Marine Biology - Lectures 7 - 9

What are identifying characteristics of coccolithophores?

• Deposits form chalk

• Made up of several overlapping scales or plates

• Made of calcium carbonate

• A lot of diversity

What are common habitats of coccolithophores?

• Epipelagic

• Open water

Which shows an image of a coccolithophore

What are identifying characteristics of silicoflagellates?

• Internal star shaped skeleton

• Photosynthetic

• Made of silica

• Have flagella

• Contain Fucoxanthin

• 2 pieces that hook together

What are common habitats of silicoflagellates?

• Epipelagic region

Which image shows a silicoflagellate

What are identifying characteristics of cryptophytes?

• single celled

• multiple flagella

• scales look knitted on

• live deep, and absorb dead organic material (carbon)

What are common habitats of cryptophytes?

• deeper water

Which image is a cryptophyte?

What are identifying characteristics of dinoflagellates?

• Have flagella

• Fucoxanthin

• Made up of cellulose plates

• Can produce toxins (red tide)

What are common habitats of dinoflagellates?

• Mostly marine but sometimes freshwater environments

• Warmer marine water

Which image is a dinoflagellate?

What are zooxanthellae?

• Dinoflagellates that live symbiotically with other organisms.

• Related to jellies

What is red tide?

Harmful dinoflagellate

harmful toxic bloom

What are identifying characteristics of diatoms?

• Fucoxanthin

• Silica walls

• Photosynthetic, mobile organisms

What are common habitats of diatoms?

• Mostly in euphotic epipelagic zone

• can also be in deep and coastal

• Sand, on plants or algae, on animals, on rocks, in mud, on/in ice

Which image shows a diatom?

Why are diatoms ecologically important?

They produce 30% of Earth’s oxygen

What are identifying characteristics of ciliate protozoa?

• Move by cilia

What are common habitats of ciliate protozoa?

• Water

• Some parasitic ones can live on other organisms

Which image shows a ciliate protozoa?

What are identifying characteristics of foraminifera?

• multi chambered cells

• lead to sand and coral reefs building up

• responsible for pink sand

• made up of calcium carbonate (CaCO3)

What are common habitats of foraminifera?

• Shallow coastal waters, pink sandy regions

Which image is a foraminiferan?

What are identifying characteristics of radiolaria?

• Silica skeleton

• Spiny skeletons

What are common habitats of radiolarian?

• Deep ocean

Which is an image of radiolarians?

How are forams and radiolarians used in geology and paleoclimate studies?

• Petroleum

• People use the to determine if they are close to an area with oil underground

In what forms are marine fungi commonly found?

• Majority are microscopic

In what marine habitats are marine fungi commonly found?

• Shallow coastal areas

• Splash zone on the coast, especially rocky areas

How do aquatic photosynthetic organisms adapt to low light conditions in water?

By increasing their light-absorbing pigments like chlorophyll

Which light wavelengths disappear first in surface water?

Red, orange, and yellow

What accessory pigments are common in aquatic algae?

Fucoxanthin

What is the name of the morphological structure of seaweed that are gas-filled bladders that buoy up the plant towards sunlight?

Pneumatocysts

Which three types of marine algae have macroscopic forms?

Macroalgae, Macrophytes, Macrocytis

What is a common name for brown algae?

Phaeophyta

What is the largest macroalgae?

Macrocytis (giant kelp)

What is the scientific term for aquatic plants?

Macrophytes

How are seagrasses ecologically important?

• Main food source for many animals

In what habitats are seagrasses found?

• ONLY marine environments

Why do wetlands have few, endemic species?

The plants there must be adapted to low oxygen levels in water

What are identifying characteristics of a salt marsh?

• cordgrass

• temperate coastal areas

Which image is a salt marsh?

What are identifying characteristics of a mangrove?

• Entagled prop roots

Which image is a mangrove?

How are coastal wetlands like marshes and mangroves ecologically important?

• Important for habitat

• Protecting juvenile species

• Good for nutrient cycling

What are conservation threats to coastal marshes like mangroves and marshes? What implications does the loss of these habitats have on people?

• These habitats help protect from storm surges, and help keep the young population of select organisms safe.