[Science] 500+ Marine Biology Review Questions

Marine Biology Science Questions Eduhyme

Oceans cover 71% of the earth, and affect climate and weather patterns that in turn impact the terrestrial environments. They are very important for transportation and as a source of food, yet are largely unexplored; it is commonly said that we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the deepest parts of the oceans!

Oceanography is the study of the oceans and their phenomena and involves sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, geology, meteorology. Marine biology is the study of the organisms that inhabit the seas and their interactions with each other and their environment.

Marine biology is a younger science than terrestrial biology as early scientists were limited in their study of aquatic organisms by lack of technology to observe and sample them.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle was one of the firsts to design a classification scheme for living organisms, which he called “the ladder of life” and in which he described 500 species, several of which were marine. He also studied fish gills and cuttlefish. The Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder published a 37-volume work called Natural History, which contained several marine species.

Below is the list of review questions related to Marine Biology:

Introduction to Marine Biology
1	What percentage of the earth is covered with oceans?
2	What was the driving force behind the initial studies into oceanography?
3	Who was the scientist on board the HMS Beagle in 1831?
4	What theories did this scientist develop?
5	In the early 19th century who proposed that no life could live in the deep ocean?
6	Who was the chief scientist on board the HMS Challenger in 1872-76?
7	What theories did Alexander Agassiz develop?
8	Why study marine biology? give three reasons
9	Explain the process of the scientific method
10	Can scientific hypotheses ever be tested when controlled experiments are not possible? If so, how?
Fundamentals of Ecology
11	Define the term ecology.
12	Define the term ecosystems.
13	Give an example of abiotic factors affecting marine organisms.
14	Give an example of biotic factors affecting marine organisms.
15	Define the term habitat.
16	Define the term niche.
17	Define the term homeostasis.
18	What is an ectotherm/poikilotherm?
19	What is an endotherm/homeotherm?
20	What is the difference between interspecific and intraspecific competition?
21	What is resource partitioning? Give an example on a coral reef?
22	Define a keystone predator and give an example of one?
23	Name and describe the three types of symbiotic relationships.
24	What is osmosis?
25	What are osmoconformers?
26	In which type of symbiotic relationship does one organism benefit and the other is not harmed in any way but does not benefit?
27	Define the term population?
28	What is the carrying capacity of a population?
29	What does the term neritic refer to?
30	What is plankton?
31	What does benthic refer to?
32	What does pelagic refer to?
33	What is the difference between epifauna and infauna?
34	What is an autotroph?
35	What is the equation for photosynthesis?
36	What is the primary energy source for autotrophs?
37	What inorganic nutrients do photosynthetic organisms require?
38	How do chemosynthetic organisms generate energy?
39	What do detritivores feed on?
40	What is the average percent of energy passed from one trophic level to another in a food chain? What is the rest used for?
41	What is a realized niche and how does it compare to the fundamental niche of an organism?
42	What is an r-selected species? Give an example of an r-selected marine animal.
43	Explain how marine fishes maintain an internal salinity that is lower than their environment.
Basics of Life
44	Which polysaccharide is used for structure in the cell wall of plants?
45	Which polysaccharide is used for the hard exterior of crabs and lobsters?
46	What are the two major roles of carbohydrates in living organisms?
47	Give three roles of lipids in marine organisms?
48	Which macromolecule is an enzyme an example of?
49	What are the two types of nucleic acids?
50	What is the major role of nucleic acids in living organisms/
51	What is the difference between prokaryotic & eukaryotic cells?
52	How do prokaryotic cells divide?
53	How do eukaryotic cells divide/
54	Which organelle is the site for photosynthesis in eukaryotic cells?
55	What organelle is a long hair-like structure used in propulsion?
56	Who independently formulated similar ideas to Darwin on the theory of evolution by natural selection?
57	Explain the process of evolution by natural selection.
58	What is a gene?
59	What is fitness in evolutionary terms/
60	What is the modern definition of a species?
61	Which 2 words are use to describe a species in the binomial nomenclature system?
62	List 4 possible isolating mechanisms that lead to sympatric speciation?
63	What term describes the mechanism by which new species arise due to geographical isolation?
64	Which comes first, the genus or species name when describing an organism using the binomial system?
65	Which is capitalized, the genus or species name when describing an organism using the binomial system?
66	Are protists prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms?
67	Compare sexual and asexual reproduction
68	What is the difference between a cladogram and a traditional phylogenetic tree?
69	What are the various levels of taxonomic classification, from most to least inclusive?
Marine Micro-organisms
70	Why is a virus not considered to be alive?
71	How do viruses replicate?
72	Which bacteria can photosynthesize?
73	Symbiosis with which organisms gave rise to eukaryotic cells?
74	What are two roles of accessory pigments in photosynthetic organisms?
75	What are stromatolites? Where are they found?
76	What is the source of energy for chemosynthetic bacteria?
77	In what ecosystem do you find chemosynthetic bacteria?
78	Some cyanobacteria can fix nitrogen, what does this mean?
79	Why are nitrogen fixation and nitrification important?
80	Give an example of symbiotic bacteria?
81	Which domain includes the single-celled prokaryotes that are similar to bacteria but very well adapted to extreme conditions?
82	Can diatoms photosynthesize?
83	What group of macroalgae are diatoms closely related to?
84	What is impregnated in the cell wall of diatoms?
85	When does a diatom switch from asexual to sexual reproduction?
86	How does diatomaceous earth form, and what are three of its uses?
87	What is the name of the feeding structure in coccolithophores?
88	What are the coccoliths of coccolithophores made of?
89	Can dinoflagellates photosynthesize?
90	Give an example of an important dinoflagellate on coral reefs?
91	What organism is typically responsible for red tides?
92	What compound forms the multi-chambered test in formaniniferans?
93	What organism is responsible for the pink sands on beaches in Tonga & the Bahamas?
94	What are the two major shapes of marine bacteria?
95	Explain the major ecological role that viruses play in the world’s oceans.
96	Explain the major ecological roles that bacteria play in the world’s oceans.
97	What is a decomposer?
98	What is a lichen, and where are lichens found in the marine environment?
99	What are the cell walls of fungi made of?
100	What are the major ecological roles of marine fungi?
101	Are protists prokaryotic or eukaryotic?
Multi-cellular Primary Producers
102	What is chromatic adaptation?
103	How do seaweeds differ from marine flowering plants?
104	How do seaweeds anchor to the substrate?
105	Why are air bladders important in seaweeds?
106	What are 2 of the roles of the slimy gelatinous mucilage of seaweeds?
107	What are three medicinal uses of seaweed?
108	Which of the following seaweeds would you expect to inhabit the deepest water; green algae, red algae, brown algae?
109	Give an example of a member of the phylum Chlorophyta?
110	Give an example of a member of the phylum Rhodophyta?
111	What is carrageenan used for?
112	Give an example of a member of the phylum Phaeophyta?
113	How do large kelp conduct the products of photosynthesis to the deepest part of the plant?
114	Where would you find Sargassum spp.? Why does it accumulate in that area?
115	What are three examples of marine flowering plants?
116	What are the horizontal underground stems of seagrasses called?
117	Name three organisms that feed on seagrasses directly?
118	Do a lot of marine herbivores feed on seagrasses
119	What are three ecological roles of seagrasses?
120	Must salt marsh plants always be submerged?
121	Would you expect to find marsh plants in the tropics or temperate regions?
122	Give 3 ecological roles of salt marsh plants?
123	Where would you expect to find mangroves?
124	Describe the roots of the red mangrove?
125	Describe the roots of the black mangrove?
126	Describe 3 adaptations of mangrove leafs to prevent water loss and salt accumulation?
127	How do red and black mangroves reproduce?
128	Give 3 ecological roles of mangroves?
129	Point out two ecological similarities between salt marsh plants, mangroves and seagrasses.
130	How do mangroves get rid of excess salt?
131	What kind of wave action are mangroves well adapted for?
132	What kind of multicellular primary producer can be used to treat goiter?
133	Where is kelp most abundant?
134	Which seaweed phylum has the greatest diversity?
135	Which seaweed phylum includes the largest seaweeds?
136	What is a coenocytic thallus? Which seaweed phylum includes many species that display one?
137	Describe the alternation of generation that is common in seaweed reproduction.
138	What is a stipe?
139	What is the compensation depth?
Sponges, Cnidarians and Ctenophores
140	What are 4 distinctive characteristics of animals?
141	What is the phylum that contains sponges?
142	What is the name of the incurrent and excurrent pores in sponge?
143	Are the cells in sponges organized into tissues and organs?
144	What are choanocytes (collar cells)?
145	What is the role of spicules?
146	What are spicules made of?
147	What is spongin?
148	How do sponges reproduce asexually?
149	How do sponges eat? Where does digestion occur?
150	How do sponges prevent predation?
151	Give an example of commensalism involving sponges?
152	Which organisms are members of the phylum Cnidaria?
153	What is the benefit of radial symmetry in the cnidarians?
154	What are the two types of cnidarian body plans?
155	What is an example of a spearing type of stinging organelle?
156	What triggers the stinging cells in cnidaria?
157	Give an example of a member of the class Hydrozoa?
158	What is the skeleton of fire coral made of?
159	Is the Portuguese Man-Of-War an example of a solitary or colonial hydrozoan?
160	Give an example of a member of the class Scyphozoan?
161	Is jellyfish part of the plankton?
162	Give an example of a member of the class Anthozoan?
163	What is the skeleton of hard coral made from?
164	Do cnidarians have an anus?
165	How does the upside-down jellyfish obtain its food?
166	How do hard corals feed?
167	What are the advantages of mass spawning in hard corals?
168	How do corals reproduce asexually?
169	Give an example of a serious coral predator in the Pacific?
170	Give an example of a mutualistic symbiotic relationship involving Cnidaria?
171	Can a ctenophore sting you?
172	Describe the life cycle of a typical hydrozoan
173	How do corals reproduce?
174	How many tentacles would you expect on the polyp of a soft coral?
175	Explain three differences between scyphozoans and ctenophores.
Marine Worms, Bryozoans and Mollusks
176	Why is bilateral symmetry favored in platyhelminthes (flatworms)?
177	What is cephalization?
178	Some flatworms reproduce sexually by reciprocal copulation. What does this mean?
179	What phylum do round worms belong to?
180	Give an example of an annelid with toxins in its setae?
181	What are characteristic features of annelids?
182	How does a typical errant polychaete move?
183	How does a typical round worm move?
184	What are the most common annelids in the marine environment?
185	What type of feeding is characteristic of sedentary polychaetes?
186	Give an example of a sedentary polychaete worm?
187	What part of the mollusk produces the shell?
188	What is the radula of a mollusk?
189	What phylum and class contains chitons?
190	Do all members of the class Gastropoda have a shell?
191	What is the operculum?
192	Are all gastropods herbivores?
193	Which phylum contains Bivalves?
194	What is the role of byssus threads in mussels?
195	Describe the shell of the Nautilus?
196	What are chromatophores?
197	What is the name of the individual animals that make up a colony of Bryozoans?
198	What is the name of the crown of tentacles on the head of a bryozoan?
199	How many appendages do coleoid cephalopods have?
200	Which class of mollusk has a complex eye similar to vertebrates?
201	Which phylum includes the segmented worms?
202	Are any polychaetes detritivores?
203	Do flat worms have an anus?
204	Which class of mollusks has the most complex brain?
205	Which class of mollusks has 2 valves?
206	What is the name given to pelagic gastropods with reduced shells?
207	Do annelids have a complete digestive tract?
208	True or false. All nematodes are parasites.
209	True or false. Some flatworms are parasites.
Arthropods, Echinoderms and Invertebrate Chordates
210	What is the exoskeleton of an organism in the Phylum Arthropoda composed of?
211	Is a horseshoe crab more closely related to a king crab or a spider?
212	Which phylum contains organisms which need to molt their exoskeleton?
213	Which subphylum of Arthropods lacks mouthparts for chewing food, and must suck up its food in a semi-liquid form?
214	Which phylum contains Crustaceans?
215	Give an example of an organism in the order Decapoda?
216	Give two examples of important crustacean zooplankton in pelagic food chains.
217	Which phylum and class do barnacles belong to?
218	What does the term echinoderm mean?
219	What is the advantage of radial symmetry shown by members of the Phylum Echinodermata?
220	What is the system unique to echinoderms that is used in locomotion, feeding and gas exchange?
221	Give an example of a member of the Phylum Echinodermata that has venom in its spines?
222	What is the name of the 5 toothed feeding structure in sea urchins?
223	Give an example of a method of defense in sea cucumbers?
224	Give an example of a pelagic Tunicate?
225	What group of crustaceans often fouls ships’ bottoms?
226	Which group of small, laterally-compressed crustaceans is common on sandy beaches?
227	Why are tunicates members of the Phylum Chordata?
228	T/F: Crustaceans are all benthic.
229	What is the advantage of cephalization in Arthropods?
230	What are the defining features of Chelicerates?
231	Which group of Arthropods have 2 pairs of antennae?
232	What are mandibles? Name two species that have them.
233	What body part is used for filter feeding in barnacles?
234	What class and phylum do barnacles belong to?
235	How do barnacles reproduce?
236	What are the two main ways in which mantis shrimp catch their prey?
237	Echinoderm larvae have ________________ symmetry.
238	What is the water vascular system of echinoderms used for?
239	What are tube feet used for in echinoderms?
240	What are pedicellariae used for in echinoderms?
241	Compare and contrast sea stars and brittle stars in their morphology and ecological roles.
242	T/F: Echinoids are all herbivores.
243	What are the four features that all chordates display at some point in their lives?
Fishes
244	What is the skeleton of jawless fish composed off?
245	What are the two extant groups of jawless fish? How are they similar? How are they different?
246	Which fish is able to tie its body in knots to remove excess slime and gain leverage to tear flesh?
247	Give an example of a jawed fish with a cartilaginous skeleton?
248	Do sharks and rays have a swim bladder?
249	Name three mechanisms sharks use to remain neutrally buoyant?
250	How do sharks achieve internal fertilization?
251	What do the Ampullae of Lorenzini detect?
252	Are all sharks predators?
253	Describe the three different reproductive strategies seen in sharks.
254	Why are the eyes and spiracles of a ray on the top side?
255	Give four functions of the pectoral fins in ray-finned fish?
256	Which caudal fin shape is best for high speeds?
257	Which caudal fin shape is best for maneuvering at low speeds?
258	What is the body shape a butterfly fish described as? How is it adapted to their habitat?
259	What are chromatophores?
260	What is an iridiophore?
261	What is the advantage of counteshading?
262	Give an example of a fish showing disruptive coloration?
263	Which fins do parrotfish and wrasses use to swim?
264	What is an operculum? Which groups of fish have one?
265	Explain the counter current exchange system in the gills, and its importance?
266	Compare and contrast osmoregulation in ray-finned fishes and in sharks.
267	Why is it advantageous for active swimmers to have a counter current arrangement of arteries and veins? Which group of fishes displays this?
268	What is a swim bladder and what is its main role?
269	How does a fish with a closed swim bladder control its volume?
270	Why do some active swimmers not have a swim bladder, and how do they achieve buoyancy instead?
271	In addition to providing buoyancy, what other roles does the swim bladder have?
272	What do neuromasts of the lateral line system detect?
273	How are fish ears different to ours?
274	What role does the swim bladder play in hearing?
275	How does the lens in a fish eye adjust for distance?
276	Why does a carnivorous fish swallow its prey whole?
277	Give three adaptations to avoid predation seen in fish?
278	Give an example of a simultaneous/synchronous hermaphroditic fish.
279	Give an example of a protogynous sequential hermaphroditic fish.
280	How do moray eels ventilate their gills?
281	In most fishes, the ___________ fin is used for propulsion.
282	Compare and contrast swimming pattern in a slow-moving eel and in a fast cruising fish like a tuna.
283	Which group of fish is most closely related to land vertebrates?
284	Describe adaptations that cartilaginous fishes and bony fishes have for defense against predators.
Reptiles and Birds
285	What is an amniotic egg, and what are the advantages of it?
286	Why was the evolution of copulatory organs important for the evolution of the amniotic egg?
287	How do marine crocodiles eliminate excess salt?
288	What kind of reproductive strategy do marine crocodiles display? Where are baby crocodiles born?
289	How do sea turtles eliminate excess salt?
290	What organ do marine reptiles and birds use to breathe?
291	Which species of turtle is found in cold oceans? What adaptation enables that?
292	What do sea turtles feed on?
293	Where do sea turtles mate? Where do they lay their eggs?
294	How does temperature affect the development of sea turtles?
295	Where would you find the only marine iguana?
296	What adaptation helps marine iguanas live in the cold waters of the Pacific?
297	How do iguanas feed underwater?
298	How do marine iguanas eliminate excess salts?
299	Give five examples of adaptations seen in sea snakes for a marine existence?
300	How do marine birds remove excess salts from their bodies?
301	What do shorebirds eat?
302	How might climate change affect sex ratios in marine crocodiles and sea turtles?
303	Do any seabirds spend their entire life at sea? If so, which one(s)?
304	What do gulls feed on?
305	What are the advantages and disadvantages of nesting in a colony?
306	What is convergent evolution?
307	Give an example of two groups of birds that are ecological equivalents?
308	What is a crop and what is it used for?
309	What species of pelican do we see in the Caribbean most frequently?
310	What is a gular pouch and on which bird would you find it?
311	What is the most common booby in the Caribbean?
312	Which bird is used by fishermen in Asia to help them catch fish?
313	What is cleptoparasitism and which bird exhibits it?
314	Why can a frigate bird not attack prey underwater?
315	Which male birds inflate their throats to attract a mate?
316	Which group of seabird spends most of its life at sea?
317	Give 2 examples of birds that pursue their prey underwater?
318	Describe adaptations of seabirds to maintain their body temperature in cold climates.
319	Which group of seabirds doesn’t have webbed feet?
320	Which seabird migrates from pole to pole?
321	Describe adaptations that penguins have for extensive swimming.
Marine Mammals
322	What are three characteristic of mammals?
323	How do sea otters insulate themselves, do they have blubber?
324	What do sea otters generally feed on and how do they do this?
325	What are the three families of pinnipeds?
326	Explain three adaptations seen in pinnipeds for diving?
327	What provides the propulsive force in eared seals?
328	Are fur seals true seals?
329	What provides the propulsive force in true seals?
330	Which family of Pinnipeds can rotate their flippers to support their weight on land?
331	Which seal is the only one to eat homeothermic prey?
332	Are most seals monogamous or polygamous? Is sexual dimorphism common?
333	Which pinniped has two upper canines evolved into tusks in the males?
334	Where do pinnipeds give birth? Sirenians? Cetaceans?
335	Give an example of a Sirenian.
336	Where would you be most likely to see a Manatee?
337	What is the main food source of Manatees and Dugongs?
338	Cetaceans evolved from a mammal that live in what habitat? Give 3 lines of evidence for this.
339	Give three roles of the subcutaneous blubber in cetaceans?
340	What is a fluke?
341	Describe the adaptations of cetaceans for diving.
342	Why do cetaceans have large amounts of hemoglobin and myoglobin?
343	Why is the medulla oblongata of cetaceans less sensitive to CO2 levels?
344	What is spy hopping? And what is thought to be its purpose?
345	What is breaching? And what are thought to be its purposes?
346	What is the term used to describe a group of cetaceans?
347	What are the 2 sub-orders of whales, and how do they differ?
348	What is baleen composed of?
349	What is bubble netting, and which cetacean commonly does this and why?
350	Why were right whales considered the correct whale to hunt?
351	What are ventral grooves of rorquals and what is their purpose?
352	Give an example of a rorqual.
353	What is the largest animal on earth?
354	What is the main food source of baleen whales? How might this be related to their size?
355	Give three examples of toothed whales.
356	Which group of marine mammals has very well-developed social systems?
357	Which is the only cetacean to eat homeothermic prey?
358	What is the melon used for?
359	Where are sounds picked up in echolocation?
360	What is the role of echolocation in cetaceans?
361	Describe the migration typical of large baleen whales.
362	Which whale populations have been significantly reduced by commercial whaling/
Intertidal Ecology
363	What does the term intertidal mean?
364	Which environmental variables fluctuate daily in the intertidal zone?
365	Which areas of the world experience a minimal tidal range?
366	Describe typical temperate rocky intertidal zonation.
367	Describe the adaptations seen in organisms in the mid-littoral zone of the rocky shore to withstand wave shock?
368	Describe the adaptations seen in mobile organisms in the intertidal zone to withstand desiccation?
369	Describe the adaptations seen in sessile organisms in the intertidal zone to withstand desiccation?
370	Give three mechanisms used by intertidal organisms to reduce heat gain?
371	Give two mechanisms to increase heat loss in organisms in the intertidal zone?
372	When are organisms in the midlittoral zone of the rocky shore more active, high or low tide?
373	How do mussels attach to the rock?
374	What is the predominant macroalgae in the midlittoral zone of temperate rocky shores?
375	How do seaweeds in the midlittoral zone overcome problems of desiccation?
376	How can pH vary rapidly in a tide pool?
377	Are rocky intertidal organisms predominantly marine or terrestrial?
378	Give two differences between rocky shores in tropics and temperate regions?
379	Explain the difference between top-down and bottom-up factors, giving examples of each?
380	What kind of sediment (coarse or fine) would you expect to find on a sandy shore with high wave action?
381	How does particle size affect water retention?
382	How is wave action related to the type of animals found on a sandy shore?
383	True or false: you expect to find more deposit feeders on a sandy shore than a rocky shore?
384	If there are essentially no primary producers on sandy shore, what do animals eat?
385	Why is sandy shore zonation less distinct than rocky shore zonation?
386	Is competition more important in determining distribution on a sandy shore or a rocky shore?
Estuaries
387	What is an estuary?
388	Is the primary productivity of an estuary typically high or low? Why?
389	Contrast the variation in temperature typically found in estuaries compared to surrounding coastal zones.
390	Why are estuaries ideal nursery habitats for many fish and shellfish?
391	What are the four types of estuaries and how do they differ geologically:
392	Explain the difference between a positive and negative estuary?
393	Give an example of a negative estuary?
394	Are negative estuaries typically high or low in productivity and explain why?
395	What are the 4 different salinity mixing patterns seen in estuaries, and explain each with reference to the angle of the halocline?
396	Is the diversity in an estuary typically high or low?
397	Is the biomass in an estuary typically high or low?
398	Define the term osmoconformer, and give an example of one?
399	Define the term osmoregulator, and give an example of one?
400	Explain how marine and freshwater fish osmoregulate.
401	List three adaptations against excessive water & salt exchange between surrounding environment?
402	What does the term euryhaline mean?
403	Define the term stenohaline?
404	What is the main energy base in mud flats?
405	Is there more infauna or epifauna on a mud flat?
406	What is an epiphyte?
407	Do you find salt marshes in the tropics?
408	True or false: Succession in the salt marsh increases the terrestrial environment?
409	Describe 3 ecological roles of salt marshes
410	Describe the food webs found in salt marshes.
411	Would you expect to find mangroves in temperate regions?
412	Which mangrove (black, white or red) is found growing closest to the sea water?
413	What are the prop roots?
414	What are pneumatophores?
415	Why is detritus such an important part of the food web for salt marsh, mangrove and seagrass communities?
416	Which particular human activity is responsible for the destruction of large amounts of mangroves worldwide?
417	How do mangroves tolerate high levels of salinity?
Coral Reef Communities
418	At what latitude would you expect to find coral reefs?
419	What is the key factor contributing to the high levels of productivity found on reefs, in otherwise oligotrophic oceans?
420	Why are coral reefs important? List 4 reasons:
421	Which phylum and class contains hard corals?
422	How does a coral colony grow?
423	What does broadcast spawning mean?
424	What is the name of the symbiotic algae in coral polyps?
425	How do the coral and their symbionts both benefit from the symbiotic relationship?
426	How else do corals obtain food, beside from their symbiotic algae?
427	Describe the differences between fringing reefs, barrier reefs, atolls and patch reefs.
428	How are atolls formed?
429	What is the function of the spur and groove formation in the fore-reef?
430	On which area of the reef would you expect massive corals to dominate?
431	Which area of the reef receives the largest impact of the wave energy?
432	Why are few corals along the west coast of Africa or the northeast coast of South America in the tropics?
433	What is the optimum temperature for coral reef growth?
434	How do slow growing corals compete on the reef?
435	Why did coral cover decline in Jamaica from 52% to 3% in the 1980’s?
436	Give 4 examples of threats to coral reefs?
437	What happens during coral bleaching and why does the coral turn white?
438	Can corals recover from coral bleaching?
439	How might agricultural practices in Africa be affecting Caribbean reefs?
440	Why are herbivores important to coral reef health?
441	How do parrotfish protect themselves on the reef at night?
442	How does increased atmospheric CO2 impact coral reefs, beside by contributing to a warming world?
443	What echinoderm is an important predator of coral in the Indo-Pacific?
444	What invasive fish has had a strong impact on reef fish communities in the Caribbean?
445	What two main physical factors control vertical zonation along a forereef?
Continental Shelves and Neritic Zone
446	List two sources of nutrients on continental shelves?
447	Where is the source of detritus for benthic communities of the continental shelf?
448	Are the conditions more, or less stable on the benthic sea floor of the continental shelf than on intertidal shores?
449	List three causes of patchiness on hard bottom communities on continental shelves
450	What type of sediment would you expect when the current on the sea floor is strong? and when it is weak?
451	What type of organisms are favored in a coarse and in a fine sediment environment?
452	Why do you not find infauna if the currents are strong?
453	On which coast of the USA would you expect to find giant kelp (Macrocystis sp.), and on which would you find Laminaria spp.?
454	What are the keystone predators in kelp ecosystem on the east and on the west coast of the USA?
455	What impact do sea urchins have on kelp communities?
456	Why do deposit and suspension feeders generally not occur in the same areas in the soft bottom communities?
457	How do the activities of burrowing sea cucumbers affect the patchiness of soft bottomed communities?
458	Where is the neritic zone?
459	What is the most abundant type of zooplankton in the neritic zone?
460	Give two reasons why do coastal seas support a larger numbers of higher-level consumers?
461	Why are bigger species of phytoplankton more common in the neritic zone compared to the open ocean?
462	Where are the most productive planktonic ecosystems located?
463	Why can changes in planktonic communities greatly affect populations of benthic organisms?
Open Ocean
464	Explain the two main reasons why are there relatively few large animals in the open ocean?
465	How does the size and abundance of the primary producers differ between the open ocean and coastal seas? Why is this?
466	What are the three vertical zones of the open ocean, based on light levels?
467	What is the difference between plankton and nekton?
468	What is meant by the terms holoplankton and meroplankton? And give an example of each?
469	What is marine snow and why is it important?
470	Why do zooplankton migrate vertically to the surface at night?
471	What is the deep scattering layer formed by?
472	Which oceanic fish maintains its body temperature 8-10oC higher than surroundings? And what are the advantages of this?
473	Do tuna have a swim bladder? If not, how do they maintain buoyancy
474	Which organism that makes up part of the nekton is full of internal and external parasites?
475	How do sea snakes in the open ocean shed their skin?
476	Which group of seabird is considered to be part of the nekton?
477	Give an example of an organism that has spines to increase it frictional drag and reduce its sinking rate?
478	Give 3 methods of increasing buoyancy?
479	How do organisms in the open ocean avoid predation?
480	What are two types of camouflage seen in the open ocean?
481	What is the microbial loop and why is it important in the open ocean?
482	Do some organisms eat bacterioplankton?
483	Name three organisms found in the megaplankton
484	What type of seaweed does not attach to the benthos and is found in the open ocean?
485	In which vertical zones of the open ocean is most of the biomass concentrated? Why?
486	What is plankton distribution patchy?
Life in the Ocean’s Depths
487	What are the physical characteristics of the deep sea?
488	How much does the pressure increase with every 10 m down?
489	Are the conditions more or less stable in the deep sea, compared to shallower ecosystems?
490	Describe adaptations of deep sea organisms to deal with the high pressure.
491	Describe adaptations of deep sea organisms to deal with the cold temperature.
492	Describe an advantage of the cold temperature in the deep sea.
493	What is the disphotic zone?
494	What type of camouflage is seen in the disphotic zone?
495	What is the name of light-producing organs?
496	What are 4 roles of bioluminescence?
497	What type of eyes would you expect on a fish that live at 800m deep? And on one that lives at 3000m deep?
498	Describe the mating strategy of the male deep sea angler fish?
499	Why do deep sea organisms often have large mouths and expandable stomachs?
500	Describe typical deep benthic food chains.
501	What kind of benthic organisms are most abundant in the deep sea?
502	Why is diversity high in the deep sea?
503	Where are hydrothermal vents mostly found?
504	What are the primary producers in vent communities?
505	How do organisms colonize new vents once one hydrothermal vent dies?
506	What is the ecological role of whale falls in the deep ocean?
507	Why are there hydrothermal vents of various color?
508	What colors are most often seen in deep sea animals? Why?
Marine Homeotherms of Polar Seas
509	What is pack ice?
510	What is fast ice?
511	Describe three physical differences between the Arctic and the Antarctic?
512	Is productivity higher in the Arctic or the Antarctic, and why?
513	Describe the two main benefits of polar seas for marine mammals and birds.
514	What is the main advantage of pupping on pack ice rather than in the water?
515	How do newborn polar marine mammals achieve very high growth rates?
516	Why are polar pinnipeds mostly monogamous?
517	Do most pinnipeds show monomorphism or sexual dimorphism?
518	Where and when do polar cetaceans give birth?
519	Which seal has white pups with highly prized fur?
520	Explain the sexual dimorphism seen in hooded seals?
521	Are hooded seal polygynous or monogamous?
522	Do both male and female walruses have tusks?
523	What is the name of the white toothed whale that has a dorsal ridge to break the ice from below, and is preyed on by polar bears?
524	Is the tusk on a narwhal longer in males or females?
525	Do you find narwhals in the Arctic or the Antarctic?
526	Are there penguins in the Arctic? If so, what species? If not, what is their ecological equivalent?
527	What is the organism on which all species in the Antarctic depend either directly or indirectly? What is the phylum and class of this organism?
528	How does the Weddell seal maintain an ice-free breathing hole?
529	How does the reproductive strategy of Adelie penguins and emperor penguins differ?
530	Why does the presence of sea ice increase polar primary productivity
531	In which season is polar productivity highest/
532	Which toothed whales are permanent residents of the Arctic? And of the Southern Ocean?
533	Which seal eats homeothermic prey?
534	What do crabeater seals eat?

You may also like:

[Science] 500+ Marine Biology Review Questions

Sarcastic Writer

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Related Posts

Leave a Reply Cancel reply