13, 14, 15, 16, 11
The percentage of biomass regularly decomposed within the euphotic zone is about:
90%.
Match the organism with the correct taxonomic classification. bottlenose dolphin
Order Cetacea, Suborder Odontoceti
Energy flow in photosynthetic marine ecosystems is unidirectional in contrast to nutrients, which cycle through ecosystems.
True
Epifauna are those organisms that are either permanently attached to the bottom or move over it.
True
Feedback loops are the interactions among the Earth's five spheres that either amplify or diminish changes in climate.
True
Of the following statements about the characteristics of marine mammals, which is/are true?
- Marine mammals evolved from land species. - Marine mammals have hair (or fur) during at least some stage of their development. - Marine mammals bear live young. -Marine mammals must surface to breathe air. - Marine mammals are warm-blooded.
Of the following groups of organisms, which is/are considered zooplankton?
-radiolarians -jellyfish -copepods -krill
The image below is a cutaway diagram of a sperm whale's head, showing the interior structure of its echolocation system. Match the correct letter to each of the following items.
1. C: Distal air sac 2. D: "Monkey's muzzle" (echolocation clicks are generated here) 3. B: Frontal air sac 4. A: Blowhole
How does sonar work?
A sound signal is bounced off the ocean floor.
Which of the following characterizes the pesticide DDT and industrial chemicals such as PCBs?
All of the above are correct.
Which of the following arguments could be made for NOT adopting an aggressive control strategy worldwide?
All of the above.
Schooling behavior, as depicted in the figure, benefits the organisms involved because it:
All the above behaviors are beneficial to schooling fish.
Which of the following are examples of consumers that exist in marine ecosystems?
Carnivores Herbivores Omnivores Bacteriovores
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the cleanup of oil spills?
Cleaning up oil spills is difficult. Cleaning up oil spills is expensive. Cleanup efforts can create new hazards.
Of the following types of organisms, which are examples of microscopic algae?
Dinoflagellates Diatoms Coccolithophores
How are echolocation and sonar different?
Echolocation is used by dolphins and whales, whereas sonar is a data collection tool developed by people.
Of the following statements about the characteristics of the deep-ocean floor, which is/are true?
Even in tropical latitudes, water temperatures in the deep ocean are near freezing. Species diversity in the deep ocean can rival that of tropical rain forests. Deep-ocean communities exist in the bathyal, abyssal, and hadal zones. Only about 1% to 3% of the food produced in the euphotic zone reaches the deep-ocean floor.
Which of the following is considered the world's largest accidental oil spill?
Explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling platform in 2010.
Compensation depth is the depth in the ocean where the photosynthetic rate exceeds the rate of cellular respiration.
False
Elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, with subsequent absorption by the oceans, have caused an increase in ocean pH.
False
Where are the large floating regions of trash in all oceans of the world where plastics outnumber marine organisms several times over located?
In subtropical gyres
Choose the likeliest explanation for the trend shown in the graph in Step 2.
Most potential fisheries in the world's oceans had been discovered by about 1970.
Which of the following is not considered a pollutant in the marine environment?
Phytoplankton
Where did the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill occur?
Prince William Sound
What does a dolphin's melon do?
The melon focuses sound waves during emission.
The one-league territorial limit from shore that each country maintains was based on which of the following?
The range of a cannon ball
Which of the following is the best statement regarding the graph of atmospheric CO2 concentrations?
This data is consistent with the hypothesis that increased atmospheric concentrations of CO2 may be causing an increase in average surface temperatures.
A reduction in the strength of the Gulf Stream and a decrease in North Atlantic Deep-water formation would most likely result in:
a cooling of the climate in northern Europe.
The primary producers in chemosynthetic vent communities are _________.
archaea
In the biogeochemical cycling of matter in marine ecosystems, which process re-mineralizes nutrients back into the dissolved state?
bacterial decomposition
Which development stage(s) increased in proportion by more than 20% since 1954?
both fully developed and senescent
The most successful adaptation for living on a sediment-covered shore is:
burrowing into the sediment.
What is precession in Earth's orbit?
change in the orientation of Earth's axis
Which of the following could be a direct result of the cycles of eccentricity, obliquity, and precession on Earth?
climate change
The depth at which the cellular respiration rate equals the photosynthetic rate is referred to as the:
compensation depth for photosynthesis.
The minimum area of Arctic sea ice cover has been __________ as air and water temperatures have been __________ over the past several decades.
decreasing; increasing
What does sonar data tell us about the seafloor?
depth, shape, and composition
Because of the scarcity of food in the deep-sea environment, many organisms rely on _________ as their principal source of food.
detritus
For the graph in Step 3, which development stage has most frequently represented the highest proportion of fisheries resources since 1954?
developing
What causes emulsification of an oil slick?
evaporation of the lighter components in the oil
Arctic sea ice naturally __________ during the dark, cold winters and __________ during the spring and summer.
expands; contracts
What example of global engineering aims to accelerate the ocean's natural biological pump?
fertilization of ocean water with iron
Of the following, which are useful as proxy data for understanding past climate changes?
fossil pollen sea floor sediments tree-growth rings historical documents annual layers of snow packed in glacial ice
For Projection 2 in Step 5, which resource stage represents roughly 50% of all resources in 2025?
fully developed
Recent worldwide sea level rise can be attributed to all of the following except the:
geological uplifting of ocean basins.
What is currently the largest oil spill in recorded history?
intentional release during the Persian Gulf War
The greenhouse effect raises Earth's surface temperature (from what it would be otherwise) because the infrared light radiated by Earth's surface __________.
is temporarily absorbed by greenhouse gases and then reemitted in random directions
All the following are adaptations deep-sea fishes except:
large body size.
What type of scale does the vertical, or y, axis use in this chart?
logarithmic
The loss of color (coral bleaching) in coral reef organisms can be a result of:
loss of zooxanthellae.
Match the organism with the correct caudal fin shape. bluefin tuna
lunate caudal fin
What type of caudal fin is characteristic of fast-swimming fish that migrate long distances?
lunate fins
The gray whale and other baleen whales migrate every year to:
mate and give birth in the tropics during the winter.
The maximum fishery biomass that can be removed yearly while still sustaining the fishery ecosystem is the _________.
maximum sustainable yield
Organisms that live in the spaces between sediment particles are called:
meiofauna
Which of the following are by-products of an oil slick?
methane vapor mousse tarballs
As sea ice melts and becomes liquid water, __________ heat is then absorbed from the Sun, creating warmer surface waters.
more
An increase in cloud cover and a corresponding decrease in absorption of solar radiation is an example of a:
negative-feedback loop.
For which of the scales shown in Step 3 is the increase in CO2 concentrations less than 10%?
none of the scales
Assuming that increasing CO2 concentrations are directly linked to increased surface temperatures, which scenario should result in a reduction of temperatures to below their 1960-1990 averages by 2040?
none of the scenarios
How does methylmercury make its way up the food chain?
phytoplankton to zooplankton to small fish to big fish
Which of the following materials is/are illegal to dump anywhere in the ocean?
plastic
In general, the rate at which energy is stored by organisms through the formation of organic matter is called:
primary productivity.
The distribution of benthic biomass is related to:
primary productivity.
If Projection 1 holds true, choose the most likely trend for global fish captures over the next 40 years.
rapidly declining fish captures
The color of light most readily absorbed by water is _________.
red
Review the following graph which conveys data about biological productivity in polar regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Can you label the curves correctly for which relates to phytoplankton and which relates to zooplankton? Label other features on the graph.
red-line for phyto blue- line for zoo approx Nov-Feb-copnt darkness approx Mar-Oct-cont sun Red peak- diatom peak Blue peak copepod
The following are all examples of nonpoint source pollutants in the ocean EXCEPT ___________.
sewage sludge
If Projection 2 holds true, choose the most likely trend for global fish captures over the next 40 years
stable or slightly declining fish captures
The oceans' "biological pump" _________.
takes carbon from the photic zone and stores it in deep ocean water and seafloor sediments
All of the following are true of corals except :
the distribution of reef-building corals is greater in the tropics.
The warming of Earth's surface and atmosphere is a natural process controlled by the greenhouse effect. It is also being altered by human emissions, a phenomenon that is often referred to as ___________.
the enhanced greenhouse effect the anthropogenic greenhouse load
What is eccentricity in Earth's orbit?
the shape of Earth's orbit
All the following are characteristics of mammals (Class Mammalia) except:
they lay eggs.
If primary photosynthetic productivity in a given area of the ocean is 300 gC/m2/yr, about how much organic matter is added to the seafloor sediments per square meter each year?
three grams
The most sophisticated use of sound by marine mammals is found in the _________.
toothed whales
The Earth's climate system involves the exchange of heat and water among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere.
true
Match the organism with the correct caudal fin shape. salmon
truncate caudal fin
The Law of the Sea treaty established a uniform territorial sea of ________ nautical miles.
twelve
What natural cause of climate change is most similar to the major anthropogenic source?
volcanic eruptions
Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: Scientists have an excellent baseline from which to determine how pollutants have altered the marine environment BECAUSE the ocean was studied extensively before it was polluted.
Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
Choose the list of predicted trajectories for CO2 concentration that matches them in order with the aggressive, moderate, and minimal control scenarios.
C, B, A
Match the organism or definition with the correct description of its food preference. anchovy
herbivore
The shape of the caudal fin of a shark is referred to as:
heterocercal
Climate models and observations to date indicate that the oceans will warm the most in _________.
high-latitude areas
Fossil evidence indicates that modern whales have evolved from ancestors similar to the _________.
hippopotamus
If the USA adopted and maintained a policy of minimal control of CO2 emissions, what level would we expect its emissions to be in 2020?
2716 MMT
Satellite data show that the rate of global sea level rise since 1993 is on average about:
3 millimeters/year.
How long is the cycle of obliquity for Earth's orbit?
41,000 years
What percent of marine debris is composed of plastic?
80%
Use the equation for the trend line in the figure above to match each of the scenarios described below with the amount of sea level rise predicted for that scenario.
2050-179 2100-322 2200-608 2020-93
The diagram below shows skeletal and morphologic differences between two pinnipeds. Match the letters with the appropriate example of each.
1. B: Seal 2. A: Sea lion
How long is the cycle of precession for Earth's orbit?
26,000 years
This graph from ice core data shows the correlation between atmospheric methane, carbon dioxide, and temperature during the past 800,000 years. Correctly match the curves with their proper labels.
1. B: Temperature 2. A: Methane 3. C: Carbon dioxide
On the pie diagram below, match the letters with each ecosystem's contribution to the total world fishery.
1. B: Upwellings 2. A: Open ocean 3. E: Coastal and coral 4. D: Non-tropical shelves 5. C: Tropical shelves
The image below was taken from data collected by the SeaWiFS instrument aboard the SeaStar satellite and shows average chlorophyll concentrations (an approximation for productivity) during September 1997-August 2007. Match the following productivity levels with the correct letters.
1. B: highest productivity 2. A: lowest productivity 3. C: intermediate productivity
Of the following adaptations, which is/are used by various pelagic organisms to keep them from sinking?
-swim bladders that use gas to regulate buoyancy -intricate ornamental body projections -soft, gelatinous bodies with little if any hard tissue -fatty organs that effectively increase buoyancy
What is the concentration of DDT in seawater?
0.000003 parts per million
Sunlight penetrates the shallowest waters of the ocean, providing an energy source to photosynthetic organisms, who in turn are the food source of other organisms. Consider what would happen if the ocean at these depths, the euphotic zone, became cloudy from sediment-rich runoff from a storm near the coast. Read the sentences below, and fill in the blanks to make them complete and correct.
1. A cloudy euphotic zone would affectphytoplankton by restricting their ability to obtain sunlight for photosynthesis. 2. As a result of this storm, zooplankton could suffer from a reduced population of phytoplankton to feed on. 3. Because phytoplankton are considered producers, animals that feed on them would suffer when their productivity is low. 4. Nonphotosynthetic organisms in the aphotic zone will not likely be as affected by thick clouds of sediment in the water. 5. Productivity in this area would become low. 6. The euphotic zone accounts for vertical space and distance in the ocean water.
On the diagram of rocky-shore tide zones shown below, use the organisms present to match each letter to the correct tide zone.
1. A: Middle tide zone 2. B: Low tide zone 3. D: High tide zone 4. C: Spray zone
On this second half of the image of different species of cetaceans (right half), match the correct letter to each of the following.
1. A: Narwhal 2. C: Killer whale 3. B: Humpback whale 4. D: Gray whale
The graph below shows the changing amounts of physical and biologic factors in middle-latitude (temperate) oceans over the course of a year (Northern Hemisphere). Match each curve on the graph with the correct factor.
1. B: Phytoplankton 2. D: Zooplankton 3. C: Nutrients 4. A: Sunlight
This diagram shows the spectrum of energy radiated by the Sun and Earth. Match the letters with the following items.
1. B: this is the visible spectrum 2. E: these rays are also known as heat energy 3. A: this peak shows the energy radiated from Earth 4. D: these rays cause sunburns 5. C: this peak shows energy radiated from the Sun
The diagram below shows the structure of the giant brown bladder kelp (Macrocystis). Match each letter with its correct structure on the kelp.
1. C: Blade 2. B: Pneumatocyst 3. A: Stipe 4. D: Holdfast
This image shows the three types of orbital variations that are involved in natural changes in Earth's climate. Correctly match each one.
1. C: Eccentricity 2. B: Obliquity 3. A: Precession
This graph shows the four main components that contribute to global sea level rise. Correctly match each component with its curve.
1. C: Glaciers and small ice caps 2. D: Deep-ocean thermal expansion 3. A: Surface water thermal expansion 4. B: Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets
This cross-section shows the movement of water masses near Antarctica. Match the correct letter with each of the following water masses.
1. C: North Atlantic Deep Water 2. A: Antarctic Bottom Water 3. B: Antarctic Intermediate Water
On this image of different species of cetaceans (left half), match the correct letter to each of the following.
1. D: Blue whale 2. C: Sperm whale 3. A: Northern right whale 4. B: Bottlenose dolphin
On the generalized diagram of a fish shown below, match the correct letter to each of the following features.
1. D: Caudal fin 2. B: Spiny dorsal fin 3. A: Soft dorsal fin 4. C: Pectoral fin 5. E: Gill covering (operculum)
This figure shows four examples of organisms that are affected by increased ocean acidity. Correctly match each picture with the name of the organism.
1. D: Coccolithophores 2. B: Corals 3. C: Sea urchins 4. A: Pteropod
On the diagram below, match the correct letter to each of the following features of a sea anemone.
1. D: Gut 2. A: Mouth 3. C: Cnidoblast 4. E: Trigger 5. B: Nematocyst
Use the letters on the diagram below to match the coral types with the depth zones in which they live.
1. D: Massive head corals 2. C: No coral grows here 3. A: Delicate plate corals 4. B: Massive branching corals
The diagram below shows tide zones in a sediment-covered shore. Use the letters to match the tide zones shown in the figure with the correct representative organisms.
1. E: Sand star 2. B: Ghost crab 3. D: Ghost shrimp 4. C: Sand dollar 5. A: Bristle worm
On the image below, match the following types of radiation with the letters indicating their positions on the spectrum of wavelengths.
1. F: Microwaves and radar 2. A: Ultraviolet 3. C: AM radio 4. B: X rays 5. D: Infrared 6. E: Gamma rays
If 10,000 kilocalories (kcal) of energy were contained in the primary producers (trophic level 1), on average how many kcal of energy would you expect to be transferred to second-order consumers (trophic level 3)?
100 kcal
How long is the most important eccentricity cycle for Earth's orbit?
100,000 years
During which time period was the growth of fish captures greatest?
1955 to 1970
When was DDT banned in the United States?
1972
How much oil was released by the Deepwater Horizon spill?
2.4 million gallons per day for more than three months
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends:
200 nautical miles from the coast.
Changes in Earth's climate often cause a response from other systems, which in turn affect Earth's climate.
Although their concentration in the atmosphere is lower than carbon dioxide, trace gases absorb Earth's outgoing radiation and cause warming of the troposphere. 2. When a component of the climate system is altered, the possible responses are known as climatefeedback mechanisms. 3. Effects that reinforce the initial climate system change are called positive -feedback mechanisms. 4. Because they reflect sunlight back into space, aerosols have a net cooling effect on the climate system. 5. Effects that produce the opposite results from the initial climate change are referred to as negative- feedback mechanisms
It is often important to determine cause and effect relationships between observed phenomena to better understand the natural processes at work in our environment. Causation is the relationship between an event (the cause) and a second event (the effect), where the first event is considered responsible for the second. Determine whether each of the scenarios listed below is a cause of sea level rise, an effect of sea level rise, or is not at all related to sea level rise.
Cause of sea level rise thermal expansion of sea water, hotter temperatures, melting glacial ice Effect of sea level rise more frequent coastal flooding, increases in coastal erosion Not related to sea level rise depletion of the ozone layer
Of the following statements about ocean ownership and the Law of the Sea, which is/are true?
Coastal nations own the resources of the area 200 nautical miles from their shoreline, which is called the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Law of the Sea Treaty, which establishes the rights of nations in ocean ownership, was ratified by the required 60th nation in 1993. Forty-two percent of the world's oceans are under the control of coastal nations. If the continental shelf (defined geologically) exceeds the 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), countries are allowed to extend their ownership to 350 nautical miles from shore.
Nearly all of the larger organisms that inhabit sediment-covered shores are epifaunal organisms.
False
The products of photosynthesis are carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).
False
Choose the best statement for how the graph in Step 5 explains the global fish capture trends in Step 1.
Fully developed and senescent fisheries have been increasing relative to others, leading to slowed growth in the global fish catch.
Of the following statements about oceanic productivity, which is/are true?
In middle-latitude oceans, the fall bloom is limited by the lack of sunlight. In middle-latitude oceans, the spring bloom is limited by the lack of nutrients. In tropical oceans, productivity is limited year-round by the lack of nutrients.
Of the following statements about oceanic productivity in polar regions, which is/are true?
In polar oceans, there is incredibly high productivity in the summertime. In polar oceans, nutrient concentrations are usually adequate and do NOT limit productivity. In polar oceans, productivity is limited by the lack of sunlight in the winter.
Where do dolphins generate sounds for use in echolocation?
In the blowhole
Which of the following is considered the world's largest oil spill?
Intentional dumping by the Iraqi army in 1991.
Of the following nutrients, which is/are used in photosynthetic primary productivity by phytoplankton?
Iron Phosphates Silica Nitrates
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the danger levels of mercury poisoning?
It is considered a "safe level" to eat small quantities of fish if methylmercury concentrations in those fish are low. It is considered an "extreme danger" to eat large amounts of fish if the methylmercury concentrations in the fish are very high. It is considered a "possible hazard" to eat small quantities of fish if methylmercury concentrations in the fish are high.
What happens to the energy that the ground absorbs in the form of visible sunlight?
It is returned upward in the form of infrared light.
Why is DDT still a concern today, even though it has now been banned in the United States for decades?
It is very toxic. It lasts a long time in the environment without breaking down. Even a small amount of DDT has an extremely detrimental impact on marine organisms. It is still found throughout the world's oceans.
On a cloudless day, what happens to most of the visible light headed toward Earth?
It reaches Earth's surface, where some is reflected and some is absorbed.
Why was DDT intentionally released into the environment?
It was applied in swamps to kill mosquitos that spread malaria.
Of the following statements about benthic organisms, which is/are true?
Many benthic organisms spend the first part of their lives in the pelagic environment. The vast majority of benthic species live on the continental shelf. Great abundances of benthic organisms are found beneath surface waters with high primary productivity.
Why is plastic debris such a big problem in the ocean?
Marine organisms and birds become entangled in plastic debris. Plastics absorb and concentrate toxins from the seawater and poison marine life when ingested. Plastics float and are not readily biodegradable. It photodegrades into small pieces that are ingested by marine organisms and birds.
Why do fish in Minamata Bay have such high methylmercury concentrations?
Methylmercury-laden wastewater was intentionally released into the ocean.
Which of the following statements correctly explain the issues with plastics in the marine environment?
Microbeads bind chemical pollutants like PCBs and DDTs. Plastics do not biodegrade. Drifting plastics can be ingested by animals that mistake them for their natural gelatinous prey. Large durable pieces of plastic can entangle marine animals. Plastics photodegrade into smaller fragments, ultimately becoming microplastics.
Periodic variations in Earth's orbit that can cause natural climate changes are called _________.
Milankovitch cycles
Match the organism with the correct taxonomic classification. gray whale
Order Cetacea, Suborder Mysticeti
Which of the following has been indicated as a cause of spontaneous abortions in sea lions and the death of shrimp in Escambia Bay, Florida?
PCBs
What happens after a surface oil spill?
Photooxidation occurs. An oil slick is created. Emulsification occurs.
Which of the following types of trash, found in the ocean, typically accumulates at the surface because it doesn't readily sink or biodegrade?
Plastic
Research studies of trash on beaches has identified pieces of which of the following types of debris as the most numerous?
Plastic nurdles
What is the fate of the largest proportion of plastic pollution that enters the oceans each year?
Remains floating at sea
Your roommate, who has not studied climate, says, "I thought the greenhouse effect was a bad thing. Isn't it what's causing global warming?" Which of the following statements might you use to help your roommate understand the true nature of the greenhouse effect?
Some gases, like carbon dioxide and water vapor, "trap" the heat radiated by Earth, causing warming. When there are more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect is stronger.
Which of the following statements regarding the causes of oil and natural (methane) gas seeps and spills is/are correct?
Some oil slicks are caused by natural oil seeps on the ocean floor. Some natural (methane) gas is released into the atmosphere via photooxidation of surface oil slicks. Some oil slicks are caused by oil spills on the ocean surface. Some natural (methane) gas is released into the atmosphere via natural gas seeps on the ocean floor.
Changes occur in Earth's climate as a result of changes in the relative positions of Earth's tectonic plates.
True
Which statements correctly explain why biological productivity in the tropical ocean is so meager when compared to biological productivity on land in tropical environments?
Sunlight penetrates deep into the tropical ocean, warming the surface waters and creating stratification of water masses. The permanent thermocline presents a barrier that keeps nutrients in deeper water from mixing with surface waters.
Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: Beaches that were left alone after the Exxon Valdez disaster recovered more quickly and more completely than the cleaned beaches BECAUSE hot water removed the oil but also killed most shoreline organisms.
The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid.
On a day with half cloud cover, what happens to the visible light headed toward Earth?
The clouds reflect some of it back to space, and some still reaches the surface.
Coral reefs contain more algal biomass than animal biomass.
True
Changes in Earth's orbit can impact climate by increasing or decreasing solar input.
True
Marine algae that grow close to the limits of light penetration have accessory photosynthetic pigments that absorb high energy, short-wavelength light in the blue region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
True
Muscles used in locomotion and found along the sides of fish are called myomeres.
True
Some of the more common fauna of sediment-covered shores include bivalve mollusks, annelid worms, and crustaceans.
True
The oceans have absorbed the majority of the increased heat in the atmosphere.
True
The temperature of the ocean water has a significant effect on species diversity of benthic communities.
True
What is the greatest anthropogenic source of petroleum pollution to the ocean?
Urban runoff and individual vehicle owners
In a conversation with a friend, he expresses skepticism about global warning. When you inquire about his reasons, he responds by saying that the weather in that area has been the coolest he can remember. Using the information you have learned, what information could you offer to encourage your friend to reevaluate his position?
Weather and climate are different. Cooler weather does not mean the global climate is also cooler. "Global warming" means that the average global temperature is increasing. It doesn't mean that temperatures everywhere are hotter.
Summer productivity in temperate waters typically is hampered by _________.
a strong thermocline
Which of the following process(es) explain why DDT concentrations in predators such as osprey or bald eagles are higher than the DDT concentrations in their prey?
bioaccumulation biomagnification
What caused the Deepwater Horizon spill?
natural gas explosion
Important marine autotrophs that have silica incorporated into their cell walls are:
diatoms
Zooxanthellae are autotrophic marine protists that are found in the living tissues of some simple marine invertebrates such as corals, sea anemones, and jellyfish. Zooxanthellae are:
dinoflagellates
Which of the following items is/are illegal to dump within 3 to 12 miles of the shore?
dunnage, ground to less than 1 inch plastic, ground to less than 1 inch
In the ongoing processes of photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition in the ocean, all components are recycled except _________.
energy
Which of the following items is/are illegal to dump within 3 miles of the shore?
glass, ground to less than 1 inch plastic, ground to less than 1 inch metal, ground to less than 1 inch dunnage, ground to less than 1 inch food, ground to less than 1 inch
Organisms such as a mackerel sharks and tunas that can maintain a relatively constant body temperature are referred to as:
homeothermic.
How does mercury get into the ocean?
improper disposal of batteries burning fossil fuels industrial runoff
The greenhouse effect occurs when gas molecules absorb _________ radiation.
infrared
With the depletion of fish stocks in coastal waters, more fishing is being conducted in deeper waters. Deep-water species are becoming endangered at a rapid rate, primarily because _________.
most deep-water organisms have lower metabolic rates; therefore, they grow, mature, and reproduce at a slower rate
Which of the following marine habitats has the lowest species diversity?
mud flats
A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit is called _________.
mutualism
The symbiotic relationship between the coral animals and the zooxanthellae is an example of _________.
mutualism
The oxygen-storing compound in the red muscle tissue of fishes is called _________.
myoglobin
Which of the following is/are responsible for releasing oil into the ocean?
natural seeps leaks during offshore drilling spills during transport by ship purposeful release by humans
According to the World Health Organization definition of marine pollutants, __________ is NOT a pollutant
oil from offshore seeps
Match the organism or definition with the correct description of its food preference. an organism that feeds on plants or animals
omnivore
Some plastics accumulate poisons such as DDT and PCBs to levels as high as a ________ times their concentrations in seawater.
one million
Arctic sea ice reached a historic minimum in 2012 that was approximately __________ the size of the long-term average recorded during 1979-2000.
one-half
In dead zones resulting from eutrophication, animal life is absent due to the lack of _________.
oxygen
Using proxy data, scientists have compiled a detailed record of Earth's climate over the recent geologic past. This science is called _________.
paleoclimatology
The fins used by fishes primarily for maneuvering are _________.
pectoral and pelvic
Studies indicate that acidification of the ocean by the absorption of carbon dioxide is harmful to virtually all marine life and ecosystems. The group most vulnerable to both warming and acidification would be the _________.
reef corals and other calcareous organisms
Assume that you wanted to give the impression that, although CO2 levels have indeed increased over the past 50 years, they have not had a significant impact on average surface temperatures. Which of the scales shown in Step 3 would be the best choice?
scale 3
What is obliquity in Earth's orbit?
the inclination of Earth's axis
A fact regarding photosynthesis is that _________.
water and carbon dioxide are converted to oxygen gas and sugar