fucked up life in the sea class ch. 4-6

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When autotrophs produce more organic matter than they use in respiration, creating a net increase in organic matter.

Explain the term “primary production.”

Prokaryotic cells are very structurally simple, whereas eukaryotic cells are much more complex. Eukaryotes have membrane-bound organelles that prokaryotes don’t, like a nucleus.

Contrast the structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

Large cells are less efficient, since they are limited by surface area to volume ratio as well as the volume of cytoplasm that the nucleus is able to control.

Explain what limits the size of cells.

Autotrophs obtain all the energy they need from sunlight, whereas heterotrophs need to eat organic matter produced by autotrophs.

Contrast autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms.

Diffusion is when molecules move randomly and eventually end up going from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.

Explain what “diffusion” means.

Osmosis is specifically the diffusion of water across the cell membrane

Explain what “osmosis” means.

Passive transport is diffusion/osmosis, and active transport is when proteins in the cell membrane pump materials in the opposite direction to which they would move by diffusion.

Contrast passive and active transport.

Organisms that don’t actively maintain salt and water balance, meaning they can usually only live in a narrow salinity range.

Explain what an osmoconformer is.

They control their internal salinity. While they still have limits, they’re more able to tolerate changes in salinity.

Explain what an osmoregulator is.

Marine fish excrete salt through their gills and lose water through their skin and gills, so they drink seawater to hydrate. Freshwater fish absorb salt through their gills and gain water through their skin and gills, so they do not drink seawater.

Contrast the osmoregulation of salt water (marine) vs. fresh water fish.

Ectotherms lose heat quickly, while endotherms are able to etain metabolic heat.

Contrast the terms “ectotherm” and “endotherm”

The body temperature of poikilotherms changes along with the temperature of their surroundings, while the body temperature of homeotherms remains at the same level.

Contrast the terms “poikilotherm” and “homeotherm”

Cells produced by meiosis with half the normal number of chromosomes

Define “haploid”

Cells with chromosomes that occur in pairs

Define “diploid”

Organisms that reproduce sexually are more diverse, giving them more opportunities to pass on favorable traits to their offspring and evolve

What is the major biological advantage of sexual reproduction over asexual reproduction?

Nekton organisms are strong swimmers.

Define “nekton”

Benthic organisms live on the bottom of the sea.

Define “benthic”

Planktonic organisms drift in the water.

Define “plankton”

A change in the genetic makeup of a species, usually as a result of natural selection favoring some individual characteristics over others.

Define the term evolution.

A hypothesis that is accepted as “true” for the time being because it has passed test after test and is supported by a large body of evidence.

Define the term theory.

A mechanism of evolutionary change that results when individuals that are better adapted than others in meeting the challenges of the environment produce more offspring.

Define the term natural selection.

The technical definition of a biological species is a group of organisms that can reproduce with one another, but this definition is very shaky.

Define the term biological species.

Structurally simple

Prokaryote

Structurally complex + contains a nucleus

Eukaryote

A group of generally photosynthetic bacteria formerly known as blue-green algae.

What are cyanobacteria?

Phycocyanin (bluish), phycoerythrin (reddish), and chlorophyll (green)

What 3 primary pigments are found in cyanobacteria?

Massive calcareous (made of calcium carbonate) mounds formed by cyanobacteria

What is a stromatolite?

A photosynthetic organism that lives on algae or plants

Define epiphyte

A photosynthetic organism that lives within the cells or tissues of algae or plants

Define endophyte

An alga that burrows into calcareous rocks or corals

Define endolithic

Any of several groups of eukaryotic, autotrophic protists that lack the structural features of plants

What are algae?

Unicellular and eukaryotic autotrophs with a siliceous frustule

Describe the structure of diatoms.

A box-like cell wall of diatoms made of silica (a glass-like material) that consists of two tightly fitting halves often resembling a flat, round, or elongated box that typically has intricate perforations and ornaments such as spines or ribs

Define frustule

The upper half of the frustule that fits over the hypotheca

Define epitheca

The lower half of the frustule that the epitheca fits under

Define hypotheca

Centric diatoms are radially symmetric, while pennate diatoms are bilaterally symmetric

Contrast centric and pennate diatoms

The resistant stage of diatoms that restores the species to its maximum size

Define auxospore

When diatoms reproduce asexually, their size decreases, but when reproducing sexually they remain the same size.

Contrast sexual and asexual reproduction in diatoms.

Unicellular, eukaryotic, mostly autotrophic protists with two unequal flagella

What are dinoflagellates?

The production of light by living organisms

What is bioluminescence?

Diatoms and dinoflagellates

What organisms cause “red tide?”

Dinoflagellates that live in association with reef-building corals and other animals

What are zooxanthellae?

A star-shaped internal skeleton made of silica and two flagella of different lengths

Describe the structure of silicoflagellates (chrysophyta)

Flagellated, spherical cells covered with button-like, ornamented structures called coccoliths made of calcium carbonate

Describe the structure of coccolithophorids (haptophyta)

Have two flagella and lack a skeleton

Describe the structure of cryptomonads (cryptophyta)

Marine protozoans that usually have a shell or test made of calcium carbonate

Describe the structure of forams (foraminiferans)

Planktonic marine protozoans that secrete elaborate and delicate shells made of glass (silica) and other materials; shells vary, but typically are spherical with radiating spines

Describe the structure of radiolarians

Protozoans that have many hair-like cilia, which are used in locomotion and feeding

Describe the structure of ciliates

Non-photosynthetic, mostly multi-cellular organisms, many of which are decomposers

What are fungi?

A sudden increase in the abundance of an alga or phytoplankton

What is a bloom?

The combination of the photosynthetic pigments in the organisms causing the bloom

What causes the water coloration in red tide?

Shellfish feed on small planktonic organisms, including both zooplankton that have eaten toxic dinoflagellates as well as the toxic dinoflagellates themselves

Why are shellfish particularly affected by red tides?

Gastrointestinal discomfort, numbing/tingling of the hands, feet, and tongue, or even death when there is paralysis of the respiratory system

Describe the harmful effects to humans of shellfish poisoning.

Scientists believe that the red tide situation will continue to worsen as our coastal pollution problems worsen

What connection exists between toxic blooms and pollution?

Macrophytes or macroalgae

What is another name for “seaweed?”

Seaweeds in the Chlorophyta phylum in which chlorophyll is not masked by other pigments

What are “green algae?”

Seaweeds in the Heterokontophyta phylum with a predominance of yellow and brown pigments, particularly fucoxanthin

What are “brown algae?”

Seaweeds in the Rhodophyta phylum that contain characteristic red pigments, particularly phycobilins

What are “red algae?”

Stipe, blade, holdfast, and pneumatocyst.

Describe the structure of seaweed.

A stem-like structure in seaweed that provides support from which the blades originate

What is a stipe?

The leaf-like, flattened portions of the thallus

What is a blade?

A structure that looks like roots and anchors the thallus

What is a holdfast?

Gas-filled bladders that sometimes keep the blades close to the sea surface, thereby maximizing their exposure to sunlight

What is a pneumatocyst?

Unlike true leaves, blades do not have veins; the upper and lower surfaces of blades are also identical to each other

How does a plant leaf differ from the comparable part of seaweed?

The holdfast is not involved in any significant absorption of nutrients and does not penetrate through sand or mud as true roots do

How do plant roots differ from the comparable part of seaweed?

Seagrasses, cordgrasses, and mangroves are three groups of marine flowering plants, although seagrasses are the only truly marine group

What are the 3 groups of “marine” flowering plants? Which one is truly marine?

Seagrasses have horizontal stems called rhizomes that commonly grow beneath the sediment.

Describe the structure and location of seagrasses.

Salt-marsh plants have salt glands in their leaves that excrete excress salt. Cordgrasses inhabit the zone above mudflats that become submerged by seawater only at high tide, while other halophytes may be found at higher levels on the marsh

Describe the structure and location of salt-marsh plants.

Emergent plants are rooted in the lake bottom, but their leaves and stems extend out of the water

Define the term “emergent.”

Mangroves are tree-like structures with thick leaves adapted to reduce water loss; they are adapted to live along tropical and subtropical shores around the world

Describe the structure and location of mangrove plants.

Salt-marsh plants and mangroves are both emergent halophytes, but mangroves live in tropical environments while salt-marsh plants live in more temperate regions

How are salt-marsh plants and mangrove plants similar? How do they differ?

Restricted to photic zone, small size & complex shape for better SA/V ratio, vacuoles fill with sea water + reduce volume of cell needing nutrients, often have horns, wings, etc. that prevent predation, heavy cell walls

List several adaptations for life in a planktonic existence.

A base (luciferin) is oxidized by an enzyme (luciferase) and energy in the form of light is produced.

Describe the basic chemistry of bioluminescence.

The term literally means “light cell” and refers to single cells that produce light

Define photocyte.

An organ that produces bioluminescence

Define photophore.

Luminescent body present in the cytoplasm of some dinoflagellates

Define scintellon.

Mating signals, anti-predation, predatory, or general defense

List 4 functions of bioluminescence.

Single parent cell doubles its DNA, then divides into two cells

Define fission.

A form of asexual reproduction where the parent develops small growths (buds) that break away and become separate individuals.

Define budding.

Organisms break into two or more fragments that develop into a new individual

Define fragmentation

Some species release millions of eggs and sperm into the water, where fertilization occurs

What is broadcast spawning?

The care given by some groups of animals to their offspring by holding them in the mouth of the parent for extended periods of time

What is mouth brooding?

A pouch where eggs are protected before hatching

What is a brood pouch?

A single organism

What is an individual?

A group of organisms of the same species living in the same area

What is a population?

All the populations in a particular habitat

What is a community?

Communities living in a large area together with their physical environment

What is an ecosystem?

Organisms that are both warm-blooded and cold-blooded

What are intermediate species?

using a network of pseudopodia to trap food

Foraminiferans and radiolarians feed by

Saxitoxin

What is responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning?

A red pigment

What are phycobillins?

A blue-green pigment

What are phycocyanins?

A deadly poison found in pufferfish and blue ring octopi

What is tetrodotoxin?

Two chemicals that create light when they mix

What are luciferin and luciferase?

Tintinnid

Has a vase-like test made of sand

Red algae

What are rhodophyta?

excrete excess salt

Cordgrasses of salt marshes:

Green algae

What are chlorophyta?

Brown algae

What are phaeophyta?

Sea grasses grow in clusters interconnected with horizontal root-like stems.

How do sea grasses grow?