Marine Biology Final Exam Review

Flashcards for Marine Biology Final Exam Review

What is the correct sequence of the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium?

Ammonia → nitrite → nitrate → water change

What is the study of marine biology?

Marine organisms, their behaviors and interactions with the environment

Which ocean is located between the Americas and Europe/Africa?

Atlantic Ocean

Which ocean lies between Asia/Australia and the Americas?

Pacific Ocean

Which ocean surrounds the North Pole and is north of North America, Europe, and Asia?

Arctic Ocean

Which ocean surrounds Antarctica at the southernmost part of Earth?

Southern Ocean

Where is the neritic zone located?

Over the continental shelf, near the coast

Where is the photic zone (epipelagic zone) located?

The sunlit upper layer of the ocean

Where is the aphotic zone located?

The deep ocean below where sunlight can reach

What is the classification of all plankton based on movement?

Drifters that move by floating in the ocean currents

Why aren't marine phytoplankton found in deep ocean zones?

Lack of sunlight

What do we call zooplankton that only spend part of their life cycle as plankton?

Meroplankton

Why are plankton important to the ocean ecosystem?

Base of the entire ocean food web

How are seaweeds classified?

By colors of pigments in cells

What is the function of the holdfast in seaweed?

Attach to the substrate

How do seaweeds take in water and nutrients without roots?

Water and nutrients diffuse into the seaweed

The cownose ray feeds on clams and mussels. What type of consumer is the cownose ray classified as?

Carnivore

Use this food chain to answer the question: phytoplankton → clams → cownose ray → hammerhead shark. What is the most likely direct impact of a reduced hammerhead shark population?

Increase of cownose ray

What is the function of spicules in a sponge?

Support for the sponge body

What is the job of collar cells (choanocytes) in sponges?

Create a current through the sponge and capture food

What one characteristic sets sponges apart from other invertebrates?

Their cells are not organized into tissues

How do sponges benefit marine animals?

Provide a habitat

What is the function of nematocysts (harpoon-like structure) in cnidarians?

Can paralyze a cnidarian’s prey

Where is the mouth located on a jelly?

On the underside, surrounded by tentacles

Which structures contain cnidocytes (stinging cells) in jellyfish?

Tentacles

Why do large reef-building corals only grow in tropical waters?

Plentiful sunlight

What is the main cause of coral bleaching?

Warmer ocean temperatures cause corals to lose algae

What structure in clams produces the shell?

Mantle

Why do marine snails have different shell shapes and sizes?

Shells have changed over time to help snails survive in their environment/avoid predators

Which group of mollusks contains many species without external shells?

Cephalopods

What do all mollusks have in common?

Soft-bodied animals

In cephalopods, color-changing cells are located in the ___ and help with __.

Mantle; camouflage

What is a basic characteristic of arthropods?

Hard exoskeleton/jointed legs

What type of symmetry do echinoderms like sea stars have?

5 part radial symmetry

What are three defining characteristics of echinoderms?

Spiny skin, tube feet, water vascular system, endoskeleton

What is the main function of the water vascular system in echinoderms?

Movement and feeding

What structure in a crayfish helps it sense its surroundings?

Antennae

The madreporite in a sea star is part of which system?

Water vascular system

How do sea stars consume their prey?

Extending their stomachs outside their bodies

What is a major structural difference between crayfish and sea stars?

Crayfish have a segmented body, while sea stars do not