Animals of the Ocean

Question 1

How do marine organisms avoid sinking?

Answer 1

o Use of gas containers which many increase buoyancy
o Additional appendages to increase surface area of an organism
o Swim bladders

Question 2

What are some methods that nekton swim by?

Answer 2

Propulsion, move by trapping water and expelling it.
Caudal fin designs
Also some are lungers instead of speedy or long distance swimmers

Question 3

How do caudal fin designs change with fish/behavior?

Answer 3

They all look slightly different but all have the same purpose of good exceleration and maneuvering.
Some give advantages like speed, or long distance swimming or turning

Question 4

How are deep-water nekton adapted to the deep ocean?

Answer 4

o Bioluminescence
o Large, sensitive eyes
o Large sharp teeth
o Expandable bodies
o Hinged jaws

Question 5

What are some benefits of bioluminescence?

Answer 5

Produce light where there is none, attract prey, scare predators, communication, search for food.

Question 6

What is a “school” of fish?

Answer 6

Large group of fish that swim together

Question 7

What does schooling provide?

Answer 7

It provides safety to the fish and helps make sure all eggs are fertilized

Question 8

Describe the characteristics of organisms in the class Mammalia

Answer 8

• Warm blooded
• Breathe air
• Hair/fur during at lease some stage
• Bear live young
• Females have many mammary glands for milk

Question 9

Examples of Carnivora

Answer 9

sea lions, walrus, otters

Question 10

Examples of Sirenia

Answer 10

Manatees, dugongs, Sea cow

Question 11

Examples of Cetacea not the subsets!

Answer 11

Whales, dolphins, porpoises

Question 12

Examples of Cetacea: Odontoceti / mysteceti

Answer 12

Odontoceti (teethed) - Dolphins, porpoises, killer whale, sperm whale

Mysteceti - Baleen whales, blue whale, finback whale, humpback whale, gray whale, right whale

Question 13

Where are most benthic organisms located in the ocean?

Answer 13

On the ocean floor
I think that’s a little vague, here’s what I got:
More benthos beneath areas of high primary productivity
Mainly on continental shelves
Affected by surface ocean currents
Rocky Shores

Question 14

Describe the differences in a rocky vs sediment-covered shore.

Answer 14

Rocky shores have a higher biomass than sediment covered shores. Rocky covered shores have similar intertidal zones. More types of species on the rocky shores.

Question 15

What is coral?

Answer 15

They are marine invertebrates that also classify as animals (has tentacles) , rocks (has calcium carbonate skeleton), and plants (symbiotic with algae). They use plankton zooxanthellae as a source of food.

Question 16

What type of relationship is there between coral and zooxanthellae?

Answer 16

Mutualistic, the coral provides shelter and protection to the zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae provides food to the coral through photosynthesis.

Question 17

What limits coral reef formation?

Answer 17

Warm water

Question 18

What are some examples of local and global threats to coral reefs?

Answer 18

Local – Fishing, Diving, sediment influx, runoff from land, collecting organism for aquaria

Global – Ocean warming, Ocean acidification

Question 19

How can excess nutrients affect coral reef health?

Answer 19

Too many nutrients in the water can cause excess algae to grow and block sunlight to the coral. It can also use up the oxygen that it’s supposed to use for respiration.

Question 20

What causes coral bleaching?

Answer 20

When there is higher than normal temperatures, the zooxanthellae is expelled. Without this the coral polys are transparent so you can just see the white calcium carbonate behind it.

Question 21

Why is coral bleaching a potential problem for coral health?

Answer 21

Without zooxanthellae, corals don’t get enough food and can die.

Question 22

What major climate event can cause global bleaching events?

Answer 22

El Nino

Question 23

Describe the difference between a fringing, barrier, and atoll reef.

Answer 23

Fringing – forms around a land mass
Barrier reef – parallel to the shoreline but separated by water
Atoll Reef – Ring shaped coral rim surrounding a lagoon

Question 24

What is one of the major differences between surface and deep-sea corals?

Answer 24

Deep sea corals don’t need sunlight to live and get their food by trapping nearby organisms.