Marine Biology Test

What are the 8 physical characteristics that contribute to the unique characteristics of marine ecosystems?

1. Stratification

2. Temperature

3. Salinity

4. Pressure

5. Waves

6. Langmuir Cells

7. Upwelling

8. Tides

What are the three horizontal provinces?

1. Littoral

2. Neritic

3. Oceanic

What are the three vertical provinces?

1. Photic

2. Mesopelagic

3. Bathypelagic

Littoral Zone

edge of shore

Neritic Zone

shallow part of the ocean; between oceanic and littoral zone

Oceanic Zone

The open ocean beyond the continental shelf

Photic Zone

0-200 Meters deep

Mesopelagic Zone

200-1000 Meters deep

Bathypelagic Zone

1000-4000 meters deep

What are the three things to know about Salinity?

1. Sodium and Chlorine make up 86% of sea salts

2. Strongly buffered: the ph 8.0-8.3

3. Concentration varies with latitude

What helps create waves?

The wind creates friction which then creates waves

Waves are measured from what to what?

Crest to trough

What are the three tides?

1. Spring Tide

2. Neap Tide

3. Intertidal Zone

Spring Tide

Moon exerts high gravitational force; large margin between high/low tide

Neap Tide

Moon exerts less gravitational force; smaller margin between high/low tide

Intertidal Zone

Between high and low tide

Explain Zonation in the Pelagic/open ocean system

• All of the ocean below the continental shelf

• 3 Zones in the Pelagic System

• 1. Epipelagic: 0-200m; photosynthetic plankton are in this zone!

• 2. Mesopelagic: 200m-1000m

• 3. Deep Sea: 1000m to ocean floor

Explain Currents in the Pelagic/open ocean system

They are driven by: differences in density, wind action, temperature and tides

Currents move surface water and distribute heat, nutrients and especially organisms like photosynthetic plankton! These Plankton are moved from the epipelagic zone into the mesopelagic zone so animals in lower zones/ deeper waters can eat the plankton.

Explain why Phyto/photosynthetic Plankton are primary producers.

Phyto/Photosynthetic Plankton are located in the epipelagic/ photic zone

They are primary producers because they can do photosynthesis, they turn light into carbs which is essential for the food chain

Microscopic, single celled organisms

How do dolphins hunt in the Pelagic System?

1. Dolphins use echolocation to find a shoal of fish

2. They herd the fish into a group

3. One dolphin circles and kicks up a mud ring around the fish creating a barrier

4. The confused fish jump over the mud ring

5. Dolphins try to catch jumping fish in their mouths

Explain how sea otters contribute to the health of kelp forests

In the kelp forests there are three main organisms

1. Sea Otters: eat sea urchins

2. Sea Urchins: eat kelp

3. Kelp

Sea Otters eat sea urchins which allows the kelp forests to thrive because Sea urchins eat kelp

Kelp forests are important to the oceans as trees are to land because they absorb CO2

Explain the ecological balance between coral reefs, sharks and fish.

Coral Reefs: create structure that provides food and shelter for fish

Sharks: reef sharks and white tip reef sharks work together to eat fish in the coral reefs; keeping the grazing fish population down

Fish: clean sharks teeth, eat coral, seaweed and bacteria

Explain impact of overfishing on marine ecosystems.

1. Decreased fish populations

2. disruption of marine food chain

3. decreased biodiversity

4. can cause ecosystems to collapse

5. economic loss for fishing industry

Why are salt marshes the most productive ecosystems in the world?

1. pollution filters

2. help with fish reproduction

3. protect shorelines from erosion

Explain Bottom-up vs. top-down control

Bottom-up control: abundance is limited by resources available to the plants

Top-down control: controlled by animals that eat the plants; herbivores and their predators

Explain Brian Silliman’s research and the key findings of his research

• He wanted to test the theory that salt marshes were a bottom up ecosystem

• Brian conducted an experiment to see if the snails in the salt marshes had any effect on the growth of the grasses

• He found that the salt marshes are controlled from the top down; the snails that eat the grass and the crabs that eat the snails

• With more blue crabs to eat the snails and nutrients in the soil the marshes will stay healthy

Explain Trophic Cascades

the changes in the population of top predators causes ripple effects to the food chain and the surrounding ecosystem, impacting lower trophic levels.

Explain the significance of coral reefs

1. Supports 25% of marine biodiversity

2. Phytoplankton live and grow in coral reefs providing food in the ecosystem

Explain how coral colonies grow

1. new Polyps form and attach to existing corals

2. gradually building the reef

Explain the role of algae in coral reefs

1. Algae gives coral reefs their color and nutrients because they can do photosynthesis

   2. provide food for other organisms

Explain the symbiotic relationship in corals and algae

1. Corals provide structure and protection for the algae

2. Algae provides nutrients and color to reefs

What happens when there is a coral bleaching event

1. Water temperature rises

2. the corals eject the algae back into the ocean

3. they turn back to their natural translucent/tan color

4. the corals no longer have their source of food so they eventually die

What are the 3 zones in the rocky shore ecosystem. List them and the organisms in each zone.

1. Littoral Fringe

   1. Minimal Salt water contact

   2. periwinkles, crustose algae

2. Littoral Zone

   1. Sub divided

      1. Upper: Barnacles, mussels, limpets

      2. Middle: Oysters, rockweed

      3. Lower: Blue mussels

3. Sublittoral

   1. Kelp, urchins and horse mussels

Why are tide pools called the microcosms of the sea?

Because they can contain a variety of any of the species from all zones in a sandy shore ecosystem

How is a sandy shore system formed

it is formed from depositing sediment

How is life (marine animals) divided in a sandy shore system?

The life is divided by sediment zones

1. Epifauna: Live on the surface of sand

2. Infauna: live within sediment

What are the three zones in a sandy shore ecosystem?

1. Foreshore: bit before water drops off into open ocean

2. Surf Zone: b/w tides

3. Dune Zone: farthest from the water

Explain the energy base of a sandy coast

1. organic matter accumulates and is fed on by detritivores

2. Energy Flow Diagram: Ask him tomorrow

What does halophytic mean?

it means plants and trees are salt loving; this is specific to the mangrove flora in swamps

Name the three mangrove tree species and their differences

1. Red: has arching roots

2. Black: has root projections called pneumatophores; which provide air

3. White: grow farther inland; no outstanding root structures

What does the biodiversity consist of in Mangrove Swamps

1. Decomposers, bacteria & Filter feeders:

2. Barnacles, Oysters, and worms

3. Fish and shrimp

4. Wading Birds and crocs

Who is Guy Bradley and how did he make a difference in Mangrove ecosystems?

1. First game warden in southern florida

2. His job was to stop poachers from killing plume birds for their feathers

3. got killed by Walter Smith, but his death made a big impact on the protection of plum birds

What is brackish water in an estuary?

when freshwater flows into a body of salt water

What makes estuaries productive ecosystems?

Providing food, shelter, filtration, and protection for marine organisms