Module 03: Oceans in Motion

As glaciers and polar ice melt, rising sea levels will impact not only coastal cities and towns, but marine ecosystems as well.

1. Coastal habitats can flood, which disrupts turtle and bird nesting. 2. Mangrove ecosystems become unstable due to fluctuating salinity and tidal levels. 3. Rising sea levels will alter the amount of light that can reach offshore plants and algae, decreasing photosynthesis, and affecting the food web.

Dissolved gases in the ocean, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, are necessary for life. Changes to the ocean temperature affect how these gases dissolve and mix into the ocean.

1. Cold water holds more oxygen than warm water. Lower oxygen levels at the warm surface mean that less oxygen will mix into water at the lower levels. 2. Increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere mean that there is more carbon dioxide in the ocean, causing the water to become more acidic. Animals with gills have a hard time extracting oxygen from the acidic water.

Rising global temperatures result in rising ocean temperatures, which can have drastic effects on ecosystems.

1. Coral reef systems become stressed and may bleach or die, compromising the entire reef ecosystem. 2. Coldwater fish move farther north or into deeper water, disrupting the food web. 3. Penguins, polar bears, walruses, and other animals in the polar regions lose their homes due to melting sea ice. 4. The survival of marine species can be threatened, since temperature affects metabolism, reproductive behavior, and even the number of male and female offspring in certain marine species like sea turtles, some fish, and shrimp.

primary succession characteristics

1. Primary succession occurs after new land is formed by a volcano or glacier, for example. 2. Primary succession occurs in areas that contain no existing life. 3. No soil is present in the ecosystem. 4. Pioneer species, such as algae and fungi, are the first organisms to arrive. 5. Few, if any, organisms are present initially and biodiversity increases over time.

secondary succession characteristics

1. Secondary succession occurs after a severe disruption, such as a natural disaster, fire, or flood. 2. Secondary succession occurs in areas following the removal of existing life. 3. Some soil exists in the ecosystem. 4. New organisms move in to build a new ecosystem. 5. Biodiversity starts off low and increases over time.

Estuaries

A bay or drowned valley where a river empties into the sea

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

surging breaker

A compressed breaking wave that builds up over a short distance and surges forward as it breaks. It is characteristic of abrupt beach slopes.

Salinity

A measure of the amount of dissolved salts in a given amount of liquid

isolated system

A system that can exchange neither energy nor matter with its surroundings.

semidiurnal tide

A tidal cycle of two high tides and two low tides each lunar day, with the high tides of nearly equal height.

A person flying in a plane over Easter Island notices that the water around the island appears bluer than the surrounding water. What property of light waves causes the water to be a different color to the observer?

Absorption

In what location would primary succession most likely occur?

An area that was covered by a glacier

primary succession

An ecological succession that begins in an area where no biotic community previously existed

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

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

Hydrophones help scientists listen to and record sounds from the ocean. Which statement best describes how ocean water affects sound waves?

Cold water increases the speed of sound.

Wind-driven Waves

Contain a small volume of water and do not submerge higher areas

Polar Regions ideal season

During the summer, the polar regions receive more sunlight, causing primary production to increase. More nutrients.

Compare and contrast open, closed, and isolated systems. Be sure to discuss the exchange of energy and exchange of matter, and provide at least one example of each.

Energy and matter can enter and exit an open system freely. An example of an open system is the ocean. Matter an energy move around, enter, and exit the ocean, it's surrounding land, and the atmosphere with no limitation. Water enters the ocean, and leave it in the form of water vapor. As learned earlier, the ocean absorbs heat, which is a form of energy. Heat enters the ocean, while also exiting it constantly. This is a different system compared to a closed system, where energy can enter and exit, or transfer with its surroundings, but matter cannot enter or exit. An example of a closed system is earth. Energy in the form of heat can enter and exit the earth as it please; however, the matter, such as water, is trapped within the earth. So, a closed system is not completely closed because energy can enter and exit, but matter does not enter or exit. The last type of system is an isolated system. Unlike an open and closed system, energy and matter cannot freely enter and exit the system. It's important to note that an isolated system contains energy and matter, but it does not transfer energy or matter with it's surrounding like an open system, or somewhat like a closed system. An example of an isolated system is the universe. Energy and matter within the universe is constant, meaning it's impossible for the universe to transfer it's energy or matter with it's surroundings. It does not even come into contact with it's surroundings. This is a theory, but it is the best example of an isolated system because one cannot truly create an isolated system in a laboratory. As you can see these three system all have one, important thing in common, and that is they contain energy and matter. The differences between them are how they transfer energy and matter with their surroundings.

How many forms does energy exist in?

Energy exists in many forms. The types of energy include: chemical energy, thermal or heat energy, mechanical energy, potential energy, kinetic energy, electrical energy, radiant or solar energy, and nuclear energy.

Where does energy come from?

Energy from the sun comes from chemical reactions. Electrical energy is generated from power plants that change one form of energy into another. And the energy you use to exercise, work, and play comes from the food that you eat. In each of these examples, the energy exists in one form and is changed into another.

Which statement best describes how varying conditions in coastal areas affect the abundance of aquatic organisms living there?

Fewer aquatic organisms live in coastal areas because the tides require organisms to constantly adapt to changing conditions.

pioneer species

First species to populate an area during primary succession

Which of the following wave properties is the best way for surfers to judge how fast waves are coming in to shore?

Frequency

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.

Crest

Highest point of a wave

Wavelength

Horizontal distance between the crests or between the troughs of two adjacent waves

The interaction of a warmer atmosphere and warmer ocean waters means severe weather will become more extreme and unpredictable.

Hurricanes, tropical storms, heavier rainfall, and flooding can damage coral reef and coastal ecosystems.

A sound wave is emitted into the water from the bottom of a boat. What will happen to the sound wave as it travels through the water?

It will slowly lose energy to the water around it and become weaker the farther it goes.

Water is harnessed to move a turbine. How is energy converted in this case?

Kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy.

A severe storm has churned up the water and sediment along a coastline, causing the water to appear cloudy. How would this most likely affect the marine ecosystem?

Light waves would be more likely to be refracted or diffracted, thus failing to reach plants and phytoplankton.

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.

Trough

Lowest point of a wave

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.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic, free-floating, autotrophic organisms that function as producers in aquatic ecosystems

plunging breakers

Moderately steep sea floor Wave energy expended over shorter distance Best for board surfers Curling wave crest

Is the sun the source of all energy on Earth?

No! While the sun does power important systems, like the water cycle, and many food webs are based on producers that photosynthesize using solar energy, there are some organisms that can chemosynthesize, creating organic compounds by using energy from inorganic compounds like hydrogen sulfide or methane.

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?

Plant growth over time

intertidal zone

Portion of the shoreline that lies between the high and low tide lines

What factor will most likely determine where a wave current project can be located?

Presence of waves

temperate regions ideal season

Primary production spikes in spring when there is an ideal amount of sunlight and nutrients. In the summer, the nutrient level decreases because of the spring activity. In the winter, primary production drops because there is less sunlight.

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

Rank the following substances based on how quickly sound will travel through them from fastest to slowest. Then explain your ranking, based on the properties of a sound wave. Air Water Rock

Sound will travel fastest through the rock. Sound will travel more slowly through water than through a rock. Sound will travel slowest through air. Sound waves travel more quickly through dense substances whose molecules are closer together. Sound will travel fastest through the rock because the molecules in a rock, and many solids, are close together. The closeness of the molecules allow sound to travel through the rock more quickly. Sound will travel more slowly through water than through the rock because although the molecules are close together, they are not as close together as the molecules in a rock. The molecules in water are farther apart than the molecules in the rock. Therefore, the closeness of the molecules allow sound to travel through the water at a quick speed, but not as quick as the rock. Sound will travel slowest through air because the molecules in air are not close together, whatsoever. Because the molecules in air are far apart, sound travels more slowly through air than it does in water and the rock.

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

secondary succession

Succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil

Which of the following statements describes what occurs with energy as a result of the Law of Conservation of Energy?

The amount of energy before a process occurs is equal to the energy after the process occurs.

If the current trend shown in the graph continues, what prediction is most likely regarding the future of sea turtles?

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

tidal wave

The crest of the wave causing tides; another name for a tidal bore; not a tsunami or seismic sea wave.

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?

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

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.

When two mechanical waves have a displacement in opposite directions, and they overlap, what will the resulting wave look like and why?

The new wave will have a smaller displacement than either of the original waves due to destructive interference.

wave frequency

The number of waves passing a fixed point per second.

spring tide

The tide with the greatest difference between consecutive low and high tides

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?

There is less sea ice available.

The humpback whale migrates across areas of the Pacific Ocean, from Hawaii

There is more food in northern regions during the summer.

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 determine whether the system is closed or not. A closed system does not allow matter or energy to travel or be transferred across it's boundary. Therefore, one could determine whether the system is closed or not based upon the state of the colored dye. If the colored dye were to escape from the enclosure and there was disturbance to the net along the river, then the system would not be closed. If the colored dye were to not escape the enclosure and there was no evidence of disturbance to the net along the river, then the system would be closed.

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?

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

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

Varied tidal action

Wave and tidal energy projects are possible because of the Law of Conservation of Energy. Would they still be possible if the ocean were an isolated system? Explain your answer in terms of how matter and energy are exchanged in systems.

Wave and tidal energy projects would not be possible if the ocean were an isolated system. Wave and tidal energy projects are possible because of the Law of Conservation of Energy. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. Instead, energy changes from one form to the other. Well, an isolated system does not transfer energy or matter with it's surroundings. In an isolated system, energy and matter are constant, never-changing. Wave and tidal energy projects are possible because of the energy that changes from one form to the other, and it's overall transfer of energy with it's surroundings. Wave and tidal energy projects would not be possible without the transfer of energy; therefore, for wave and tidal projects to be possible, the ocean would need to be either a closed or open system—because energy can be transferred.

What property of a wave is measured as the distance from crest to crest, or from trough to trough?

Wavelength

spilling breakers

Waves that spill gently, typical on wide, flat beaches, more likely to deposit sand.

tropical regions ideal season

Winter. There is a limited amount of nutrients in general. Because of this, primary production is low all year until the winter season when upwelling near coastlines add nutrients, increasing production.

Does a jellyfish contain energy?

Yes! All living things store potential energy in the chemical bonds of their molecular structure. When another animal eats the jellyfish, it will gain some of the jellyfish's energy.

Can water produce electricity?

Yes! Moving water has kinetic energy, which can be used to move a turbine and power a generator to produce electricity. In this case, the energy is changing from kinetic energy to electrical energy.

Tsunamis

a long high sea wave caused by an earthquake, submarine landslide, or other disturbance.

open system

a system in which exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries

closed system

a system in which matter and energy exchanges do not occur across boundaries

diurnal tide

a tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide each lunar day

mixed semidiurnal tide

a tidal pattern with two successive high tides of different heights each day

A system in which matter and energy move freely is called

an open system

What happens when a sound wave moves from water to air?

it slows down

Which type of wave does not require a medium in which to travel?

light

Which waves are electromagnetic and can travel through a vacuum?

light and heat waves

zooplankton

microscopic marine animals that are primary consumers in aquatic food chains

The movement of water affects marine ecosystems by changing abiotic factors, which include

salinity nutrients gas levels temperature water along coastlines

ecological succession

series of gradual changes that occur in a community following a disturbance

Law of Conservation of Energy

the law that states that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be changed from one form to another

neap tide

the tide with the least difference between consecutive low and high tides