Marine Life and Ecology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to marine life and ecosystems based on the lecture notes.

Necton

Organisms that swim freely in the water column, including many marine species like fish and whales.

Benthic

Organisms that live at the bottom of the ocean.

Demersal

Organisms that swim in the water column but are associated with the seabed.

Odontocetes

Toothed whales, which include species like dolphins and sperm whales.

Mysticetes

Baleen whales, which filter feed on lower trophic level prey like krill.

Baleen

A filter-feeding system in baleen whales used to trap food in the mouth.

Whale Fall

The ecological phenomenon where the carcass of a dead whale provides a food source for deep-sea organisms.

Kerosene

A petroleum product that replaced whale oil as a source of lighting.

Marine Snow

Organic debris that falls from the upper layers of the ocean to the deep sea.

Chemosynthesis

The process by which some organisms create energy from chemical compounds, often found at hydrothermal vents.

Bioluminescence

The production and emission of light by living organisms, common in many deep-sea creatures.

Cartilaginous Fish

Fish that have a skeleton made primarily of cartilage, including sharks and rays.

Bony Fish

Fish that have skeletons made of bone, which includes most species that are commonly consumed.

Trophic Level

The position an organism occupies in a food chain, representing its feeding status.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

Nutrient Cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter in ecosystems.