Marine Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What affects O2 distribution in the ocean

A

Eutrophication and global warming

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2
Q

Describe the relationship between solubility of O2 and temperature

A

The concentration of dissolved oxygen when in equilibrium with the atmosphere decreases with increasing temperature

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3
Q

Where/how is O2 produced in the ocean

A

In sufficiently light surface waters phytoplankton photosynthesize

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4
Q

Where/how is CO2 produced in the ocean

A

Throughout the watercolumn by respiring organisms

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5
Q

Define thermocline

A

The transition layer between the warmer mixed water of the epipelagic zone and the colder deeper mesopelagic zone

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6
Q

Describe the vertical distribution of dissolved O2

A
In surface mixed layer
Equilibrate with atmosphere
Production through photosynthesis
Loss via respiration
Below thermocline
Can’t equilibrate with atmosphere
Loss via respiration
Supply via circulation
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7
Q

What is an oxygen minimum zone?

A

a zone where O2 saturation is at its lowest

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8
Q

What causes oxygen minimum zones

A

When water renewal very slow and/or

respiration very high

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9
Q

Define oxycline

A

a sharp gradient in oxygen

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10
Q

Describe the Oxic level

A

~ 250-300 mmol O2m-3 Normal aerobic respiration takes places

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11
Q

Describe the Hypoxic level

A

~ 60 mmol O2m-3 – fish, zooplankton stressed and actively select higher oxygen levels

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12
Q

Describe the suboxic level

A

5-20 mmol O2m-3. Denitrification : consumes nitrate, produces nitrogen
reduced zooplankton egg development

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13
Q

Describe the anoxic level

A

oxygen minimum zones and sediments). Sulphate reduction, production of hydrogen sulphide. Methane production from CO2

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14
Q

What is eutrophication and its consequences?

A

Run of of nitrates and phosphates leading to algal blooms which reduces the O2 concentration potentially leading to hypoxic conditions. Nutrient pollution is the single largest pollution problem affecting coastal waters of the United States (Howarth et al., 2000).

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15
Q

What two effects does global warming have on the oceans

A

Decreases solubility and increases stratification

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16
Q

What are the consequences of global warming on phytoplankton

A

Surface warming increases the density difference, or vertical“stratification” of the ocean waters, leading to
less mixing between the surface water layers,
where phytoplankton live, and the deeper water
layers, which contain the nutrients they need to
flourish.

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17
Q

What are the 3 oceanic consequences of rising CO2 level?

A

acidification, warming and deoxygenation

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18
Q

What are the main causes of open ocean deoxygenation

A

a warming ocean, increased stratification and

changing circulation Keeling et al. 2010

19
Q

Consequences of worsening hypoxia

A

Negative impacts on tourism, food security, ecosystem services and fish catch

20
Q

Causes and effects of upwelling in the US

A

Intensified wind-driven upwelling related to atmospheric warming and its effect on the depth of waters with low oxygen and low pH, is bathing continental shelves in hypoxic, carbonate undersaturated waters along the US west coast (Freely et al. 2008)

21
Q

Explain the process of OMZ expansion

A

Climate change causes the oceans to absorb more heat, resulting in less dissolved oxygen at the surface (decreased solubility) and increased stratification
of near-surface waters. This reduces subsurface mixing and transfer of atmospheric oxygen into the water column. . Alterations of oceanic circulation patterns can also reduce ventilation from within
the water column. Keeling et al. 2010

22
Q

What are the 3 main changes OMZ expansion will have on microbial communities

A

Alteration of the N cycle, the emergence of sulfur (S) cycling, and the creation of new low-oxygen habitats. (Gilly et al. 2012)

23
Q

Example of organisms who will be affected by OMZ expansion and why

A

It will lead to habitat compression for intolerant demersal, mesopelagic, and bill fishes and habitat expansion of hypoxiatolerant species such as the Humboldt squid. In general . Oxygen exerts tremendous control on marine biodiversity through effects on evolution, physiology, reproduction, behavior, and species interactions

24
Q

What is the relationship between Atlantic OMZ shoaling and tropical pelagic fish

A

Shoaling may restrict the usable habitat of billfishes and tunas to a narrow surface layer. This habitat compression makes theses predators more vulnerable to surface fishing gear and may be associated with
a 10–50% worldwide decline of pelagic predator diversity. The expansion of the Atlantic OMZ along with overfishing may threaten the sustainability of these valuable pelagic fisheries and marine ecosystems.

25
Q

What causes hypoxic coast lines?

A

Agricultural fertilizers leaking into the ocean where the
excess nutrients fuel plankton blooms, which
consume oxygen

26
Q

What is the predicted O2 decline in the oceans

A

1-7% over the next century Keeling et al. 2010

27
Q

Describe the hypoxic situation in Oregon

A

Off the coast of Oregon, oxygen content in the waters above the OMZ is declining, which may predispose the nearshore waters to hypoxia. As winds push surface water offshore, the low-oxygen, high-nutrient water wells up onto the shelf. The nutrients stimulate the growth of plankton, which use up oxygen when they die and decay. This is has been occurring annually since 2002 to varying degrees of severity (Gewin, 2010)

28
Q

Consequences of ocean acidification?

A

It will reduce the habitat range of calcifying organisms

because the depth limit at which water becomes corrosive/under-saturated for aragonite or calcite will move upward.

29
Q

What is argonite?

A

A naturally occurring, crystal form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3

30
Q

How will increased stratification effect benthic biomes

A

Will reduce POC fluxes to the deep ocean which may further deprive food-poor abyssal plain or organic matter, lowering the benthic biomass.

31
Q

What are the 2 main effects of stratification

A

Decreasing deep-water oxygen ventilation and reducing nutrient supply to surface waters from the deeper ocean, where organic matter is recycled

32
Q

What are microplastics, specify types

A

nominally everything less than 5 mm in size
primary – produced in a micro-size range
secondary – fragments of larger plastic materials

33
Q

What are macro/mesoplastics?

A

plastic nominally greater than 5mm

34
Q

What effects does macroplastic have

A

Can entangle organisms wound, restrict movement, reduce ability to feed, reproduce and avoid predators. Also can be ingested which can suffocate, reduce/prevent feeding (Gregory 2009)

35
Q

Which bulk plastics are buoyant?

A

polyethylene and polypropylene,

36
Q

What happens to floating plastic in the ocean?

A

Floating debris tends to accumulate in the large

oceanic whirls, such as the North Pacific gyre

37
Q

What is the estimation for the current amount of plastic in the ocean and who came up with it?

A

There are currently 5.25 trillion items of plastic

weighing more than 268,000 tonnes floating around in the oceans (PLoS One (2014)

38
Q

Describe and explain the distribution of plastic waste

A

There is a similar distribution of floating plastic in both the northern and southern hemisphere gyres. This could be due too removal mechanisms such as plastic washing up on beaches is prevelant enough to keep the distribution equal, even though the north produces more plastic.

39
Q

What is biofouling

A

The accumulation of biological organisms on wetted surface

40
Q

How could plankton potential reduce plastic waste?

A

Biofouling may eventually induce the particles to sink
and end up in sediments although whether this route is an important mechanism for the removal of microplastics from surface water is still unclear
Some bacteria have genes that allow for the degredation of hydrocarbons, though it is unclear whether it is at a fast enough rate to be significant

41
Q

What kind of organic pollutants adsorb to microplastics?

A

polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and DDTs

42
Q

Discuss the relationship between polyethylene and organic pollutants

A

The widely used polyethylene has a high propensity to pick up pollutants, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if it sunk and got stored in the sediment. However they are more likely to act as carrier and introduce the pollutants into the food web

43
Q

How do microplastics effect the environment?

A

They concentrate low-level pollutants in water. ► These become bioavailable via ingestion to marine organisms.