SMS Final

Why is the sea blue (or blue-green)? A. Because blue (and blue-green) wavelengths are absorbed least, they penetrates to greater depths; for the same reason, they are most likely to be reflected back out of the sea to your eyes; B. The sea is blue because the sky is blue; the ocean is just reflecting blue light back to your eyes. C. It has something to do with your eyes, I think. A lot of people have blue eyes, you know. D. Light in the visible range (ca. 400-700 nm wavelengh) preferentially penetrates to the surface of the Earth, which means that red wavelengths penetrate best to deep depths, where they remain trapped. E. Because it is completely dark way down deep in the ocean, and blue light is afraid of the dark, so it gets in your eyes to escape.

A. Because blue (and blue-green) wavelengths are absorbed least, they penetrates to greater depths; for the same reason, they are most likely to be reflected back out of the sea to your eyes

Diatoms reproduce both asexually and sexually (but not at the same time). In addition to sharing genetic material, what is another advantage to diatoms of sexual reproduction? A. Because vegetative cell division keeps producing smaller and smaller daughter cells; daughter cells produced by sexual reproduction make a larger daughter cell; B. They have a good time doing it; C. Because they can use the gametes to distribute new cells across entire ocean basins; D. Because apart from sharing genetic information, sexual reproduction allows cells to make new, energized enzyme systems that are needed in photosynthesis; E. What's a diatom?

A. Because vegetative cell division keeps producing smaller and smaller daughter cells; daughter cells produced by sexual reproduction make a larger daughter cell

Stated in words, photosynthesis is a biochemical process whereby H2O (water) and CO2 (carbon dioxide), along with light energy, are ___ by a living organism, and CH2O (carbohydrate) and O2 (oxygen) are ____. A. Consumed, Produced B. Generated, Consumed C. Destroyed, Unaccounted for D. Burned, Oxidized E. Produced, Consumed.

A. Consumed, Produced

Density is an important concept in oceanography, which we have stressed in this class. We discussed how the density of fresh water at room temperature will ____when it is cooled, until it reaches ____, at which point the water will______. A. Increase, 4°C, reach it's maximum density; B. Increase, -1.91°C, reach it's maximum density; C. Decrease, 0°C, freeze; D. Decrease; 4°C, evaporate; E. Decrease, 4°C, sink to the bottom by a process known as convective mixing.

A. Increase, 4°C, reach it's maximum density

The general trend of the waves from left to right, as illustrated by "B", is of _______ and _______ . A. Increasing wave height; Increasing wavelength, as the waves acquire energy from the wind. B. Increasing wave height; Decreasing wavelength, as the waves depart the area of local generation. C. Decreasing wave height; Increasing wave speed as the waves increase in length. D. Energy being added; Energy being extracted, as the waves grow; E. Wave dispersion; Wave refraction.

A. Increasing wave height; Increasing wavelength, as the waves acquire energy from the wind

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ Are the most primitive living group of fishes.

A. Jawless Fishes

What are suspension feeders? A. Suspension feeders are organisms that acquire food particles suspended in the water column, and include the lophophorates, clams, and some polychaete worms, that capture plankton and suspended detritus. B. Suspension feeders are benthic animals held in suspension up off the bottom, on specialized stalks, thus enabling them to filter feed more efficiently; C. Suspension feeders collect organic detrital food particles that are deposited on the surface of bottom sediments; D. Suspension feeders pump water across their gills, filtering out nutritious plankton, such as done by many of the herrings; E. Suspension feeders simply stir their food before eating it, the same way one stirs a cold bowl of spoiled soup.

A. Suspension feeders are organisms that acquire food particles suspended in the water column, and include the lophophorates, clams, and some polychaete worms, that capture plankton and suspended detritus

The speed of sound travels faster in water of higher: A. Temperature; B. Longitude; C. Salinity; D. Latitude. E. Viscosity

A. Temperature

We spent some time in class discussing Latent Heat, Sensible Heat, and what we mean by "temperature" and "heat". What is the difference between temperature and heat? A. Temperature is a measure of the speed of molecular motions, while Heat is a measure of how many molecules are moving. B. Heat is a measure of the speed of molecular motions, while Temperature is a measure of how many molecules are moving. C. Temperature is proportional to the number of hydrogen bonds forming clusters, while Heat is what actually forms the hydrogen bonds. D. Heat is proportional to the number of hydrogen bonds forming clusters, while Temperature is what actually forms the hydrogen bonds. E. There is no difference; the two terms are synonyms, but only in the context of seawater properties.

A. Temperature is a measure of the speed of molecular motions, while Heat is a measure of how many molecules are moving

Water's high surface tension results from its tendency to form hydrogen bonds among water molecules. Which of the following is an example of water's high surface tension? A. The surface skin of water that allows water striders to literally walk on water; B. The phenomenon that forces water at high temperatures to separate into individual molecules instead of remaining in clusters as is the case at cold temperatures; C. The tendency for water to dissolve salts, but not mix with non-polar compounds like oil; D. Water's tendency to become most dense at temperatures above freezing, which means that the surface of the ocean has insufficient tension to form ice. E. Water's tendency to interfere with ionic bonds that hold salts together in crystalline form, such as NaCl (table salt), thus enabling salts to dissolve in water.

A. The surface skin of water that allows water striders to literally walk on water

The sea anemones have been described as "sit and wait predators"? Why? A. They are sessile benthic invertebrates that opportunistically attack animals that touch their tentacles, which release venomous nematocysts into the prey, disabling it; B. Because they burrow into sediments, exposing only their head and powerful proboscis, waiting for a potential prey to approach; C. Because they filter water with their choanocytes, waiting for an unsuspecting zooplankton organisms to pass through with the water, at which time they capture it with their lophophore; D. Because the sit and wait patiently, without motion of any kind, for dead plants and animals to fall into their oral opening; E. This moniker is attributed to Aristotle, who argued that animals can move, plants cannot, and therefore the sea anemone must either be a plant, or a patient "sit and wait predator".

A. They are sessile benthic invertebrates that opportunistically attack animals that touch their tentacles, which release venomous nematocysts into the prey, disabling it

The elasmobranchs, a group of Cartilaginous Fishes which includes the sharks and rays, have very low fecundity, and for this reason they are susceptible to overfishing which could severely deplete their population levels, and even possibly wipe them out altogether. True or false? A. True, because most give birth to young that are well developed at birth, but very few in number; B. False, the elasmobranchs have been around for 400 million years and have shown resilience to the effects of overfishing; C. False, because elasmobranchs are very fecund, with adult females producing as many as 6 million eggs at a time; D. True; but the part about being susceptible to overfishing is a myth; there are no fisheries focused on them because of legal protections afforded them by nearly all maritime nations.

A. True, because most give birth to young that are well developed at birth, but very few in number

True or False: The salts of only six major ions make up more than 99.6% of all the "dissolved solids" that give seawater its salinity. A. True: And the most abundant of those six are sodium (Na+ ) and chloride (Cl- ), which together make ordinary table salt. B. True: And the most abundant ions are Hydrogen and Oxygen, which together make water, of course. C. False: there are many more ions in seawater, including such rare elements as gold. 8 D. False: Only two ions, sodium (Na+ ) and chloride (Cl- ), make up more than 99.6%. E. Impossible to tell, because even today, marine chemists continue to discover new chemical constituents in seawater.

A. True: And the most abundant of those six are sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-), which together make ordinary table salt.

How much heat is required to increase the temperature of 1 milliliter of pure water from +20°C to +40°C? A. 10 calories; B. 20 calories; C. 40 calories; D. 80 calories; E. 540 calories

B. 20 calories

The fastest swimming fishes in the sea can be characterized by having what anatomical trait(s)? A. A slim body, similar to eels; B. A muscular body and a caudal fin with a high aspect ratio (height to width); C. A pair of strong pectoral fins, such as the flying fish; D. Smooth integument (skin) with modern scales which greatly reduces friction; E. Small body size, which reduces the energy required to move linear distances, measured in terms of body lengths per second.

B. A muscular body and a caudal fin with a high aspect ratio (height to width)

Tides in the Gulf of Maine - Bay of Fundy system increase greatly from west-to-east, with tides greater than 15 m in the eastern-most Gulf, in Minas Basin in the eastern Bay of Fundy. Why is there such a big increase in tidal range in Bay of Fundy? A. The shape and size of the Gulf of Maine "basin" mean that it is far too small to have same resonant period as much shallower and longer Bay of Fundy; B. As the flooding tidal "wave" enters and crosses the Gulf of Maine on its way to the Bay of Fundy, it becomes focused into an increasingly narrow constriction; C. As the tidal wave in the North Atlantic Basin sweeps by the opening of the Gulf of Maine and flows in, it is obstructed by the relatively shallow offshore banks; 9 D. Because the Sun and Moon resonate with one another directly over the Gulf of Maine amphidromic point; E. Because coastal currents in the western Gulf of Maine are intensified in a fashion similar to the Gulf Stream and other western boundary currents.

B. As the flooding tidal "wave" enters and crosses the Gulf of Maine on its way to the Bay of Fundy, it becomes focused into an increasingly narrow constriction

There is roughly 10 times as much phytoplankton biomass in the ocean as there is biomass of animal plankton grazers of that phytoplankton. Why? A. Because the phytoplankton are too small to be eaten efficiently by the animal plankton, only animals capable of "filter-feeding" can do so, and these forms of life are scarce in the oceans; B. Because as organic carbon (food) is eaten by consumers and thus passed "upward" to higher trophic levels, much of it (about 90%) is "lost" between each trophic step; C. Biomass is lost between trophic steps because it is transformed from easily digestible particles into other forms of organic carbon, not digestible by animals - this was only recently discovered by scientists late last year; D. Because much (e.g., about 90%) of what is produced in primary production is indigestible; it forms the structural hard parts of animals (e.g., such as carbonate shells); E. Because of something to do with the metric system, where everything is ten times something else.

B. Because as organic carbon (food) is eaten by consumers and thus passed "upward" to higher trophic levels, much of it (about 90%) is "lost" between each trophic step

The South Equatorial Current (SEC) travels from east-to-west (that is, from South America to Southeast Asia) along the Equator in the Pacific Ocean. Beneath the SEC is a thin, ribbon-like current, the Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC), which travels in the exact opposite direction, from west-to-east. The reason this subsurface current can exist, and not drift away to the North or to the South of the Equator, is: A. Because if the EUC wanders north or south of the Equator, it will accelerate away from the Equator; B. Because if the EUC wanders north or south of the Equator, the Coriolis force pulls it back on course; C. The EUC is stuck on the equator because of the NE and SE Trade Winds which drive it toward the East; D. Actually, neither one of these currents is found on the Equator; this is because meteorological Equator is not directly on the geographic Equator; E. Make up your own wrong answer here, and then, whatever you do, don't pick it! (And always remember: It's a bad idea to pick an open wound).

B. Because if the EUC wanders north or south of the Equator, the Coriolis force pulls it back on course

The weather forecast for Maine always includes a discussion of weather to the west of us, and even ocean storms arriving on the Pacific coast of the U.S. Why is this? A. Because weather patterns at this latitude are controlled by pressure differences between the east and west coasts of North America. B. Because much of the U.S. is positioned inside the Ferrel Cell, where surface winds are dominated by the prevailing westerlies, which, generally speaking, carry weather patterns across the continent from west to east; C. Because the Northeast Trade winds create a pattern of weather flow from the Southwest portions of North America to the Northeast quadrant of U.S., which is where the state of Maine is; D. Because 12 years ago we decided that it made a lot of sense to listen to what California was doing; I mean, come on; look at all the stuff going on out there. E. Don't pick "E" (or "D").

B. Because much of the U.S. is positioned inside the Ferrel Cell, where surface winds are dominated by the prevailing westerlies, which, generally speaking, carry weather patterns across the continent from west to east

Why does ice float? A. Because it wants to be warmer, so it moves closer to the Sun; I read this is a book. B. Because when ice forms, all the water molecules form hexagonal clusters with one another, which increases the volume by about 8.3%, thus making ice less dense than liquid water. C. Because as ice forms, 80 calories of latent heat are released into the surrounding water as well as into the ice itself, thus warming the ice such that it expands, becoming less dense, and floats. D. Because if it did not, the world would be full of lakes filling with ice from the bottom upward to the surface. E. Because when ice forms, all the water molecules form hexagonal clusters which decreases the volume by about 8.3%, thus making ice more dense than water, so it sinks.

B. Because when ice forms, all the water molecules form hexagonal clusters with one another, which increases the volume by about 8.3%, thus making ice less dense than liquid water

The seagrass genus Zostera, which is the common eel grass we see along the New England shoreline, helps to stabilize shallow bottom sediments and provides habitat for numerous marine organisms. But eel grass beds have fluctuated in abundance over the past century and were almost wiped out completely on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in the 1930s by: A. Unregulated harvesting for use in sushi; B. By "eel grass wasting disease", thought to be caused by a slime mold; C. By domoic acid, also responsible for amnesiac shellfish poisoning; D. By the toxic dinoflagellate Pfeisteria, first documented in the 1980s in North Carolina estuaries; E. By a population explosion of eels, which feed on eel grass.

B. By "eel grass wasting disease", thought to be caused by a slime mold

In the figure here, the waves identified by the label "A" are: A. Surface Gravity Waves, where the "restoring force" is gravity. B. Capillary Waves, where the "restoring force" is surface tension. C. Shallow Water Waves, where the wave speed is determined by the water depth, and therefore those waves are quite small. D. Capillary Waves, where the wave speed is determined by the water depth, and therefore those waves are quite small. E. Shallow Water Waves, where the "restoring force" is surface tension.

B. Capillary Waves, where the "restoring force" is surface tension

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ Fish that have fins and gills but do not possess fin rays or an operculum (gill cover).

B. Cartilaginous Fishe

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ A group of fishes with generally low fecundity.

B. Cartilaginous Fishes

When viewed from above, the winds around a low pressure system (e.g. a storm) generally flow: A. Clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere; B. Counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere C. Clockwise around the low pressure center regardless of location on Earth; D. Counterclockwise around the low pressure center regardless of location on Earth; E. Away from the coast, creating Ekman Upwelling there

B. Counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere

Spring phytoplankton blooms are the result of rapid growth of phytoplankton, especially diatoms, at a time of year when: A. The waters have warmed sufficiently such that the temperatures no longer inhibit cellular chemical reactions; B. Daylight is increasing, and surface waters are warming and stratifying, such that phytoplankton cells are suspended near the surface in waters already enriched in nutrients following winter convective mixing; C. The copepod grazers are present to promote recycling of silicate which is necessary for the diatoms as well as the microbial loop; D. The salinity of the surface waters is the freshest of the year, thus allowing phytoplankton to photosynthesize and grow; E. Nutrients are depleted.

B. Daylight is increasing, and surface waters are warming and stratifying, such that phytoplankton cells are suspended near the surface in waters already enriched in nutrients following winter convective mixing

The greatest tidal ranges (i.e., the differences between high and low tides) occur when? A. During Neap tides when the Sun, Moon and Earth are lined up (i.e., during a new or full moon); B. During Spring tides when the Sun, Moon and Earth are lined up (i.e., during a new or full moon); C. During Neap tides when the Sun, Moon and Earth are all oriented at 90 to one another (i.e., at times of a halfmoon); D. During Spring tides when the Sun, Moon and Earth are all oriented at 90 to one another (i.e., at times of a half-moon); E. In downtown Orono every Thursday night.

B. During Spring tides when the Sun, Moon and Earth are lined up (i.e., during a new or full moon)

Certain types of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), sometimes called Red Tides because they discolor the water, are toxic and bring about a number of ailments that can affect humans. Which of the following is NOT one of these ailments? A. Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning, which is caused by a dinoflagellate; B. Fibromyalgic Shellfish Poisoning, which is caused by a protozoan ciliate; C. Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, which is caused by a diatom; D. Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning, which is caused by a dinoflagellate; E. Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning, which is caused by a dinoflagellate;

B. Fibromyalgic Shellfish Poisoning, which is caused by a protozoan ciliate

What is the microbial loop? A. Actually, it is a microbial "loop hole", first identified by scientists seeking an answer to why microbes are so small; B. It is the name given to the cycling of dissolved organic carbon through bacteria and back to zooplankton; C. It is the cell cycle that produces metabolic heat, and is a major factor in the inefficiency of trophic transfer; D. It is the name given to the greater efficiency with which smaller phytoplankton cells acquire dissolved nutrients, because of their small large surface-to-volume ratio. E. It is the loop that recycles nutrients, thus replenishing surface waters with nitrate and phosphate.

B. It is the name given to the cycling of dissolved organic carbon through bacteria and back to zooplankton

The nineteenth century German chemist, Justus von Liebig, postulated in 1840 his now-famous "Leibig's Law of the Minimum"; what did he actually state? A. He restated Blackman's (1905) postulate that said light and temperature are the limiting factors that control biological productivity in the ocean; B. Leibig said that "...growth of a plant is dependent on the minimum amount of foodstuff present"; he used the word "foodstuff" to mean "nutrients"; C. Leibig said that "...growth of a plant is a function of the temperature of the water, or the depth, but not both"; D. Leibig presented more a "general rule of thumb" than a "law", stating that if there is no food production by autotrophs in the ocean there will be no production of fish; E. Leibig stated that to begin, there must be minimum of two (2) phytoplankton cells present for there to be any growth.

B. Leibig said that "...growth of a plant is dependent on the minimum amount of foodstuff present"; he used the word "foodstuff" to mean "nutrients"

The major ocean currents in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans that result from the Earth's major wind patterns tend to: A. Move as gyres that flow in a great counterclockwise pattern; B. Move as gyres that flow in a great clockwise pattern; C. Move as gyres that flow in a great clockwise pattern, between latitudes 30°N and 60°N. D. Create a depression of sea level in the centers of the oceans; E. Move as gyres that flow in a great counterclockwise pattern, between 30°N and 60°N.

B. Move as gyres that flow in a great clockwise pattern

Complete the following: Nutrient elements, like phosphorus and nitrogen are... A. Necessary for photosynthesis by phytoplankton in the sea; without them there can be no photosynthesis at all; B. Not strictly necessary for photosynthesis; without them there can still be photosynthesis, but not growth of new phytoplankton cells; C. Superfluous; only Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen and Oxygen, plus sunlight, are necessary for both phytoplankton photosynthesis and growth in the sea; D. Necessary for the production of metabolic heat in microzooplankton grazers of phytoplankton; E. Always in abundant supply in the sea, primarily because they are two of the major elements contributing to the salinity of sea water.

B. Not strictly necessary for photosynthesis; without them there can still be photosynthesis, but not growth of new phytoplankton cells

Which of the following is NOT a structural feature of the brown algae (the brown algae are the common "sea weeds", a common group of macroalgae)? A. Blades, which are analogous to leaves; B. Siliceous frustule, which is like a glass case that allows light to pass though; C. Holdfasts, which are like the roots of a tree; D. Stipes, which are like the stems of a terrestrial plant; E. Gas Bladders, or pneumatocysts, which provide flotation of the stipes and blades.

B. Siliceous frustule, which is like a glass case that allows light to pass though

What does the flat portion of the plot, corresponding to the part labeled "Latent Heat of Melting", mean? A. That 80 calories of heat are released by 1 milliliter of ice as hydrogen bonds in ice are broken when it melts to form liquid water; B. That 80 calories of heat are absorbed by 1 milliliter of ice as hydrogen bonds in ice are broken when it melts to form liquid water; C. That 80 calories of heat are released as 1 milliliter of water passes from the liquid to gaseous phase; D. That 80 calories of heat are absorbed as 1 milliliter of water passes from the gaseous to liquid phase; E. That the boiling point of water is 100 °C and that the melting point of water is 0°C.

B. That 80 calories of heat are absorbed by 1 milliliter of ice as hydrogen bonds in ice are broken when it melts to form liquid water

This group of marine invertebrates is considered by most marine invertebrate zoologists to be, overall, the most evolutionarily successful of all animals. A. The copepods, which are the most abundant group of animals on Planet Earth; B. The nematode worms, with some 28,000 species, which have colonized nearly all marine, fresh water and terrestrial environments; C. The Cartilagenous Fishes, which first appeared on Earth more than 400 million years ago, and which today are the master predators of the seas; D. The Bony Fishes, which, with their strong bony skeleton, have evolved a multitude of shapes and life styles; E. Sea cucumbers; with their slick tube feet, they can dance away from any problem.

B. The nematode worms, with some 28,000 species, which have colonized nearly all marine, fresh water and terrestrial environments

The Law (or Principle) of Constant Proportions states that: A. We'll all get what we deserve, one day. B. The proportions, or ratios, of major salts to one another in seawater, regardless of the total salinity, will always be constant. C. As sea level rises and inundates low lying areas, such as Florida, other states along the east coast of North America will receive a proportional flooding equal to some constant multiplied by the average elevation of that state, in meters. D. As sediments are eroded by swift water currents, they will settle "in proportion" to their density and some function of the linear dimensions of their particles (e.g., their diameter). E. The absolute number of clusters formed between water molecules will be in proportion to the absolute temperature of that water.

B. The proportions, or ratios, of major salts to one another in seawater, regardless of the total salinity, will always be constant

We described waves in terms of both their "disturbing force" and their "restoring force". Which of the following statements is (most) true? A. The restoring force for the tiniest of surface waves, such as those one might see on the surface of a cup of coffee while gently blowing across it, is gravity; B. The restoring force for the tiniest of surface waves, such as those one might see on the surface of a cup of coffee while gently blowing across it, is the surface tension of water; C. The disturbing force for a tsunami is usually the tidal forces of the Sun and Moon; D. The restoring force of tidal waves around amphidromic points is usually the gravitational attraction of the sun; E. The disturbing force at most parties is the know-it-all, who has an answer for everything...

B. The restoring force for the tiniest of surface waves, such as those one might see on the surface of a cup of coffee while gently blowing across it, is the surface tension of water

Invertebrates are the most abundant and diverse group of animals on Earth - on land and in the sea. What group of invertebrates is considered to be the most primitive, lacking either specific tissues or organs, and incapable of motion, apart from internal ciliated cells? A. The lophophorates; B. The sponges; C. The polychaete worms; D. The echinoderms; E. The free-living nematodes.

B. The sponges

You are standing in the swash zone of a sandy beach. The swash zone, remember, is where the water from breaking waves (surf) rushes in around your feet each time a wave comes ashore. You notice that as the swells come toward you from offshore they seem to get steeper and taller, eventually breaking when they are about 10 feet high. Can you say anything about the water depth where they are breaking? A. No, not without knowing how cold the water is; B. Yes; the water there is probably about 1.3 times the wave height, or about 13 feet deep. C. Nope; I'm in the zone, the sun is shining, the water feels great... D. No, not without knowing the wind speed, which will determine the wave's speed and breaking point; E. Yes; because the critical point is reached where the water depth about 7 times the wavelength, or wave height (either one); this gives a probable water depth of about 70 feet.

B. Yes; the water there is probably about 1.3 times the wave height, or about 13 feet deep

Zooplankton can be grouped into the Meroplankton, which spend only a portion of their life history in the plankton, and the Holoplankton, which spend their entire life history in the plankton. Which of the following is an example of a Meroplanktonic organism: A. A copepod nauplius; B. An adult nautilus; C. A barnacle nauplius; D. An adult planktivorous fish; E. A ripe green olive, with its pit still inside it.

C. A barnacle nauplius

Beach sand is easily moved about, as we saw earlier in the semester in the Hjulstrom Plot. Sand can be moved onto beaches, or deposited offshore of the beach; it can also be moved along the beach great distances (miles). The transport of beach sand along some beaches is a result of: A. A longshore current, which is a current that results from extreme density differences between deep water masses at either ends of the beach; B. A longshore current, which is a current that moves sand offshore during the summer months, and inshore during winter months; C. A longshore current, which is a current that results from waves arriving at an angle to the shoreline; D. Winter storms, which cause massive erosion; E. Summer periods of gentle waves that arrive directly parallel to the shoreline, building up the beach slope and berm features

C. A longshore current, which is a current that results from waves arriving at an angle to the shoreline

What is (was) the Bathysphere? A. A term used to refer to the deepest depths of the central ocean basins; B. A capsule inside all phytoplankton cells used in controlling their density, and hence, their sinking rates; C. A steel sphere used to bring two men to a record depth of more than ½ mile back in the 1930s; D. A specialized organelle that diatoms use in sexual reproduction; E. A general term to refer to the deep sea environment; it is no longer in use today.

C. A steel sphere used to bring two men to a record depth of more than ½ mile back in the 1930s

Early maps of the path of the Gulf Stream were just confusing sketches of swirling lines. That huge ocean current frustrated oceanographers trying to study it and mariners trying to navigate more efficiently across the Atlantic. Even today, we know that the path of the Gulf Stream becomes highly variable once it turns offshore of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Why does it become so variable? A. Because the water depth drops off precipitously from the continental shelf to the deep sea, a drop off of some 4,000 meters; B. Because of changes in the magnitude of the Coriolis Effect related to increased water depths offshore of Cape Hatteras; C. Because it develops meanders and rings, which are constantly changing position and altering the current's main path; D. Because once the Gulf Stream moves from the continental shelf over deeper water, it behaves as a deep-water wave, and accelerates in speed; E. Because Ben Franklin, on his regular voyages to Europe, would begin drinking heavily once his ship left the dock; consequently, his maps - used by mariners and oceanographers even today - reflected his inability to focus.

C. Because it develops meanders and rings, which are constantly changing position and altering the current's main path

The Gulf Stream flows north along the east coast of North America and the Canary Current flows south along the west coasts of Europe and North Africa. Why is the Gulf Stream so much narrower and faster than the Canary Current? A. It isn't; the Canary Current is actually swifter; B. Because of Ekman upwelling off the Northeast coast of North America; C. Because of a phenomenon called western intensification of boundary currents, which is related to a latitudinal gradient in the magnitude of the Coriolis Effect; D. Because of the North Atlantic Tidal Wave, which flows counterclockwise around the North Atlantic Ocean, 7 against the direction of the Gulf Stream, and thus forces it to flow faster; E. Because the Gulf Stream "slams" against North America as the Earth rotates from west-to-east, compressing it and thus forcing it to flow faster in order to transport the same volume of water.

C. Because of a phenomenon called western intensification of boundary currents, which is related to a latitudinal gradient in the magnitude of the Coriolis Effect

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ Have well developed lateral line systems, exhibit schooling behavior, and (some species) may be prolific spawners (high fecundity).

C. Bony Fishes

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ The largest group of living vertebrates (the group of fishes with the most species).

C. Bony Fishes

Most pelagic sharks must swim continuously. If they stop, they will die; why? A. Because they are negatively buoyant, and unless they continue to swim, they will sink; B. Because they lack a gill cover (operculum) and cannot pass water across their gills unless they are moving through the water; C. Both of the above (A and B); D. None of the above; all sharks can sit very still on the bottom with no ill effects; E. Because they will be unable to escape predatory parasites that constantly follow them.

C. Both of the above (A and B)

In our discussion of the equilibrium theory of the tides we assumed an Earth with no continents and only a single ocean, and that only the Moon exerts a gravitational effect on Earth. As the Moon orbits the Earth we get forces that: A. Pull waters toward the moon, making a single tidal bulge (a high tide) which occurs only on the side of the Earth directly under the moon; B. Create a centrifugal force that makes two tidal bulges, one of the side of the Earth directly opposite of the Moon and the other directly opposite the Sun; C. Create two tidal bulges, from the gravitational attraction of the Moon, and an equal centrifugal force on the opposite side of the Earth; D. None of the above; E. All of the above.

C. Create two tidal bulges, from the gravitational attraction of the Moon, and an equal centrifugal force on the opposite side of the Earth

True or False: Growth and photosynthesis by phytoplankton are synonymous, that is, they are one and the same. A. True; photosynthesis makes new body carbon which means that the cells are actively growing; B. True; photosynthesis creates fuel for the cell (carbohydrates) which is used to make the cell grow, provided the cells have enough water; C. False; photosynthesis creates fuel for the cell (carbohydrates) which is used for chemical energy as the cell makes new tissue to grow, provided that essential nutrients are also available to the cell; D. All of the above; E. None of the above.

C. False; photosynthesis creates fuel for the cell (carbohydrates) which is used for chemical energy as the cell makes new tissue to grow, provided that essential nutrients are also available to the cell

If we were to place a marine phytoplankton cell, which is incapable of osmoregulation, in fresh water, what is likely to happen? A. The cell will probably sink, because its density is less than freshwater; B. The cell would likely float, because the density of freshwater is less than seawater; C. Fresh water from outside the cell would tend to diffuse into the cell across the cell membrane; D. Dissolved salts would diffuse out of the cell and into the surrounding seawater, across the cell membrane; E. The cell would not experience any ill effects, because truly marine phytoplankton are osmoregulators.

C. Fresh water from outside the cell would tend to diffuse into the cell across the cell membrane

Planktivorous fishes feed directly on plankton. They are adapted to do so by: A. Having very small teeth that can handle particles smaller than ½ mm; B. Being very small, growing only to about 1.5 mm even as adults; C. Having modified "gill rakers" on their gill arches, which strain the plankton out of the water passing over them; D. Having a short digestive system that can digest fats and oils; E. Having an especially long digestive tract, necessary for processing cellulose-rich plankton cells.

C. Having modified "gill rakers" on their gill arches, which strain the plankton out of the water passing over them

What are the "Jet Streams"? A. Intense ocean currents that stream upward in the centers of the great ocean gyres; B. Intensely flowing rivers, which travel in a jet-like fashion to the sea; C. High altitude winds that move west to east between the Hadley and Ferrel Cells, and between the Ferrel and Polar Cells; D. High altitude winds at the Equator that create cloud patterns much like jet aircraft condensation trails, sometimes called "con trails". E. High altitude winds that exist in theory, based on the three-cell model of atmospheric circulation patterns on a rotating Earth, but which have never been observed.

C. High altitude winds that move west to east between the Hadley and Ferrel Cells, and between the Ferrel and Polar Cells

What do we mean by the binomial system of naming organisms? A. It generally refers to Kingdom and Phylum; such as Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata (which includes you and me); B. It generally refers to Class and Family; such as Class Mammalia, Family Hominidae (which includes you and me); C. It generally refers to Genus and Species, such as Genus Homo, Species sapiens (which includes you and me); D. It refers to the Origin and Date of Discovery of fossilized animals and plants; E. Just imagine another wrong answer here...

C. It generally refers to Genus and Species, such as Genus Homo, Species sapiens (which includes you and me)

What is mixotrophy? A. It is the unsteady or unstable nature of food chains as compared with food webs, producing a mixture of trophic levels; B. It is the tendency of various taxa in either the pelagic or benthic realms of the oceans to evolve similar life history stages (e.g., with meroplanktonic larvae, etc.); C. It refers to a capability for both autotrophy (photosynthesis) and heterotrophy (feeding on other organisms), such as seen in some dinoflagellates; D. It's the award given annually to the most mixed-up marine taxonomist; your professor has won it twice; E. It isn't something one would normally discuss in polite company.

C. It refers to a capability for both autotrophy (photosynthesis) and heterotrophy (feeding on other organisms), such as seen in some dinoflagellates

Giant squid are real and they can grow to a length of some 66 feet. Old sea stories often mention "battles" between sperm whales and giant squid, but these were routinely dismissed as myths. Today we know there is some truth to these stories; how do we know this? A. Old paintings in museums show squid and whales doing battle at the ocean surface; B. U.S. Navy accounts dating back to the 1400s include detailed descriptions of such encounters, reported by reputable naval officers; C. Landed sperm whales often have scars from wounds that strongly suggest they were made by the teeth on the suckers of giant squid tentacles; D. Live squid (smaller juveniles, not full grown adults) are often found in the stomachs of landed sperm whales; E. A recent movie posted on YouTube in the last year or so clearly shows such an encounter between a giant squid and a sperm whale in deep waters south of New Zealand.

C. Landed sperm whales often have scars from wounds that strongly suggest they were made by the teeth on the suckers of giant squid tentacles

Which of the following would be the most accurate way to measure the salinity of a sample of sea water? A. Boil away the water and weigh the solid materials left behind; B. Weigh the water sample and compare that weight with a block of ice that is the same volume as your sea water sample. Exam Version #1 2 C. Measure the water's electrical conductivity, and apply the established equation (a ninth-order polynomial) that relates conductivity to salinity; D. Measure the concentrations of Sodium (Na+ ) and Calcium (Ca+ ) ions, which are the most abundant elements in sea water; E. Weigh the water sample before and after it has been allowed to evaporate at room temperature for about six weeks.

C. Measure the water's electrical conductivity, and apply the established equation (a ninth-order polynomial) that relates conductivity to salinity

Two nutrient elements in sea water that are required by photosynthetic autotrophs, including macroalgae and phytoplankton, are: A. Carbon Dioxide and Carbohydrates; B. Glucose and Oxygen; C. Nitrogen and Phosphorus; D. Sodium and Chlorine; E. Cadmium and Selenium.

C. Nitrogen and Phosphorus

The Coriolis Effect (or Coriolis Force) causes moving objects on the Earth to experience a tug to the ______ in the Northern Hemisphere and a tug to the_______ in the Southern Hemisphere. A. Left; Left; B. Right; Right; C. Right; Left; D. Left; Right; E. Up; Down

C. Right; Left

What are the differences among the following: Species Richness (SR), Species Diversity (SD), and Biodiversity (BD)? A. They are all synonymous with one another; B. SR is the total number of species, while SD and BD are both concerned with the evenness in numbers of species across taxonomic categories; C. SR is the total number of species, SD is concerned with the evenness in numbers of species across taxonomic categories; and BD is much the same as SD except it includes attributes of the environment; D. Who knows? E. Who cares?

C. SR is the total number of species, SD is concerned with the evenness in numbers of species across taxonomic categories; and BD is much the same as SD except it includes attributes of the environment

In our discussion of chlorophyll fluorescence in class a week or so back, we illuminated the phenomenon of fluorescence by: A. Showing how a "black light" causes yellow-green paper to fluoresce; B. Shining a flashlight, equipped with a special plastic filter, onto the projection screen; C. Shining a "black light" (UV) onto a flask containing a solution of chlorophyll, which fluoresced a deep red color; D. Sketching a plot of the wavelength-specific absorption and fluorescence emission spectra of chlorophyll; E. Attempting an in-class demonstration that failed miserably, I think; at least that's what someone told me (I fell asleep again).

C. Shining a "black light" (UV) onto a flask containing a solution of chlorophyll, which fluoresced a deep red color

Each of the major ocean basins, the North Pacific, North Atlantic, South Pacific, South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, exhibits a system of surface currents called gyres, which are currents that flow in a circular pattern around the entire basin. What is the ultimate source of energy that drives these wind-driven ocean currents? A. The Ekman Spiral (which is caused by the earth's rotation); B. The Coriolis Effect (which is present everywhere on Earth except at the Equator); C. The Sun (and latitudinal differences in heating of Earth's surface); D. The tides (which affect all oceans at all times of the year); E. The gravitational attraction of the sun and the moon.

C. The Sun (and latitudinal differences in heating of Earth's surface)

Of the following, which includes examples of the gelatinous zooplankton? A. The copepods and other crustaceous zooplankton, which are the grazers of the sea; B. The bivalve mollusks, which have both trochophore and veliger forms of meroplanktonic larvae; C. The ctenophores, which are bulbous-shaped animals with rows of comb-like cilia used in swimming; D. The pelagic polychaete worms, which are carnivorous and are known to attack fish larvae; E. The cone snails.

C. The ctenophores, which are bulbous-shaped animals with rows of comb-like cilia used in swimming

In our discussion of the various physical properties of water, we explained why it is that deep alpine (mountainous) lakes, such as many of the lakes in Switzerland, rarely freeze in winter. Why is that? A. The entire water column, top to bottom, must be at the freezing point which, because the lake is so deep, requires a long cold winter. B. Water must first release all of its latent heat, which warms the air above the lake's surface, thus stopping the freezing process. C. The entire water column, top to bottom, must first be cooled to the temperature of maximum density (4°C), and because the lakes are so deep, the winters aren't long enough or cold enough for this to happen. D. Because of the unique property of water whereby the temperature of maximum density is exactly the same as the freezing point. E. Because Switzerland is neutral, and neither supports, nor prohibits hydrogen bonds on the world bond market.

C. The entire water column, top to bottom, must first be cooled to the temperature of maximum density (4°C), and because the lakes are so deep, the winters aren't long enough or cold enough for this to happen

Some have argued that the copepods are the most numerically abundant animals on Earth, and they outnumber the insects by a factor of 1000. Which of the following characteristics does NOT apply to the copepods? A. Among the three main orders, the Calanoids, Cyclopoids and Harpacticoids, they all have basically a bulletlike body form; B. They have been justifiably called the "grazers of the sea"; C. They all possess stinging nematocysts in their tentacles, for use in disabling predators; D. They undergo a number of developmental stages that includes naupliar and copepodid stages; E. Some species of copepods undergo a resting stage, called diapause, as part of their life histories

C. They all possess stinging nematocysts in their tentacles, for use in disabling predators

True or False: Salt in the oceans arrives by way of very dilute loads of dissolved materials carried by rivers, and the oceans have reached their present concentration of salts only after many millions of years of continental erosion and subsequent river runoff. A. This is false; the salts come from the dissolution of biogenic oozes, which continually rain down from the surface waters, providing a constant source of sodium and chloride. B. This is true; the only reason the sea is salty is because of dissolution of continental rocks into freshwater streams and rivers, which empty into the sea. C. This is only partly true; while rivers deliver some of the materials comprising the oceans' salinity, other dissolved materials come from outgassing via volcanoes and mid-ocean ridge systems. D. This is false; the salt in the sea comes from billions of years of dissolved materials delivered to the oceans via rainwater. E. This is false; the salts in the sea come from billions of years worth of large lakes, like the Great Salt Lake in Utah, drying up and leaving behind huge volumes of salt.

C. This is only partly true; while rivers deliver some of the materials comprising the oceans' salinity, other dissolved materials come from outgassing via volcanoes and mid-ocean ridge systems

What is the Ekman Spiral? A. This is the tendency for atmospheric low pressure systems in the northern hemisphere, for example, to twist to the right; B. This is the tight curl often seen in shore breakers, as open ocean swells approach a gently-sloping beach; C. This is the tendency for wind-driven surface currents to change direction in a spiral fashion with depth, creating a layer within which the average flow is 90° to the right of the wind direction (in the northern hemisphere); D. This is the tendency of surface waters, in the centers of the ocean basins, to spiral downward, which depresses the seasonal thermocline, and upon spreading at depth, creates the great ocean gyres; E. This is a tight spiral that results when you place your ring finger on the next-to-last lace on the ball and deliver it with a last-second flip of your hand; V.W. Ekman, a Norwegian physicist, figured out how to do this first, and described it mathematically (but he was never taken seriously by college scouts - bright guy, but too slow).

C. This is the tendency for wind-driven surface currents to change direction in a spiral fashion with depth, creating a layer within which the average flow is 90° to the right of the wind direction (in the northern hemisphere)

In our discussions of surface gravity waves, we noted how the wave speeds can vary greatly depending on the size of the wave (i.e., its wavelength) and the bottom depth. Based on that discussion, we concluded that the fastest waves are: A. Capillary waves, which travel at speeds proportional to the extremely strong hydrogen bonds; B. Shallow water gravity waves, which travel at speeds proportional to their wavelengths; C. Tsunamis, which can travel as fast as a jet airliner (more than 400 miles per hour); D. Deep water gravity waves, which travel at speeds proportional to the water depth; E. Open ocean swells, which can arrive ahead of the storms that generate them, as is often the case when big surf is seen well in advance of a hurricane.

C. Tsunamis, which can travel as fast as a jet airliner (more than 400 miles per hour)

What is the average (approximate) salinity of the world ocean? A. 3.98 ppt B. 20-25% C. 40-50% D. 33 to 37ppt E. 40 - 50%.

D. 33 to 37ppt

What is diapause? A. A period in the life cycle of fishes when they are no longer capable of reproduction; B. A period in the life cycle of echinoderms when they recruit to their benthic habitat; C. A period in the life cycle of barnacle larvae, when they molt from a nauplius to a copepodite; D. A "resting" period in the life cycle of some copepods, when they become inactive; may last several months; E. A "resting" period in the life of polychaete worms, when their parapodia develop, enabling them to burrow into bottom sediments.

D. A "resting" period in the life cycle of some copepods, when they become inactive; may last several months

In our study of atmospheric circulation patterns on an idealized rotating Earth - with only oceans and no continents - we were able to construct the three circulation cells in each hemisphere: The Hadley, Ferrel and Polar Cells. These atmospheric circulation patterns in each hemisphere create (among other things) which one of the following? A. Band-like patterns of low atmospheric pressure at sea level along 30°N and 30°S latitudes; B. Band-like patterns of high atmospheric pressure at sea level along 60°N and 60°S latitudes; C. A band-like pattern of high atmospheric pressure at sea level along the equator (0° latitude); D. A band-like pattern of high atmospheric pressure at sea level along 30°N and 30°S latitudes; E. Bad headaches for anyone trying to figure out whether it's going to rain tomorrow or not.

D. A band-like pattern of high atmospheric pressure at sea level along 30°N and 30°S latitudes

What is a La Niña? A. A condition opposite to El Niño, where the Pacific Equatorial waters are abnormally warm; B. A major climate change produced by an "Omega Block" in the normal path of the polar jet stream over Africa; C. A major climate change imparted by an "Omega Block" in the normal path of the polar jet stream over Indonesia; D. A condition opposite to El Niño where the Pacific Equatorial surface waters are abnormally cold; E. This term is synonymous with El Niño, and reflects oceanographic gender equity;

D. A condition opposite to El Niño where the Pacific Equatorial surface waters are abnormally cold

Enormous forces create the tides (i.e., the gravitational attractions of the Sun and Moon). One measure of the enormity of these forces is that the energy lost (dissipated) by friction between tidal currents and the ocean bottom has resulted in: A. Enormous heat production, making parts of the deep ocean noticeably warmer than waters just a few meters above; B. Production of large ocean eddies, which spin off the Gulf Stream and its counterpart in the Pacific Ocean, the Kuroshio Current; C. Huge swings in the Stock Market; D. A slowing down of the Earth's rotation; for example, about 370 million years ago, there were about 400 days in a year, and a day was about 22 hours long; E. Upwelling of large volumes of water at Amphidromic Points in the centers of the major ocean gyres

D. A slowing down of the Earth's rotation; for example, about 370 million years ago, there were about 400 days in a year, and a day was about 22 hours long

The temperature of maximum density of freshwater is ____ while that of sea water is ______. A. About 4°C; exactly 0°C; B. 0°C; 0°C C. Below 0°C; About 4°C D. About 4°C; Below 0°C E. 0°C; -1.9°C

D. About 4°C; Below 0°C

Diatoms have a silicious frustule, which increases their density and thus their potential sinking rate. Diatoms overcome the tendency to sink by: A. Forming chains, which increases their surface area, and thus slowing their sinking rate;. B. Forming elaborate spines that slow their sinking rate; C. Altering their internal stores of fats and oils, which decreases their density; D. All of the above; E. They don't overcome that tendency, which is why their exponential growth rate is so important.

D. All of the above

Thermohaline Circulation, the flow (the currents) of deep and bottom ocean waters, results from the sinking of cold, dense waters at high latitudes, and the slow transit of those waters along the bottom and at intermediate depths (e.g., >1000m depth) throughout the world ocean - a process that can take centuries to complete a cycle. Why is this important? A. It is important in the Latitudinal Heat Pump, pumping heat between high and low latitudes, and thus in helping to control climate; B. Because that deep water flow has varied in its intensity between inter-glacial and glacial periods (i.e., ice ages), thus influencing Earth's climate; C. It enriches the deep-water nutrient concentrations "downstream" in the Pacific Ocean (which are among the oldest waters in the oceans in terms of how long they have been isolated from the surface), by way of the "Ocean Conveyor Belt"; D. All of the above; E. It isn't important; it is only the wind-driven surface circulation that is important.

D. All of the above

Unlike diatoms, dinoflagellates do not have a silica frustule (a shell made of glass [SiO2]), but they do have: A. Plates of chitin-like material in some species; B. Two flagella: a transverse flagellum, which wraps around the cell, and a longitudinal flagellum, that trails behind the cell, providing the cell with upward (forward) propulsion; C. Heterotrophic as well as autotrophic species; D. All of the above; E. None of the above.

D. All of the above

What is required for a hurricane to develop? A. Warm ocean temperatures of at least 26ºC from the surface to about 80m depth; B. No upper level winds that could act to shear off the developing storm; C. A thunderstorm has to develop first; D. All of the above; E. None of the above.

D. All of the above

Ocean swells are the graceful, symmetrical, long-period and long-wavelength waves that are usually formed by high winds in ocean storms that may be hundreds of miles away. They usually arrive on shore long before the actual storm, or even without the actual storm ever arriving on shore. Why? A. Because once the waves come ashore, their orbits rub against the bottom, causing the wave to lose energy, and it therefore speeds up dramatically; B. Because deep-water gravity waves travel at speeds that are 1.3 times the wind speed that created them, thus outrunning the storm. C. Because out at sea, the waves travel at a speed that is proportional to the depth (which averages > 4000m), and so they travel at great speed, faster than the storm that created them. D. Because at the edges of the storm, beyond the wind's influence, the seas flatten out, increasing wavelengths, which in turn increases their speed; they often outrun the storm that created them; E. Because at the edges of the storm, beyond the wind's influence, the seas begin to build in height and wavelength, and therefore propagate faster than the wind speed that created them.

D. Because at the edges of the storm, beyond the wind's influence, the seas flatten out, increasing wavelengths, which in turn increases their speed; they often outrun the storm that created them

Referring to the figure here, which we discussed in class and which is in your book, why do you think the concentration of Nitrate (NO3 - ) is relatively low at and just below the surface? A. Because of nitrogen fixation of NO3 into N2 gas by bacteria occurs only in surface waters, thereby reduces the concentration there; B. Because the warmer water usually found near the surface tends to drive the NO3 - out of solution and back into the atmosphere; C. Because nutrients are always depleted in surface waters of the ocean; D. Because phytoplankton take up nutrients such as NO3 - at depths where there is sufficient light, thus depleting it there; E. Because of pollution in coastal waters usually strips all nutrients out of the surface waters.

D. Because phytoplankton take up nutrients such as NO3- at depths where there is sufficient light, thus depleting it there;

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ Includes the Placoderms and Spiny Sharks, two groups that first appeared 400 million years ago.

D. Extinct Fishes

The Lophophorates are a group of marine invertebrates that comprises three phyla, the Bryozoans, the Phoronid worms and the Brachiopods, all three of which possess a lophophore. What is a lophophore? A. It is an invertible mouth, also called a proboscis, which allows the capture of a prey organism in a manner similar to grabbing a golf ball using your hand inside a sock; B. It is a specialized cell, common to all Cnidaira, which functions like a miniature spear gun that injects venom into prey organisms; C. It is a system of specialized, flagellated cells that pump water and plankton through the organism; D. It is a cup-like cluster of ciliated tentacles used in food capture and respiration; E. An extremely lazy person; I can think of several individuals who fit this description, but naming them here for all of you to see just wouldn't be right.

D. It is a cup-like cluster of ciliated tentacles used in food capture and respiration

The group of phytoplankton responsible for about half of the total primary production in the world ocean is: A. The copepods, which dominate the catch in any plankton net and which are the dominant "grazers of the sea"; B. The dinoflagellates, because of their potential to be both autotrophs and heterotrophs; C. The nanophytoplankton, which includes most of the flagellates; D. The picophytoplankton (also called just picoplankton, or ultraplankton), which are the smallest phytoplankton, but which are also the most abundant; E. The gelatinous zooplankton, which includes the largest zooplankton in the world (certain species of jellyfish) and which can grow to more than a meter in diameter.

D. The picophytoplankton (also called just picoplankton, or ultraplankton), which are the smallest phytoplankton, but which are also the most abundant

What was "the Cambrian Explosion"? A. The sudden appearance of photosynthetic phytoplankton about 2.4 billion years ago; B. The abrupt end of the Cambrian period, marked by an explosion of tectonic activity that robbed the atmosphere of oxygen, producing large numbers of fossils in marine sedimentary rocks; C. The cosmic explosion that marked the end of the dinosaurs, about 65 million years ago; D. The sudden appearance, more than 500 million years ago, of new animal phyla, especially marine invertebrates; E. Nobody knows for sure, but it refers to something big that happened a long, long time ago that really shook things up.

D. The sudden appearance, more than 500 million years ago, of new animal phyla, especially marine invertebrates

Salinity is the term for "the saltiness" of sea water. But the salinity of sea water results from more than just "salt". The exact definition of salinity is: A. The total mass (measured as weight) per unit volume of sea water; B. The total quantity of dissolved gasses in 1 milliliter of sea water at 4°C; C. The proportions of major elements in sea water, relative to one another, which do not change as a function of salinity; D. The total quantity of dissolved inorganic solids in seawater; E. The total quantity of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) in seawater.

D. The total quantity of dissolved inorganic solids in seawater

Which of the following is NOT true about dinoflagellates: A. They often exhibit blooms, which can bring with them various kinds of environmental problems; B. Some species produce biotoxins, which may or may not affect consumers of those cells, such as shellfish; C. They are the most common culprits in Harmful Algal Blooms (HABS), sometimes called red tides; D. They are the smallest of the phytoplankton and are responsible for as much as half the total primary production in the oceans; E. Some individuals can switch back and forth between being autotrophic and heterotrophic.

D. They are the smallest of the phytoplankton and are responsible for as much as half the total primary production in the oceans

Why is it advantageous to phytoplankton to be small? A. To avoid being detected and eaten by herbivorous zooplankton; B. To facilitate sinking out of the near surface layers, where high light levels can lead to photoinhibition; C. To reduce the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling, for example, more efficient uptake of nutrients across the cell wall; D. To increase the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling, for example, more efficient uptake of nutrients across the cell wall; E. To facilitate the capture of short wavelengths of light for photosynthesis.

D. To increase the cell's surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling, for example, more efficient uptake of nutrients across the cell wall

Organisms living on the ocean floor are said to be ________, whereas organisms that spend most of their time off the bottom and in the water column are known as ________. A. phototactic ... chemotactic B. pelagic ... benthic C. planktonic ... nektonic D. benthic ... pelagic E. nektonic ... planktonic

D. benthic ... pelagic

Sea water contains a lot of dissolved elements (a list of just some of them is given in your textbook). Other than hydrogen and oxygen, the two elements that make up the water molecule, the two most abundant elements dissolved in seawater are: A. Fluorine and iodine. B. Potassium and manganese. C. bromine and boron. D. sodium and chlorine. E. carbonate and sulfate.

D. sodium and chlorine

Conditions necessary for creating the biggest wind waves on the ocean include: A. A large fetch, which is the area over which the wind blows; B. High wind speeds; C. A long duration of high wind speeds; D. Sufficiently deep water; E. All of the above.

E. All of the above

What is an El Niño? A. A condition where the upwelling off the coast of South America is greatly reduced, resulting in a collapse of the fishery there; B. A condition where the surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific are abnormally warm; C. A condition where the Southeast and Northeast Trade Winds are relaxed, reducing the intensity of the westward-flowing North and South Equatorial Currents; D. A condition in the Pacific Ocean that contributes to drought in Australia and Indonesia and floods in the otherwise dry regions of western South America; E. All of the above.

E. All of the above

Which of the following statements best describes the distributions of phytoplankton? A. In polar regions (high latitude waters), phytoplankton populations increase only during the summer months; B. There is a near-constant standing stock (biomass) of phytoplankton year-round in the tropics; C. Phytoplankton are most abundant when there are ample supplies of nutrients and when light is not limiting; D. Phytoplankton populations generally vary with latitude and season; E. All of these statements are true.

E. All of these statements are true

The figure to the right (similar to the one in your textbook) shows the generalized locations and tracks of Atlantic hurricanes. Why are there almost never any Atlantic Ocean hurricanes south of the area indicated? A. Because the South Atlantic Ocean is not large enough; South America and Africa are too close there; B. Because West Africa is the source of Hurricanes, and West Africa is north of the equator; C. Because the waters in the South Atlantic are on the Equator and thus they are too warm; D. Because even though water temperatures in the South Atlantic are as warm as the North Atlantic, there are no ocean currents to steer the storms, and so they die out early; E. Because the two most basic ingredients are lacking: Atlantic water temperatures are cooler south of the Equator, and the Coriolis effect is weak or nonexistent on (and near) the Equator.

E. Because the two most basic ingredients are lacking: Atlantic water temperatures are cooler south of the Equator, and the Coriolis effect is weak or nonexistent on (and near) the Equator

The relatively shallow Ekman currents (which extend only to several 10's of meters depth) flow at right angles (e.g., 90°) to the wind direction. They flow to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. These currents result from: A. Tides in shallow coastal inlets of the northern hemisphere. B. Ocean currents that rub against the bottom and mix deep waters upward, thus delivering deep nutrients to the surface. C. The formation of ice in the Arctic, as shown by Nansen. D. The fact that the Sun heats the surface of the ocean, only to several 10's of meters depth. E. Frictional transfer of the wind's energy to the sea surface, forcing it to flow, and the subsequent response of that flow to the Earth's rotation.

E. Frictional transfer of the wind's energy to the sea surface, forcing it to flow, and the subsequent response of that flow to the Earth's rotation

Trichodesmium is a relatively large, filamentous cyanobacterium, that has been known for more than 200 years, and accounts of it appear in the writings of Captain Cook and Charles Darwin. Apart from its being easily visible from the rail of a ship, in extensive rafts of colonies at the surface, and even from space, this group of phytoplankton is important because: A. It is capable of mixotrophy, changing between autotroph and heterotroph, depending on environmental circumstances; B. It is capable of phagotrophy, feeding on large phytoplankton cells by engulfing them in a mucus envelope; C. It is capable of phosphate fixation, making dissolved inorganic phosphorus bioavailable; D. It is highly toxic, and has been implicated in early cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning; E. It is capable of nitrogen fixation, converting relatively inert N2 gas into particulate organic nitrogen, and then dissolved ammonium (NH4 + ).

E. It is capable of nitrogen fixation, converting relatively inert N2 gas into particulate organic nitrogen, and then dissolved ammonium (NH4+).

For the following seven (7) questions, choose (a) Jawless Fishes, (b) Cartilaginous Fishes, (c) Bony Fishes, (d) Extinct Fishes, or (e) Lobe-finned Fishes _______ Includes the Coelacanth and Lungfishes.

E. Lobe-finned Fishes

We know that the oceans absorb heat from the Sun, which leads to the following question: Are the oceans getting warmer and warmer each passing year? (In answering this question, please ignore the possible increase in temperature over time that results from "global greenhouse warming"). A. Yes, the heat is continually being stored in the oceans as shortwave radiation from the Sun when its rays hit Earth. B. No, the oceans are cooling, the same way they cooled when we entered the last ice age, about 100,000 years ago, and which ended about 18-20,000 years ago; C. No; that heat is completely absorbed by water's hydrogen bonds in the form of "latent" (= lost) heat that cannot be sensed as an increase in temperature; D. No; but the reason is not clear and remains one of the great mysteries in oceanography and meteorology; E. No; the temperature and heat content of the oceans are in steady state. On average, the seasonal heating of the oceans each year by the Sun's incoming radiation is matched by outgoing radiation emitted to space.

E. No; the temperature and heat content of the oceans are in steady state. On average, the seasonal heating of the oceans each year by the Sun's incoming radiation is matched by outgoing radiation emitted to space

The primary force(s) that cause(s) tides in the oceans is (are): A. The gravitational attraction of all the planets and stars, as influenced by the Coriolis Effect. B. The rotation of the Moon on its axis. C. Coastal Earthquakes and landslides. D. Wind and storms at sea. E. The gravitational attractions of the Moon and the Sun.

E. The gravitational attractions of the Moon and the Sun

The arrow labeled "C" points to a breaking wave which most likely "broke" because: 10 A. That wave reached a depth where the wave height-to-water depth ratio has reached 1/7, thus forming "whitecaps". B. The wave had its top blown off as "spindrift". C. The wave reached the critical Beaufort Scale value and became surf. D. Two waves are "constructively interfering" with one another, thus producing a new higher wave height that is "additive"; this is also known as a "rogue wave", and therefore the wave breaks. E. The wave has acquired enough energy that it has exceeded a critical wave height-to-length ratio of about 1/7, thus forming a "whitecap".

E. The wave has acquired enough energy that it has exceeded a critical wave height-to-length ratio of about 1/7, thus forming a "whitecap"

As the Gulf Stream flows northward off the east coast of North America it develops meanders that sometimes "pinch off" and form rotating rings, or eddies, on either side of the Gulf Stream's central core. What can we say about rings formed on the North America side of the Gulf Stream (i.e., the shoreward side)? A. They are called "warm-core" and "cold-core" rings, depending on the time of year they occur; B. They pump huge volumes of arctic bottom waters into the Gulf of Maine, along with polar species of fishes; C. They pump huge quantities of warm water downward, thus removing plankton from the sunlit surface waters; D. They are called "cold-core" rings, because they trap colder water from the Gulf Stream in rings on the shoreward side, adjacent to the coast; E. They are called "warm-core" rings, because they trap warmer offshore waters inside much cooler shelf and slope waters.

E. They are called "warm-core" rings, because they trap warmer offshore waters inside much cooler shelf and slope waters

The Sponges are among the simplest and most primitive of all metazoans (multicellular animals). They are sessile organisms, and because they did not "move" they were once thought to plants (e.g., Aristotle's criterion that animals are capable of motion). Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of sponges: A. They do not possess true tissues or internal organs; B. They are held together by a mesh-like framework of spicules made of either calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or silica (glass, SiO2); C. Their basic body plan is porous and "vase-like"; D. They feed on suspended particles as flagellated cells (choanocytes) create water motions that pump water, food particles and oxygen through them; E. They are capable of photosynthesis, performed by zooanthellae, which are symbiotic dinoflagellates in their integument.

E. They are capable of photosynthesis, performed by zooanthellae, which are symbiotic dinoflagellates in their integument.