week 8

Question 1

what is an ocean

Answer 1

saline water occupying earths surface. this inclues all seas and lakes

covers 72%

Question 2

what are the properties of the ocean

Answer 2

salts, dissolved gases, organic matter and water

Cl, Na, Mg, S, Ca, K, Br

Question 3

what is the avg salinity of the ocean? which ocean has the highest salinity

Answer 3

3.5g/L (%)

dead sea

Question 4

what are the 5 oceans

Answer 4

pacific
Arctic
Atlantic
Indian
Antarctic

Question 5

describe the pacific

Answer 5

largest and deepest ocean and contains many islands

contains the ring of fire - lots of volcanic activity (subduct zones)
subject to many tropical cyclone (typhoons)

Question 6

describe the Atlantic

Answer 6

2nd the largest ocean that is fed by many large rivers

contains the mid-Atlantic ridge= diverging plates/ spreading
contains many shallow seas (Caribbean, Mediterranean, gluf of Mexico_

subject to hurricanes

Question 7

describe Indian ocean

Answer 7

3rd largest

warmest ocean

subject to monsoon

Question 8

what is a monsoon

Answer 8

regional wind patterns that change seasonally. these commonly bring string precipitation patterns

the change in seasonal winds and associated precipitation patterns

Question 9

describe the antarctic

Answer 9

2nd smallest

Intense low-pressure systems = storms!

mobile ice pack (95% coverage in winter and 15% in summer)

Question 10

describe the artic

Answer 10

smallest and shallow

mobile ice pack that can change ice concentration 50% between summer and winter

this can open the northwest passage

Question 11

which ice sheet is important for maintaining climate and why

Answer 11

arctic ice
-imparts a strong albedo as well as drive ocean water circulation. (gyre)

Question 12

what drives oceans’ surface circulation

Answer 12

Gyre and wind friction

gyre moves warm water to the poles and cold water to the equator

Question 13

what is welling

Answer 13

the rise or fall of deep ocean water promoting the circulation of water to the continental shelf. this help circulate nutrient-dense water from below to the surface

Question 14

what dictates deep ocean currents

Answer 14

density gradients/ thermohaline circulation

overall temp and salinity of the water will impact the density of the water (influenced by sea ice)

Question 15

what are the most productive ocean areas

Answer 15

coastal zones and upwellings from the deep ocean (nutrient-rich) promote Photosynth activity

Question 16

what is the most caught fish

Answer 16

alaskan pollok

Question 17

what are the threats to ocean ecosys

Answer 17

over fishing

climate change

pollution

Question 18

what implications does overfishing impart?

Answer 18

a rate of catching fish faster than they can reproduce

have increased levels of bycatch (non-targeted fish that cannot be kept or sold (commonly killed))

Question 19

anadromous

Answer 19

a fish life cycle that takes pace in both fresh water and salt water

spawn in the fresh water and livein the oceans for 1-7 years

Question 20

what is open-net salmon farming

Answer 20

deploying large (deep) nets of the coast (in similar habitats of wild salmon.
open-net fish farming commonly introduced diseases and paradise into the farmed fish
- many also use chemicals/ toxins into the water

escapement of the farm fish is also common. this challenges the wild salmon in their ecosystem by inc competition for resources

Question 21

how is climate change harming aquatic ecosys

Answer 21

the melting of glaciers (eustasy), alters seas level, temp and composition (nutrient density)

on coastal regions warming of the water causes leeching of the coral as the symbiotic algae are expelled

Question 22

how are inc lvl of CO2 (climate change) harming coean eco sys

Answer 22

imparting ocean acidification. this lowers the pH and lowers the number of carbonate minerals in the water

this hinders the ability for shell formation, leaving orgs to be vulnerable to predators

Question 23

how is pollution impacting the ocean ecosys

Answer 23

sources from runoff and point sources (toxic material and nutrients)

plastic (80% from land activities)
more than 8 million tones of energy the ocean each year where approx 99% skins to the bottom and /or biodegrades to micro plastics.