Ecology- From Dry to Deep

Question 1

location of the coastal sea

Answer 1

1. on the continental plate

2. above the continental plate

Question 2

production in the coastal sea on the continental plate

Answer 2

high nutrient availability as a result of:

• influx of rivers and land, upwelling
• tide keeps organic material in the water column

Question 3

primary production in the coastal sea on the continental plate

Answer 3

high as a result of microalgae (fytoplankton) and macroalgae

Question 4

interesting dynamic of fytoplankton in the coastal sea above the continental plate

Answer 4

on the basis of:

1. abiotic factors (tolerance)
2. available nutrients

Question 5

benthic habitats are determined through bottom energy

Answer 5

1. waves
2. current
3. depth and substrate profile (indirect influence)

Question 6

two extremes:

Answer 6

1. low energy environments

2. high energy environments

Question 7

Hjulström curve

Answer 7

a graph used by hydrologists and geologists to determine whether a river will erode, transport, or deposit sediment.

Question 8

high energy in the Hjulström curve

Answer 8

1. course (grof) sediment

2. hard-bottom communities

Question 9

low energy in the Hjulström curve

Answer 9

1. finer sediment

2. soft-bottom communities

Question 10

living together in the same areas

Answer 10

niche differentiation in waders (steltlopers)

Question 11

location of the open ocean

Answer 11

1. every sea next to the continental plate

2. largest habitat on earch

Question 12

production in the open ocean

Answer 12

little nutrient availability as a result of not having any rivers or upwellings and organic materials sink to the deep sea

Question 13

primary production in the open ocean

Answer 13

low. Mainly microalgae (fytoplankton) and almost no macroalgae (exception being Sargassum- phaeophyceae)

Question 14

Location of the deep sea

Answer 14

1. twilight zone

2. aphotic zone

Question 15

production in the deepsea

Answer 15

no primary production in the deep sea on basis of light. Additionally, it’s dark and cold : low nutrient availability

Question 16

hotspots in the deep sea

Answer 16

hydrothermal vents (black smokers). They have specific communities and have primary production through chemosynthesis on the basis of H2S

Question 17

k-strategy

Answer 17

all energy in limited number of offspring with high survivability.

a. long gestation period
b. late sexual maturity
c. mostly brood care
d. large eggs or viviparous (development of the embryo within the parent body)

Question 18

r-strategy

Answer 18

distribute energy over many offspring, low survival rate per offspring

a. small eggs 
b. no brood care
c. early sexual maturity