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Oceanography- quiz 3
n/a
92
Science
Undergraduate 2
05/05/2011

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Term
abyssal zone
Definition
the ocean between about 4,000 & 5,000 meters (13,000- 16,500 feet) deep
Term
accessory pigment
Definition
one of a class of pigments (such as fucoxanthin, phycobilin & xanthophyll) that are present in various photosynthetic plants and assist in the absorption of light and the transfer of its energy of chlorophyll; also called masking pigment
Term
algae
Definition
collective term for nonvascular plants possessing chlorophyll and capable of phytosynthesis
Term
angiosperm
Definition

a flowering vascular plant that reproduces be means of a seedbearing fruit 

Examples: sea grasses and mangroves

Term
aphotic zone
Definition
dark ocean below the depth to which light can penetrate
Term
autotroph
Definition
an organism that makes its own food by photo/chemosynthesis
Term
baleen
Definition
the interleaved, hard, fibrous, hornlike filters within the mouth of baleen whales
Term
bathyl zone
Definition
ocean between~ 200 & 4,000 meters deep
Term
cryptic coloration
Definition
camouflage; may be active (under control of the animal) & passive (an unalterable color or shape)
Term
deep scattering layer
Definition
(DSL) a relativelty dense aggregation of fishes, squid & other mesopelagic organisms capable of reflecting a sonar pulse that resembles a false bottom in the ocean. it's position varies with the time of day
Term
diatom
Definition
earth's most abundant, successful $ efficient single-celled phytoplankton. Diatoms possess 2 interlocking valves made primarily of silica. the valves contribute to biogenous sediments
Term
dinoflagellate
Definition
one of a class of microscopic single-celled flagelletes, not all of which are autotrophic. The outer covering is often stiff cellulose. Planktonic dinoflagelletes are responsible for "red tides". 
Term
echolocation
Definition
the use of reflected sound to detect environmental objects. Cetaceans use echolocation to detect prey and avoid obstacles 
Term
ectothermic
Definition
an organism incapable of generating and maintaining steady internal temperature from metabolic heat & therefore whose internal body temperature is approx. the same as that of the surrounding environment; a cold-blooded organism
Term
endothermic
Definition
 a warm -blooded organism 
Term
euphotic zone
Definition
upper layer of photic zone in which net photosynthetic gain occurs
Term
benthic
Definition
zone of ocean bottom 
Term
bilateral symmetry 
Definition

body structure having left and right sides that are approximately mirror images of each other 

 

ex- crabs, humans 

Term
biodegradable
Definition
able to be broken down by natural processes into simpler compounds 
Term
biogeochemical cycle
Definition
natural processes that recycle nutrients into various chemical forms from the non living environment to living organisms then back to the non living environment  
Term
biological amplification
Definition
increase in the concentration of certain fat-soluble chemicals such as DDT or heavy-metal compounds in successively higher trophic levels within a food web
Term
bioluminesence
Definition
biologically produced light
Term
biomass
Definition
the mass of living material in a given area or volume of habitat
Term
blade
Definition
algal equivalent of a vascular plants leaf; also a frond 
Term
cartilage
Definition
a tough, elastic tissue that stiffens or supports
Term
chemosynthesis
Definition
the synthesis or organic compounds from inorganic compounds using energy stored in inorganic substances such as sulfur, ammonia, & hydrogen. Energy is released when these substances are oxidized by certain organisms
Term
chintin
Definition
a complex, nitrogen-rich carbohydrate from which parts of arthropod exoskeletons are constructed
Term
eutrophication
Definition
a set of physical, chemical & biological changes brought about when excessive nutrients are released into water
Term
exoskeleton
Definition

a lightweight, strong, form-fitted external covering & support common to animals of phylum Arthropoda. 

-made partially of chintin, possibly strengthened by calcium carbonate 

Term
food web
Definition
a group of organisms associated by a complex set of feeding relationships in which the flow of food energy can be followed from primary producers through consumers. 
Term
formaminiferan
Definition
one of a group of planktonic amoeba-like animals with a calcareous shell, which contributes to biogenous sediments
Term
nekton
Definition
swimming organisms
Term
neritic zone
Definition
zone of open water near shore over the continental shelf
Term
niche
Definition
description of an organism's functional role in a habitat, its "job"
Term
nutrient
Definition
any needed substance that an organism obtains from its environment except oxygen, CO2 and water
Term
oceanic zone
Definition
zone of open water away from shore; past continental shelf
Term
parasitism
Definition
a symbiotic relationship in which 2 species spends part or all of its life cycle on or within another, using the host species (or food within the host) as a source of nutrients, most common form of symbiosis
Term
greenhouse effect
Definition
trapping of heat in the atmosphere. Incoming short wavelength solar radiation penetrates the atmosphere, but the outgoing longer wavelength radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases & rerediated to Earth, causing a rise in surface temperature 
Term
greenhouse gases
Definition
gases in Earth's atmosphere that cause the greenhouse effect; includes carbon dioxide, methane & CFC's
Term
hadal zone
Definition

deepest zone of the ocean below (5,000 m) deep 

-trenches

Term
heterotroph
Definition
an organism that derives nourishment from other organisms because it is unable to synthesize its own food molecules 
Term
holdfast 
Definition
a complex branching structure that anchors many kinds of multicellular algae to the substrate
Term
holoplankton 
Definition

permanent member of the plankton community

examples- diatoms, copepods

Term
intertidal zone
Definition

marine zone between highest hightide point on shoreline & lowest lowtide point

-sometimes subdivided into 4 separate habitats by height above tidal datum

Term
introduced species 
Definition
a species removed from its home range & established foreign location
Term
invertebrate
Definition
animal lacking backbone
Term
kelp
Definition
informal name for any species of large phaeophyte 
Term
krill 
Definition

Euphausia superba

a thumb sized crustacean common in Antartic waters

Term
lateral line system
Definition
a system of sensors & nerves in the head & midbody of fishes & some amphibians that functions to detect low-frequency vibrations in water
Term
limiting factor
Definition
a physical or biological environmental factor whose absence or presence in an inappropriate amount limits the normal actions of an organism 
Term
littoral zone (Intertidal zone) 
Definition
band of coast alternately covered & uncovered by tidal action
Term
mangrove 
Definition
a large flowering shrub or tree that grows in dense thickets or forests along muddy or silty tropical coasts
Term
pelagic zone
Definition
realm of open water 
Term
photic zone
Definition
the thin film of lighted water at the top of the world ocean; rarely extends deeper than 200 m
Term
photosynthesis
Definition

process by which autotrophs bind light energy into the chemical bonds of food with the aid of chlorophyll and other substances

 

uses CO2 & water> glucose & oxygen

Term
phylum
Definition
one of the major groups of animal kingdom whose members share a similar body plan level of complexity & evolutionary history
Term
photoplankton
Definition
plant like, usually single celled members of plankton community
Term
picoplankton
Definition
extremely small members of plankton community, typically 0.2 to 2 micrometers across 
Term
plankton
Definition
Drifting or weakly swimming organisms suspended in water. Their horizontal position is to a large extent dependent on the mass flow of rather than on their own swimming efforts
Term
polychlorinated biphenyls
Definition

chlorinated hydrocarbons once widely used to cool & insulate electrical devices & to strengthen wood or concrete

-may be responsible for the changes in & declining fertility of some marine mammals

Term
polyp
Definition

one of 2 body forms of Cnidaria 

-cup shaped & possess rings of tentacles

-coral animals are polyps

Term
primary consumer
Definition

-initial consumer of primary producers

-consumers of autotrophs 

-2nd level in food web

Term
primary producer
Definition
organism capable of using energy from light or energy0rich chemicals in the environment to produce energy-rich organic compounds; an autotroph 
Term
radial symmetry
Definition

body structure in which the body parts radiate from a central axis like spokes from a wheel

 

example- seastar

Term
schooling
Definition
tendency of small fish of a single species, size & age to mass in groups. The school moves as a unit, which confuses predators & reduces the effort spent searching for mates 
Term
seagrass
Definition

any of the several marine angiosperms 

 

examples- 2 ostera (eel grass)

phyllospadix (surfgrass)

Term
sewage
Definition
waste water with a significant organic content usually from domestic or industrial sources 
Term
stipe
Definition
multicellular algal equivalent of a vascular plant's stem 
Term
sublittoral zone (subtidal zone)
Definition
Ccean floor near shore. The inner sublittoral extends from intertidal zone to depth at which wind waves have no influence; the outer sublittoral extends to edge of continental shelf
Term
suspension feeder 
Definition
animal that feeds by straining or otherwise collecting plankton & tiny food particles from the surrounding water
Term
symbiosis
Definition

the co-occurance of 2 species in which the life of one is closely interwoven with the life of the other;

mutualism

commensalism

parasitism 

Term
top consumer 
Definition
an organism at the apex of a trophic pyramid, usually a carnivore 
Term
trophic pyramid
Definition
o model of feeding relationships among organisms. Primary producers form the base of the pyramid; consumers eating one another form high levels, with topic consumer at the apex
Term
unicellular algae
Definition

algae with bodies consisting of a single cell

 

examples- diatoms

dinoflagellates

Term
vertebrate
Definition
a chordate with a segmented backbone
Term
zooplanton
Definition
animal members of plankton community
Term
zooxanthellae
Definition
unicellular dinoflagellates that are symbiotic with coral & that produce the relatively high pH & some of the enzymes essential for rapid CaCO3 deposition in coral reefs 
Term
marine pollution
Definition
the introduction by humans of substances or energy into the ocean that changes the quality of the water or affects the physical and biological environment 
Term
medusa 
Definition
free swimming body form of many members of the phylumcnidaria
Term
meroplankton
Definition
the planktonic phase of the life cycle of organisms that spend only part of their lives drifting in the plankton 
Term
metamerism 
Definition
segmentation; repeating body parts 
Term
multicellular alga
Definition

 

algae with bodies consisting of more than 1 cell

examples- kelp & ulva

 

Term
mutualism
Definition
a symbiotic relationship between 2 species that is beneficial to both
Term
chlorinated hydrocarbon
Definition
the most abundant & dangerous class of halogenated hydrocarbons, syntheric organic chemicals hazardous to the marine environment 
Term
chloroflurocarbons
Definition
(CFC's) a class of halogenated hydrocarbons thought to be depleting Earth's atmospheric ozone. CfC's are used as cleaning agents, refridgerants, fire-extinguishing fluids, spray- can propellants & insulating foams 
Term
chlorophyll
Definition
a pigment responsible for trapping sunlight & transferring its energy, thus initiating phytosynthesis 
Term
cnidoblast
Definition
type if cell found in members of phylum cnidaria that contains a stinging capsule the threads that evert from the capsules assist in capturing prey & repelling aggressors 
Term
coccolithophore 
Definition
a very small planktonic alga carrying discs of CaCO3, which contribute to biogenous sediments 
Term
commensalism 
Definition
a symbiotic relationship between 2 species in which only 1 species benefits & neither is harmed 
Term
compensation depth 
Definition
depth in water column at which production of carbohydrates & oxygen by photosynthesis  exactly equals the consumption of carbohydrates & oxygen by respiration. The breakeven point for autotrophs 
Term
copepod 
Definition
a small planktonic arthropod; a major marine primary consumer 
Term
countershading 
Definition
a camouflage pattern featuring a dark upper surface & lighter bottom surface 
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