Aquatic Resources and Ecology Board Exam Reviewer

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, principles, equipment, ecological concepts, legal frameworks, and environmental issues in Aquatic Resources and Ecology based on the lecture reviewer.

Aquatic Resources

Living and non-living resources found in marine, freshwater, and brackish-water environments that provide ecological, economic, social, and cultural benefits.

Cohesion

The attraction between water molecules that contributes to surface tension and helps maintain the continuity of water.

Adhesion

The attraction between water and other materials, allowing water to cling to surfaces and contributing to capillary movement.

Surface Tension

The resistance of the water surface to being broken, which allows some small organisms to use the water surface as a habitat.

Viscosity

The resistance of water to movement, which affects swimming, sinking, sedimentation, and movement of aquatic organisms.

Turbidity

The cloudiness of water caused by suspended particles such as silt, clay, plankton, and organic matter, which interferes with light transmission.

Salinity

The concentration of dissolved salts in water.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)

The amount of oxygen dissolved in water that is available for aerobic aquatic organisms.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

The amount of dissolved oxygen required by microorganisms to decompose biodegradable organic matter.

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)

The estimated amount of oxygen required to chemically oxidize oxidizable substances in a water sample.

Alkalinity

The capacity of water to neutralize acids, strongly associated with bicarbonate, carbonate, and related compounds.

Hardness

The property of water primarily reflecting the concentration of dissolved calcium and magnesium ions.

Winkler Titration

A classical chemical method used for determining dissolved oxygen concentration in water samples.

Secchi Disk

A simple field instrument used to estimate water transparency based on visual disappearance depth.

Hypoxia

A condition in an aquatic environment characterized by very low levels of dissolved oxygen.

Anoxia

A condition in an aquatic environment characterized by the absence or near-absence of dissolved oxygen.

Endemic Species

A species that is naturally restricted to a particular geographic area.

Native Species

A species that occurs naturally in a particular ecosystem or region without human intervention.

Introduced Species

A species moved by humans, intentionally or accidentally, outside its natural geographic range.

Invasive Species

An introduced species that establishes, spreads, and causes or is likely to cause ecological, economic, or other significant harm.

Naturalized Species

An introduced species that successfully establishes a self-sustaining population but is not necessarily harmful.

Environmental DNA (eDNA)

Genetic material released by organisms into their surrounding environment, used to detect target species presence from environmental samples.

Remote Sensing

Technology using sensors on satellites, aircraft, or drones to collect broad-scale spatial data about aquatic environments.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A computer-based system used to store, analyze, and display geographically referenced information.

Echosounder

An acoustic tool that sends sound pulses into the water column and records returning echoes to estimate fish distribution and biomass.

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

An underwater vehicle tethered and controlled from the surface, used for direct visual inspection in deep or difficult areas.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV)

An uncrewed underwater vehicle capable of operating with limited direct human control to collect systematic data over programmed routes.

Oligotrophic Lake

A lake containing relatively few nutrients, characterized by low algal productivity, clear water, and oxygen-rich deep layers.

Eutrophic Lake

A lake containing abundant nutrients, characterized by high biological productivity and potential oxygen depletion during decomposition.

Eutrophication

The enrichment of a water body with nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to accelerated algal and plant growth.

Epilimnion

The warm, relatively well-mixed upper layer of a thermally stratified lake.

Thermocline

The layer in a stratified body of water where temperature decreases rapidly with increasing depth.

Hypolimnion

The cold, deeper layer located beneath the thermocline in a stratified lake.

Photic Zone

The upper layer of an aquatic ecosystem where light penetration is sufficient for photosynthesis.

Aphotic Zone

The deeper layer of a water body receiving insufficient light penetration for significant photosynthesis.

Compensation Depth

The depth at which photosynthetic oxygen production balances respiratory oxygen consumption.

River Continuum Concept

A model describing predictable gradient changes in physical conditions, biological communities, and organic matter processing from river headwaters downstream.

Plankton

Drifting organisms in aquatic environments that cannot overcome horizontal water currents.

Nekton

Actively swimming aquatic organisms capable of moving independently against water currents.

Benthos

Organisms living on, in, or near the bottom substrate of aquatic environments.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The total amount of organic carbon or energy fixed by autotrophic producers through photosynthesis per unit area and time before subtracting cellular respiration.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The remaining organic energy stored by primary producers after accounting for cellular respiration losses, expressed mathematically as $NPP = GPP - Respiration$.

Superior Mouth

A mouth position oriented upward with an extended lower jaw, adapted for surface-water feeding.

Terminal Mouth

A mouth position located directly at the front tip of the head, adapted for taking food directly in front of the fish.

Inferior Mouth

A mouth position located on the underside of the head, adapted for feeding on bottom substrates.

Gill Rakers

Structures located on the interior side of gill arches that prevent food particles from exiting through gill slits and assist in feeding filter mechanisms.

Ammonification

The breakdown of organic nitrogen compounds from waste or dead organisms into ammonia or ammonium ($NH_3 / NH_4^+$) by decomposers.

Nitrification

An aerobic microbial process oxidizing ammonium ($NH_4^+$) to nitrite ($NO_2^-$) and subsequently to nitrate ($NO_3^-$).

Denitrification

An anaerobic process where specialized bacteria convert nitrate ($NO_3^-$) back into gaseous nitrogen ($N_2$).

Limiting Nutrient

A required element whose relative scarcity restricts biological productivity in an ecosystem.

Estuary

A partially enclosed coastal body of water where freshwater runoff from rivers mixes with saline oceanic water.

Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE)

An index derived as $CPUE = \frac{\text{Catch}}{\text{Fishing Effort}}$, used to monitor relative resource abundance over time.

Integrated Coastal Management (ICM)

A continuous, participatory framework that manages coastal activities and resources cross-sectorally while taking land-sea interactions into account.

Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM)

A holistic fisheries management strategy that considers target stocks, non-target species, habitat integrity, human well-being, and ecosystem dynamics.

Republic Act No. 8550

The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, establishing the legal framework for management, conservation, and development of Philippine aquatic resources.

Republic Act No. 10654

The legislative amendment strengthening RA 8550 to prevent, deter, and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Bioaccumulation

The gradual buildup of a toxic contaminant in an individual organism's tissue over time when absorption exceeds elimination rates.

Biomagnification

The progressive increase in tissue concentration of persistent pollutants at higher trophic positions within a food chain.

Coral Bleaching

The stress-induced expulsion or loss of photosynthetic endosymbiotic zooxanthellae from coral tissues, leading to whitening and potential mortality.

Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)

A rapid proliferation of algal populations that releases hazardous toxins or degrades ecosystems through extreme oxygen depletion.

Gender Mainstreaming

The practice of systematically integrating gender perspectives and equality goals into all phases of resource policy development, management, and evaluation.