Sem 2 Final pt2.

Quarter 4 quizzes

What is the primary factor that determines the presence of rocky shores on coasts? (multiple answers apply)

a.) sediment accumulation (or lack of)

b.) geological activity (volcanism)

c.) ice melting

d.) wave erosion

e.) uplift by geological processes

Why are the west coast and east coast north of Cape Cod in North America more likely to have rocky shores? (multiple answers apply)

a.) recent Ice melting

b.) geological uplift

What is a common feature of rocky shores on the island of hawai’i

geologically young age

What is the term for animals that live on the surface of the substrate, such as rocks?

epifauna

Why are organisms in the rocky intertidal fully exposed to the elements?

alternation of high and low tides daily

What is the challenges for rocky intertidal organisms during low tide? (multiple answers apply)

a.) desiccation

b.) temperature extremes

c.) salinity fluctuations

How do intertidal organisms cope with the problem of desiccation?

a, b, and c (a. run and ride, b. clam up, c. tolerate drying out)

What is the purpose of tide pools for intertidal organisms?

moist environments at low tide

What strategy do organisms like barnacles and mussels use to prevent desiccation?

clam-up

How do some intertidal chitons survive desiccation? (multiple answers apply)

a.) tolerating water loss

b.) moving to wet spots

What is a common problem faced by intertidal organisms during emersion?

temperature extremes

What adaptation helps some snails in the tropics deal with high temperatures?

shell ridges

What is the purpose of the shell ridges on some snails in the tropics?

radiating heat

What are spring tides?

tides with a large range

What does tidal range refer to?

difference in height between high tide and next low tide

What is the role of radula in mollusks?

scraping surfaces for food

What is the function of chitons' shells?

protection from predators

What is an active continental margin?

one colliding with another plate

How do sessile organisms in the intertidal deal with wave shock?

clamping to rocks

Why does competition for space play a significant role in the rocky intertidal?

limited habitat space

What is the common feature of rocky intertidal communities mentioned in the text?

vertical zonation

What term do biologists use to describe the pattern of banding in rocky intertidal communities?

vertical zonation

What is the general rule regarding the upper and lower limits of a zone in rocky shores?

the upper limit is mainly determined by physical factors, the lower limit by biological factors

What is the primary factor determining the upper limit of a species in the intertidal?

desscation

In transplantation experiments involving barnacles, what was the main reason for the death of barnacles moved higher than their normal range?

drying out at low tidw

What is the purpose of removal experiments mentioned in the text?

to observe the effects of grazing on seaweeds

What do caging experiments primarily aim to achieve?

to protect organisms from predators

What is the role of the ochre sea star in the rocky intertidal ecosystem?

keystone predator

Which factor is mentioned as potentially affecting the success of seagrass transplantation in the Netherlands?

physical effects of waves and currents

What are the three general divisions of the intertidal zones mentioned in the text?

upper, middle, and lower

Which zone is often called the "splash zone" and lies mostly above the high tide mark?

Upper intertidal

What characterizes the upper intertidal zone in terms of exposure to air?

wetted mainly by wave splash and spray

What organisms are mentioned as dominant primary producers in the upper intertidal?

seaweeds and lichens

What is the primary reason for the dominance of mussels in the middle intertidal?

competitive exclusion

What is the term used to describe the regular patterns of regrowth in the rocky intertidal?

ecological succession

What event is suggested to have the potential to change the dominance of mussels in the lower intertidal?

sea star predation

What is the main resource that seaweeds compete for in the lower intertidal?

sunlight

Which factor is mentioned as a potential influence on the impact of sea stars as keystone predators?

grazing by limpets

What is the potential impact of disturbances on the rocky intertidal community?

increased species diversity

What is the key role of disturbances in maintaining diversity in the rocky intertidal?

to prevent the dominance of a few species

What is considered a soft bottom in marine environments?

sedimentary substrate

Soft bottoms dominate on the east coast of North America, particularly:

south of Cape cod

What is the defining characteristic of soft-bottom communities mentioned in the text?

ability of organisms to burrow easily

What is the primary reason soft-bottom organisms lack solid attachment sites?

lack of suitable substrates

What is the term for animals that burrow in the sediment and live in it?

Infauna

What physical factor significantly influences soft-bottom communities according to the text?

grain size of sediment

According to the sediment experiment, what type of sediment settles out first after shaking?

coarse sand

What is the main source of food for intertidal soft-bottom communities?

detritus

What is the term for sediments with absolutely no oxygen?

anoxic

What gas is produced in oxygen-depleted sediments by anaerobic bacteria?

hydrogen sulfide (H2S)

How do infauna adapt to oxygen shortage in muddy bottoms?

all of the above

What method do sand dollars use to obtain food particles?

filtering water with tube feet

What is the primary source of food in intertidal soft-bottom environments?

detritus

How do sand, or mole, crabs combine feeding and locomotion?

riding waves up the beach

What is the main factor influencing zonation on sandy beaches?

slope of the beach

What type of animals scurry about catching smaller animals and scavenging on sandy beaches?

ghost crabs

Where is zonation more obvious in intertidal soft-bottom environments?

sandy beaches

What is the term for the red protein in the blood that transports oxygen?

hemogloblin

What is the primary reason for the lack of obvious zonation in muddy areas?

flat bottom

What method do animals like clams and cockles use to burrow through sediments?

changing the shape of their muscular foot

What is the primary characteristic that defines an estuary?

Mixing of fresh water with seawater

Which geological process is responsible for the movement of large sections of Earth's crust and the creation of tectonic estuaries?

plate tectonics

Estuaries formed due to the rising sea level at the end of the last ice age are known as:

drowned river valleys

What is the primary factor determining the classification of estuaries into different groups based on their origins?

geological processes

Which estuarine type is characterized by the accumulation of sediments along the coast forming sand bars and barrier islands?

bar-built estuary

In which region is the Cape Hatteras islands, forming a bar-built estuary, located?

eastern coast of the United states

What caused the formation of estuaries like San Francisco Bay, according to the text?

land subsidence

Fjords, a type of estuary, are common in which of the following locations?

southeastern alaska

Which geological period is associated with the last ice age mentioned in the text?

Pleistocene

What is the term used for the process in which large sections of Earth's crust move about?

plate tectonics

What type of margin has little geological activity and is located on the "trailing edge" of a continent?

passive continental margin

How does the Coriolis effect influence water flow in estuaries located in the Northern Hemisphere?

it causes water to flow to the right

What is the primary factor influencing the distribution of salinity in estuaries, according to the text?

tides

What is the term for estuaries with limited access to the open ocean and high salinity levels? (multiple answers apply)

a.) bar-built estuaries

b.)negative estuaries

What type of sediments are most common in estuaries, according to the text? (multiple answers apply)

a.) sand

b.) clay

c.) organic-rich mud

Why do estuarine sediments often become anoxic (depleted of oxygen) below the first few centimeters?

respiration by decay bacteria

What physical characteristic of estuaries is influenced by their shallow depths and large surface area?

water temperature

Why does water clarity reduce significantly in estuaries?

large amounts of suspended sediments

Which region is mentioned as an example of a high-salinity estuary with limited access to the open ocean?

Laguna Madre

What type of estuary is characterized by a shallow "sill" at the entrance restricting water circulation, leading to oxygen depletion?

fjord

What is the initial impression of estuaries to the uninitiated?

Barren

What makes estuaries tremendously productive and ecologically important? (multiple answers apply)

a.) plenty of light and nutrients

b.) rich supply of fish and shellfish

Which physical factors do organisms in estuaries need to adapt to?

salinity, temperature, and other physical factors

What is the main challenge facing estuarine organisms regarding their body fluids?

coping with high salinity

What is the term for organisms that tolerate a wide range of salinities?

euryhaline

How do osmoconformers maintain osmotic balance in estuaries?

regulating solute concertration in body fluids

Which group of organisms are often osmoconformers in estuaries? (multiple answers apply)

a.) mollusks

b.) polychaetes

What is the primary pathway for bony fishes that inhabit estuaries to regulate their internal salinity?

filtration of water

What type of plants are commonly found in salt marshes?

Cordgrasses

What role do cordgrasses play in estuarine ecosystems?

sediment trappers

What is the primary reason for the development of salt marshes in temperate and subarctic estuaries?

minimal wave action

What results from tidal creeks, freshwater streams, and shallow pools cutting through salt marshes?

facilitates water circulation

What is the primary factor limiting the landward extension of salt marshes?

height of the highest tide

What is the dominant primary producer on flooded mudflats?

bacteria

What do deposit feeders primarily eat on mudflats?

detritus

Which group of animals is known as infauna?

burrowing animals

What is the primary source of oxygen on submerged mudflats to burrowers?

oxygen-rich water pumped by burrowers

Which organisms are considered important predators on exposed mudflats?

birds

What role do shorebirds play in estuarine ecosystems?

apex predators

What is the purpose of fiddler crabs waving their claws?

attracting mates