ELMONT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
MARINE SCIENCE
UNIT 3: PELAGIC ZONE
REVIEW SHEET
NAME____________________________________
DATE____________________ PERIOD_________
Answer each of the following questions on another sheet of paper.
PHYTOPLANKTON
1) What are 4 characteristics of the pelagic zone?
2) Name 3 dominant groups of the pelagic zone.
3) What is the plytoplankton’s niche?
4) What are three characteristics of all plankton?
5) What are the structural adaptations of plankton?
6) What does paralytic shellfish poisoning affect?
7) Why do algae have a variety of pigments?
8) How are phytoplankton grouped?
9) Do single celled plankton have antennae?
ZOOPLANKTON
10) What is the zooplankton’s niche?
11) What does the population density of zooplankton
depend on?
12) What is the most common zooplankton?
13) How are holoplankton different from
meroplankton?
14) How are zooplankton grouped?
VERTICAL MIGRATION
15) Which strategy is used by plankton to reduce
predation in the pelagic zone?
TAXONOMY
16) The closer the relationship between two
organisms, the _____.
17) What is the system of grouping and identifying
organisms called?
18) What makes up th4e scientific name?
19) What does dichotomy refer to?
20) Organize the levels of taxonomy from largest
group to smallest group.
ORDER CETACEA
21) What do whale migrations coincide with?
22) What structure is used to group whales?
23) Why can marine mammals remain underwater for
extended periods of time?
24) Describe the Marine Mammals Protection Act.
25) What is the function of counter-current
exchange?
26) What is the length of the largest whale?
27) How are whales able to provide enough energy to
sustain life?
28) What is the International Whaling Commission
(IWC)?
29) What embryonic whale structures show a
relationship to land-based mammals?
30) How do marine mammals differ from sharks and
fish?
31) Why is a whale’s milk unusual?
32) What do whales use to communicate with each
other?
33) Why do whales not experience the bends?
34) What is the oil filled melon used for?
35) How can individual whales be identified?
36) How many chambers is a whale’s heart?
37) What is the dorsal fin in toothed whales used for?
38) What does the blow hole connect to?
39) Describe a toothed whale’s teeth.
40) What has happened to the whale population
since the Marine Mammals Protection Act?
41) Which whales are pure white and are called the
sea canaries?
42) How many calves do whales have a year?
43) Which whales are black as infants and turn white
in adulthood?
44) Which whales are the fastest at 60 mph?
45) In whales, can water swallowed during feeding be
blown out through the blow hole?