UQ MB II Flashcards by bob joe

What are reefs mainly composed of?

carbonate sand

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Define primary production

taking atm/oceanic CO2 turning it into organic material

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What are the primary producers of the ocean?

phytoplankton

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Describe BMAs

Benthic MicroAlgae

-dinos, diatoms, cyanobact. that well in the sand

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Which meiofauna dominate the sand?

copepods and nematodes

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Describe the significance of holothurians

benthic detritus feeders
eating of BMA regulates bioturbidity and nutrients in water
they enhance productivity

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Describe the significance of meiofauna

small benthic invertebrates
important in foodchains and eat plankton
high turnover: abundance of food

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What is a haloe?

a geo. structure that is hard rock/coral substrate in the middle and soft sediment surrounding it

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Describe DVM

Diurnal Vertical Movement

-movement of benthic community into the water column (at night) when predatory pressures are off

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What is the key to survival of corals against one another?

Growth rate

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What are the two types of corals?

branching: pioneer type

massive

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What is the DAM for corals?

attacking with

-mesentaerial filaments, sweeper tentacles/polyps, overgrowth

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Are branching or massive coral better fighters?

Massive

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Describe sweeper tentacles

longer projections full of nematocysts and sparocysts for stinging and snaring (attack and feeding)

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T/F: DAMs are constantly happening between corals

FALSE - only happen when threatened to conserve energy

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Which coral species is one of the “best at fighting”

Montipera

-large “disposable” army of polyps

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What are IAMS of corals?

indirect attach mechs

overgrowth : block light
allelopathy : secrete chemical to keep others from growing around them

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Name some outcomes of coral competition

standoffs, fusion, changing shape, reorienting growth (avoidance), overgrowth

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What is darwins paradox?

Much diversity in nutrient poor waters

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Two types of herbivory?

grazing - “lawn mow” feeding

browsing - selective feeding (damselfish)

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Why is grazing important in reefs?

trophic linkages between producers and consumers
promote production and nutrient cycling
keep algal population at bay

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What is the keystone group of reefs?

Grazers (herbivores)

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What happens if there are no sea cucumbers or grazers

nutrients build up and less light passes through and respiration makes things anoxic which increases the acidity of waters (h. sulfide)

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What happens if the water gets disturbed (storm) when there is high nutrient buildup?

Nutrients get thrown in the air and the bacteria go crazy and grow and respire making things anoxic (taking all the oxygen) and also secreting toxins (blooms)

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5 main fish grazers

Rabbit, damsel, blennie, parrot, surgeon

Cons to being an herbivore

plant cellulose hard to digest | carbon/nitrogen balance hard to maintain with energy

Plant defenses to grazers

- spikes, skeletons, boring, encrusting, rip stops, inaccessiblity - toxins, digestion inhibitors, un-edible parts

What is grazer importance to coral?

keeps algal population at bay so it doesnt overgrow coral

Which is more of a concern: the existence of grazers or the nutrient level/being added to systems

Nutrient level is the overall concern

T/F: marine grazers perform the most grazing out of any habitat

True!

Describe the EAM

Epithilial Algal Matrix -a network of algae that grows together (diatoms, dinos, cyanobact., algal turf) -traps sediment and detritus the "salad"

What is the overall effect of grazing?

it cycles nutrients rapidly

grazing verts are found in ____ waters, inverts in ___ waters

tropical waters temperate waters

What are the 3 theories to grazer/croal diversity?

1) environmental effects lead to algal productivity 2) temperature effects lead to different morphologies 3) day/season time takes effects on the energy/nutrient budget (net photosynthesis)

T/F: most of grazing has been reserached

FALSE - 50% has been unexaplined | -grazing is patchy at best and inverts are the next level of research

Planktivores are labeled under most what type of fish?

- spiny fin fishes (acanthoptyergians) | - most fish on the reef are these

How do planktivores feed?

Ram feeding | -swimm with big mouth open with protruding premaxillae jaw

Planktivore defense

aggression/fast swim speeds (schools) | hiding

Where are planktivores usually found?

all over the reefs but concentrate where the current comes to the reef

Where do planktivores usually feed? Why?

on the outer reef on the boarder of swim speed limits where the currents hit the reef (drop off) -higher quantity/quality of food though more danger (wedding reception analogy)

Which planktibvores tend to migrate?

larges ones due to not enough space on the reef | -mull around while the current is slow and then active when its fast cuz it brings food

What is the status of nutrient levels during day and night?

nutrients come in during the day, "leave' during the night

What is the signifcance of grazer/planktivore poop?

large food source and big part of nitrogen cycling

Describe the behaviour of nocturnal planks

- feed on things in DVM and meroplankton - lack protruding jaw - eat to keep nutrients from leaving at night

What are the two types of plankton?

Holoplankton - general plankton | Meroplankton - consist of larvae and stuff not actually plankton

How do planks affect the benthic community

preventing settlement/recruitment of organisms and poop

What is hard about looking at benthic predators

not much reserach | -gut purges fast or build up gives false info

T/F: rareity is common

True - its hard to find exact mates and stuff and whatever on reefs

What is the status of nutrient levels during day and night?

nutrients come in during the day, "leave' during the night

What is the signifcance of grazer/planktivore poop?

large food source and big part of nitrogen cycling

Describe the behaviour of nocturnal planks

- feed on things in DVM and meroplankton - lack protruding jaw - eat to keep nutrients from leaving at night

What are the two types of plankton?

Holoplankton - general plankton | Meroplankton - consist of larvae and stuff not actually plankton

How do planks affect the benthic community

preventing settlement/recruitment of organisms and poop

what term means they stay the same sex through lifetime?

gonochoristic | -but most fish hermaphrodites

What process is it when girls turn to guys?

Protogynous

What is it when guys turn into girls?

Protandrous

What is the benefit of having very specific reproductiv-ness

knowing exactly where a mate will be

Describe how fish act in a male dominated system

Alpha male - as new fish arrive they become female - constantly growing to a certain size

Describe fish in a female dominated system

Queen that lays all the eggs | -new fish stay as juveniles to conserve resources incase one needs to replace her

what term means they stay the same sex through lifetime?

gonochoristic | -but most fish hermaphrodites

Plants turn light into ___ | animals take that and turn it into ____

chemical energy | movement energy

Plankton is distributed by

ocean currents ; differs with latitude

4 types of plankton

diatoms, dinos, cocolithophores, picoppalnkton

Describe attributes of fish in the mesopelgic zone

big eyes looking up, thin bodies, sharp teech

What is the most significant food in the deep ocean

marine snow

How else can energy be made/stored in the ocean?

chemosynthesis of bacteria and organisms oxidizing sulfur/ fixing inorganic carbon from hydrothermal vents that bring up lava that cools

Which dermal layer do zooxanthallae reside on?

gastrodermis

What do coral get from z,xanth what do z.xanth get from coral?

coral get photosynthesis and net energy | z.xanth get protection and nitrogen waste

How can corals survive bleaching events?

if they feed well

What is coral in a geographic sense?

a water resistant organic structure

4 things that affect reef formation

- tem - turbidity - currents - light

2 reasons why there is coral diversity

geo. history | dispersion

3 factors in coral diversity

nutrients, symbiosis, recycling

locations of nutrient recycling

surface, sediments, slicks

What do bacteria do in coral mucus

prevent harmful microbe from attacking

How do greenhouse gasses affect reefs

- temp - CO2/acidity - storms - rising sea level

Human activities that eff up reefs

- coastal development - land activities - sewage - boats/ships

Fishing activities that eff up reefs

- bomb fishing | - cyanide fishing

What is black band disease

bacterial growth that prevents growth and kills polyps in that area