Ch. 7 Key Terms.

Question 1

Plankton

Answer 1

are organisms that cannot swim against currents, so they are drifters

Question 2

Nekton

Answer 2

are free-swimming organisms, such as fish and whales

Question 3

Benthos

Answer 3

are bottom-dwellers, such as mussels, worms, and barnacles.

Question 4

littoral zone

Answer 4

near the shore, aquatic life is diverse and abundant

Question 5

benthic zone

Answer 5

the bottom of a pond or lake, which is inhabited by decomposers, insect larvae, and clams

Question 6

Eutrophication

Answer 6

is an increase in the amount of nutrients.

Question 7

estuary

Answer 7

is an area in which fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from the ocean

Question 8

salt

marshes

Answer 8

In estuaries, where rivers deposit their load of mineral-rich mud, salt
marshes form.

Question 9

mangrove swamps

Answer 9

Dense growths of mangrove trees in swampy areas called mangrove swamps

Question 10

Barrier islands

Answer 10

Barrier islands, such as the one in Figure 2.4, often run parallel to sandy shores. These islands help to protect the mainland and the coastal wetlands from storms and ocean waves and often provide habitat for wildlife

Question 11

Coral reefs

Answer 11

Coral reefs are limestone ridges built by tiny coral animals called coral polyps and the algae that live inside them.