Unit 4 Marine Science Test

What occurrences will put carbon back into the atmosphere?

forest fires, use of fossil fuels, decomposition, respiration

what occurrences will take out of the atmosphere?

dissolving in oceans, deposits in sediments, photosynthesis, formation of fossil fuels

what are major impacts of global climate change?

extinction of species (b/c the world is no longer inhabitable for them)

what dangers does a hurricane present to marine life?

mixing of salt & fresh water affecting the salinity of a habitat

what is upwelling?

caused by Ekman's transport, when the top layer is pushed aside, nutrient rich water will rise to the surface

what is evidence that upwelling has occurred?

an increase in phytoplankton & algae

why is upwelling important to marine ecosystems

b/c nutrient rich water will be cycled from the ocean floor to the surface, but upwelling could also move marine larvae from their typical habitat.

what happens to carbon dioxide content in water during an El Nino year?

decreases because there's less fish respiring

how does upwelling illustrate the impact abiotic factors have on an ecosystem

can impact the ecosystem

what is the result of climate change?

sea level rises & glaciers sink

what causes climate change

global temps. inc. at an alarming rate

what organisms are most affected by a change in sea level?

organisms that live in shallow water

what layer of the atmosphere contains the most gas, by mass?

troposphere

what layer of the atmosphere contains ozone?

stratosphere

what layer of the atmosphere will weather take place?

troposphere

what are the tropics? what latitude lines?

b/t Tropic of cancer 23.5 N & tropic of Capricorn 23.5 S

what affects atmospheric wind patterns?

heating (temperature)

what drives the major ocean currents in open ocean?

wind & eat from the sun

what is a gyre

large circular systems of surface currents

what is a surface layer

mixed by wind, waves & currents

what describes a stable water column?

bottom is high density & surface layer is lower density

what is a surface layer?

mixed by wind, waves & currents

what is an el nino event

abnormal warming of Pacific south America Coastal water, decreases upwelling & disrupts fisheries

what can result from a cyclone

tornadoes, storm surge, excessive precipitation, high winds

what are different types of cyclone?

tropical cyclone, hurricane typhoons

tropical cyclone

clockwise & counterclockwise

typhoon

conterclockwise

hurricanes

counterclockwise

what is ocean acidification

decrease in the pH of the ocean due to excessive CO2 in the atmosphere