Multiple-Choice Questions
Chapter 2: Marine Ecology
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Which environment has historically been the most stable?
w. desert
x. coral reef
y. tundra
z. tropical rain forest
Most sea life is found in which area?
w. On or above continental shelves
x. In trenches
y. Along mid-ocean ridges
z. Near deep-sea hydrothermal vents
Coastal upwelling results in ________.
w. carbon dioxide-rich water surfacing
x. warm water surfacing
y. mixing of salt and freshwater
z. lower high tides
The yellow-green color of coastal waters as compared to the blue color of the open ocean is a result
of what?
w. A lower salinity
x. A high concentration of organic materials
y. A higher copper content of sediment
z. A low copper content of sediment
Fish in what layer of water would be more likely to have large eyes?
w. The aphotic zone
x. The euphotic zone
y. The disphotic zone
z. The non-photic zone
What type of shore is most biologically diverse?
w. Sandy beach
x. Mud flat
y. Salt marsh
z. Rocky shore
What part of a coral reef is above a depth of 20 meters?
w. Buttress zone
x. Supralittoral zone
y. Hermatypic zone
z. Bathyal zone
A buckshot barnacle, which is submerged in water only during high tide, is going to be found in
which section of a beach?
w. Foreshore
x. Backshore
y. Supralittoral zone
z. Littoral zone
Which of the following is the correct order of zones going from the shore to the deep ocean?
w. sublittoral, hadal, bathyal, abyssal
x. hadal, sublittoral, bathyal, abyssal
y. sublittoral, bathyal, abyssal, hadal
z. bathyal, sublittoral, abyssal, hadal
10. What is the depth below which net primary growth cannot occur?
w. Dissolved oxygen minimum
x. Biological compensation depth
y. Critical depth
z. Oxygen compensation depth
11. Depth recorders are often tricked by ___________.
w. The deep scattering layer
x. Sonic refraction off of large cetaceans
y. The pycnocline
z. The sound fixing and ranging channel
12. An organism containing photophores is likely to inhabit which of the following zones?
w. Epipelagic zone
x. Bathypelagic zone
y. Mesopelagic zone
z. Abyssopelagic zone
13. The oxygen minimum zone is partially a result of water with which of the following properties being
able to hold more dissolved oxygen?
w. High temperature
x. High productivity
y. Low productivity
z. Low temperature
14. A coastal body of water connected to the ocean and supplied with fresh water from a river is an
__________ .
w. Shelf
x. Inlet
y. Estuary
z. Atoll
15. Short Answer Name Three Causes of Variability in the salinity of an estuary:
amount of freshwater input, evaporation, vertical variability -- water density, tides, Coriolis
effect
16. Which type of estuary has river water that flows on top of the salt water?
w. intermittent
x. negative
y. Fresh-Wedge
z. Salt-Wedge
17. What is the average salinity of an estuary?
w. 23 ppt
x. 12 ppt
y. 8ppt
z. 17ppt
18. Short Answer What is the general name given to areas that are protected from the open ocean and
mostly border estuaries?
Wetlands
19. What is the type of exoskeleton formed by corals?
w. Hydrogen Calcite
x. Calcium Carbonate
y. Limestone
z. Phosphate
20. Short Answer Give the stages of coral reef development in order.
Fringing, Barrier, Atoll
21. Compared with the hypolimnion, the epilimnion is:
w. warmer, higher pH and dissolved oxygen concentration
x. colder, higher pH and dissolved oxygen concentration
y. warmer, lower pH and dissolved oxygen concentration
z. colder, lower pH and dissolved oxygen concentration
22. Epilimnion and hypolimnion are terms that deal with:
w. pressure stratification in the sea
x. density stratification in a lake
y. thermal stratification in a lake
z. turbidity currents in the sea
23. What is the term for members of multiple species living in an area & interacting?
w. ecosystem
x. ecotone
y. biome
z. community
24. What is the term for all of the biotic and abiotic components of a system?
w. ecosystem
x. ecotone
y. biome
z. community
25. What is the term for an ecosystem interface?
w. ecosystem
x. ecotone
y. biome
z. community
26. What is the term for a collection of similar ecosystems?
w. ecosystem
x. ecotone
y. biome
z. community
27. In the trophic pyramid, how are organisms classified?
w. Based on their habitat
x. Based on their size
y. Based on where they get their energy from
z. Based on their lifespan
28. Which of the following best describes decomposers?
w. heterotrophs
x. autotrophs
y. phototrophs
z. none of the above
29. What symbiotic relationship is occurring when one organism is benefited and the other is not
affected significantly?
w. mutualism
x. parasitism
y. competition
z. commensalism
30. Which of the following describes cold seeps?
w. contain metal sulfides
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33.
34.
x. 46 ppt
y. bacteria do chemosynthesis w/ methane
z. water isn't hot
Which of the following describes black smokers?
w. contain metal sulfides
x. 46 ppt
y. bacteria do chemosynthesis w/ methane
z. water isn't hot
Which of the following describes hydrocarbon seeps?
w. contain metal sulfides
x. 46 ppt
y. bacteria do chemosynthesis w/ methane
z. water isn't hot
Which of the following describes hypersaline seeps?
w. contain metal sulfides
x. 46 ppt
y. bacteria do chemosynthesis w/ methane
z. water isn't hot
Around black smokers, tube worms and other organisms rely on bacteria to do chemosynthesis using
what gas as their energy source?
w. oxygen
x. carbon dioxide
y. hydrogen sulfide
z. potassium sulfate
35. What element is most closely correlated with Eutrophication?
w. Sulfur
x. Carbon
y. Phosphorus
z. Nitrogen
36. Which term represents the following phrase: A reduced nutrient availability which leads to low
productivity.
w. Ecological efficiency
x. Oligotrophication
y. Primary production
z. Eutrophication
37. Which of the following phrases best represents the definition of standing crop?
w. Total biomass in a specified area
x. Total animal biomass in a specified area
y. Total plant biomass in a specified area
z. The total production made by organisms in a specific area.
38. Which gas is responsible for the characteristic smell of the sea?
w. Tetrasulfuric Dichloride
x. Acetylene
y. Ammonia
z. Dimethyl Sulfide
39. What type of microorganisms are responsible for spring blooms?
w. Dinoflagellates
x. Brown Algae
y. Diatoms
z. Red Algae
40. What type of wind is responsible for autumn blooms?
w. Westerlies
x. Polar Easterlies
y. Doldrums
z. Trade winds
41. What is the typical depth of the pycnocline in temperate waters?
w. 10m
x. 100m
y. 300m
z. 1000m