Oceanography Final Exam

Decomposers are organisms that __________.

feed upon dead organic matter, include bacteria, and recycle organic matter back to inorganic nutrients

Trophic efficiency in the ocean averages about __________%

10%

In addition to water and energy, marine primary producers require __________.

trace elements called micronutrients, nutrients

Primary production in coastal upwelling zones is high because of __________.

abundant nutrient supply

Especially in bays and estuaries where nutrient concentrations are high and there is a strong thermocline

Dead zones occur

in an increasing number of coastal areas worldwide

Dead zones occur

in areas where there are large inputs of anthropogenic dissolved nitrogen

Dead zones occur

The photic zone is dangerous for most marine organisms because __________.

light enables predators to more readily locate their prey

Mimicry

An adaptation used by certain marine organisms to avoid being detected and eaten by predators

Red body coloration

An adaptation used by certain marine organisms to avoid being detected and eaten by predators

Camouflage

An adaptation used by certain marine organisms to avoid being detected and eaten by predators

Which species often possess defensive mechanisms such as poisons or spines

Benthic epifaunal species which are sedentary (or nearly so)

Which species often retreat into shells or tubes in the sediment when threatened

Benthic epifaunal species which are sedentary (or nearly so)

Many nocturnal species that hide during the day and hunt at night are a deep red color because

red light is strongly absorbed by seawater.

Fish use lures to

As a defensive mechanism and to attract prey

Animals living around hydrothermal vents near the mid- ocean ridges tend to __________.

be chemosynthesizers

The primary reason for the depletion of California kelp forests in the early twentieth century was

a warming trend in the water.

Reef-building corals will grow only in the photic zone because

zooxanthellae require light for photosynthesis.

Chesapeake Bay has a large region of nearly permanent anoxia in the bottom water primarily because of

fertilizer in runoff from agricultural land.

Most of the small plastic particles mistaken for food and eaten by marine organisms

Accumulate in the gut until it is blocked and the animal dies of starvation.

Most shoreline ecosystems where major oil spills occur will recover in

a few years to a few decades

The major source of oil contamination in the oceans is

the routine operation of vessels, runoff from land, and discharge from rivers and sewers.

Estuaries tend to have _____ than other marine environments except for highly productive upwelling regions.

fewer species and greater total biomass

Coastal upwelling off Peru and Equador occur during an

El Niño

Equatorial upwelling in the Pacific occurs during

El Niño

The likelihood of hurricanes in the North Atlantic Increases during

El Niño

During the early phase of the development of an El Nino

the trade winds weaken/reverse

El Nino generally reduces the abundance of anchovy in the eastern equatorial Pacific near Peru by

stopping upwelling of nutrient rich water

El Nino recurs generally every ___ years

2-7

Between El Nino events

a broad band of upwelling extends across the equatorial Pacific Ocean

Because deep-water wave celerity depends upon wavelength, longer waves _______ than short waves

travel faster

Wave refraction tends to concentrate the energy of waves

on headlands that extend out into the water

Wave patterns often appear complex because

they are the sum of multiple waves of different wavelengths

Wave dispersion is caused by

waves of different wavelengths moving at different speeds

Wind fetch is

the distance the wind blows over a continuous water surface

In summer, beaches are characterized by

sediment deposition dominating over erosion

In winter, beaches are characterized by

steeper beach faces, beach sand carried offshore to form sand bars, and higher energy waves

Longshore currents that transport sediments as littoral drift are caused mostly by _____

waves striking the beach face at a slight angle

At present, globally, sea level is

rising by eustatic processes

Sand dunes are protected from erosion largely

by vegetation

Reducing the amount of sand carried offshore to form longshore bars are caused by

eawalls (increased rate of erosion)

Reducing the supply of new sand to the beach to replace that lost by longshore drift occurs from

eawalls (increased rate of erosion)

Refracting and focusing the wave energy so that the erosion rate is drastically increased at the sea wall

eawalls (increased rate of erosion)

On an indented coastline, erosion occurs fastest

on headlands

The benthic zone is the

ocean bottom

Dinoflagellates

major group of phytoplankton

Coccolithophores

major group of phytoplankton

Diatoms

major group of phytoplankton

Cyanobacteria

major group of phytoplankton

Marine Biologists define the water column as the _____ environment

Pelagic