Gail's Final marine biology
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43 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 The subtidal zone | the part of the continental shelf that is never exposed at low tide |
| Is the concentration of nutrients in the waters over the continental shelf is typically? | higher than in the ocean. |
| Epifauna are typically absent where? | they are absent in soft-bottom subtidal communities. |
| The pattern of spatial distribution most often seen in soft-bottom subtidal communities is referred to as | patchy |
| What is the most important food source in unvegetated soft-bottom subtidal communities? | Detritus |
| As turbulence decreases the amount of oxygen in the sediment does what? | decreases |
| Infauna are relatively uncommon components of what kind of community? | Rocky subtidal communities |
| Kelps are characteristic of what kind of environment? | Temperate regions in deeper water away from stron wave action. |
| Reef-building corals are what kind of organism? | they are cnidarians that have only a polyp stage. |
| Why are Zooxanthellae essential to reef building corals? | because they help in the depostion of the skeleton. |
| Why are the mesenterial filaments of corals important ? | because they secrete digestive enzymes |
| What are the main sources of food and other essential nutrients for corals? | These include nutrients released by zooxanthellae, dissolved organic matter (DOM) from the water, zooplankton captured by the tentacles, and capture of food using mesenterial filaments. |
| Where do reef-building corals grow and why? | They only grow in shallow water because zooxanthellae need light for photosynthesis. |
| What is bleaching? and why is it necessary? | It is the expulsion of zooxanthellae due to unfavorable conditions |
| What are the most common types of coral reefs around the world? | fringing reefs. |
| Where do fringing reefs and barrier reefs develop most? | They develop along the coast. |
| Generally, barrier reefs develop closer to land or farther away than fringing reefs? | Barrier reefs develop farther away from land than fringing reefs |
| Where are most atolls found? What region? | Most atolls are found in the Indo-West Pacific region |
| Atolls actually start as a "what" around a what? | Atolls actually start as a fringing reef around an island. |
| What part of corals contain nematocysts? | The sweeper tentacles of corals contain nematocysts. |
| The epilagic is divided into two components. What are they? | the oceanic waters and the neritic zone. |
| What is the most common limiting nutrient in the ocean? | Nitrogen |
| Most of the primary production carried out in the ocean is performed by what? | phytoplankton |
| What does Nanoplankton consist mostly of? | very small phytoplankton |
| Most zooplankton feed on mostly what organisms? | mostly on zooplankton |
| What are Larvaceans? | planktonic chordates |
| What do arrow worms eat? | They are carnivores |
| What do most nekton feed on? | Most nekton feed on other nekton |
| Countershading is a form of what? | A form of protective coloration |
| The rete mirabile found in some fishes is involved in doing what? | conserving body heat |
| Where is primary production the least at? | It is the least in the central gyres. |
| Why does equatorial upwelling occur? | It occurs as a result of the divergence of equatorial surface currents. |
| Describe the mesopelagic zone? | there is dim light, but not enough for plant growth |
| How do deep water animals get their food? | They depend on the surface for food and oxygen |
| Bioluminescent organs are called what? | Photophores. |
| Where are the photophores located and what are they used for? | They are located on the underside of mid-water fishes and are involved in counter illumination, communication, attracting prey and escaping from predators. |
| Describe mesopelagic fishes | typically have large mouths, extensible jaws, needle-like teeth, unspecified diets and small size. |
| Describe deep-sea pelagic fishes. | generally have these as well as small eyes, absent or reduced swim bladder and flabby muscles. The large mouth gives the ability to eat prey bigger than themselves. |
| What does the deep-sea benthos consists mostly of? | Deposit feeders |
| The deep-sea scavengers include what kind of animals? | animals that feed on dead animals |
| The energy source of the bacteria that thrive around deep-sea hydrothermal vents is what? | hydrogen sulfide |
| The giant deep-sea hydrothermal vent tubeworm harbors what? | He harbors bacteria internally that provide all the nutrition the worm needs. Thus it has no mouth. |
| What is the major advantage that deep-sea benthic animals have over pelagic ones? | It is that their food falls to the bottom and stays in one place, thus being available for a longer time. |
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