Quiz 2 Flashcards
What characteristics of fish allow them to perform rapid acceleration?
A deep body shape with a large caudal fin
Which organisms are most likely to feed on sinking particulate organic matter (POM)
Deep sea zooplankton
What causes large-scale migration patterns in species like blue whales
Tracking shifting food resources such as krill
Which of the following is a primary feeding strategy for basking sharks
Suspension feeding by swimming with an open mouth
Which of the following factors does not contribute to plankton patchiness
Ocean acidity levels
Which group of marine organisms can actively swim against ocean currents
Nekton
What advantage does the chambered nautilus have for regulating buoyancy?
Gas-filled chambers within its shell
Which environmental condition most likely triggers a second smaller phytoplankton bloom in autumn?
Resurfacing of nutrients due to fall storms
Which of the following is an example of nekton
Tuna
What is the key adaptation that allows copepods to detect mates?
Chemoreceptors on their first antennae
What distinguishes nekton from other marine organisms like plankton?
Nektons can actively swim against currents
Which organism is most likely to cause a phytoplankton bloom in high-latitude waters?
Diatoms
Which sensory adaptations allow some marine animals, like sharks, to detect electrical signals from prey?
Electroreceptors
How do lipids help copepods survive in deep waters?
They serve as a food reserve
How do oceanic fish like tuna manage long-distance migrations?
By using ocean currents and favorable feeding zones
Why are coccolithophores significant in the context of climate change?
They help regulate carbon dioxide levels in the ocean
What causes marine snow to form in the water column
Decaying organic matter and exopolymers
How does grazing by zooplankton influence the phytoplankton population?
It reduces phytoplankton abundance after a bloom
How does iron limitation affect phytoplankton growth in certain ocean regions?
It limits the ability to fix nitrogen grow
What role do copepods play in the spring phytoplankton bloom?
They gaze on phytoplankton and regulate growth
Which environmental factor is most important in determining the depth of phytoplankton blooms?
Light Intensity
Which characteristics is unique to cartilaginous fish such as sharks
They have an oil-filled liver that helps with bouyancy
What role do acoustic signals play in studying marine biology?
Measuring plankton patch and size distribution
What is the function of has-filled sacs in organisms like the Portuguese man-of-war?
To regulate buoyancy
What is the primary function of the cuttlebone in cuttlefish?
regulate buoyancy
Why do nektonic cephalopods like squid need to regulate gas content in their bodies
To maintain neutral buoyancy at different depths
Why is nitrogen considered a limiting nutrient in many parts of the ocean
It cycles very slowly between organisms
What adaptation helps deep-sea fish maintain buoyancy
swimbladder
What is the role of marine snow in the ocean ecosystem?
it transports organic material to deeper waters
How do fish optimize oxygen absorption from the water?
Countercurrent Exchange System
