AICE Marine Science: Unit 3 Study Guide

Define productivity

the rate of production of new biomass through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis

State the word equation for photosynthesis

Carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen

Describe a laboratory experiment that you could use to safely test the following hypothesis. Light intensity increases the rate of photosynthesis in seagrass.

First, the seagrass must be carefully removed from its original environment and put into a suitable container. The independent variable is the light intensity. The measure the light intensity a meter stick will be used to measure the distance from the lamp used to the beaker with the test tube containing the seagrass. The range used for this experiment is 5-25 cm. The dependent variable is the measurement of oxygen. The method of recording the oxygen is to count the amount of oxygen bubbles produced by the seagrass. The rate of this calculation is per minute. The 2 controls of this experiment is keeping the temperature constant and to have the same species of seagrass. This experiment should be repeated multiple times for accuracy. After this multiple trials, the mean of each trial should be calculated. During this experiment to be safe, please do not touch the lamp as it can reach high temperatures and be sure to keep hands dry when handling electrical equipment.

Explain the relationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis

As the light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis will also increase.

State the original source of energy which phytoplankton use?

light energy

Name the producer of the food chain

phytoplankton

what trophic level is tuna?

fourth trophic level

Define the term predator

A predator is an organism that hunts, kills, and feeds on their prey to obtain energy and to regulate the population of other organisms.

Suggest and explain the effect of an increase in the surface concentration of nitrate ions on the concentration of dissolved oxygen.

The dissolved oxygen will decrease due to the increase of nitrates because there is more respiration being done from an increases consumer population

what is a substance of magnesium?

chlorophyll

what is the use of magnesium?

photosynthesis

what is a substance of calcium?

calcium carbonate

what is the use of calcium?

used to make coral skeleton or shells

what is a substance for nitrogen?

proteins

what is the use of nitrogen?

used for growth

Carbon is another nutrient required by organisms for growth and reproduction. Explain how carbon is cycled in the ocean.

Plants uptake or assimilate the carbon using photosynthesis and turns the carbon into glucose. The carbon is passed along the food chain when the producer is eaten. The carbon is then digested and released as excretions or organic matter. The organic matter or dead bodies fall from the surface to the seabed and decompose as marine snow. The organic matter that is not eaten form sedimentary rock that the carbon is incorporated into. The organic matter, including the carbon, that is not formed into sedimentary rock is upwelled to the surface of the ocean. That carbon dioxide is used for photosynthesis by the producers at the surface of the ocean. This process of photosynthesis creates glucose and oxygen. The carbon dioxide is produced by consumers through respiration. The carbon dioxide can also be used when it is dissolved from the atmosphere. This process repeats making the carbon cycle.

Name two other elements found in all carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.

oxygen and hydrogen

Which additional element is needed in proteins to form some amino acids, such as cysteine and methionine?

sulfur

The elements listed above are needed in relatively large amounts for productivity. Name an inorganic ion that is only needed in far Smaller concentrations.

Magnesium

Explain why the concentrations of nitrate and phosphate ions are crucial for a healthy marine ecosystem.

The concentrations of nitrate and phosphate ions are crucial because they are limiting factors in an environment, meaning it can regulate the amount of photosynthesis being done.

Name the process that converts chemicals from the abiotic to biotic phase

assimilation (uptake by producers)

Name the process that converts chemicals from the biotic to abiotic phase

decomposition

Name the monomers that are the sub-units of polymers of proteins

amino acids

Name the monomers that are the sub-units of polymers of carbohydrates

glucose

Name the monomers that are the sub-units of polymers of lipids

3 fatty acids & glycerol

Name the biochemical process that converts monomers into polymers

condensation

Name the biochemical process that converts polymers into monomers

hydrolysis

Name the covalent bonds that is formed when protein is created

peptide bond

Name the covalent bonds that is formed when lipid is created

ester bond

Name the covalent bonds that is formed when carbohydrate is created

glucosidic bond

Explain how upwelling can replenish the inorganic nutrients used to create new biomass

Upwelling replenishes the inorganic nutrients by the nutrients from dead bodies being transported up to the surface of the ocean, which can be used as nutrients for organisms. These nutrients can be used as food or energy for the organisms in the ocean.

Explain how run-off can replenish the inorganic nutrients used to create new biomass

Run off replenishes the inorganic nutrients by the freshwater that has precipitated and falls on the rocks. Those rocks are then weathered and eroded away, with the water picking up ions, metals, and nutrients and flows into a nearby river. That river then can lead into the ocean and bring those nutrients from the water with it.

Explain how tectonic activity can replenish the inorganic nutrients used to create new biomass

Tectonic activity replenishes the inorganic nutrients in multiple ways: hydrothermal vents volcanic eruptions, and weathering & erosion. At hydrothermal vents, the nutrients being pushed out of the vents are flowing into the cool water and dissolves into the water and gives organisms that use the process chemosynthesis to have nutrients to conduct that process. During the weathering and erosion process, magma from the mantle adds new rock on earth's surface. That new rock forms new seabed, mountains, or other features. That new rock can be eroded and weathered and be dissolved into rainwater or run-off into rivers and the ocean.

Explain how the dissolving of atmospheric gases can replenish the inorganic nutrients used to create new biomass

The dissolving of atmospheric gases replenishes the inorganic nutrients by the temperature of the water affecting how much gas can be dissolved. If the water is colder, then water is more soluble than warmer waters. In El Nino water, the water is increasingly warmer than other regions of the water, meaning that there are less gases and nutrients for the organisms in that region. If there is also less concentration of gases in the atmosphere, then there is less gas for the organisms to use. Also, the mixing of the layers of the water cause for layers with less gases to mix with layers with more gases, which can cause for the gases in the mixing water to increase or decrease.

parasitism

A relationship in which one organism lives on or in a host and harms it.

commensalism

A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

mutualism

A relationship between two organisms in which both organism benefit

parasitic relationship of copepods and marine fish

copepods infest the marine fish externally on the body, around the mouth, and on the gills

commensal relationship between manta rays and remora fish

the remora will latch onto the ray or eat other organisms on the ray

mutualistic relationship between boxer crab and anemone

the boxer crab uses the anemones stinging cells for defense, while the anemone feeds on the crab's food

tropic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) equation

energy tropic level n+1/energy tropic level n x 100%