The Marine Environment Flashcards
what is hydrogen bonding?
the attraction of a negative charge of a molecule to a positive charge of a another molecule
pelagic realm
water column away from the bottom
what is the Epelagic zone
it is the zone that includes the sea surface to a depth of about 200 meters
what are some characteristics of the epelagic realm
-warmest portion of the water column
-most well lit
-vast stretches of water that support primary production
-plankton
what are the limitations of epilagic level
- No substrate for attachment
- No bottom for burrowing or deposit feeding
- Places to hide from predators limited
- Predators cannot easily catch their prey
what are plankton
Includes all organisms that cannot swim against the prevailing water currents. Many are microscopic, plankton is classified by size, trophic level, or the length of time spent in the plankton
The surface level is divided into what categories
Neritic - waters over the continental shelf
Oceanic - waters beyond the continental shelf
what are ways organisms increase surface area and drag?
–being flat
-spines and appendages
what are some ways animals avoid being seen?
-Fast swimming
-protective coloration
-vertical migrations
-a variety of sense organs
wind kind of sensory organs do some of these animals have?
Can be used to form images or simply to sense light/dark or patterns most pelagic animals have well-developed eyes
Eyesight is used to capture prey, avoid being eaten, find mates, and for some, to stay in groups
Cartilaginous and bony fishes have a lateral line for sensing of prey or other predators dolphins and other cetaceans use echolocation
what kinds of camoflages are there
-Countershading
-Camouflage
-Transparency
Ho do some of these organisms swim faster?
-A streamlined body to reduce drag
-a strongly forked caudal tail to increase thrust
-a narrow caudal peduncle to concentrate energy on the caudal fin
what is upwelling?
The heating and cooling of surface water can cause deeper water to be brought to the surface in certain areas
what are some of the effects of upwelling?
-Upwelling brings vital nutrients to the surface, nutrients that were lost from the pelagic as DOM, fecal material, mucous, ect
-Primary production is higher in areas of upwelling
what are the types of upwelling?
-Coastal upwelling
-Equatorial upwelling
-Surface water moves away on opposite sides of the equator as a result of the Coriolis effect
what is El nino
-Occurs as upwelling along the Pacific coast of South America decreased, causing a warming of the ocean surface
what is the result of el nino
a sharp decrease in primary production and therefore a drop in plankton populations, fish catches, seabird populations
what are ENSO?
global effects that go beyond El nino
Ellaborrate on marine habitat destruction
-Most habitat destruction occurs close to the shore as a direct result of human development: unplanned or poorly planned development
-Destruction of marine habitats is more acute in developing countries, but is also common in developed countries
What’s happening to coral reefs
Approximately one fourth of all coral reefs have been lost or are at risk: one-third of reef building coral species face extinction
- Pollution from sewage, agricultural runoff, and sedimentation
- Rising temperatures
- Ocean acidification
- Fishing with explosives
- Collection for the aquarium trade
what is pollution
the human introduction of a substance that reduces the quality of the environment
effects of oil pollution on marine organisms
- Organisms can accumulate components of oil, many of which are toxic
- These components can affect reproduction, growth, development, and behavior
- Organisms may also die of their feathers or fur becoming coated with oil
- Organisms living in estuaries, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, and corals are also at great risk if coated with oil
what is usually responsible for oil pollution?
Natural seeps, land based pollution and recreational boating, transportation of oil, exploration and extraction
what are the main marine pollutants
- Solid wastes (particularly plastics)
- Microplastics from toothpaste and pharmaceuticals now found everywhere
- Thermal pollution (from power plants)
- Saline brines from desalination plants
- Radioactive wastes (from nuclear accidents [after 2011 japanese earthquake and tsunami], wastes dumped at sea, and sunken nuclear-powered submarines and ships)
oil
