oceans final

phenotype

The set of observable characteristics or traits of an organism, resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

genotype

The genetic constitution of an organism, determining its potential traits and characteristics.

biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, encompassing the diversity of species, genetic variation, and ecological processes.

why does biodiversity matter to humans

supports ecosystem services such as food production, clean water, and disease regulation, ultimately contributing to human well-being and economic stability.

three issues that harm bio diversity

include habitat loss, climate change, and pollution, which threaten species survival and ecosystem functionality.

how do we measure biodiversity

using indices that assess species richness, abundance, and distribution, as well as genetic diversity within populations.

Autotroph

organism that produces its own food through processes like photosynthesis forming the base of the food chain.

heterotrophs

organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms for energy and nutrients, playing a crucial role in food webs.

plankton

tiny organisms that drift in water, forming the foundation of aquatic food webs and influencing nutrient cycling.

Zooplankton

small, often microscopic, animals that drift in water, primarily feeding on phytoplankton and serving as a key food source for larger marine organisms.

Phytoplankton

microscopic plants that photosynthesize, producing oxygen and serving as the base of aquatic food webs.

nekton

freely swimming aquatic animals, such as fish and whales, that can move independently of water currents.

benthic

pertaining to the ecological region at the bottom of a body of water, including organisms living on or in the ocean floor.

pelagic zone

the open ocean area that exists between the surface and the ocean floor, inhabited by organisms that live in the water column.

benthic zone

the ecological region at the bottom of a body of water, characterized by a diverse range of organisms living on or in the sediment.

neritic

the shallow part of the ocean's pelagic zone that extends from the low tide mark to the continental shelf, supporting a variety of marine life.

oceanic

the deeper part of the ocean, beyond the continental shelf, characterized by vast open water and significant biodiversity.

examples of benthos

include organisms such as crabs, worms, and mollusks that inhabit the seafloor.

examples of nekton

include marine animals such as fish, squid, and whales that swim freely in the water column.

examples of plankton

are tiny organisms, including phytoplankton and zooplankton, that drift with ocean currents and form the base of the marine food web.

diatoms

are a type of phytoplankton characterized by their unique silica cell walls, playing a crucial role in marine ecosystems as primary producers.

Dinoflagellats

are a group of single-celled organisms that can be found in marine and freshwater environments. They are known for their flagella and can exhibit both autotrophic and heterotrophic modes of nutrition.

coccolithphorids

are a group of unicellular algae that produce distinctive calcium carbonate plates, known as coccoliths. They contribute significantly to carbon cycling and serve as important primary producers in marine environments.

cyanobacteria

are photosynthetic bacteria that can be found in various aquatic environments, including oceans and freshwater. They are important for nitrogen fixation and are considered to be some of the earliest forms of life on Earth.

harmful algae bloom

occurs when algae grow excessively in water, often due to nutrient pollution. These blooms can produce toxins that harm aquatic life and pose risks to human health.

How do the following affect life: life, temperature, and salinity

These factors influence marine biodiversity, distribution, and metabolic rates. Life thrives within specific temperature and salinity ranges, impacting species composition and ecosystem dynamics.

What is buoyancy and what adaptations are associated with in?

the ability of an object to float in a fluid, determined by the weight of the fluid displaced. Adaptations associated with gas-filled bladders in fish and specialized body shapes in marine mammals that enhance floating and swimming efficiency.

psychrophiles

organisms that thrive in extremely cold environments, typically below 15°C. They are adapted to survive and reproduce in frigid conditions, often found in polar regions and deep ocean waters.

poikilothermos

organisms whose body temperature varies with the environment. They rely on external heat sources to regulate their internal temperature, affecting their metabolic processes and habitat preferences.

homethermos

organisms that maintain a constant internal body temperature regardless of external environmental conditions. These organisms typically have metabolic mechanisms that regulate heat production and retention.

what is the difference between phytoplankton and zooplankton

autotrophic organisms that conduct photosynthesis and serve as the primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, are heterotrophic organisms that feed on phytoplankton and other small particles, acting as consumers in the food web.

what is standing stock and how is it measured

refers to the total biomass of a particular group of organisms in a specific area at a given time. It is typically measured using methods like biomass estimation, sampling, or remote sensing techniques.

food web

A complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem, illustrating how energy and nutrients flow between producers, consumers, and decomposers.

food chain

A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass in an ecosystem, showing the direct relationships between producers and consumers.

trophic pyramid

A graphical representation showing the distribution of biomass, energy, or numbers of organisms across different trophic levels in an ecosystem, illustrating the hierarchical structure of food chains.

biological pump

A process by which carbon dioxide is absorbed by the ocean's surface and transported to the deep ocean through biological activity, such as the sinking of organic matter, thus playing a critical role in regulating Earth's climate.

bottom up control

A concept in ecology where the abundance and biomass of organisms at lower trophic levels determine the structure and function of higher trophic levels in an ecosystem means that primary producers, such as plants and phytoplankton, influence the populations and types of consumers that can thrive above them. This process highlights the importance of nutrient availability and energy flow in maintaining ecological balance.

top down control

A concept in ecology where the abundance and biomass of organisms at higher trophic levels influence the structure and function of lower trophic levels, often through predation. This indicates that predators can regulate the populations of herbivores and primary producers, affecting overall ecosystem dynamics.

wasp wasit control

A concept in ecology where the manipulation of natural enemies or predators to control herbivore populations is utilized, promoting ecological balance and managing pest outbreaks.

the average depth of the ocean

is approximately 12,080 feet (3,682 meters), which accounts for the vast size and complexity of oceanic environments and their influence on global climate and marine life.

Average salinity of the ocean

is about 35 parts per thousand (ppt), which is a measure of the concentration of dissolved salts in seawater, influencing marine organisms and oceanic processes.

Taxonomy

is the science of classifying and naming organisms based on shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships.

phylogeny

is the study of evolutionary relationships among biological entities, often represented as a tree-like diagram showing how species are related through common ancestry.

how are size and abundance inversely related

is a principle in ecology that suggests that as the size of a species increases, its population density tends to decrease, implying larger organisms are often less abundant than smaller ones.

how is the distribution and abundance of organisms impacted by light, temperature,

and salinity? What are different adaptations for temperature, light, and salinity?

influenced by light, temperature, and salinity, with various adaptations developed to survive in different conditions. Adaptations may include changes in metabolic rates, physiological tolerance limits, and specialized structures or behaviors to thrive in specific environments.

What controls the distribution of primary productivity?

controlled by several factors, including light availability, nutrient supply, and temperature, which influence the rate of photosynthesis and the growth of autotrophic organisms in aquatic ecosystems.

how do you draw a food chain?

A food chain is represented by a linear diagram that illustrates the flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another, starting with primary producers and moving through various trophic levels, including herbivores and carnivores.

what is at the base of a food chain?

Primary producers, such as plants and phytoplankton, form the foundation of a food chain, converting sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

Trophic levels be sure to know how much energy is transferred between layers

are hierarchical levels in an ecosystem that represent the flow of energy and nutrients from primary producers to various consumers. Generally, only about 10% of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.

Where are the areas on Earth with lots of marine productivity

These areas, known as upwelling zones and coastal regions, are characterized by high nutrient availability and support dense populations of phytoplankton and other organisms, making them vital for marine ecosystems.

How do different nekton breathe?

fish utilize gills to extract oxygen from water, while marine mammals and some reptiles breathe air through lungs.

do nekton handle darkness and deep water depths?

adaptations such as enhanced sensory organs and bioluminescence to navigate and hunt in dark and deep water environments, while some are migratory, moving vertically in the water column to evade predators or find food.

Epifauna

organisms that live on the surface of the seafloor, including various invertebrates and algae, playing crucial roles in benthic ecosystems.

Infauna

organisms that live buried within the seafloor sediments, including various worms and bivalves, which contribute to nutrient cycling and sediment structure.

Biparatite lifestyles

refers to organisms that inhabit both the water column and the seafloor, utilizing different resources and adaptations for survival in each environment.

Benthic-pelagic linkages

The interactions and dependencies between organisms living in the benthic zone (seafloor) and those in the pelagic zone (water column), crucial for nutrient transfer and energy flow in marine ecosystems.

examples and basic facts about: seaweed and macrophytes, red algae

are important primary producers in marine ecosystems, providing habitat and food for various marine life while playing a key role in nutrient cycling.

Different benthic environments: rocky shores, tide pools, submerged rocky coasts, soft

sediment beaches, deep sea, coral reefs

environments, each with distinct characteristics and habitats for various marine organisms.

Symbiotic relationships

between different species where both participants benefit, such as corals and zooxanthellae.

Chemosynthesis

is the process by which certain organisms, such as deep-sea bacteria, convert carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter using inorganic compounds, typically in environments devoid of sunlight.

Whale falls

occurs when a whale dies and its carcass falls to the ocean floor, providing a unique and diverse habitat for numerous deep-sea organisms.

what do we call a coast that is formed by processes that occur at the land air boundary

Coastal erosion processes

name one way that a secondary wave might form

by reflection or refraction of primary waves.

what are the grains on a white sand beach made of

primarily of crushed coral, shells, and limestone.

a wave breaks when the wave height divided by the wavelength is >1/2

false

waves move as orbitals rather than forward

true

a wave with a wavelength of 100m will no longer be a deepwater wave at 5m of water depth

true

wave refraction results in more erosion in bays as compared to headlands

false

lunar tides are larger at apogee

false

beach sand on the Hawaiian islands will be mainly white in color

false

a breakwater is built parallel to the coast

true

longshore drift carries sediment away from the shore

false

overfishing has only occurred in the last 50 years

false

water transported shoreward in the surf zone is returned seaward by

rip currents

the speed of a shallow water wave is controlled by

the water depth and wave wavelength.

tides occur due to the gravitational pull of the

Moon and the Sun on Earth.

summer waves are most likely to result in

deposition of sand on the beach

brackish waters could have a salinity of

10 psu

a well mixd estuary occurs when there is

a strong tidal influence and low river inflow

what is most likely to reduce costal erosion?

coastal vegetation

hypoxic regions are defined by

low oxygen