Marine Science S1 Study Guide

What is a scientific experiment?

A detailed process to test a hypothesis

What is a pseudoscience?

A discipline that relies on anecdotal evidence that cannot be measured or verified

Between 3,000 and 6,000 meters below the ocean surface, over 50% of the earth's surface is covered by what kind of formation?

Abyssal plains

If an organism required stable water temperatures and extreme pressure in order to survive, what zones would it most likely be found in, and why?

Abyssopelagic and Bathypelagic zones, because they are deeper than 1,000 meters and have stable temperatures near freezing

The Hawaiian island of Mauna Loa is an active volcano. In areas where lava no longer flows, primary succession is taking place. Which of the following is an example of a pioneer species that can be seen here?

Algae

In the carbon cycle, decomposition is the breakdown of a substance into simpler substances. What is the name for the process of the nitrogen cycle that produces ammonia?

Ammonification

In what location would primary succession most likely occur?

An area that was covered by a glacier

A marine biologist measured the amount of heat radiated from an aquarium over the course of an experiment. He concludes that the aquarium is an open system. Explain why this conclusion is invalid.

An open system exchanges both energy and matter with its surroundings, and the scientist did not measure the movement of matter.

Where is the mantle located?

Between the Earth's crust and outer core

A physicist is studying light absorbance in the ocean. He graphs his data as shown below. At what depth would organisms that rely on infrared light (IR) most likely be found in the ocean? Justify your answer by using the provided data.

An organism that relies on infrared (IR) light would most likely be found in the Epipelagic zone of the ocean, at about 10-15 meters deep. This would be the case as the epipelagic zone is the first and foremost zone, and it is more shallow than the other zones. Because it is closer to the surface, it receives more light. According to the graph, infrared light does not even reach 25 meters of depth, and so the zone that corresponds with this depth is the epipelagic zone.

A marine scientist wants to understand the effects of tsunamis on beach erosion. Unfortunately, it is hard to predict when and where tsunamis will be triggered. What research methods would best allow him to overcome this limitation in studying tsunamis?

Build a small-scale model of a beach to simulate the effects of tsunamis

The diagram below shows two waves. At which letter (A-D) on the diagram is constructive interference going to occur?

C

A fish eats food, and then swims. How does this example show the Law of Conservation of Energy?

Chemical potential energy from food molecules is converted to kinetic energy in the fish's muscles.

In order to simulate abyssopelagic zone conditions in a model aquarium design, what temperature and pressure conditions would be required?

Cold temperature, high pressure

In order to simulate mesopelagic zone conditions in a model aquarium design, what temperature and pressure conditions would be required?

Cold temperatures, moderate pressure

How are temperature and salinity related in a thermohaline circulation pattern?

Cold water from the poles sinks, leaving behind higher salinity water.

A marine scientist in California wants to study the habitat of Atlantic blue crab, a species of crab found around the Chesapeake Bay. How can he best study the habitat of these organisms?

Collect and analyze water samples from Atlantic blue crab habitats within the Chesapeake Bay.

Many species of aquatic snails secrete a slime and are adapted to live in coastal regions. Rather than swim, they move along the ocean floor in shallow water, wedging themselves into crevices or burrowing into sand. What could happen to these snails if they did not have these adaptations?

Constant wave action could wash the snails into the open ocean.

A kayaker is moving through the water when a speed boat passes by. The person in the kayak notices that the waves get momentarily bigger. What type of wave interference is the kayaker observing that results in an increase in amplitude?

Constructive

What skill would most likely benefit any scientist who is designing a scientific experiment to test a question?

Creativity

Which of the following best defines the water cycle, also known as the hydrological cycle?

Cycling of water that involves changes between the solid, liquid, and gas phases

During coastal upwelling, nutrient-rich water rises from the ocean floor to the surface to replace water that has been blown away or moved by currents. How would this most likely change the abiotic components of the ecosystem near the surface where the upwelling is taking place?

Decrease in oxygen content

How does global climate change most directly impact marine life? The two images of the McCall Glacier in Alaska depict how it has changed in size over the past 50 years.

Decreased habitat for polar marine animals It will increase sea level due to runoff from the melting ice.

A scientist discovers a new species of marine bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive. In fact, dissolved oxygen in the water is actually toxic to these bacteria. Predict what region of the ocean this species would most likely inhabit, and select the best explanation.

Deep because there is less oxygen exchange.

Which factor causes the greatest increase in an area's flash flood risk?

Densely populated areas with sparse vegetation

How would a hurricane that destroyed large areas of mangrove canopy most greatly impact the biodiversity of the coastal ecosystem?

Depleting the variety of species living in the mangrove nursery areas

Which effect from a catastrophic typhoon would most greatly impact the biodiversity of a coral reef ecosystem?

Destruction of coral

What property of light waves explains why the light in an open doorway appears to bend around the corners of the door and door frame?

Diffraction

The theory of plate tectonics was developed with the contribution of scientists from many different disciplines. Which of the following is a contribution from geophysicists?

Earth's magnetic fields captured in the rock around deep-sea ridges show that fresh magma emerges between tectonic plates.

If an aquatic animal relies on photosynthesis to survive, in which ocean zone would it be most successful?

Epipelagic

Which ocean zone has the warmest water temperature?

Epipelagic

A healthy environment depends on biogeochemical cycles maintaining a balance of input and output. Which two components would be out of balance in the water cycle if there were coastal flooding that resulted in accumulated debris and abnormally low salinity?

Evaporation and precipitation

Water is said to have a high boiling point. How does this property of water allow for life in the oceans?

Even when it gets very hot in the summer, the oceans will not dry out.

A deep sea robot is sent to the bottom of the ocean. What will it most likely observe, in terms of the numbers of photosynthetic organisms and light conditions?

Few photosynthetic organisms in an environment with very little light

A marine biologist is working on a research vessel to study whale calls. His recording devices are measuring depths above 1,000 meters. As his vessel travels to cooler waters and begins to measure at greater depths, the marine biologist needs to make adjustments to his monitoring devices. Why is that?

From 0 to 1,000 meters, sound travels at a slower speed in cooler water (?)

During which phase of the moon do spring tides typically occur?

Full moon

Explain how global warming occurs on Earth, how human activity has contributed to global climate change, and how global climate change affects marine primary productivity and marine animal migration.

Global warming occurs on Earth due to the phenomenon that is the Greenhouse Gas effect. When gases like carbon dioxide or methane are emitted, the Earth traps this heat, which causes the temperature to increase (also known as global warming). Human activity has contributed to global climate change as our use of fossil fuels to power cars or our excessive consumption of red meat (where cows emit methane) is releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, causing the temperature to increase. This increase in temperature causes glaciers to melt and sea levels and temperatures to rise, which causes different weather patterns and severe weather like hurricanes and changes the climate. Climate change affects marine primary productivity as the increased temperatures and amounts of sunlight result in a lower level of productivity. Lastly, global climate change affects marine animal migration as some animals, say a specific kind of shark, prefer to live in colder water and are forced to find new places to go once the temperature of their habitat increases to a level they can no longer stand.

When algae is exposed to sunlight, blue and red wavelengths of light are absorbed by the algae to produce sugars. Energy from green wavelengths is not absorbed. How does this phenomenon validate the Law of Conservation of Energy?

Green wavelengths are reflected from the algae.

Which ocean zone has the greatest water pressure?

Hadal

The Marianas trench contains Challenger Deep, the deepest point in the ocean floor that we know of today. Challenger Deep is located over 11,000 meters below the ocean surface. What ocean zone would be located just above the floor of Challenger Deep?

Hadal Zone

A marine biologist measured the amount of heat radiated from an aquarium over the course of an experiment. He concludes that the aquarium cannot be considered an isolated system. What could he do to make the aquarium an isolated system?

He could add insulation to the aquarium so that it does not exchange energy with its surroundings.

As global warming continues, the oceans absorb more of the Earth's heat. What term describes the ocean as a storage location for this heat?

Heat sink

A submarine robot is operating near the ocean floor. What pressure and temperature data will it most likely record?

High pressures and cold temperatures

What property of water results from its high boiling point?

High surface tension

Climate data shows that the frequency and strength of hurricanes are increasing. How can hurricanes impact coastal ecosystems?

Hurricanes can damage coral reefs.

A scientist is investigating the effects of salinity on fish development. He places fertilized fish eggs in an aquarium that contains low salinity and observes their development. What factor would improve experimental design the most?

Include another aquarium that has normal salinity to compare to the low salinity aquarium

During upwelling, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface. How would this most likely affect the biotic components of the ecosystems where the upwelling is taking place?

Increase in species numbers and diversity

How could floodwater runoff from the land negatively impact the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon ecosystem?

Increase nutrient concentration

What evidence suggests that global climate change is causing the oceans to get warmer?

Increased sea levels

The Florida Everglades have declined in size and suffered from pollution due to overpopulation. When runoff occurs, a dense growth of algae forms along the water surface. What will be the impact of these algae growths?

It contains nitrogen from fertilizer that stimulates the growth of algae.

Which ocean zone has the most abundant primary producers, and why?

The Epipelagic zone, due to its high light availability and warm water temperatures

A healthy environment depends on biogeochemical cycles maintaining a balance of input and output. High levels of nitrogenous compounds in the waterways can cause an algal bloom. How does an algal bloom affect a marine ecosystem?

It decreases oxygen in the water, creating a toxic environment.

Water is said to have a low vapor pressure. How does this property affect large bodies of liquid water on Earth?

It prevents them from drying out.

The existence of Pangea is supported by evidence that similar fossils appear on different continents. How does this observation support the existence of Pangea?

It shows that the continents used to be closer together.

The theory of plate tectonics is supported by evidence that crustal plates move relative to each other. How does this observation support the theory of plate tectonics?

It suggests that plates can move independently of one another.

Cyanobacteria are organisms that use the sun's energy to produce their own food. During a storm, a population of cyanobacteria was carried down into a deeper layer of the ocean. Predict what would happen to this population.

It would die, because sunlight is unable to penetrate deep into the ocean

The Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) is an invasive species that has impacted the Atlantic coast. Predict what characteristic of this invader would most likely disrupt the biodiversity of this area.

Its diet is more diverse than native species.

What is one way atmospheric nitrogen can be changed into ammonia?

Lightning (?)

Over the last few decades, scientists have noticed that lobsters, which obtain heat from the environment rather than generating it themselves, are moving north at a rate of six kilometers per year. What is the best explanation based on these observations?

Lobsters are adapting to cooler temperatures.

How would low tide most likely negatively affect the abundance of aquatic organisms?

Low tide exposes aquatic organisms to air for extended periods of time.

What property of water allows large bodies of liquid water to exist on Earth?

Low vapor pressure

When overdevelopment occurs and canals are built to divert rain water, the hydrological cycle can be disrupted. What is the most likely consequence of this disruption?

Lower groundwater levels

A closed system is best characterized as a system in which:

Matter and energy can freely enter and leave.

A dolphin is living in a closed system consisting of a large aquarium, the dolphin, and its food. Which method could be used to demonstrate the Law of Conservation of Energy?

Measure the energy of the food, the dolphin, and the aquarium before feeding and after feeding. Determine the difference to show that energy has changed forms.

A marine scientist observes that dissolved oxygen decreases with increasing ocean depth. He concludes that deep sea creatures must require less oxygen than those at shallower depths. Why is this an invalid scientific conclusion?

More research is needed to reach a conclusion, including related variables.

A scientist hypothesizes that the water in all of the Earth's oceans is connected. What would most likely allow this hypothesis to become a theory?

Multiple observations of floating objects moving between all five oceans

A scientist hypothesizes that the water in all of the Earth's oceans is connected. What would most likely allow this hypothesis to become a theory?

Multiple observations of ocean water flowing underneath each continent

Tidal fluctuations can affect the abundance of aquatic organisms in an ocean environment. Which tide occurs only once per day and would therefore have the least impact on an abundance of aquatic organisms?

Neap

Volcanic eruptions produce lava, which is molten rock that eventually cools into a solid. The gases released during an eruption become trapped in pockets within the lava that remain when the lava solidifies. Scientists can later extract these gases to determine which gases were produced during the eruption, and in what quantities. The table below shows the percent concentration of gases found after the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in Washington, USA. Do these findings allow the inside-out model to be elevated to a scientific theory? Why or why not?

No, because data from one volcano is not sufficient to show that ocean water was produced by volcanoes.

Are the Earth's ocean floor and continents the same age geologically? Why or why not?

No, the ocean floor is much younger because new crust forms there.

What are the four major ocean basins? Are these basins connected?

Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian, and they are connected

What is the best definition for biogeochemical cycles?

Pathways by which matter is transferred between organisms and the environment

What term describes water that is deposited on Earth's surface?

Precipitation

Severe weather is caused by temperature and which other two physical factors?

Pressure and density

An underwater scuba diver looks up toward the water's surface. She sees a buoy floating on the surface and notes its location. She then realizes that the buoy may actually be in a different location because she is looking at it from underwater. What is the wave property that best explains this phenomenon?

Refraction

Outgoing tides can pull organisms out of the intertidal zone and into the open ocean. How does this limit the number of organisms that can live in the intertidal zone?

Returning to the habitat is difficult.

What evidence exists to support the existence of Pangea?

Rock strata on different, far-apart continents show similarities.

The graphs below show the change in temperature and salinity of a region of ocean as an instrument is lowered below the surface. Depth is measured in kilometers below the surface, temperature in degrees Celsius, and salinity in parts per thousand.

Salinity is less stable at shallower depths than at deeper depths.

What feeding strategy and adaptation would an organism that lived in the abyssopelagic zone most likely use in order to survive, and why?

Scavenge dead matter on the ocean floor because it is difficult to find prey in the darkness

Cetology is an area of study that examines the physical characteristics and behaviors of some types of marine mammals by using experimentation. How would Cetology best be characterized?

Science

What distinguishes science from other disciplines that do not use scientific methods?

Science relies on observation, measurement, and experimentation.

A biologist observes that ocean temperature decreases with increasing depth and concludes that deep sea creatures are superior animals because they can survive in harsher environmental conditions. Why is this an invalid scientific conclusion?

Scientific data cannot be used to make judgments of organism superiority.

A population of shrimp suddenly starts collapsing. A biologist believes that toxins in the food chain are interfering with larvae development. A climate scientist believes that a change in water temperature is depleting food sources from the water. Why are both of these options valid scientific hypotheses?

Scientists with different educational backgrounds can come to different interpretations of the same data.

The salinity of a body of water suddenly starts increasing. A chemist believes that upstream contaminants are polluting the lake. A geologist believes that underground formations might be leaching into the body of water. Why are both of these options valid scientific hypotheses?

Scientists with different educational backgrounds can come to different interpretations of the same data.

Wegener's theory of continental drift was formulated at a time when evidence for it was lacking. What new evidence was Harry Hess able to add in support of this theory?

Seafloor spreading at the mid-ocean ridge provides the mechanism for tectonic plate movement.

Scientists have believed for many years that marine temperatures drop as ocean depth increases. What experimental method would best test this hypothesis, and why

Send a robot to measure the temperature of the ocean at various depths and plot the data on a graph, because ocean temperature may change with depth

Scientists have believed for many years that marine temperatures drop as ocean depth increases. What experimental method would best test this hypothesis, and why?

Send a robot to measure the temperature of the ocean at various depths and plot the data on a graph, because ocean temperature may change with depth

Scientists have observed that polar bears are moving farther inland and hunting and eating more birds in arctic regions. What is the best explanation that can be made using this information?

Shrinking sea ice has forced the polar bears to seek new food sources.

Which type of wave cannot move without a medium in which to travel?

Sound waves

Striped bass are found along the eastern coast of the United States. The following map shows the migration path that striped bass are known to take over the course of a year.

South

The speed, wavelength, and frequency of a wave are related by what equation?

Speed = wavelength x frequency

The moon and sun both have an effect on the ocean's tides. Which type of tide would most affect the abundance of aquatic organisms in a marine ecosystem and why?

Spring tide, because there is a large fluctuation between high and low tides

Cobia are fish found off the eastern coast of the United States. Cobia prefer colder waters. Which of the following migration pattern would you predict cobia follow?

Stay in the south during autumn and winter, and migrate to northern locations in the spring and summer.

Both Earth and the planet Venus have a large amount of water vapor in the atmosphere, and have extensive volcanic activity throughout history. Does this observation support or disprove the inside-out model?

Supports, because it shows that volcanic activity may be related to water vapor.

What have scientists determined forms and shapes land masses here on Earth?

Tectonic plates

A scientist wants to test whether the pH, salinity, or temperature of seawater impacts coral development. He sets up an experiment with three conditions: Aquarium 1: Normal pH, normal salinity, normal temperature Aquarium 2: High pH, high salinity, high temperature Aquarium 3: Low pH, low salinity, low temperature What factor would improve experimental design the most?

Testing one variable at a time and keeping the other two variables constant

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic marine organisms. Why would these organisms likely be found only in shallow ocean zones?

The amount of light in deeper ocean zones is too dim.

What evidence exists to support the existence of Pangea?

The coastlines of South America and Africa are extremely similar.

In La Niña years, the normal trade winds along the equator become unusually strong, blowing warm water eastward. Along the coast of South America, currents bring cold water to the surface in a process known as upwelling. How does this affect weather patterns around South America?

The cold water from the upwelling causes drier than normal conditions.

The following graph shows the annual mean temperature anomalies for Australia from 1950 to 2010. Temperature anomaly refers to the way in which the temperature is different from the long-term average. If the anomaly is negative, that means the temperature is lower than normal; if the mean temperature anomaly is positive, the temperature is warmer than normal. Coral are marine animals that can be found off the coast of Australia. Coral have a mutually beneficial relationship with the algae that live in their tissue. These algae share nutrients with the coral in exchange for a protected place to live. Warmer temperatures cause the algae to separate from the coral in a process called coral bleaching. If the trends in the graph continues, what is the most likely result for coral in the future?

The coral will be in danger because of warmer temperatures.

To survive, rockweed algae have adapted to form thick mats in coastal areas. Which statement best describes why the algae have most likely evolved the ability to form mats?

The mats reduce water loss from evaporation.

Students in a high school Marine Science class are learning about the scientific process. Four students were asked to write a testable prediction about the movement of ocean currents. Their responses are shown in the chart.

The movement of ocean currents is mostly driven by temperature. (Lisa)

Which statement describes the availability of carbon in the ocean and its use by marine processes?

The ocean is a carbon sink, with carbon being utilized by photosynthesis of phytoplankton.

Explain what accounts for the presence of a sound channel in the ocean based on how ocean stratification affects sound travel through water.

The presence of a sound channel in the ocean is caused by, or accounted for, due to the barriers that stratify the ocean. Due to the immiscibility of water with ranging properties (like density, temperature, or salinity), barriers are formed and channels are created where sound cannot travel at its "normal" speed. Because of the barriers and different characteristics of these barriers, sound has to travel at a decreased speed and it travels for extended distances.

A study was conducted to examine the impact of temperature changes on the number of "non-native species" in an area of the mid-Atlantic ocean. The results of the study are shown in the table below. What is the relationship between temperature and non-native species?

There are more non-native species in warmer temperatures.

The Aleutian Trench is an area where the oceanic Pacific Plate is converging with the continental North American Plate. What can you conclude is happening in this area?

The trench is formed by a subduction zone which has also created volcanic islands

A scientist is adding thermal energy to a sample of water. Using the Law of Conservation of Energy, what can you predict will happen?

The water will not change its temperature because energy cannot be created or destroyed. (?)

If the speed of a wave increases but the frequency remains the same, what must be true of its wavelength?

The wavelength will increase.

The lantern fish is a marine animal that has the unique ability to produce its own light. Why would these organisms most likely be found in deeper ocean zones?

There is less light in deeper ocean zones.

How do upwelling currents near the shore affect the abundance of aquatic organisms along the shoreline?

They bring nutrients towards the shore, increasing the abundance of organisms.

A group of scientists build a net along a section of the river to separate a group of foreign fish species from the rest of the river. They wish to determine whether their experiment is a closed system by placing a colored dye in the fish's habitat and observing whether the dye escapes from the enclosure. Could this experiment determine whether the system is closed or not? Justify your answer based on the definition of a closed system.

This experiment could not accurately determine whether the system is closed or not, as the net that the experiment depends on could not necessarily hold water or prevent it from flowing, and so the dye could just leak through the net. This would be a good simulation of a closed system, because a closed system does not allow matter to flow through it, however it does not test the flow of energy which is essential to determining whether or not its a closed system. Testing whether the dye (which is matter) would leak through the net which would determine whether or not the enclosure coincides with this rule and would therefore determine whether or not the system is closed, but it does not account for the flow of energy in a closed system (which occurs freely). As such, the experiment would not accurately determine whether the system is closed.

A scientist measured the distance between fixed points on two different plates over the course of a decade and found that the distance did not change. Does this result support the theory of plate tectonics? Why or why not?

This result does not support the theory of plate tectonics, as the theory of plate tectonics notes that the tectonic plates and the continents above them are constantly moving. These findings are opposite to what the theory of plate tectonics states, as they show that the distance between the points on the plates did not move over the course of a decade.

Above a subduction zone, there are long narrow openings in the earth's crust that form what kind of formations?

Trenches

The Rocky Mountain system stretching from Canada to New Mexico is a string of mountains running along the western United States. What factors would most likely cause this arrangement of mountains?

Two plates located at a diverging boundary with a third plate rising between them

A student is measuring plant growth in an experiment. Using the same species of plant, he places one plant in the dark and one in artificial light. He hypothesizes that, over time, the plant in the artificial light will grow to a greater extent than that in the dark. What is the independent variable in this experiment?

Type of light environment

As sea levels rise, which of the following will affect marine biodiversity?

Underwater plants will receive less light.

A marine scientist measures the energy found in a system consisting of a shark and fish. After the shark consumes the fish, the marine scientist concluded that chemical energy from the fish was transformed to kinetic energy in the shark. Does this result validate or invalidate the Law of Conservation of Energy?

Validate, because energy can change forms

Which characteristic of coastal dynamics limits the abundance of aquatic organisms?

Varied tidal action

What is meant by suggesting that Earth's oceans are connected?

Water can flow through all five oceans without having to cross a barrier

Sascha notices that steam appears from water only when the water is very hot. What property of water explains this observation?

Water has a high heat capacity.

Sascha notices that it takes a long time for a pot of water to reach the boiling point. What property of water is she observing?

Water has a high specific heat capacity.

The amplitude of a wave is most directly related to what wave characteristic?

Wavelength (?)

To survive in the intertidal zone, aquatic organisms have adapted specialized exteriors. Sea stars have thick skin, mussels have hard shells, and rockweed algae have a rubbery exterior. Which tidal process causes such adaptations to be necessary in the intertidal zone?

When the tide recedes, organisms are exposed to the air.

What causes waves to occur in the ocean?

Wind

A Spanish scientist observes that salmon produce more eggs when grown in warmer aquariums. He asks his colleague in the United States to conduct the same experiment using the same aquarium equipment. Should he expect the results to be similar?

Yes, because the same experiment should yield the same results everywhere in the world.

A system in which matter and energy move freely is called

an open system