Sandy Shores

Question 1

Sandy shores are structured by

Answer 1

Wind and waves

Question 2

Describe the form of the shore during “summer”

Answer 2

Wide/flat shore extent or “beam”

With build up into a dune more inland

Question 3

Describe the form of the shore during “winter”

Answer 3

Steeper profile
“sand bar” under water forms
“dune scarp” (extra lump) on the dune

Question 4

Describe a dissipative beach

Answer 4

flat, fine sediment with sand bar

Question 5

Describe a reflective veach

Answer 5

steep, coarse sediment

no bar

Question 6

Distribution of moisture dictates what?

Answer 6

vertical zonation

Question 7

What is characteristic of high energy beaches

Answer 7

uniform laterally

Question 8

The dominant tropical soft sediment autotrophs

Answer 8

microalgae

angiosperms

Question 9

How do plants (larger ones) take part in shaping the soft sediment environment

Answer 9

they bind sediments through roots increasing nutrient loads in it and reducing particle size

Question 10

What causes the anoxic layer in soft sediment?

Answer 10

bacteria

Question 11

T/F: lots of primary productivity happens on exposed beaches

Answer 11

FALSE

Question 12

What is the size range of meiofauna?

Answer 12

lower side of sand - 0.05 to 40 microns

Question 13

Where can you find meifauna

Answer 13

intersticies (intersitial spaces)

Question 14

T/F: Meiofauna are a large part of food webs

Answer 14

Trues

Question 15

What are macrobenthos

Answer 15

larger animals that reside on the shore floor

Question 16

What is the most dominant sp on the benthos shores

Answer 16

crustaceans

Question 17

Describe sheltered beaches

Answer 17

low energy mostly
mixed sediments (periods of high and low bring in coarse and fine sediments)
high nutrients and diversity (intermediate distrubance)
shell material and bioturbation important

Question 18

T/F: dessication is a problem for animals in soft sediment environments

Answer 18

FALSE

Question 19

The constant baffling and binding of soft sediment environments create a sort of ______ environemtn

Answer 19

recycling

Question 20

Where are meiofauna restricted to in soft sediment deposits? Why?

Answer 20

Top layer or air tubes (burrows) due to the anoxic properties of the sand

Question 21

What type of worm is super abundant in soft sediment sand

Answer 21

Polychaetes

Question 22

Crustaceans create what type of habitats on the soft sediment and what do they feed on? Whats the most abundant ones?

Answer 22

burrows
feed on detritis
ghost shrimp

Question 23

What time of the tide are most animals not mobile? Why?

Answer 23

High tide/tide comes in

-danger (ie predators)

Question 24

Permanent habitats are found closer to _____ and more transient/ephemeral ones closer to ____

Answer 24

seagrass/ deeper end

shore

Question 25

T/F: only herbivorous/detritivorous mollusk spp are present around soft sediment

Answer 25

FALSE- some predatorial ones too

Question 26

Describe attributes of ocean beaches

Answer 26

• high energy
• low plant biomass
• low diversity
• animals specialized for highly disturbed sand

Question 27

Primary producers of ocean beaches

Answer 27

diatoms

Question 28

What are Illiophages?

Answer 28

something that eats soil/sediment

Question 29

Sheltered shores are dominated by

Answer 29

detrital pathways

Question 30

On ocean shores what can be found during low tide? High tide?

Answer 30

birds = low tide

fish and other marine fauna = high tide

Question 31

The more complex a habitat is, the ___ it is for larger predators to find prey

Answer 31

Harder