25 Questions
Which season do red tides typically occur in the northern hemisphere?
April through September
What is the main cause of ocean eutrophication?
Artificial enrichment of nutrients
What is the primary reason for the formation of dead zones?
Nutrient runoff from rivers
What happens to the dissolved oxygen concentration in the water during a dead zone?
It decreases
Which of the following is the second largest dead zone in the world?
The Gulf of Mexico
What is the main cause of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico?
Water runoff from the Mississippi River Basin
Which marine plankton is the most abundant and smallest?
Four Clara Cook
Which region has the greatest primary productivity in the summer and least in the winter?
Polar oceans
Which months have the highest sunlight in the year?
June, July, and August
What causes a phytoplankton bloom in the spring?
Increased sunlight and abundant nutrients
When do zooplankton populations peak?
April
Which ocean region has the highest year-round phytoplankton productivity?
Mid-latitude oceans
Which ocean current brings nutrient-rich water towards the surface near Antarctica?
North Atlantic deep water
What is the main reason for decreased productivity in the southern hemisphere?
UV radiation
Why is the productivity in the open ocean in tropical areas fairly low?
Thermocline prevents vertical mixing
When does the productivity in temperate oceans reach its peak?
Spring
Which type of organisms in the ocean convert solar energy into chemical energy?
Producers
What is the term used to describe the dead remains and waste products of organisms in the ocean?
Detritus
Which feeding strategy involves taking in seawater and filtering out usable organic matter?
Filter feeding
What is the primary source of biomass in marine ecosystems?
Producers
Which organisms are considered herbivores in the food chain?
Cows
What percentage of energy is transferred between each feeding stage?
10%
What is the flow efficiency of energy conversion to the primary producers at trophic level number one?
2%
Which organisms are considered top predators in the food chain?
Carnivores
What is the relationship between biomass and trophic level in the biomass pyramid?
Biomass decreases with each trophic level
Test your knowledge about the relationship between sunlight and nutrient availability in different seasons. Explore how varying levels of sunlight impact nutrient levels and how this affects ecosystems. Challenge yourself with questions about the importance of sunlight in supporting life on Earth.
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