Lecture 1, 2: Life in water/Larval ecology Flashcards
How does viscosity change with temperature and salinity?
Viscosity increases when temperature decreases and salinity increases. The opposite situation is also true
Why is viscosity important to life in an aquatic setting?
Has a large influence on small organisms such as plankton. For organisms who are not strong swimmers the viscosity of water is very influential to
What is the boundary layer in relation to viscosity?
Viscosity causes a layer to form around cells that does not promote movement around objects when water moves relative to the object. Currents and surface area cause waste and nutrient to permeate this layer.
How would an organisms counteract viscosity’s effect? (i.e. boundary layer)
Live in a turbulent area; leads to fast and high water exchange and a decrease in boundary layer.
sink to create water flow
Be bigger and streamlined
What is heat capacity and describe water’s?
the amount of energy needed to break H bonds. Water must absorb lots of heat.
A what point does water become less dense as it cools?
<4 C. Above 4C water becomes more dense. Meaning that below freezing ice will float above water.
Is what a solvent?
Yes, most universal due to its hydrogen bonds and polarity.
What is important about this fact? (universal solvent)
Creates a major Carbon reservoir in the form of bicarbonate ion. CO2 is more abundant in the ocean than air.
How much salt in one L of seawater?
34-37g, measured in PSU (practical salinity units.
what is the principle of constant proportions?
The proportion of top 10 ions in seawater, relative to each other stays the same across salinities.
What ions make up the inconstant proportions of dissolved constituents?
phosphate, nitrate, silicon dioxide, iron, vitamins
Explains what happens to density as temperature and salinity change?
As temperature decreases density increases and density also increases as salinity increases.
what causes oceans to mix?
Cold sinks + flows, causes O2 rich water to circulate deep ocean; mixing.
Explain how light penetrates water?
Light is only able to penetrate the first 200m or so and much of it is scattered or reflected.
Light penetrates farther in tropic areas and less in arctic areas because of the sun’s difference in angle.
Where does the greatest gas solubility occur?
at lower temperatures.
