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MAR 315 > Marine Ecosystems > Flashcards

Marine Ecosystems Flashcards

1
Q

Ecological Disturbances

A

An event or force that brings about mortality to organisms and changes their spatial patterning in the ecosystems they inhabit
Disturbances can be biological or nonbiological

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2
Q

Fluctuation

A

Environmental indicators known to change over time and affect species population densities (rainfall, temperatures, seasons etc.)

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3
Q

Theory of Ecological Succession

A

The process of orderly and predictable change in a ecological community over time

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4
Q

Primary Succession

A

Occurs following the opening of a pristine habitat
(can take hundreds of years)

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5
Q

Secondary Succession

A
  • Occurs in response to a disturbance
  • Can reestablish an ecosystems climax communities in as few as 50 years
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6
Q

Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

A
  • To enhance biodiversity there must be a mix of R-selected and K-selected species
  • Little disturbances –> K-selected species dominate
  • Too many disturbances –> R-selected species dominate
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7
Q

Resilience

A

A community that is changed by a disturbance but returns to its original state

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8
Q

Resistance

A

A community that resists change and remains stable

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9
Q

Alternative Stable State

A

Theory that suggests that multiple states can exist for one ecosystem
Results after reaching a tipping point

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10
Q

Regime Shift

A

Abrupt shift after an ecosystem does not respond (or responds only with great delay to the removal of the disturbance)
Results after reaching a tipping point

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11
Q

Tipping Point

A

Event that causes a regime shift or alternative stable state

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12
Q

Ecosystem Services

A

Good and services that we get from the ecosystem

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13
Q

What are the 4 different categories of ecosystem services?

A
  1. Provisioning services (food and water)
  2. Regulating services (flood control, disease control)
  3. Supporting services (nutrient recycling)
  4. Cultural services (spiritual and aesthetic benefits)
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14
Q

After an ecosystem has been disturbed what is the goal for restoration (what condition do you attempt to recreate)?

A

This depends on the goal you are trying to achieve

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15
Q

Describe the composition of coral

A
  • 2 parts
  • Animal element and plant element (zooxanthellae)
    Symbiotic relationship
  • Temp ranges from 21 to 29 degrees C
  • Grow best in waters less than 23 meters
  • Zooxanthellae needs plenty of light for photosynthesis
  • Base of coral = calcium carbonate, lithium etc.
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16
Q

Coral Bleaching

A
  • Makes corals more vulnerable to disease
  • Stunts growth
  • Disrupts reproductive cycles
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17
Q

Island Mass Effect (IME)

A
  • Around islands there is a higher concentration of phytoplankton that boost productivity
    Positive feedback system
18
Q

Threats to Reefs

A
  • Changing water conditions (not too hot or cold)
  • Temperature rise
  • Pollutants
  • Ocean acidification
  • Physical destruction
  • Fishing practices
  • Overfishing
  • Bleaching (loss of zooxanthellae)
  • Disease
19
Q

Ocean Acidification

A
  • CO2 is increasing in earths atmosphere
  • CO2 gets dissolved in earths oceans
  • Results in a reduction in PH
20
Q

What are the effects of ocean acidification?

A

Impairs the ability of marine organisms to build and maintain their calcium carbonate shells
This impacts growth, reproduction, and survival

21
Q

Describe the Long-Spined Sea Urchin dilemma in the Discovery Bay Jamaica

A

Sea Urchins:
- Dominant grazers
- 1980s Caribbean: sea urchins begin to die off due to parasite
- Entire population reduced by ~98%
- Recovery has been slow

22
Q

Describe the coral allee affect in Discovery bay Jamaica

A
  • Coral recruitment = poor
  • Reefs become dominated by algae
  • Reduction in coral
  • Declining coral cover = more room for algae to grow
23
Q

What were the tipping points to the Jamaica Bay coral allee affect?

A
  • Overfishing
  • Nutrient runoff
  • Sedimentation
  • Disease outbreak
  • Hurricanes
24
Q

What ecosystem services do coral reefs provide?

A
  • Protect coastlines from erosion by dissipating wave energy
  • Biodiversity: provides habitat for numerous fish species
  • Water quality: many corals and sponges are filter feeders
  • Fisheries: fish rely on coral reef systems for food, shelter, nurseries etc.
  • Tourism
  • Potential source for new pharmaceuticals
25
Q

Coral Restoration

A

Planting nursery-grown corals back onto reefs

26
Q

Seagrass Meadows

A

Coastal marine habitats characterized by underwater grasses

27
Q

What are key characteristics of seagrass meadows?

A
  • Grass plant that readapted to go back into the sea
  • Roughly 12 genera
  • Flowering vascular plants
  • Pollen is carried by water
  • Seeds are dispersed through water by grazers
  • Require soft sediment for growth (cannot grow on coral reefs)
28
Q

What ecosystem services do coral reefs provide?

A
  • Ecosystem engineers (modify their environments to create unique habitats)
  • Act as sediment traps
  • High productivity
  • Marine nursery habitat
  • Buffer coastal areas from wave action
  • Important feeding grounds
29
Q

Blue Carbon

A
  • How much CO2 is stored in an ecosystem
  • Atmospheric carbon is captured by coastal mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes 5 times faster than tropical forests
30
Q

What are some threats to seagrass meadows?

A
  • Shading
  • Eutrophication leading to algal blooms
  • Boat traffic
  • Uprooting
  • Storms
  • Disease
31
Q

Mangrove Forests

A

Coastal wetlands consisting of salt tolerant trees and shrubs

32
Q

What are key characteristics of mangrove forests?

A
  • Terrestrial flowering plants that have re-invaded the fringes of the sea
  • Can live upstream but often get outcompeted (halophytes)
  • Competitively dominant over salt marshes (do not like cold weather)
33
Q

What ecosystem services do mangrove forests provide?

A
  • Critical habitat for fish, birds, and other wildlife
  • Provide nursery areas
  • Filter pollutants from runoff
  • Store large amounts of carbon
  • Source of wood and wood chips
34
Q

What are some threats to mangrove forests?

A
  • Hurricanes / storms
  • Human activities (ex: coastal development, tourism, lumber industries)
35
Q

What is happening to mangrove forests in Bimini Bahamas

A

They are being destroyed to clear room for resorts

36
Q

What are key characteristics of sandy beaches?

A
  • DYNAMIC
    *Sand composition is always changing (smaller in the winter bigger in the summer (rough waves in winter pull sand out to sea))
  • No macroscopic or flowering plants
  • Sessile organisms are usually absent
  • Nursery area for many fish (ex: great white sharks on Long Island)
37
Q

Describe dune habitats and their importance

A
  • Help diminish shoreline erosion
  • Absorb impacts from storm surges
  • Critical nesting areas for birds and sea turtles
    Keeps sand where we want it
38
Q

What are some hurdles that are faced with dune restoration?

A
  • Often destroyed for coastal development
  • Native dune-building plants are often placed by non-native plants
39
Q

Living Shorelines

A

Rely on vegetation to create buffer between beach and shoreline (ex: Shinnecock bay)

40
Q

Describe the key characteristics of the open ocean (pelagic zone)

A
  • The area of ocean outside of coastal areas)
  • Lowest level of productivity
41
Q

What ecosystem services does the open ocean provide?

A
  • Supports a variety of marine life (ex: plankton, fish, marine mammals, seabirds)
  • Plays a crucial role in global nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and climate regulation
42
Q

What is the most productive “zone” of the open ocean

A
  • The epipelagic zone
  • Best supports photosynthesis
  • Only represents 2-3% of the entire ocean
    Zones are determined by light

MAR 315 (10 decks)

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