Oceanography 4

Kingdom Monera

bacteria, cyanobacteria, archea

What are most Kingdom Monera organisms?

tiny cells that lack a membrane, heterotrophic, autotrophic, single cell, no nucleus

What is a heterotroph?

organisms that require food in the form of organic compounds prefabricated by other organisms

What is an autotroph?

organisms capable of synthesizing organic compounds from inorganic substances

What do photosynthetic organisms do?

utilize solar energy to power photosynthesis

Kingdom Protoctista

algae and protists

What are Kingdom Protoctista organisms?

not bacteria, plant, or fungi. membrane bound nucleus, contain inner organelles, unicellular

Kingdom Fungi

yeasts, molds, and mushrooms

What are Kingdom Fungi organisms?

nucleated cells, terrestrial, require food, form in damp places

Kingdom Plantae

plants

What are Kingdom plantae?

develop from embryo, multicellular, nucleated, photosynthesis

Kingdom Animalia

animals

What are Kingdom Animalia organisms?

develop from embryo, multicellular, nucleated, invertebrates and vertebrates

Pelagic definition

water column (surface to bottom)

Benthic definition

seafloor (salt marsh to. deepest trench)

Plankton include…

all organisms that drift with the ocean currents

Phytoplankton definition

microscopic, single-celled, photosynthetic algae

Zooplankton definition

includes some animals and microscopic, single-celled

Bacterioplankton definition

many kinds of heterotrophic bacteria and some photosynthetic bacteria

Meroplankton definition

larval stage of some benthic and nektonic animals

Nekton definition

all organisms capable of moving independent of ocean currents

Benthon definition

all organisms that live on the seafloor or buried within the sediments

Environmental control factors

temperature, salinity, light, pH, nutrients, depth, sediment type, oxygen, tides, predators

Why do seawater and living tissue have nearly the same density?

the cells of all organisms consist of mostly water and dissolved salts

Diffusion definition

the passive movement of water molecules from high concentration to low concentration

Osmosis definiton

the diffusion of water molecules in or out of cell

Hypertonic definition

cells and tissue having an ionic “salt” concentration greater than the environment they live in

Example of hypertonic

freshwater fish have evolved strategies to rid themselves of excess water from their cells

Hypotonic definition

cells and tissue having an ionic “salt” concentration less than their environment they live in

Example of hypotonic

many saltwater fish and marine mammals have evolved strategies to overcome the loss of water from their cells

Isotonic definition

cells and tissue with an ionic concentration equal to the environment they live in

Example of isotonic

sharks, rays, and many invertebrate

Stenohaline and euryhaline organisms can tolerate…

a narrow and wide variety of salinities

The higher the temp…

the higher the rate of molecular movement and biological activity

What does temperature control in water?

the concentration of dissolved gases in water (CO2 and H2O)

Cold water holds ___ dissolved gas than warm water

MORE

Warm waters are ____ dense and ____ viscous than cold water

less, less

Viscosity definition

a fluids internal resistance to flow. High viscocity: resists flow, low viscosity: flows easy

Adaptations by plankton to resist sinking

large surface area to volume ratio, tiny size, appendages, flat shapes, oil production

What are Diatoms?

shells made of silica, accumulate in areas of high productivity, siliceous ooze

Dinoflaggellates definition

tough organic wall, common in estuaries

Red tides

produce toxins in the water after heavy rains

Cocolithophorids

calcium carbonate shells, form deposits of calcareous ooze

What is cyanobacteria responsible for?

50% of primary production in subtropical gyres

Where is there chemosynthetic bacteria?

hydrothermal vents, large carcasses, hydrocarbon

How do chemosynthetic autotrophs get their energy

through chemical reactions

Stored chemical energy

carbohydrates, proteins, fats

What is primary productivity?

the production of organic matter by all autotrophs

Requirements of primary productivity

solar energy and inorganic nutrients

Photic zone

corresponds with the depth to which photosynthesis is possible

Euphotic zone

the upper part of the photic zone that receives enough sunlight to support net productivity

In the polar regions, the photic zone is ___

shallower

Low latitudes

strong thermocline (big temp change)

High latitudes

weak thermocline (smaller temp change)

Nutrients in the water

nitrates, phosphates, trace elements, vitamins

Where is the most life in the ocean?

along continental margins, especially in coastal areas

Where is there the most productivity?

where there is not much of a thermocline (cold water is more productive)

Biomass definition

the total weight of all organisms, or of a particular group of organisms, in an environment or habitat

The abundance of marine life tracks productivity:

where there is an abundance of autotrophs and where availability of sunlight is limited

Winter

nutrients are available, but not enough solar radiation

Spring

nutrients and solar radiation are available = high productivity

Fall

break down of thermocline-renewed productivity

The flow of energy

solar energy - primary producers - consumers - decomposers - energy

Grazing food chain in the photic zone

phytoplankton - zooplankton - nekton - bigger nekton

Trophic levels

primary, herbivores, carnivores, top carnivore

Only ___ of energy is transferred to the next trophic level

6-14%

What is the most abundant animal in the ocean?

Copepods

Photic zone in the tropics

very deep photic and euphotic zone

Photic zone at the poles

very shallow photic and euphotic zone

Detritus definition

food transferred somewhere else by gravity

Food sources for deep sea organisms

detritus by gravity and detritus by currents

Detritus food chain

detritus - nekton - bigger nekton

What are photoautomatic food webs based on?

photosynthesis of phytoplankton, seaweeds, cyanobacteria, and plants

What are chemoautotrophic food chains based on?

chemosynthesis of chemosynthetic bacteria

Examples of fertile oases with abundant nutrients

salt marshes, estuaries, mangrove swamps

High productivity =

high biomass

Example of oases with scarce nutrients

coral reefs