Unit 4 Chapter 14 - Aquatic Food Production Systems Flashcards
Abiotic factor
Physical factors such as light, temperature and water
Algae
Primitive photosynthetic plant-like organisms
Algal bloom
The rapid growth of a population of algae
Aquaculture
The artificial production of aquatic organisms, including fish farming
Autotroph
An organism that can capture light or chemical energy from the environment to make high-energy substances such as carbohydrates. They include photoautotrophs and chemoautotrophs
Biomass
The total biomass of living, or recently living, material in an area
Bycatch
The non-target organisms that are caught when fishing
Carrying capacity
The greatest population that can be supported sustainably in an area
Crustaceans
Group of invertebrates with jointed limbs and an exoskeleton, including crabs, lobsters and shrimps
Demersal
Living on the seabed eg cod, plaice
Eutrophication
The process by which the nutrient level of a water body increases
Maximum Sustainable Yield
The greatest amount that can be harvested sustainably
Molluscs
Invertebrate organisms with a hard shell, including oysters, clams, mussels, squid
No Take Zone
An area in which harvesting or fishing is prohibited
Overfishing
Fishing above the Maximum Sustainable yield of a population
Pelagic
Living near the water surface eg herring, tuna
Photic layer
The water layer into which light can penetrate
Phytoplankton
Free-floating photosynthetic organisms that drift with the water currents
Plankton
Free-floating organisms that drift with the water currents
Shellfish
All the aquatic animals that are caught or grown to be eaten that have shells or an exoskeleton eg crustaceans and molluscs
Turbidity
The cloudiness of water caused by suspended solid particles
Upwelling
An area where water from deep ocean currents is brought to the surface
Zooplankton
Free-floating animals that drift with the water currents
