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Questions and Answers
What percentage of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans?
What percentage of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans?
Which of the following disciplines is NOT a component of oceanography?
Which of the following disciplines is NOT a component of oceanography?
What term refers to the amount of food marine organisms can produce?
What term refers to the amount of food marine organisms can produce?
Why are marine organisms considered important for scientific research?
Why are marine organisms considered important for scientific research?
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When can human interest in the sea be traced back to?
When can human interest in the sea be traced back to?
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What is the temperature range in which vital processes function for most marine organisms?
What is the temperature range in which vital processes function for most marine organisms?
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What term describes the depth zone where rapid temperature decline occurs in the ocean?
What term describes the depth zone where rapid temperature decline occurs in the ocean?
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How does the freezing point of seawater compare to that of pure water?
How does the freezing point of seawater compare to that of pure water?
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What unique property of water allows it to act as a buffer against temperature changes in aquatic environments?
What unique property of water allows it to act as a buffer against temperature changes in aquatic environments?
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At what temperature does pure water reach its maximum density?
At what temperature does pure water reach its maximum density?
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Which marine organisms are considered poikilothermic?
Which marine organisms are considered poikilothermic?
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What happens to the viscosity of water as its temperature increases?
What happens to the viscosity of water as its temperature increases?
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How much energy is required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C?
How much energy is required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C?
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At what temperature is the frictional resistance to an organism moving through water about 100 times greater than in air?
At what temperature is the frictional resistance to an organism moving through water about 100 times greater than in air?
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Which ion constitutes the largest percentage by weight in 34.8 ppt sea water?
Which ion constitutes the largest percentage by weight in 34.8 ppt sea water?
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What is the freezing point of water?
What is the freezing point of water?
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What major ecological feature of the sea ensures that all oceans are connected?
What major ecological feature of the sea ensures that all oceans are connected?
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What process occurs when winds move surface water away from coastal slopes, bringing nutrient-rich cold water to the surface?
What process occurs when winds move surface water away from coastal slopes, bringing nutrient-rich cold water to the surface?
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Which of the following best describes the major properties of water relevant to its physical characteristics?
Which of the following best describes the major properties of water relevant to its physical characteristics?
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What is the primary reason for the variation in density in ocean water?
What is the primary reason for the variation in density in ocean water?
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What are tides primarily produced by?
What are tides primarily produced by?
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Which subgroup of marine mammals does not primarily live in the ocean?
Which subgroup of marine mammals does not primarily live in the ocean?
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What percentage of marine mammals are concentrated around 40° north and south of the equator?
What percentage of marine mammals are concentrated around 40° north and south of the equator?
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Which of the following marine mammals belong to the sirenian group?
Which of the following marine mammals belong to the sirenian group?
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What is a primary factor that influences the metabolic functions of fish and invertebrates?
What is a primary factor that influences the metabolic functions of fish and invertebrates?
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Which group of animals is known to have the least stable water conditions compared to their natural environments?
Which group of animals is known to have the least stable water conditions compared to their natural environments?
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Why is constant attention necessary for maintaining aquarium water conditions?
Why is constant attention necessary for maintaining aquarium water conditions?
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Which marine mammal is categorized under the Ursidae family?
Which marine mammal is categorized under the Ursidae family?
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What occurs when water temperature in an aquarium fluctuates rapidly?
What occurs when water temperature in an aquarium fluctuates rapidly?
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What is the average salinity of sea water?
What is the average salinity of sea water?
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What phenomenon occurs when the sun and moon work together, resulting in higher tidal ranges?
What phenomenon occurs when the sun and moon work together, resulting in higher tidal ranges?
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Which ions constitute the majority of the total salinity in sea water?
Which ions constitute the majority of the total salinity in sea water?
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What is the pH level of sea water typically known to be?
What is the pH level of sea water typically known to be?
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What mainly limits the size of marine populations in terms of nutrients?
What mainly limits the size of marine populations in terms of nutrients?
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What is the significant factor differentiating the periods of neap tide?
What is the significant factor differentiating the periods of neap tide?
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Which of the following cations is found in the highest concentration in seawater?
Which of the following cations is found in the highest concentration in seawater?
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What effect do glaciers have on the ocean levels?
What effect do glaciers have on the ocean levels?
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What does Gross Primary Productivity measure?
What does Gross Primary Productivity measure?
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Which of the following best describes Net Primary Productivity?
Which of the following best describes Net Primary Productivity?
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What is the primary purpose of the Harvest method in measuring primary productivity?
What is the primary purpose of the Harvest method in measuring primary productivity?
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Which method involves measuring the concentration of oxygen in light and dark conditions?
Which method involves measuring the concentration of oxygen in light and dark conditions?
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How does the Carbon Dioxide method measure photosynthesis?
How does the Carbon Dioxide method measure photosynthesis?
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What does Net Community Productivity represent?
What does Net Community Productivity represent?
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What is necessary to use pH as an index of productivity in aquatic ecosystems?
What is necessary to use pH as an index of productivity in aquatic ecosystems?
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What indicates a good measure of productivity in relation to raw materials in ecosystems?
What indicates a good measure of productivity in relation to raw materials in ecosystems?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Marine Biology
- Oceans are the most crucial physical feature of Earth, covering nearly 71% of its surface.
- Ocean characteristics greatly impact daily life.
- Living organisms in the ocean are a significant food and natural product source.
- Ocean productivity (amount of food production and the number of organisms) is an important aspect of marine biology research.
- Marine organisms are valuable for studying fields like ecology, physiology, biochemistry, biogeography, behavior, genetics, and evolution.
The Study of the Sea and its Inhabitants
- Oceanography is the study of oceans and their phenomena (e.g., waves, currents, tides).
- Oceanography uses various disciplines, including chemistry, physics, geology, geography, meteorology, and biology.
- Marine biology focuses on living organisms in the seas and their interactions with each other and their environment.
- Oceanography and marine biology overlap; both are crucial for understanding the oceans and their inhabitants.
History of Marine Biology
- Human interest in the sea dates back to ancient times (Greeks and Romans).
- Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, was an early naturalist and developed a classification system.
- Charles Darwin's expeditions provided valuable insights into marine organisms.
- The Challenger expedition (1872 – 1876) marked a significant milestone in the development of marine biology and oceanography.
- Important institutions like Scripps Institute of Oceanography, the University of Miami's Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and the Friday Harbor Laboratories were founded.
- Alexander Agassiz and Louis Agassiz greatly contributed to marine biology.
Geography and Geomorphology of the Oceans/Seas
- The marine environment is divided into two major divisions: pelagic (water column) and benthic (ocean bottom).
- Pelagic and benthic divisions are further subdivided based on distance from land, light availability, and depth.
- Examples of zones include intertidal, shelf, bathyal, abyssal, and hadal zones.
Physical Properties of Water
- Water has a high boiling point (100°C), freezing point (0°C), heat capacity, and latent heat of fusion and vaporization.
- Water's specific heat and high heat capacity make it a crucial environmental buffer.
- Water's density and freezing point are influenced by salt content.
- Water's viscosity affects the movement of marine organisms.
Environmental Factors Affecting Marine Organisms
- Maintaining homeostasis – a crucial challenge for all living organisms.
- Crucial environmental factors affecting marine organism distribution include temperature, water, salinity, and pressure.
- Many abiotic factors, like temperature, salinity, pressure, light, and nutrients, influence marine organisms' distribution.
- The tolerance ranges of different organisms are vastly different.
Marine Biota and Productivity
- Oceans contain a vast array of living species, including plankton and nekton in the pelagic community, and benthos in the benthic community.
- Pelagic communities are categorized into megaplankton, macroplankton, microplankton, nanoplankton, and ultraplankton.
- Benthic communities include attached algae, as well as larger actively swimming animals (nekton).
- Organisms like phytoplankton are the primary food source.
- Productivity—the crucial rate of organic matter in an ecosystem by photosynthesis and chemosynthesis is affected by nutrient ratios, sunlight, and temperature.
Marine Fishes
- Fish, like aquatic animals, are greatly affected by chemical, biological, and physical characteristics.
- Vital water conditions (i.e., pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity) affect the health and survival of all marine organisms (fish).
Marine Mammals
- Common characteristics of marine mammals include the need to breathe air, being warm-blooded, and possessing mammary glands to produce milk.
Other Vital Topics
- Metabolic requirements
- Availability of Nutrients
- Environmental Factors That Affect The Distribution of Marine Organisms
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of marine biology, focusing on the oceans' impact on life and the diversity of organisms they harbor. This quiz covers the fundamental characteristics of oceans, productivity, and the intersection of marine biology and oceanography. Test your knowledge of how these fields contribute to our understanding of marine ecosystems.
