Unit 4 Topic 1 Oceans of the future

Question 1

Reasons for preserving species and habitats (5)

Answer 1

Ecological
Greater biodiversity results in greater ecosystem health

Ethical
Species have the right to exist and animals are entitled to their own lives

Economic
Well managed ecosystems can result in tourism and certain industries which provide money to the economy

Aethsteic
Environmental ecosystems can be a source of beauty and can inspire various arts

Social
A place for people to socialise and can be used to create environmental groups

Question 2

MPA design criteria

Answer 2

Location
-locate marine reserves considering the location of existing measures, and have fewer larger separate reserves

Selection
-select areas considering the capacity to mitigate threats, unique habitats or species; ecologically important features; small-scale ecosystems and sediment types; heritage sites; minimising socio-economic cost

Design
-the size and shape of the reserve should include continuous depth transects; include entire geomorphic features, with replication; account for connectivity and dispersal; have simple, easily identifiable boundaries; minimising socio-economic costs

Zoning
-include highly protected areas, consider the threats posed by specific activities; apply a precautionary approach to threats and costs and benefits.

Question 3

‘CAR’ Principles of MPA

Answer 3

Comprehensiveness
Adequacy
Representivness

Question 4

Management strategies to support marine ecosystem

Answer 4

-Managing threats
Rules to reduce damage (no anchoring boats, no-take zone)

-Zoning
Dividing the area and employing different sets of regulations in certain areas (No entry, no fishing)

-Permits
Special permission required for activities

-Plans
Allow for the further protection of aspects of the reef

Question 5

NGO’s

Answer 5

A non-government organisation includes private voluntary organisations, nonprofit organisations, and Civil society organisations.

Speed is slow to complete objectives

Question 6

RCP’s

Answer 6

Representative concentration pathways

RCP’s are computer modelled predictions that account for the influence of greenhouse gasses and other pollutants on climate in the year 2100

Question 7

The model types of RCP (4)

Answer 7

RCP 8.5
RCP 6.0
RCP 4.5
RCP 2.6

Question 8

Anual severe bleaching events (ASB)

Answer 8

Defined as an annual exceedance of >8DHW accumulating in a 3 month period

Question 9

Degree heating week

Answer 9

DHW

DHW
is an indicator of thermal stress on coral and a predictor for coral bleaching.

Example. If the temperature is 2 degrees above the summer maximum for 4 weeks then the DHW indicator is 2x4 = 8 DHW

Question 10

Coral skeletons

Answer 10

Are a deposit of the mineral aragonite which is a form of calcium carbonate

Extension
-Upwards skeletal growth

Densification
-Lateral skeletal growth

Question 11

Coral growth in skeletons

Answer 11

Is represented by density bands that represent the growth of coral and is impacted by factors such as temperature, weather events, and changes in nutrients

Question 12

Coral coring

Answer 12

Method of extracting a sample of coral skeleton density

Question 13

Coral cores can provide

Answer 13

• Provide credibility to theories surrounding past events and climate patterns
• Environmental data including rainfall, acidity, sedimentation, water pollution, and storm activity
• Scientists can analyse the chemical compounds in corals which represent certain conditions of the oceans
• Calcium carbonate stores can represent environmental data from hundreds and thousands of years ago

Question 14

Ocean acidification saturation on coral

Answer 14

Ω>3 corals are more likely to survive and reproduce
Ω<3 corals become stressed
Ω<1 shells and other aragonite structures dissolve

Question 15

Implications of ocean acidification on various organisms

Answer 15

Hard Coral
-carbonate ions become less abundant causing slower skeletal growth. Coral growth will be limited by corroding pre-existing coral structures. Coral larvae will have trouble finding a suitable spot to settle

Coraline Algae
-Most coralline algae species build shells of high-magnesium calcite form of calcium carbonate which is more soluble than aragonite

Shelled organisms
-Shells will become more delicate and smaller resulting in an increased risk of predation

Plankton
-Impacts the food chain as plankton are a food source to various animals. Shell is made of calcium carbonate

Question 16

The transportation of heat, water and nutrients in the ocean is impacted by the factors (3)

Answer 16

-Ekman spiral
Currents decrease with depth in a spiral based on surface currents moving at a 45-degree angle to the wind direction caused by Coriolis forces and friction

-Upwelling and downwelling
Upwelling where Ekman transport moves surface waters away from the coast and surface waters are replaced with deep, cold, nutrient rich water that wells up from below

Downwelling where Ekman transport moves surface waters towards the coast the water piles and sinks

-La Nina and El Nino
La Nina results in trade winds stronger then normal which cause upwelling off south America which causes lower sea surface temperature overall.

El Nino results in a decreased air pressure patterns weakening wind trades and can reverse direction resulting in warm water being pushed back towards the central pacific and upwelling is decreased due to high water concentration off South America

Question 17

Normal conditions

Answer 17

Sea surface temperature is higher in the Western pacific waters then waters off South America this is caused by trade winds blowing east to west on the equator this allows for the upwelling off northwest South America

Question 18

Alterations of thermal regimes

Answer 18

Temperature in aquatic systems is important as it influences factors such as

• Dissolved oxygen
• Water density
• Salinity

Question 19

Climate change on fish migration patterns

Answer 19

Fish are unable to alter their body temperature so they are influenced by the temperature around them

Many fish stay in the optimal temperature range and their ability to stay in this range influences their feeding time, where they stay and when they migrate and spawn.

Question 20

Changes in non migratory fish

Answer 20

The shifts will be either higher in latitude or deeper in depth and a decrease in distribution range

Question 21

Changes in migratory fish

Answer 21

Temperature is the trigger of migration in fish

Increases temperature results in increased migration distances for fish which increases fish mortality

Question 22

Cause of sea level rise

Answer 22

Melting ice + thermal expansion = rising sea levels