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42 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is ecology?
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the study of relationships between different organisms and their environment
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What two requirements must each species meet to survive?
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enough food, and long enough survival to reproduce
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What are the three main marine habitats?
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the water column, the surface, and the seafloor sediment
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What is the difference between epifauna and infauna?
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Epifauna are on the sediment, and infauna are in the sediment.
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What forms most of the primary production?
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phytoplankton and prokaryotes
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What happens to most primary production?
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It is consumed in the photic zone.
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How can organisms in general achieve buoyancy?
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by swimming or by producing low-density oils or gas
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What three actions must all pelagic organisms take?
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stay away from predators, eat, and stay afloat
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What do almost all behaviors of life have in common?
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They require energy.
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What advantages and disadvantages does the aphotic zone offer?
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fewer predators (they can't see) but less food; squid and zooplankton go back and forth to feed
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What advantages do benthos face in comparison with nekton?
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They don't need to float, and can hunt for food slowly.
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What disadvantages do epifaunal benthos face in comparison with nekton?
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Food is scarce; predators are harder to avoid, and they have to compete for space.
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How are shallow benthic epifaunal habitats different from deep benthic epifaunal habitats?
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They have kelp forests with hiding places and coral reefs with diverse populations.
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How do benthic infauna get food?
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Some sift through detritus in sediment, and others come out of the sand to get organic particles or prey.
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What advantages do infaunal benthos face in comparison with epifaunal benthos?
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They can hide more easily, and do not have to deal with changes in salinity or exposure to the air.
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What disadvantages do infauna face in comparison with epifauna?
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They have to spend energy to move through the sediment and have to worry about chemical changes such as oxygen consumption and H2S production.
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What organisms can survive with high H2S concentrations and low oxygen?
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bacteria and fungi
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What three habitats are unique compared to the rest of the ocean?
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the intertidal zone, the surface microlayer, and hydrothermal vents
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How do organisms use the surface microlayer?
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Some attach to prevent sinking, and some put their eggs and larvae on this layer so they float without spending energy.
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What sources of energy can organisms rely on?
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photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, other living organisms, organic particles, and dissolved organic compounds
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What organisms rely on dissolved organic compounds for food?
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bacteria and decomposers, and a few animals
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What are the three ways marine animals can feed?
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grazing on the seafloor, eating detritus in sediment, and hunting other animals down
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How do filter feeders work?
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a web or mat traps particles and organisms as water passes through it
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What is the biggest disadvantage to filter feeding?
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If the filtered particles are too small, the holes would be too small for the water to get through.
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How can filter feeding be improved?
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Mucus can assist in grabbing particles from the water, and sticky appendages can trap relatively large prey.
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What characteristic does filter feeding select based on?
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its size
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How can suspension feeding affect the entire food web?
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The size of one trophic level affects which organisms thrive at the next trophic level.
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How do filter feeders improve their chances of getting food?
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They pump water through the filter, move the filter in the water, or keep it stationary and let a current go through it.
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What crustaceans are filter feeders?
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copepods and euphausiids
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How do filter feeding crustaceans feed?
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with long slender appendages or forelimbs
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What pelagic mollusks filter feed?
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pteropods
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How have pteropods improved their filter feeding capabilities?
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with a sail-like foot extension as the membrane
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How do salps improve their filter feeding capabilities?
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by pumping water through their barrel
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What tunicates filter feed?
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barrel-shaped salps
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How do salp colonies move?
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They arrange themselves in a sphere with incurrents facing outward and a small hole where they push water out.
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How do jellyfish and comb jellies improve their filter feeding capabilities?
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with long tentacles that are either stinging or sticky, some acting more like hunters
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Why are many benchic species suspension feeders?
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It gives them the standard advantages, and currents carry their food past them.
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What benthic mollusks filter feed?
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cockles
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What advantage do intertidal filter feeding mollusks have?
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They can withdraw their siphons when the tide ebbs.
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What miscellaneous invertebrates filter feed?
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tube worms, sea cucumbers, and anemones
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Where are epifaunal suspension feeders prevalent?
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on the continental shelf, where there are lots of rocks on which to attach without being buried by sediment
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What are examples of epifaunal filter feeding mollusks?
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the mussel and spiny oyster
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