Unit 1 Exam Notes PDF

UNIT 1 EXAM NOTES Chapter 1: Introduction to Marine Biology 1. Marine Biology is the study of life in the ocean and other marine environments. It differs from general Biology, which is the study of life in all environments. Oceanography, on the other hand, focuses more on the physical,...

UNIT 1 EXAM NOTES Chapter 1: Introduction to Marine Biology 1. Marine Biology is the study of life in the ocean and other marine environments. It differs from general Biology, which is the study of life in all environments. Oceanography, on the other hand, focuses more on the physical, chemical, and geological aspects of the ocean, including currents, waves, and marine chemistry. 2. Fields of Science in Marine Biology: ○ Chemistry: Important for understanding the chemical composition of seawater. ○ Physics: Helps explain water movement, tides, and wave dynamics. These fields are crucial because marine life is affected by both biological and environmental factors, like temperature, salinity, and chemical composition. 3. Research Examples: ○ Marine Biology Project: Studying the effect of ocean acidification on coral reefs. ○ Oceanography Project: Investigating how wind-driven currents influence the temperature of surface waters. 4. Importance of Marine Biology: ○ Understanding ecosystems and biodiversity. ○ Conserving endangered species. ○ Ensuring sustainable fisheries. ○ Protecting coastal habitats. ○ Addressing climate change through marine systems. 5. Science and Inquiry: Science is a systematic way of studying the world, while inquiry is the process of asking questions and seeking answers through investigation. They are linked because science is driven by inquiry. 6. Data Examples: ○ Data: Temperature readings, fish population counts, water salinity. ○ Non-data: Opinions, predictions, personal experiences. 7. Scientific Method: ○ Observation ○ Question ○ Hypothesis ○ Experiment ○ Conclusion  8. Hypotheses and Predictions (e.g., Battery Life): ○ Hypothesis: Duracell batteries last longer than Energizer. ○ Prediction: If we test both batteries, Duracell will last longer. ○ Experiment: Test both batteries under identical conditions and measure the duration of use. 9. Lionfish Harm: Lionfish are invasive and prey on native species, disrupting ecosystems and causing economic damage to fisheries. Chapter 3: Physical Oceanography and Water Chemistry 1. Atom, Element, and Molecule: ○ Atom: Basic unit of matter. ○ Element: A substance made up of one type of atom. ○ Molecule: Two or more atoms bonded together. 2. Water Molecule Diagram: Water is polar, with a partially negative oxygen atom and partially positive hydrogen atoms. 3. Hydrogen Bonding, Cohesion, and Adhesion: ○ Hydrogen Bonding: Attraction between hydrogen atoms and electronegative atoms (e.g., oxygen). ○ Cohesion: Water molecules sticking together. ○ Adhesion: Water molecules sticking to other substances. 4. Temperature and Salinity Effects on Density: Cold water is denser than warm water, and salty water is denser than freshwater. 5. Hydrogen Bonding and Temperature: As water heats up, hydrogen bonds break; as it cools, bonds form, which affects the temperature changes. 6. Solute and Solvent: A solute is dissolved in a solvent. Water is an excellent solvent because it can dissolve many substances due to its polarity. 7. PPT: Parts per thousand, a measurement of salinity. 8. Secchi Depth: The depth at which a Secchi disk becomes invisible, used to measure water clarity. 9. Importance of Clear Water: It allows sunlight penetration for photosynthesis and supports ecosystems. 10. Dissolved Gases: Oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolve in seawater, which is vital for marine life. 11. Factors Changing with Depth: Pressure increases, temperature decreases, and light diminishes. 12. Wind-driven Currents: Surface currents caused by wind friction with the ocean surface. 13. Coriolis Effect: The deflection of moving objects caused by Earth's rotation. 14. Gyre: Large systems of circular ocean currents, primarily driven by wind. 15. Colder Water in LA: LA is influenced by the cold California Current, while Myrtle Beach is influenced by the warm Gulf Stream. 16. Downwelling and Density-driven Currents: Water sinks in cold, dense areas and rises in warmer, less dense areas. 17. Great Ocean Conveyor Belt: A global current system that moves warm and cold water throughout the oceans. It takes approximately 1,000 years to circulate. 18. Wave Size: Wind speed, fetch (distance wind blows), and duration. 19. Wave Diagram: Shows the crest (highest point), trough (lowest point), and wavelength (distance between crests). 20. Wave Period: The time it takes for two consecutive wave crests to pass a fixed point. 21. Waves Near Shore: As waves approach shore, they slow down, increase in height, and eventually break. 22. Tide Forces: Gravitational forces from the moon and sun, and centrifugal forces from Earth's rotation. 23. Tide Diagram: High tide occurs on the sides of the Earth aligned with the moon, and low tide occurs 90° away. 24. Spring and Neap Tides: Spring tides have the highest and lowest tides, occurring during full and new moons. Neap tides are weaker, occurring during the first and third quarters.  25. Types of Tides: Diurnal (one high and one low per day), Semidiurnal (two highs and two lows per day), and Mixed (a combination). CA has mixed tides. Chapter 2: Earth and Ocean Structure 1. Ocean Basins: Oceans are large bodies of saltwater, and basins are the underwater regions of the Earth’s crust. 2. Earth’s Ocean Coverage: Oceans cover about 71% of Earth. The Southern Hemisphere has more ocean than the Northern Hemisphere. 3. Supercontinent: Pangaea, which existed around 300 million years ago. 4. Expanding and Shrinking Oceans: The Atlantic Ocean is getting larger due to seafloor spreading, while the Pacific Ocean is shrinking. 5. Ice Ages and Sea Level: During ice ages, more water is trapped in ice, lowering sea levels. Now, rising temperatures are melting ice, causing sea levels to rise. 6. Plate Tectonics: Continents drift due to the movement of tectonic plates in the mantle. 7. Earth's Layers: Core is like the pizza's center, mantle is the sauce, and crust is the outer layer. 8. Mid-Ocean Ridge: A chain of underwater mountains where new crust forms. It runs through many countries, including Iceland. 9. Fossils on Different Continents: Similar fossils are found on continents that were once connected, supporting the theory of continental drift. 10. Young Hawaiian Islands: The southeastern Hawaiian islands are young because they are located above a hot spot in the Earth's mantle. 11. Volcanoes in the Northwest US: Due to subduction of oceanic plates beneath continental plates. 12. Pole Shifts: Earth’s poles have shifted due to plate tectonics, and evidence includes the magnetic record in rocks.  13. Ridges vs Trenches: Ridges are underwater mountain ranges; trenches are deep valleys in the ocean floor. 14. Sediment Types: Lithogenous comes from land, while Biogenous comes from marine organisms. 15. Continental Margin: The shelf, slope, and rise. Most marine life is found in the shelf because it receives sunlight and nutrients. 16. Underwater Canyon: Found at the continental slope, where erosion has cut into the ocean floor. 17. Passive vs Active Margins: Passive margins are not near tectonic plate boundaries, while active margins are located near plate boundaries. 18. Hydrothermal Vents: Form where ocean water meets volcanic activity, spewing chemicals like hydrogen sulfide that support unique ecosystems. Chapter 4: Life and Evolution 1. Characteristics of Life: Organization, metabolism, responsiveness, growth, and reproduction. 2. Evolution and Natural Selection: Populations evolve over time due to natural selection, where favorable traits increase in frequency. 3. Speciation: The formation of new species. An example is the Alpheid shrimp species split by the Isthmus of Panama. 4. Taxonomy: The classification of organisms into groups based on similarities. 5. Taxonomic Levels: Domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. 6. Scientific Name of Nassau Grouper: Epinephelinae striatus. 7. Photosynthesis: The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy, producing oxygen and glucose. 8. Autotrophs vs Heterotrophs: Autotrophs make their own food (e.g., plants), while heterotrophs consume other organisms.  9. Respiration: The process of breaking down food molecules to release energy. 10. Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes: Prokaryotes lack a nucleus (e.g., bacteria), while eukaryotes have a nucleus (e.g., plants, animals). 11. **Osm osis and Diffusion**: Movement of water and molecules across membranes. Salinity affects marine organisms’ water balance. 12. Osmoconformers vs Osmoregulators: Osmoconformers match their body’s salinity to the environment, while osmoregulators actively regulate it. 13. Temperature Regulation: Homeotherms maintain a constant temperature; Poikilotherms have variable temperatures; Warm Poikilotherms maintain heat via behavior. 14. Reproduction: Sexual involves genetic exchange, while asexual does not. Species like corals, sharks (sexual), and starfish (asexual) show these patterns. 15. Broadcast Spawning vs Internal Fertilization: Broadcast spawning releases gametes into the water, while internal fertilization occurs inside the organism. 16. Timing of Broadcast Spawning: Timing is crucial to ensure gametes meet and fertilization occurs. 17. Sessile Barnacles: Barnacles use external structures to facilitate internal fertilization despite being stationary. 18. Hermaphrodites: Organisms that have both male and female reproductive organs. 19. Advantage of Being Both Sexes: It increases reproductive success in certain environments. 20. Male-to-Female Advantage: Starting as male may allow for larger size before switching to female. 21. Female-to-Male Advantage: Starting as female may allow for early reproduction before changing sex. 22. Two-part Life Cycle: Many marine organisms, such as corals and jellyfish, have a larval stage and an adult stage. These answers should provide a foundation for your study of marine biology and oceanography. Let me know if you'd like further elaboration on any topic!