AICE Marine Science

i hate this fuckass class

Trophic Level

“feeding level” in a food chain or a food web

Primary producer

autotrophs (self feeders)

e.g. phytoplankton

Primary consumers

herbivores, feed directly on primary producers

Secondary consumers

carnivores that feed on herivores

Tertiary consumers

carnivores that feed on other carnivores

Top predators

carnivores at the top of the food chain

Predators

an animal that catches, kills and consumes another animal 

e.g. carnivorous fish eating plankton/fish

Prey

animals that are eaten by predators. they use survival tactics such as camouflage

Population

organisms of the SAME species living together

Community

organisms of DIFFERENT species living together

Ecosystem

system of organisms and their NONLIVING environment

Habitat

natural environment of an organism

Succession

gradual change in the ecosystem that occurs over a period of time 

e.g. volcano erupts/creates a flow of lava/species of coral begins to grow/ species adapts and grows overtime 

Keystone species

consumers that have a LARGE effect on the overall biodiversity on an ecosystem

Biodiversity

variety of life in an ecosystem

Shoaling

large numbers of fish of the same species coming together in a “social way”

Shoaling advantages

1. hydrodynamic frequency

2. more eyes to seek out food

3. more eyes to seek out predators

4. protection from predators 

5. saves energy 

6. amount of fish confuses predators

7. increase chances of finding a mate 

8. easier to reproduce

HIGH biodiversity

STABLE

LOW biodiversity

NOT stable

Coral Reef (biodiversity)

• stable

• not extreme environment

• high biodiversity

• typically found in the photic zone of clear water

Sandy shores (biodiversity)

• low biodiversity

• not stable

Hydrothermal vents (biodiversity)

• extreme environment

• high temperatures and pressure 

• no sunlight

• low biodiversity 

• LOW pH

Producers

Provide food for other organisms in food chain/food web 

Photoautotrophs

use light energy

Chemoautotrophs

use chemical energy

Chemosynthetic bacteria

able to produce organic substances by oxidizing hydrogen sulfide (H₂S)

• found in hydrothermal vents

Extremophiles 

able to survive extreme environments (such as hydrothermal vents)

Consumer

an organism that feeds off of other living organisms

Eutrophication

body of water becomes enriched in nutrients in order to obtain growth

Ecological Niche

the role that organisms play in an ecosystem

SPECIALIZED Ecological Niche 

an organism that can survive within very narrow physical/chemical/biological parameters (typically have very little food requirements)

GENERALIZED Ecological Niche

organisms that can experience a wide range of food/habitats

Competition

both species are NEGATIVELY impacted

Mutualism

both species BENEFITS

Commensalism

one species BENEFITS without affecting (positively or negatively) the other species

Parasitism

one species BENEFITS, the other SUFFERS

Primary productivity 

rate of productivity of biomass through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis 

How to measure productivity

1. rate of increase in biomass in producers

2. rate of photosynthesis of producers 

3. look at amount of chlorophyll in the ecosystem 

Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis

1. nutrients 

2. amount of light

3. concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Biological use of PHOSPHORUS

makes DNA and bone

Biological use for CARBON

makes organic material

Biological use for NITROGEN

makes proteins

Biological use for CALCIUM

makes bones, corals and shells

Biological use for MAGNISUM

synthesizes chlorophyll

Ocean acidification (affects)

dissolves things made of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃)

Hermatypic (SHALLOW) corals

• made up of small individual coral polyps

• skeletons made up of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃)

• have a mutual, symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae

Deep corals

• lack of zooxanthellae

• lack color (WHITE)

• grows much slower

Methods used to reconstruct the history of coral reefs

1. carbon dating

2. geomorphic analysis

3. drilling

Artificial reefs

habitat for other organisms and a growth site for new coral polyps

Examples of artificial reefs

1. ships

2. tanks

3. steel boxes

4. boats 

5. docks 

6. bridges 

7. subway cars 

Importance of NATURAL coral reefs

1. provides habitats/shelters for marine organisms

2. protects coastlines from storms and wave action 

3. brings tourism - helps local communities (economically)

Causes of reef erosion

1. predation

2. storms

3. exposure to air 

4. erosion 

5. boat anchors

Growth rate of corals

3-15 m per 1000 years

Theory of plate tectonics

suggests that the outer crust of the Earth (the lithosphere) consists of a number of separate plates which “float” on the underlying layer (the asthenosphere) 

Evidence supporting the theory of plate tectonics 

1. “puzzle peice” fit between coastlines 

2. magnetic stripes on the seafloor

3. distribution of fossils on different continents 

4. seismic activity near plate boundaries 

Convergent boundaries

tectonic plates move towards one another

Divergent boundaries

tectonic plates move away from one another

Transform boundaries

tectonic plates slide past one another

Mid-ocean ridge

underwater mountain ranges, formed by upward movement and spreading of the underlying magma, which cools and solidifies as it emerges (this process occurs at divergent boundaries)

Abyssal plain

relatively flat areas of the ocean floor, situated between ocean trenches and continental rises. formed by the upwards movement of molten material from the oceanic crust, which solidifies and forms new ocean crust

Ocean trench

formed along tectonic plate boundaries where one plate is forced under another plate (subduction)

NPP=

GPP-R

Net Primary Production (NPP)

the remaining organic substances due to loss of energy

Gross Primary Production (GPP)

the total energy captured by primary producers

Rocky shores

characterized by outcrops of rocks which are exposed to erosion by the sea, producing a variety of different sized boulders, stones and pebbles. the repeated pounding effect of the sea, grades the rocks according to the size with the largest boulders being left at the top of the shore

• the most exposed type of shore and the most resistant to erosion

Sandy shores

can be formed by erosion of sandstone rocks and deposition of sand by the sea itself

Muddy shores

are the least expose to erosion and have very mineral sediments and orga

Estuary

semi-closed coastal body of water, which has a connection with the sea and within which sea water is diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage (slow flow of water)

Deltas

formed when carrying suspended sediments reaches a large body of water, such as a lake or ocean

• as the river increases in width, the flow rate of water decreases and as a result, the suspended sediments settle

Mangroves

trees and shrubs that grow in tropical and subtropical saline coastal habitats

• specifically adapted to a wide range of salinity and low oxygen concentration in the sediments

• the root system and accumulated sediments provide habitats for a wide variety of other organisms, including algae, oysters and crabs

Root system at rocky shores for mangroves

• stable as the relatively stable substrate of large rocks and stones provides a firm surface for the attachment of many species of algae and animals

• environmental factors that influence communities on a rocky shore include desiccation, temp., wave action, light intensity, aspect, slope and the nature of the substrate

Root system at sandy shores for mangroves

• unstable as the fine minerals are easily moved by winds and tides

• doesn’t provide a suitable substrate for the attachment of seaweeds and shelters for organisms living on the surface

• HOWEVER, a number of burrowing organisms are associated with sandy shoes, including ghost crabs

Salinity

is a measure of the saltiness, or salt concentration of water and is usually expressed as parts per thousand

• salinity of sea water is 35ppt

• evaporation and freezing of water increases the salinity

• precipitation decreases the salinity

• sodium ions and chloride ions

Run-off

the flow of t