Marine Organisms, Ocean Layers, and Surface Currents

Question 1

What are the three broad categories of creatures that live in the ocean?

Answer 1

Pelagic organisms
Benthic organisms
Planktonic organisms

Question 2

What are pelagic organisms?

Answer 2

any organisms that can move by its own locomotion

Question 3

pelagic organisms are mostly things with…

Answer 3

fins

Question 4

Where do Pelagic organisms live?

Answer 4

in the uppermost waters of the ocean

Question 5

What are some examples of Benthic organisms?

Answer 5

Sponges, anemones,

Question 6

benthic organisms attach themselves to ocean ______ on the ocean floor

Answer 6

sediment

Question 7

Where do benthic organisms live?

Answer 7

on the ocean floor (bottom sediments) but still in waters shallow enough to receive sunlight.

Question 8

Planktonic organisms are anything that _____ or _____ along with ocean currents

Answer 8

floats, drifts

Question 9

Almost all the organisms of the ocean live in the _____ zone

Answer 9

photic

Question 10

What is the photic zone?

Answer 10

the upper 200 meters of the ocean where there is enough light for photosynthesis to occur

Question 11

The photic zone is the upper _____ meters of the ocean.

Answer 11

200

Question 12

in the photic zone there is enough light for _________ to occur

Answer 12

photosynthesis

Question 13

what is the photic zone defined by?

Answer 13

how much sunlight gets/passes through

Question 14

what are four zones of the ocean?

Answer 14

photic zone
surface layer
transitional zone
deep zone

Question 15

How are the zones of the ocean defined?

Answer 15

by density and temperature

Question 16

the zones of the ocean are defined by ______ and _____

Answer 16

density, temperature

Question 17

Which layer comprises the first 100 meters of the ocean?

Answer 17

the surface layer

Question 18

the surface layer is characterized by _____ and _____ density water

Answer 18

warm, low

Question 19

the transitional zone stretches form _____ to _____ meters

Answer 19

100-1500

Question 20

In which zone does the temperature of the water decrease and the density increase?

Answer 20

the transitional zone

Question 21

In the transitional zone, the temperature of the water _____ and the density ______

Answer 21

decreases, increases.

Question 22

The deep zone is…

Answer 22

very dense and very cold

Question 23

what is the deep zone composed of?

Answer 23

calcareous/ siliceous ooze, or red clay

Question 24

What is the average temperature in this zone?

Answer 24

36 F

Question 25

surface ocean currents are the way that the water _______ near the ______

Answer 25

circulates, surface

Question 26

Most surface ocean currents form in response to _____ and ____ variations

Answer 26

wind, temperature

Question 27

Surface ocean currents an be modified by the ______ effect

Answer 27

Coriolis

Question 28

Briefly, what causes the Coriolis effect?

Answer 28

the rotation of the Earth.

Question 29

what are teleconnection?

Answer 29

anomalies that occur in the surface circulation currents

Question 30

What are three teleconnections?

Answer 30

• El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)
• Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)
• North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)

Question 31

teleconnections are naturally occurring ______ in surface ocean current that occur on a relatively ______ schedule

Answer 31

changes, predictable

Question 32

El nino occurs every ___ to ___ years

Answer 32

three to five

Question 33

El niño occurs when…

Answer 33

Pacific Ocean upwelling processes cease

Question 34

El Nino changes _______ currents and _______ patterns

Answer 34

equatorial, precipitation

Question 35

During an El Nino year what can you expect?

Answer 35

climate changes all across the globe

Question 36

Where does El Nino occur?

Answer 36

middle Pacific Ocean

Question 37

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation occurs every _____ to ____ years

Answer 37

20, 30

Question 38

The PDO changes the temperature of which ocean?

Answer 38

the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Question 39

Does PDO make the eastern Pacific Ocean cooler or warmer?

Answer 39

cooler

Question 40

The North Atlantic oscillation occurs every _____ to _____ years

Answer 40

five, ten

Question 41

what does the North Atlantic oscillation cause?

Answer 41

strong winds, rain in Europe, warmer winters

Question 42

NAO affects the path of _______ in the Atlantic

Answer 42

hurricanes.