Term
| What is the net primary production? |
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Definition
| The gross primary production minus the respiratory losses. |
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Term
| What is the limiting factor for marine photosynthesis? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the limiting nutrient in freshwater photosynthesis? |
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Definition
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Term
| What nutrient is necessary for diatoms to form their shells? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the 4 most important nutrients? |
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Definition
-Nitrogen
-Phosphorus
-Silicon
-Iron |
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Term
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Definition
| water absorbs 1/2 of the light that is available for every 10 meters |
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Term
| Define Compensation Depth |
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Definition
| The depth at which there is just enough light for photosynthesis to compensate for respiration but NO more. |
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Term
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Definition
The depth at which the organism can't be mixed below (they die)
*can be mixed shallower but not deeper |
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Term
| What area of the water column contains the least amount of nutrients? |
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Definition
| Near the surface...because there are lots of phytoplankton using them up |
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Term
| What is necessary to prevent nutrient stratification? |
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Definition
| Upwelling or other mixing (wind) |
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Term
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Definition
| nutrient cycles from inorganic to organic form |
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Term
| How are decomposers related to nutrient cycles? |
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Definition
| Decomposers break down dead organisms and release nutrients into the water. |
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Term
| Where are there high levels of nutrients in the euphotic zone? |
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Definition
-near river openings
-upwelling areas
-near continental shelf |
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Term
| Where are there low nutrient levels in the euphotic zone? |
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Definition
-gyre openings
-low latitudes
-tropical surface water (no mixing) |
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Term
| Which 2 seasons have less storms? What does the calm weather produce? |
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Definition
| Spring and Summer; the lack of mixing allows a thermocline to form |
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Term
| Why does the angle of light matter to photosynthesis? |
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Definition
| A lower/smaller angle of light from the sun causes more light to be reflected off of the water's surface. Smallest angle in Winter |
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Term
| How many peaks of phytoplankton abundance are there in a 12 month period? When? |
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Definition
2 peaks;
1 large in Spring; and 1 smaller in the fall |
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Term
| What happens to the compensation and critical depth in the Spring? Why? |
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Definition
| They become deeper because there is more light. (longer days and larger angle) |
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Term
| What happens to the mixed layer in Spring? Why? |
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Definition
| becomes shallower because there is less mixing (less storms) |
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Term
| Where is the mixed layer depth in winter? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where is the critical depth in winter? How about the compensation depth? |
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Definition
| Critical= near surface; Compensation= shallow |
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Term
| What would a graph of yearly phytoplankton abundance in the tropics look like? WHY? |
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Definition
| flat line; stable stratification, low nutrients near surface |
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Term
| What would a graph of yearly phytoplankton abundance near Antartica look like? |
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Definition
| a single large peak in the Summer; high nutrients all year long b/c of upwelling but NO sun in winter |
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Term
| Which is more productive, the tropical or Antartic phytoplankton? |
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Definition
| average out to be the same; tropics are constanty low and Antartic has none except for one large peak |
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Term
| How is the seasonal phytoplankton abundance in the Pacific Ocean unique? WHY? |
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Definition
| they maintain a relatively constant abundance because the pacific zooplankton has larva that is always ready to grow when there is food available (keep phyto pop. low) |
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Term
| Why is there high phytoplankton abundance extending in an arrow-shape away from the West coast of South America? |
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Definition
| High nutrients conc. are supplied b/c the upwelling is driven by trade winds into the Pacific Ocean from the west coast of South America. |
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Term
| Where does the most primary production occur per meter squared (area)? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the stages of a food chain? |
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Definition
| primary producer-->primary consumer-->carnivore-->etc |
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Term
| Where is animal biomass produced?(level) |
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Definition
| consumer and predator trophic levels |
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Term
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Definition
| Each of the steps in a food chain |
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Term
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Definition
| A semi-enclosed area where fresh water and seawater meet and mix. |
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Term
| Why are estuaries good nurseries? |
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Definition
| LOW predator count and HIGH productivity |
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Term
| What are 3 groups with important ecological roles in estuaries? |
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Definition
1. Infauna
2. Predators (few, but important)
3. Attached plants |
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Term
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Definition
| Animals that burrow into the substrate. |
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Term
| What are three estuarine macrophyte communities? |
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Definition
| 1. Saltmarshes; 2. Seagrass Meadows; 3. Mangals (more tropical) |
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Term
| What plant is VERY common in Atlantic saltmarshes? |
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Definition
| Spartina (cordgrass and salt hay) |
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Term
| What is one reason that snails like marshgrass? |
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Definition
| their Structure; snails can climb up stalks when the tide goes out to avoid predators(crabs) |
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Term
| What is a long term effect of seagrass structure? |
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Definition
| They trap sediment carried in the wind and water which builds up and extends coastline/makes islands, etc |
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Term
| What do estuarine macrophytes excrete into the water column? |
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Definition
|
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Term
|
Definition
| dead particulate organic matter |
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Term
| Most algae and sea grasss spend their whole life in seawater; how are they different? |
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Definition
| Sea grass is a true vascular plant; algae isn't |
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Term
| How does seagrass reproduce? |
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Definition
| Asexually (rhizomes) and sexually (flowers) |
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Term
| What species is characteristic of tropical seagrass meadows? |
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Definition
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|
Term
| Is turtle grass productive? Who eats it? |
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Definition
| VERY productive; Few heribvores except sea turtles and manatees |
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Term
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Definition
| A photosynthetic organism that lives on algae or plants. ex: diatoms live on sea grass |
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Term
| What is the primary killer of seagrass meadows? |
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Definition
| Algal blooms caused by nutrient overload (Non-point pollution). Algae blocks light |
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Term
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Definition
| A salt-tolerant terrestrial plant. ex: mangrove |
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Term
| Which species of mangrove has prop roots? |
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Definition
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|
Term
| Which mangrove species has pneumatophores? |
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Definition
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|
Term
| Which mangrove species is known as the "pioneer" species? |
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Definition
|
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Term
| What is unusual about mangrove reproduction? |
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Definition
| viviparity...seeds germinate while it is still on the parent plant |
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Term
| Why aren't mangroves seen upstream? |
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Definition
| They are out-competed by other plants |
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Term
| How do red mangroves effect the underwater scenery? |
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Definition
| their prop roots form inverted islands; nursury ground for larva b/c benthic predators can't reach |
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Term
| What type of food web are mangrove habitats driven by? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which of the 3 estuary macrophytes degrades the quickest? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which of the 3 estuary macrophytes degrades the slowest? |
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Definition
| spartina and mangroves; contain lots of silica |
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Term
| Why is detritus bad food? |
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Definition
| 1. little nutrients; 2. too much carbon; ad 3. hard for animals to digest |
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Term
| How does detritus change over time? |
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Definition
| becomes easier to digest; and becomes higher in nutrients |
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Term
| How is most energy exported from estuary ecosystems? |
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Definition
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Term
| When does the spring tide occur? |
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Definition
| full or new moon; sun and moon are aligned |
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Term
| When do neap tides occur? |
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Definition
| 1/4 moons; smaller tides; |
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Term
| What are some biological consequences of tides? |
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Definition
| Salinity changes; osmotic concentration changes; temperature changes; nutrient mixing, etc |
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Term
| What are general body characteristics of rocky intertidal organisms? |
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Definition
| adaption for attachment; flexible; or hard and stream-lined |
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Term
| What is the difference in the tidal zone between a cove and a peninsula? |
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Definition
| tidal zone will be higher on the peninsula because the waves "run-up" rock and spray higher |
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Term
| What is unique about European rocky intertidal zones? |
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Definition
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Term
| Is it harder to live higher or lower in the rocky intertidal zone? |
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Definition
| Higher; b/c of environment extremes |
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Term
| In rocky intertidal zones, where is the maximum level of diversity located? |
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Definition
|
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Term
| How do New England rocky intertidal zones compare to those on the Californian coast? |
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Definition
| NE shores are Less diverse b/c the coasts freeze (organisms die) |
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Term
| What 6 factors lead to intertidal zonation? |
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Definition
| 1. reproductive factors; 2. physiological challenges; 3. climate; 4. competitive abilities; 5. grazing; 6. predation |
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Term
| Describe a urchin barren. |
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Definition
| Lots of urchins and almost no macrophytes and algae bc urchins grazed all of the plant larval forms |
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Term
| What is an example of a physical disturbance? |
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Definition
| logs crash into mussels by the waves, logs knock off a chunk of mussels |
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Term
| What is an example of a biological disturbance? |
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Definition
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|
Term
| What is a keystone predator? |
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Definition
| A predatory species whose effects on its community are proportionatley much greater than its abundance. ex: starfish |
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Term
|
Definition
| gas filled cells in see weed (and kelp) |
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Term
| What will the ecosystem look like underwater if there are lots of sea otters? |
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Definition
|
|
Term
| What will the ecosystem look like underwater if there are few sea otters? |
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Definition
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