03.08 Module Three Exam

In what location would primary succession most likely occur? (3 points)

An area that was covered by a glacier

How would a tsunami most likely affect the abundance of aquatic organisms in the intertidal zone of the ocean? (3 points)

A tsunami would decrease abundance by causing physical damage to the organisms and their ecosystem.

Ongoing wave action in the intertidal zone creates which environmental condition that allows for more organisms to survive there? (3 points)

Abundant oxygen

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? (3 points)

Algae

Melting glaciers in Alaska leave open land which will go through primary succession. What conditions would most likely be present in this region? (3 points)

Algae and fungi growing on bare rock

The distance from a wave's equilibrium point to its crest is known as what? (3 points)

Amplitude

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. (3 points)

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

The diagram below shows two waves. At which letter (A-D) on the diagram is constructive interference going to occur? (3 points) © 2016 Northwestern University Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences

C

Cod grow and reproduce best when the temperature is below 54 degrees Fahrenheit. The following graph shows the temperature anomalies from 1960 to 2015. 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 temperature anomaly is positive, the temperature is warmer than normal. © 2016 NEAQ.org According to the graph, what prediction can be made regarding the ecosystem in which cod live? (3 points)

Cod will need to relocate because of the warming waters of their ecosystem.

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? (3 points)

Constructive

A marine biologist is studying dolphin calls and notices that sometimes the calls sound louder based on the background noise in the water. She concludes that the sound waves are adding together. What type of wave interference does this describe? (3 points)

Constructive

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? (3 points) © 2016 Can Stock Photo

Diffraction

Most aquatic organisms are adapted to a narrow range of salinity. Why must aquatic organisms living in coastal areas be adapted to survive in both low and high salinity? (3 points)

During low tide, the ocean water becomes concentrated, increasing salinity.

An isolated system is best characterized as a system in which: (3 points)

Energy and matter cannot enter or leave.

A closed system is best characterized as a system in which: (3 points)

Energy can freely enter and leave, but matter cannot.

Estuaries are bodies of saltwater mixed with freshwater. Why do estuaries have an abundance of aquatic organisms? (3 points)

Estuaries provide shelter, nursery grounds, and food sources.

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? (3 points)

Green wavelengths are reflected from the algae.

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? (3 points)

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

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? (3 points)

Lobsters are adapting to cooler temperatures.

How would low tide most likely negatively affect the abundance of aquatic organisms? (3 points)

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

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? (3 points)

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.

As a result of the Law of Conservation of Energy, a fish cannot gain more energy than it consumes. An isolated system consisting of an aquarium, a large fish, and fish food is set up. Which of the following methods would best demonstrate the Law of Conservation of Energy? (3 points)

Measure the total energy including the temperature of the water, fish, and food. Then measure the total energy again after the fish eats, and determine the difference.

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 larger than the plant in the dark. What is the dependent variable in this experiment? (3 points)

Plant growth over time

Dolphins use echolocation to help them navigate. They emit a sound that bounces off objects in front of them. Dolphins are able to navigate their surroundings based on how long it takes the sound to return. What property of waves are dolphins using to help them find their way around their environment? (3 points)

Reflection

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? (3 points)

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? (3 points)

Returning to the habitat is difficult.

Which is considered an abiotic factor in a marine ecosystem? (3 points)

Salinity

Sarah decides to monitor the tides at her local beach. She reads tide charts and creates the graph below. What type of tide occurs at the local beach? (3 points) © 2016 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Semi-diurnal

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? (3 points)

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

Gray whales feed on tiny organisms called plankton. Eastern populations of the North Pacific gray whale spend their winters breeding off the coast of Baja, California. Around April, these whales move north to their feeding grounds off the coast of Alaska. In which direction do gray whales migrate in the fall? (3 points)

South

The following diagram shows the seasonal migration of loggerhead turtles. The lettered circles along the coast represent the nesting sites where this turtle lays its eggs. The map shows the turtles' migration to and from their winter foraging sites (W1 and W2) to their summer feeding site (S). © 2013 South Carolina Department of Natural Resources In which direction do loggerhead turtles migrate in the fall? (3 points)

South

The intertidal zone is home to an abundance of aquatic organisms, like the barnacle, that can survive periods where they are not underwater. What type of tide would most likely decrease the abundance of aquatic organisms, and why? (3 points)

Spring tide because it creates a large difference between high and low tides, so the organisms are in extreme environments

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? (3 points)

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

A marine biologist measured the amount of heat radiated from an aquarium over the course of an experiment. His measurements are shown in the graph below. Based on this data, he concludes that the aquarium cannot be considered an isolated system for this experiment. Explain how he came to this conclusion. (3 points)

The aquarium releases a significant amount of energy over the course of the experiment.

Sea turtles spend most of their lives at sea feeding on jellyfish. When it is time to lay their eggs, mature females come ashore. They dig nests in the sand along the coast, lay their eggs, and then return to the sea. The data below show the changing sea levels since the late 1800s. © 2016 NEAQ.org If the current trend shown in the graph continues, what prediction is most likely regarding the future of sea turtles? (3 points)

The beaches on which turtles currently lay their eggs may go underwater.

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. © 2016 NOAA.gov 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? (3 points)

The coral will be in danger because of warmer temperatures.

When ocean waves hit the beach, kinetic energy is stopped by the sand and rocks on the beach. The energy is then lost from the ocean. How does this example show the Law of Conservation of Energy? (3 points)

The energy is transformed to vibrational energy in the sand, rocks, and air.

Many of the organisms that thrive in the intertidal zone attach to surfaces or hide in crevices. Which oceanic process is most related to the need for these adaptations? (3 points)

The force of waves pulling on the shoreline can carry organisms into the open ocean.

Deep-ocean lantern fish have special organs that use chemical energy to produce light. However, the light can only travel a certain distance through the water before it is no longer visible. How does this phenomenon validate the Law of Conservation of Energy? (3 points)

The light energy travels through the water until it is reflected or absorbed.

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? (3 points)

The mats reduce water loss from evaporation.

Most filter-feeding whales have calls between 15 to 25 hertz, but one type of filter-feeding whale has a much higher frequency, at 52 hertz. What likely differs between the two whale calls? (3 points)

The time it takes for successive crests to pass through a point

Walruses spend a lot of time hunting in arctic waters. When they need to rest, they move onto floating pieces of sea ice. Scientists have recently observed walruses frequently leaving the water to rest on land for longer periods of time. What is the most likely reason the walruses are resting on land instead of on sea ice? (3 points)

There is less sea ice available.

The humpback whale migrates across areas of the Pacific Ocean, from Hawaii and California in the winter to Alaska in the summer. Why would humpback whales migrate north in the summer? (3 points)

There is more food in northern regions during the summer.

How do upwelling currents near the shore affect the abundance of aquatic organisms along the shoreline? (3 points)

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

The sanderling is a shorebird that feeds on insects and small crustaceans such as crabs. Sanderlings that are beyond breeding age often stay in the southern feeding grounds and do not migrate north during spring and summer. What is the most likely reason that nonbreeding sanderlings remain in the southern feeding grounds? (3 points)

They have enough food in the tropical region and are no longer searching for mates.

Polar bears obtain the majority of their annual nutrient reserves during the late winter. They hunt seals on the surface of sea ice. During this time, the sea ice is also at its highest density. Scientists have been measuring the amount of arctic sea ice for decades, and their results can be seen below. © 2016 Nasa.gov Based on the data trends in the graph, what is the most likely prediction regarding the polar bear? (3 points)

They will have to find alternate food sources.

Winds that cause ocean currents can be affected by the Coriolis effect, resulting in upwelling currents. How would an upwelling current increase the abundance of aquatic organisms? (3 points)

Upwelling brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface, which allows for an increase in aquatic organisms.

Currents are caused by the interaction of wind, waves, and land formations. What type of current brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface and increases the abundance of aquatic organisms? (3 points)

Upwelling current

Joe noted that the temperature in his aquarium dropped overnight. He concluded that thermal energy moved from the aquarium to the air around it. Does this validate or invalidate the Law of Conservation of energy? (3 points)

Validate, because an aquarium is an open system that loses and gains energy

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? (3 points)

Validate, because energy can change forms

Marine scientists have collected data showing that oceans have become warmer in recent years. This increase in temperature would reflect an increase in thermal energy stored in the ocean. If true, would this validate or invalidate the Law of Conservation of Energy? (3 points)

Validate, because the ocean is an open system that can gain and lose energy

Which characteristic of coastal dynamics limits the abundance of aquatic organisms? (3 points)

Varied tidal action