Bio of Sea Exam 3 Master

seagrass community

subtidal with low wave action, ideal temp, and lots of grass species

widgeon grass

NC seagrass species that is closest to shore

shoal grass

NC seagrass species that is in shallower and high stress areas

eel grass

NC seagrass species that is found the deepest with a more stable environment

increased leaf length/width/number of leaves and wider rhizome

adaptations to eel grass with cooler temperature and lower variability (low PAR)

PAR

photosynthetically active radiation (light available for the plants to use in photosynthesis)

increased root density and rhizome sugar production

adaptations of eel grasses with warmer temp and higher variability (high PAR)

thicker blades

adaptations of seagrass growing deeper

sediment

abiotic factor that can block out light to seagrass when in the water collumn

intertidal

zone of seagrass with higher light and freshwater input (wave action/salinity/desiccation = higher stress)

subtidal

zone of seagrass with medium light level and less freshwater input (less stressful)

seagrass roots

large part of seagrass biomass that also stores carbon underground

rhizome

lateral root system of seagrass that stores energy/sugar

roots and vascular system

2 things seagrass has that macroalgea don’t

salt water marshes

next to mudflats with grassy areas and minimum wave action

pickleweed

species of grass in salt marshes found upland

saltmeadow cordgrass

species of grass in salt marshes found midland

smooth cordgrass

species of grass in salt marshes found lowland

cordgrasses

invasive species of west and east coast of salt marches

spartina alternifoliate

west coast cordgrass

phragmites australis

east coast cordgrass (produces toxins)

lowers biodiversity, grows over everything, and creates unstable habitats

3 megatives from the invasion of cordgrasses to salt marshes

climate, salinity, tide changes, soil

4 keys of success for mangroves

white mangroves

mangrove species found inland with little to no water

black mangroves

mangrove species found midland with some water present

red mangroves

mangrove species found lowland and mostly submerged in water (- low tide)

propagules

seeds of red mangroves that are used for population

prop roots

roots of red and white mangroves that provide structure and support, O2, and habitat space

lenticles

openings on prop roots for gas transfer of oxygen during low tide only

salt-excluders

red mangroves: separate saltwater at root surface to keep salt out

pollination

what black and white mangroves use for population

pneumatophores

roots of black mangroves that assist with gas exchange of O2

some salt-secreting

black mangroves: some salt excluded at roots but most is taken in and exc

fully salt-secreting

white mangroces: salt glands on leaves that are used for all salt excretion

stabilization of soil

importance of good plant root system

estuaries

body of water partially enclosed and made of fresh and salt water

brackish (.5-30 ppt)

type of water in estuaries

most productive ecosystem

estuaries

eutrophication

increased nutrients that can lead to too much algal growth

they create lots of biomass/organic material for animals to thirive

why estuaries are most productvie

specialist species

can survive narrow temperature range and thrives in it

generalist species

can survive and do good in larger temperature range

range expansion

moving higher/lower latitudes and withstanding more temps/ranges

bar-built

estuary built from longshore currents that produce a sand spit

sand spit

extension of sand coming off perpendicular to land

longshore currents

waves that go in at an angle but out straight, bringing sand with them

Pamlico sound, NC

example of a bar-built estuary

fjords

estuary from glaciers retreating over time, creating valleys that become filled with water and a sill

sill

gathering of settlement near mouth of the river

Milford sounds, New Zealand

example of a fjord

tectonic

estuary formed from tectonic activity resulting in land sinking and water flowing into basins

San Francisco Bay, CA

example of a tectonic estuary

Bay of Fundy, Canada

tectonic estuary with powerful tides that create power for over 40,000 houses

Drowned river valleys

most common estuary, saltwater flows into river from sea lever raising and creating a delta

Cape Fear Inlet, NC

example of a drowned river valley

delta

deposited sediment mostly by river

Bayous

estuary formed from melting glaciers that accumulate silt on the tops of them, ultimately creating a nourished estuary

partially mixed estuary

Strong tides and moderate river input create a weaker halocline, stratification, and vertical mixing

well mixed estuary

Strong tidal current and low river inflow created little to no stratification and lateral mixing

Salt wedge estuary

low tidal current and big freshwater inflow create a strong halocline and stratification

temporally

refering to time/over time

eurohaline

can live in wide salinity ranges

osmoregulators

actively using energy to regulate their salinity levels (stable internal levels)

hyperosmoregulation

keeping internal salinity levels greater than surroundings

hypoosmoregulation

keeping internal salinity levels lower than surroundings

osmoconformers

matches internal salinity to that of the surroundings (changing internal levels to surroundings)

perfect osmoregulator

perfect osmocomformer

stenohaline

can only live in a small ranges of salinity

3-20 ppt

most common salinity levels from brackish water species

0-5 ppt

most common salinity levels for fresh water species

5-15 ppt

less common salinity levels for fresh warer species

wider estuary

results in a larger fetch and therefore more mixing of salinities between freshwater and seawater

width, evaporatoin, seasons

3 facors that affect salinity levels in estuaries

substrate

sand grains

anoxic

little to no oxygen present

mud

most common substrate

downstream (near sea)

where is the substrate grain smaller in an estuary due to tidal influence

open water ecosystem

plankton dominated and used as nurseries

phytoplankton

primary producer of open water ecosystem

zooplankton

primary consumer of open water ecosystem

catadromous

spawn at sea and move toward shore as adult

anadromous

spawn near shore and move out to sea as adults

mudflat ecosystems

around open waters with exposure to air at low tide, creating oxygen fluctuation

birds adapting different beak shapes/lengths so they aren’t going for the same prey

resource partitioning in mudflats

oyster reef ecosystems

adjacent to mudflats with beds filled of oysters and tiny crabs

other oysters

what oysters like to be on

improved water quality

results from oysters filtering a lot of water

Abiotic

nonliving factors (currents/temp/salinity/pH)

Biotic

living factors (animal interactions)

Fundamental Niche

theoretical range of environmental conditions under which a species can survive, grow, and reproduce (absent of competition or predetation)

Realized niche

the actual, restricted set of environmental conditions and resources a species requires to occupy an environment

Spacial/habitat niche

physical space occupied by the organism in an environment

Trophic niche

Organisms functional role, diet, and position within a food web

Multidimensional niche

range of environmental conditions and resources in which a species can survive and reproduce

Population

group of one species in given area

community

multiple populations of different species

exponential growth

continuous population growth with out ecological limits

Carrying capacity (k)

the number of individuals a habitat can support with available resources