Marine Biology Review Flashcards

A comprehensive set of flashcards based on marine biology concepts focused on multicellular producers, invertebrates, fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Multicellular Primary Producers

Organisms like seaweeds and plants that perform photosynthesis in marine environments.

Seagrasses

Flowering plants found in marine environments; crucial for biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

Mangroves

Coastal trees adapted to saline environments, important for coastal stability.

Salt Marsh Plants

Vegetation found in coastal intertidal zones that helps prevent erosion.

Primary Producers

Organisms that produce energy in an ecosystem, such as phytoplankton and macroalgae.

Green Algae

A group of algae (Chlorophyta) found in various habitats, important in marine environments.

Brown Algae

Includes giant kelps (Phaeophyta), significant for their role in marine ecosystems.

Red Algae

Algae (Rhodophyta) adapted to different light conditions, important in economic uses.

Alternation of Generations

Life cycle pattern in seaweeds, alternating between sporophyte and gametophyte stages.

Sponges

Simple aquatic animals (Porifera) that filter feed and have a porous body structure.

Cnidarians

A phylum including jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones, characterized by stinging cells.

Platyhelminthes

Flatworms, a diverse group of invertebrates with various ecological roles.

Mollusca

A phylum of invertebrates that includes snails, clams, and octopuses.

Arthropoda

The largest phylum of animals, including crustaceans like crabs and lobsters.

Echinodermata

Marine animals like starfish and sea urchins, known for their radial symmetry.

Filter Feeding

A feeding mechanism used by sponges and some bivalves to obtain nutrients from water.

Coral Reefs

Coastal ecosystems built from coral polyps, significant for marine biodiversity.

Cartilaginous Fishes

Fish with cartilage skeletons, including sharks and rays.

Bony Fishes

Fish with bony skeletons, including salmon and clownfish.

Streamlined Bodies

Aerodynamic body shape in fish for efficient swimming.

Gills

Organs in fish that extract oxygen from water.

Sensory Systems

Systems in fish for detecting environment, including lateral line and electroreception.

Anadromous Fish

Fish that migrate from the ocean to freshwater to spawn.

Catadromous Fish

Fish that migrate from freshwater to the ocean to spawn.

Conservation

Efforts to protect species and habitats from decline due to human activities.

Cetaceans

Marine mammals, including whales and dolphins, adapted for life in water.

Pinnipeds

Marine mammals like seals and sea lions, characterized by their flippers.

Sirenians

Herbivorous marine mammals like manatees, important for coastal ecosystems.

Echolocation

Biological sonar used by some marine mammals to navigate and hunt.

Osmoregulators

Organisms that actively maintain their internal salinity.

Osmoconformers

Organisms that do not regulate their internal salinity and match their surroundings.

Primary Production

Creation of organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic carbon dioxide.

Prokaryotes

Simple, unicellular organisms lacking a nucleus, including bacteria.

Eukaryotes

Complex cells with a nucleus and organelles.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that consume other organisms for energy.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic plants that perform most of the ocean's photosynthesis.

Diatoms

A type of phytoplankton with silica shells, essential for marine food webs.

Dinoflagellates

Photosynthetic protists that can cause harmful algal blooms.

Zooxanthellae

Symbiotic dinoflagellates that live within coral, crucial for their survival.

Coral Bleaching

The loss of symbiotic zooxanthellae from corals, leading to coral stress and death.

Economic Importance of Marine Plants

Includes uses in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics derived from macroalgae.

Phycocolloids

Gel-like substances derived from algae, e.g., agar and carrageenan.

Macroalgae

Another term for seaweeds, classified mainly into green, brown, and red types.

Holdfast

Anchor-like structure of seaweeds that attaches them to surfaces.

Pneumatocysts

Gas bladders in seaweeds that help them float.

Biological Species Concept

Defines species as groups of actually or potentially interbreeding populations.

Evolution

Change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

Natural Selection

Process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce.

Hermaphrodites

Organisms that possess both male and female reproductive organs.

Biodiversity

The variety and variability of life forms within a given ecosystem.

Trophic Levels

Layers in a food web, including producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Nutrient Cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems

Effects caused by human activities, including overfishing and habitat destruction.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Regions of the ocean designated for protection to preserve biodiversity.

Photosynthesis

Process used by autotrophs to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose.

Cellular Respiration

Process by which cells break down glucose to produce energy.

Homeostasis

The ability of a living organism to maintain stable internal conditions.

Metabolism

All chemical processes in an organism that maintain life.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds used for energy and structural purposes in living organisms.

Proteins

Biomolecules made of amino acids, important for growth and repair.

Lipids

Fatty compounds for energy storage and cell membrane structure.

Nucleic Acids

Molecules like DNA and RNA that carry genetic information.

Osmoregulation

The process of regulating water and solute concentrations.

Diffusion

Movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Osmosis

Movement of water molecules across a semipermeable membrane.

Ectotherms

Organisms that rely on external sources to regulate body temperature.

Endotherms

Organisms that generate their own heat to maintain body temperature.

Marine Food Webs

Complex networks of interactions between marine organisms involving feeding relationships.

Microorganisms

Tiny living organisms, including bacteria and phytoplankton.

Trophic Interactions

Feeding relationships within an ecosystem, essential for energy transfer.

Detritus

Dead organic matter that serves as a food source for decomposers.

Nitrogen Fixer

Organism that converts atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form.

Stromatolites

Layered structures formed by the activity of microorganisms.

Coralline Algae

Red algae that deposit calcium carbonate, contributing to coral reef structure.