Marine Biology Unit 1 Vocabulary

What are some common sources of sea salts?

What are some common sources of sea salts?

seafloor openings, rocks on land, etc

Bioprospecting

the search for plants and animals from which medicines and other valuable materials can be obtained

brackish

water that is in between salty and freshwater (can be stinky, etc)

buoy

a floating device anchored to the bottom

buoyancy

the tendency of an object to float in a fluid

Chronometer

an instrument to measure time with great accuracy

CTD

It stands for conductivity, temperature, and depth

Current

the continuous, predictable, directional movement of seawater driven by gravity, wind, and water density.

eDNA

nuclear/mitochondrial DNA that animals release into the environment (ex. hair, carcasses, etc)

Gyre

a circular or spiral motion

Halocline

an abrupt change in salinity that marks two different water layers

oceanography

the science of recording and describing the oceans content and processes

Pycnocline

a thermocline and halocline together creating a boundary between layers of different water density

Remote sensing

the process of detecting and monitoring the physical characteristics of an area by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation at a distance

Rogue Wave

unpredictable waves that are twice the size of surrounding waves

Salinity

the level of saline/dissolved salt content

Secchi disk

circular disk device used to measure water transparency/turbidity in bodies of water

Thermocline

transition between warm, low-density surface water and cool, high-density deep water

Thermohaline circulation tide

the part of the ocean circulation that is driven by density differences

upwelling

a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface

ecotourism

responsible travel to sustain the environment

SCUBA

self-contained underwater breathing apparatus

What was the focus during the Ancient Times?

food, discover, and trade

What was the focus during the Middle Ages?

little to no explorations and discoveries, but trade continued

What was the focus during the Renaissance period?

politics, religion, and exploration

What is the main focus today in marine biology?

technology (ex. satellites)

Ferdinand Magellan

A Portuguese explorer who was first to circumnavigate the world

James Cook

British explorer who utilized Harrison’s chronometer & was first to have a naturalist on his crew

Harrison

invented the chronometer

Jacques Cousteau

French officer who developed the first SCUBA system

What is the average salinity of the ocean?

35‰ (3.5%)

How much of the Earth’s surface is covered in water?

around 70%, making it Earth’s world ocean

Egyptians

earliest recorded sea voyage

Polynesians

earliest long distance open ocean travel beyond the sign of land

Ancient Greeks

determined latitude, predicted the Earth as a sphere, calculated the circumference, applied mathematics to navigation, created sophisticated maps, and had the first marine biologist, Aristotle

Chinese

invented magnetic compass, built ships with rudders and watertight compartments

Phoenicians

established the first trade routes (Mediterranean, red sea, black sea, etc)

Why does the ocean appear blue?

Water absorbs the light of various colors and reflects blue since it absorbs the blue light last (algae absorbs light too, etc)

What happens when you go deeper in the ocean?

Darker, sounds travel faster, colder waters, greater pressure

What is the average pH of the ocean?

8.0, but the pH changes with depth since the carbon dioxide varies with depth (due to lack of photosynthetic organisms)

Why is the ocean important?

Influences weather & climate, distribution of organism, marine resources

Bathyspheres

sealed spheres suspended by a cable

Bathyscaphes

untethered crafts that function like underwater blimps

ROV

unoccupied underwater robot that is connected to a ship by a series of cables (remotely-operated vehicles)

AUV

autonomous underwater vehicle; they are unmanned, untethered vehicles used to conduct underwater research

HOV

high-occupancy vehicle that carries a lot of people (ex. bus)

How does the density change when salinity and temperature change?

As salinity increases and temperature decreases, density increases

What are the primary causes of surface currents, gyres, tides and thermohaline circulation?

Prevailing winds and friction

What are some human-driven issues impacting the ocean?