Oceanography Primary Producers

vivipary

when seeds germinate while still attached to the parent tree

photosynthesis and chemosynthesis

Primary producers create their own food through...

phytoplankton

What are the most abundant and important primary producers in ocean?

swimming or drifting

Plankton move by __________or _________ - rely on ocean currents

biomass

the total weight/quantity of living material in a given area

phytoplankton

Microscopic organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis

diatom and dinoflagellates

What are the two types of phytoplankton?

diatom

have silica shells and produce a large amount of O2

dinoflagellates

some cause harmful algal blooms, like red tides

provide food and produce 50% of the world's O2

Why are phytoplankton crucial to marine ecosystems?

consumers

Are zooplankton producers or consumers?

producers

Are phytoplankton producers or consumers?

Holoplankton

spends entire life drifting, important food source for fish and whales

Meroplankton

begins life drifting, then grows and settles in another area

Holoplankton and Meroplankton

What are the two types of zooplankton?

true

(T/F): All seaweeds are algae but not all algae are seaweed

pigments

Seaweed are classified based on their _________

Green Algae (chlorophyta)

What type of algae is found in shallow waters?

Brown Algae (fucoxanthin)

What type of algae includes large kelp forests?

Red Algae (phycoerythrin/phycocyanin)

What type of algae is found in deep waters?

thallus

(structure of seaweed) entire body

blade

(structure of seaweed) leaf-like structure

pneumatocyst

(structure of seaweed) gas-filled bladder

stipe

(structure of seaweed) stem like structure

holdfast

(structure of seaweed) attaches thallus to hard bottoms

True marine plants

have a vascular system, roots, are descended from land ancestors and are found in shallow water

seagrass

Flowering plants, able to live in salty water, have rhizomes, form underwater meadows

rhizomes

What is the horizontal stem on seagrass called that helps them spread?

turtle grass

(types of seagrass) identified with its broad flat green blades

manatee grass

(types of seagrass) identified by skinny, cylindrical shape

shoal grass

(types of seagrass) identified by slim, flat shape

home to fish nurseries, sediment stabilization (fights erosion), and improves water quality

How does seagrass benefit ecosystems?

mangroves

Found in tropical and subtropical coastal areas - where freshwater meets saltwater, many adaptations, salt tolerant

salt filtration, pneumatophores, vivipary, buttress roots, thick waxy leaves

What are the five adaptations of mangroves?

pneumatophores

(adaptations of mangroves) breathing roots that extend above water for oxygen intake

vivipary

(adaptations of mangroves) seeds germinate while still connected to the parent tree

buttress roots

(adaptations of mangroves) provide stability

thick waxy leaves

(adaptations of mangroves) conserve water in harsh environments

halophytes

Mangroves are salt tolerant, also called ____________

red mangroves

distinguished by reddish prop roots, grows closest to the water

Black mangroves

distinguished by long horizontal roots and dark and scaly bark

White mangroves

occupy higher land, live in low salt areas, no visible aerial roots

German Atlantic Oceanographic Expedition in 1925

Which oceanographic mission helped standardize the study of plankton?

they slip through normal nets

Why are small plankton difficult to study?

porcelain filters and fine nylon nets

What do researchers use to capture small plankton?

measure ocean conditions like PH and temp

What do scientists do to understand plankton populations?

phytoplankton; produces half the world's oxygen (photosynthesis); base of marine ecosystems (source of food); provide food for the fish we eat; changes in ocean ecosystems affect industries reliant on them by disrupting food chains & changing fish populations (disrupt human fish industries)

Give an example of an ocean primary producer. How is it used by humans? How do changes in ocean ecosystems affect industries reliant on this producer?

-pollution blocks sunlight, depletes oxygen, and disrupts photosynthesis

-coastal development destroys important habitats like seagrass beds leading to erosion and loss of biodiversity

- these threats weaken marine ecosystems

Identify at least two threats to true marine plants and explain how they impact ocean ecosystems.