MS 131 Marine Botany – Final Exam
Graham/McConnico, Fall 2003
Name: ______________________________
1. (20 pts.) Define the terms below
a. zygote polarity:
b. propagula:
c. lacunae:
d. monoecious:
e. physiological anisogamy:
f. syngamy:
g. mastigoneme:
h. stigma:
i. paraphysis:
j. Durvillaeales:
2. (9 pts.) Morphology can be an important means of describing phylogenetic relationships among taxa. For
each group below, use a specific example to demonstrate how strong differences in morphology have
falsely suggested that taxa are or are not closely related.
a. Chlorophyta:
b. Phaeophyceae, Scytosiphonales:
c. Phaeophyceae, Laminariales:
MS 131 Marine Botany – Final Exam
Graham/McConnico, Fall 2003
Name: ______________________________
3. (9 pts.) Based on your knowledge of the biology of kelp microscopic stages, discuss why successful kelp
recruitment occurs only when zoospores exceed a “critical” settlement density of ~1/mm2. Why does this
generally restrict macroscopic sporophyte recruits to close proximity of their parents? Give an example of
how kelps can overcome this restriction and enhance their dispersal.
4. (18 pts.) Create a dichotomous key to separate the following genera: Constantinea, Phyllospadix,
Silvetia, Ectocarpus, Eisenia, Udotea. Characters cannot be based on size, shape, branching, color, or
habitat.
MS 131 Marine Botany – Final Exam
Graham/McConnico, Fall 2003
Name: ______________________________
5. (9 pts.) What are rhodoliths? Where do they occur? What sets their upper and lower depth distributions?
How can rhodolith presence enhance local faunal species richness?
6. (15 pts.) Explain why it took Ross Clark so many years (3) to finish his master’s thesis, while Laurie
McConnico was able to finish her research in a little over a year. Remember that Ross’s study looked at
algal recruitment in response to kelp canopy removal, while Laurie examined demographic attributes of the
kelp Alaria marginata. You should comment on the seaweeds, systems, and research questions
involved not the researchers’ personal abilities or efficiency.
MS 131 Marine Botany – Final Exam
Graham/McConnico, Fall 2003
Name: ______________________________
7. (20 pts.) Compare the life history of Postelsia with that of Sargassum. Include labeled diagrams indicating
the various stages, the ploidy of the stages, the name of the sexual pheromones, and where meiosis and
fertilization occur. Describe 2 specific characters (any structural, developmental, or life-history) that differ
among these two taxa, and 2 specific characters that are shared among these two taxa but differ from the
Ectocarpales. Briefly discuss how the difference in life history between these two taxa can be (1) and
advantage and (2) a disadvantage in terms of population persistence.
MS 131 Marine Botany – Final Exam
Graham/McConnico, Fall 2003
Name: ______________________________
8. Briefly discuss those aspects of this year’s Marine Botany course that were (1) beneficial to learning the
subject matter and (2) not beneficial to learning the subject matter. Please be specific.
9. Was there any subject matter that you were surprised was not covered in Marine Botany and you would
like to have covered? Was there any subject matter that you were surprised was covered in Marine Botany
and you would like to have seen omitted? Was there any subject matter that you were surprised was
covered in Marine Botany and you would like to see retained?
10. What is the single thing that the Marine Botany instructors could do to help you learn the concepts and
flora better?