ISNS 2367 The Oceans Chapter 11 & 12

Select the largest single habitat on Earth.

The marine environment.

Organisms that are best adapted to life in a particular environment are more likely to reproduce successfully. This is called ______.

natural selection.

Charles Darwin and ______ are the two nineteenth-century English naturalists that first proposed natural selection.

Alfred Wallace.

The development of a new species, as a result of a population changing its genetic makeup, in response to differential reproduction of its members is encapsulated in the theory of ______.

evolution.

The idea of a common ancestor in the theory of evolution explains that ______.

all life on Earth evolved from one organism

Reason:

The common ancestor is LUCA - Last Universal Common Ancestor.

The __________ environment represents the single largest habitat on Earth.

Marine.

The classification of similar organisms into groups is based on ______.

the theory of evolution.

Natural _________ , is the process in which those organisms best suited for their environment are more likely to reproduce successfully.

Selection.

The classification of organisms based on shared traits is __________.

Taxonomy or Taxonomic

Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace are credited as being the first scientists to propose ______.

natural selection.

The ______ classification system is used to name and classify related organisms. The naming system proceeds from the least specific (kingdoms) to the most specific (species).

Linnaean.

The theory of evolution explains that a population will gradually adapt to take on the traits of the most successful individuals within that population, ultimately leading to the development of a new __________.

Species.

True or false: Representatives from every domain of life can be found in the oceans.

True

Reason:

The domains Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya are all represented in the oceans.

Select the statement below that best represents how all life on Earth is most likely related.

All life on Earth likely shares one common ancestor.

Phylogeny is used to ______.

determine the evolutionary relationships between organisms and their descendants.

______ is the process of grouping similar types of organisms together by using the theory of evolution.

Classification.

What are cryptic species?

Organisms that look alike and have similar lifestyles but are separate species.

What is taxonomy?

The classification of organisms based on morphology.

The domains of life, based on cell morphology/structure and DNA sequences, are ______. (Select all that apply.)

-Archaea.

-Bacteria.

-Eukarya.

The Linnaean classification system at the kingdom level and below involves ______. (Select all that apply.)

1) the naming of organisms based on their genetic sequences

Reason:

Sequencing the genes of an organism may help place the organism in the Linnaean system, but it is not a naming system itself.

2) the grouping of single-celled organisms into one of three domains based on their cell morphology and genetic sequences

Reason:

The three domains are above the kingdom level of the Linnaean classification system or can be considered distinct from it.

Select all the statements that apply to prokaryotes.

-Bacteria and Archaea belong to the group.

-They possess a simple cell architecture.

-Fossil examples date back at least 3.5 billion years.

Select all the statements that are true in regard to the diversity of life in the oceans.

-The oceans contain a representative from each kingdom.

-The oceans contain representatives from each of life's domains.

Chloroplasts are used by some eukaryotes to ______.

harvest energy from sunlight.

______ is a classification system based on evolutionary relationships between ancestor organisms and their descendants. Currently, the system uses ______ information to infer these relationships.

Phylogeny; genetic

Reason:

Genetic material is not alway available for extinct organisms; in these cases, morphology can play a bigger role in determining evolutionary relationships.

Biological diversity refers to the ______.

richness and variety of life found on our planet.

Species that are reproductively isolated but look nearly identical and carry out similar functions in an ecosystem are called __________ species.

cryptic.

True or false: As far as we know, the ocean ecosystem has fewer species than the terrestrial environment does.

True.

Eukarya, Archaea, and __________ represent the three ____________ life, based on cell morphology and DNA sequences.

bacteria, domains.

One hypothesis that attempts to explain why there are fewer marine species than terrestrial species is the intermediate disturbance hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that ______.

much of the ocean is not disturbed often enough to drive abundant species production via natural selection.

Reason:

The basic theory is that species diversity is maximized when ecological disturbance is neither rare nor too frequent.

Which of the following statements correctly describe differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes? (Select all that apply.)

1) Eukaryotes have a more complex cell structure.

Reason:

Eukaryotes have membrane-bound internal structures.

2) Prokaryotes likely evolved first and have an older fossil record.

The goal of the Census of Marine Life is to ______.

create an online encyclopedia that categorizes every existing form of marine life.

Match the cell component to its description.

Nucleus: Houses the majority of a cell's DNA

Mitochondria: Used to derive energy from food

Chloroplasts: Used to harvest sunlight by photosynthesis

True or false: Biodiversity is a good measure of ecosystem health.

True

Reason:

A diverse ecosystem uses resources more efficiently and produces more food and fewer waste products. A diverse ecosystem is generally more stable.

The variety of life in a given area is referred to as ______.

biological diversity.

Select all the statements that correctly describe the flow of energy and chemicals between autotrophs and heterotrophs.

-Heterotrophs use organic carbon and oxygen and produce carbon dioxide and water.

-Autotrophs take in carbon dioxide and water and produce oxygen and organic carbon.

Select all the true statements below about the comparison between marine and terrestrial diversity.

-The oceans appear to have many fewer species than terrestrial environments.

-The ocean has representatives from many more phyla than the terrestrial system.

All life can be divided into two groups of organisms based on how they derive energy and carbon for growth. __________ able to make their own organic matter from sunlight or chemical energy, but __________ must consume preexisting organic matter.

Autotrophs; Heterotrophs

Select all the possible reasons why the marine ecosystem has fewer species than the terrestrial environment.

1) There are fewer habitats and greater stability in the oceans.

Reason:

Greater stability and fewer habitats mean less selectional pressure for diversity.

2) Although ocean conditions can limit the movement of organisms, it does so less than terrestrial systems do.

Reason:

Limiting movement has the effect of limiting gene flow. Less genetic flow between areas allows for more speciation to occur.

The goal of the __________ of Marine Life is to create an online encyclopedia of all marine organisms.

census.

Match the organism to its correct category of energy generation.

-Whales: Heterotrophic

-Cyanobacteria: Photoautotrophic

-Deep-water archea: Chemoautotrophic

Valuable drugs and other marine products are most likely to come from ______.

the most diverse marine ecosystems

Chemoautotrophs use chemical energy to drive the production of organic matter by using a process called ______.

chemosynthesis.

Photosynthetic autotrophs combine __________ carbon dioxide, using sunlight as a source of energy, to produce organic carbon, which heterotrophs combine with __________ to liberate the stored energy.

water; oxygen

Organisms living in the pelagic zone that can move faster than the currents are called __________, and those that are unable to move faster than the currents are called __________.

nekton; plankton

The main difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs is autotrophs can ______.

generate their own organic food source, and heterotrophs cannot.

Match a category of plankton to its description.

-Phytoplankton: They photosynthesize and are thus photoautotrophic. They can be either prokaryotic or eukaryotic.

-Zooplankton: They are eukaryotic and consume organic matter.

-Bacterioplankton: They are heterotrophic prokaryotes.

Photoautotrophs use ______ energy to generate organic matter; chemoautotrophs use ______ energy.

light; chemical

Photoautotrophs harness light energy to generate organic matter by using the process of _________.

Photosynthesis.

Marine organisms can be grouped by size and habitat. Match the group name to its description.

-Plankton: Organisms that are generally small and unable to move faster than the currents

-Nekton: Organisms that are larger and able to move faster than the currents

-Benthos: Organisms of various size living on or in the sea floor

Benthos can live ______.

from the splash zone to the deepest depths of the ocean

Reason:

The same species are not likely to live in all of these zones, but benthos in general can be found at variable depths.

Phytoplankton that can both photosynthesize or consume organic matter depending on environmental conditions are known as ______ plankton.

mixotrophic

The marine environment can be divided into two general zones, the __________ zone, or water environment, and the __________ zone, or seafloor environment.

pelagic; benthic

Rank the following vertical areas of the pelagic zone according to how much light is available. Put them in order as they occur in the water column.

1. epipelagic zone

2. mesopelagic zone

3. bathypelagic zone

4. abyssopelagic zone

Because __________ organism live on, in, or attached to the sea floor, they live in all depths of sea water.

benthic

Match each seafloor zone to its description.

1. Supralittoral

2. Littoral

3. Sublittoral

4. Bathyal and Abyssal

1. The splash zone, an area only covered by wave spray during the highest spring tides

2.The intertidal zone, the area covered and uncovered daily by the tides

3. The area from the lowest low tide to the edge of the continental shelf

4. Areas of complete darkness and without seasonal change

Match the marine zone to its description.

1. Oceanic: A subdivision of a major zone; the open ocean away from the direct influence of land

2. Neretic: A subdivision of a major zone; the ocean above the continental shelf

3. Benthic: One of the two major zones; covers the seafloor environment

4. Pelagic: One of the two major zones; covers the water environment

In the disphotic zone, there is some light but not enough to support photosynthesis. However, in the __________ zone, above there is enough light, and in the __________ zone, below there is no light.

euphotic; aphotic

Identify the different areas of the pelagic zone.

A: Epipelagic

B: Mesopelagic

C: Bathypelagic

D: Abyssopelagic

True or false: The wavelength of the light is an important factor that influences how deep the light will penetrate into the ocean.

True

Reason:

The wavelength does matter. Shorter wavelengths such as blue penetrate deeper than longer wavelengths such as red.

The longer wavelengths of the color __________ absorbed at the shallowest depths, and the shorter wavelengths of the color __________ penetrate the deepest.

red; blue

Order the zones of the sea floor. Place the shallowest zone on top.

Littoral

Bathyal

Abyssal

Hadal

Sunlight tends to penetrate to greater depths farther offshore because ______.

there are fewer particles in the waters of the euphotic zone of the open ocean

Reason:

There are fewer particles because inorganic particles have had a chance to settle out and there is less primary productivity.

Match the ocean zone to its degree of light penetration.

1. The area where there is enough light for the growth of photosynthetic organisms

2.The area where no light penetrates

3. Where there is sufficient light to see but not enough to support photosynthesis

Phytoplankton must be able to adapt to a wide range of conditions because they ______.

are moved by currents and via ocean mixing, both vertically and horizontally over short time frames

The depth to which light penetrates the ocean is largely determined by ______. (Select all that apply.)

-the amount of particulate and dissolved matter in the water

-the angle of the Sun's rays

-the wavelength of the light

Bioluminescence is ______.

the light some organisms are able to produce themselves.

Reason:

They generate the light by running a biochemical reaction using the enzyme luciferase acting on the substrate luciferin.

Rank the following colors based on depth of penetration into the ocean. (Place the deepest penetration on the bottom.)

Red

Yellow

Green

Blue

Sea creatures use bioluminescence to do all of the following except ______.

To serve as compass for the organism

Many zooplankton and jellyfish use ______ to blend in with their watery background.

transparency

Sunlight reaches greater depths in the __________ zone in the open ocean compared to coastal regions because the water is clearer.

euphotic

A fish with a dark back and light underside is said to have a color pattern called _________.

countershading

True or false: The conditions phytoplankton must be able to adapt to are rather small since the marine environment is fairly stable.

False

Reason:

Ocean mixing can send phytoplankton through a wide range of conditions over the course of a single day.

Countershading serves as ______ for an animal.

camouflage

The light generated by organisms themselves is called ______.

bioluminescence

The average temperature range for 90% of the ocean is very constant and varies only from about ______.

-1°C to 4°C (30°F to 40°F)

Identify known functions of bioluminescence. (Select all that apply.)

-To call attention to the predator so bigger predators may come after it

-To use as a "fishing lure" to attract prey

-To see in the dark waters of the deep sea

-To startle or distract a predator

The surface water temperatures near land tend to be more extreme than those of the open ocean at the same latitude. This is because ______. (Select all that apply.)

-the weather over land is more extreme

-coastal upwelling can bring cold waters up from depth

Marine organisms use color (or the absence of it) for ______. (Select all that apply.)

-hiding from prey

-sexual selection

-predatory avoidance

Super-chilled, highly saline ocean waters form ______.

in polar locations where salt is extruded during the formation of sea ice and brine channels form

Countershading is a ______.

color pattern where a marine organism's back is dark and the underside is light

Reason:

Countershading allows a fish swimming near the surface to blend in well with the bottom when seen from above as well as blend with the surface when seen from below.

Organisms that live in and are well-adapted to very cold environments are referred to as ______.

psychrophiles

Countershading (being light on the bottom and darker on the top) is used by fish to ______.

blend in when viewed from above or below

Reason:

The dark color on top allows them to blend with the bottom, when viewed from above, and their light underside allows them to blend in against the sky when viewed from below.

Select all the adaptations different organisms are known to use to survive in extremely cold marine environments.

-Using cryoprotectants to prevent freezing by lowering the cell's freezing point

-Using different fatty acids to maintain flexible membranes

-Using ice-binding proteins to limit damage

Average surface waters in the Arctic can be as cold as ______.

-1°C

Reason:

The salinity allows the water to reach temperatures below the freezing point of fresh water. Waters can form that are much colder than this.

Tuna generate heat in their muscles and are able to avoid losing much of this heat by using a countercurrent heat exchange. This allows them to maintain a temperature that is above the surrounding water. Organisms like this that can maintain a temperature above the surrounding environment, but without a fine degree of control, are known as ______.

endotherms

Reason:

Endotherms can maintain a higher body temperature than the surrounding environment but do not have a fine degree of control.

Surface waters worldwide have large temperature ranges. This is due to ______. (Select all that apply.)

-coastal upwelling

-seasonal variability

-latitudinal variability

Marine mammals are classified as ______ in terms of their heat relationship with the surrounding environment.

homeotherms

Reason:

Homeotherms can maintain a nearly constant body temperature.

Identify methods that larger organisms use to adjust their buoyancy. (Select all that apply.)

-Fish use an internal gas-filled swim bladder to adjust buoyancy.

-Whales store large quantities of blubber, in part, to decrease density.

-Seabirds have low-density bones and use oil to trap air between their feathers and skin, allowing them to float on the surface.

To avoid the often fatal outcome associated with a drastic change in ______, some marine creatures are very adept at controlling the depth at which they live.

pressure

Cyanobacteria are able to fix and use __________ directly from its gaseous form.

N2

Plankton often have a density greater than that of seawater. They reduce this difference and slow sinking by ______. (Select all that apply.)

-storing internal oil droplets

-having spines and other appendages that increase drag and slow sinking

Using oxidizing agents other than __________ allows chemical reactions in __________ minimum zones to take place that are limited or absent elsewhere. (Hint: The answer is the same for both blanks: spell it out.)

oxygen, oxygen

Living cells are out of balance with their environments. They use molecular transport to maintain this imbalance. They use viscous transport to act upon momentum, diffusive transport for __________, and conductive transport for ___________, all in an effort to maintain the imbalance.

mass; heat

The ______ interactions between organisms and their environment and between each other determine ecosystem structure.

chemical and physical

The chemical and physical interactions between organisms and their environment and between each other determine ______.

ecosystem structure

Sargassum is ______. (Mark all that apply.)

-able to convert inorganic compounds into organic compounds

-a multicellular planktonic alga

-able to form large mats that provide shelter and food for many ocean organisms

Match the type of plankton to its correct characteristics.

-Phytoplankton: Form the base of most food webs

-Zooplankton: Consumers that are either unicellular or multicellular

-Bacterioplankton: Rely on inorganic and organic compounds that are dissolved in seawater

Match the plankton group to its correct size.

Picoplankton: Plankton less than 2 to 3 microns in size

Nanoplankton: Plankton between 2 and 20 microns in size

Microplankton: Plankton between 20 and 200 microns in size

Macroplankton: Plankton between 200 microns and 2 mm in size

What role do viruses play in the microbial food web in the oceans?

Viruses kill microbes, releasing their cell's organic matter as DOM, and making the DOM available to heterotrophic bacteria.

In the microbial food web in the oceans, viruses ______.

enhance the recycling of nutrients and impact the microbial loop