of fins, its a _ form of locomotion

slower

locomotion for air breathing vertebrates is a _____ movement of fore/hind limbs

paddling

speed depends on _ of stroke

frequency

jet propulsion

open body cavity and pull water in; close cavity and squeeze water out

buoyancy

An animal's ability to control depth; float (air)

physostome

open duct between the gas bladder and the esophagus

physoclist

no connection, gases originate in blood and secreted into gas bladder

gas filled lungs

help maintain buoyancy for air breathing organisms

swim/gas bladder

internal gas filled floatation organ

neutral buoyancy can include trapped air in ___ and ____

feathers and fur