Ocean Test III: Chapter 12

1. At high latitudes the controlling factor for limiting primary production is: A) temperature. B)
sunlight. C) nutrients. D) pressure. E) grazing.

2. The net primary production is equal to the primary production minus the: A) gross primary
production. B) biomass. C) part that is broken down during plant respiration. D) amount lost in
decomposition. E) standing crop.

3. Phytoplankton growth is nearly uniform: A) in the Tropics. B) at mid-latitudes. C) in polar
regions. D) at about 45 degrees north and south. E) nowhere.

4. The standing crop is a function of: A) growth. B) reproduction. C) death. D) grazing.E) all of the above

Which of the following forms of nitrogen is most easily absorbed by marine plants? A) nitrogen
gas. B) nitrite. C) ammonia. D) nitrate. E) none of the above

6. Primary production in the oceans is generated by: A) nekton. B) zooplankton. C) phytoplankton. D) fish. E) crustaceans.

7. The total biomass under any area of sea surface at any instant in time is known as the ______.
A) standing crop. B) gross primary production. C) net primary production. D) livestock, E) none of
the above

8. At low latitudes the controlling factor for primary production is: A) temperature. B) sunlight. C) nutrients. D) pressure. E) grazing.

9. Which of the following are decomposers in the marine environment? A) fungi. B) zooplankton. C) bacteria. D) All of the above are correct. E) Both A and C are correct.

10. Which of the following regions typically has the highest primary productivity per unit surface area of the ocean? A) zones of upwelling. B) coastal water. C) the centers of ocean gyres. D) tropical waters. E) temperate zones

11. Organisms that eat both plant and animal material are called: A) herbivores. B) omnivores. C) carnivores. D) multivores. E) dualvores.

12. The first level of a trophic pyramid is always occupied by: A) primary producers. B)
herbivores. C) primary consumers. D) carnivores. E) omnivores.

13. Overall efficiency of energy transfer up each layer of an open-ocean trophic pyramid is about:
A) 50%. B) 40%. C) 30%. D) 20%. E) 10%.

14. Energy loss at each level of a trophic pyramid goes to support the organism’s: A) reproduction. B) breathing. C) feeding. D) moving. E) all of the above

15. The relative abundance of phytoplankton to zooplankton is about: A) 100:1. B) 50:1. C) 10:1. D) 5:1. E) 1:1.

16. In deep-water communities along hydrothermal vent systems, primary production takes place
by: A) photosynthesis. B) chemosynthesis. C) metalisynthesis. D) decomposition. E) none of the
above

17. The number of trophic levels in a trophic pyramid is generally greatest in this region of the
ocean. A) estuaries, B) coastal areas, C) upwelling areas, D) open ocean, E) all areas are about the
same.

18. At the Equitorial upwelling: A) Mixes cold water from the depth of the ocean with the hot
surface water. B) Phytoplankton cannot swim and are almost completely absent. C) Brings
nutrient rich water to the surface. D) Allows the completion of the trade wind ce
lls.

Which spectrums of visible light are most readily absorbed by chlorophyll a? A) blue and
green, B) green and red, C) blue and red, D) green and yellow

20. Which of the following is NOT a control on phytoplankton primary productivity?
A) temperature. B) light. C) nutrient availability. D) zooplankton populations. E) all of the above
control primary productivity.

Which season has the highest levels of primary productivity in the Arctic? A) winter. B)
spring. C) summer. D) fall, E) productivity is similar year-round

Which area has the highest average rate of primary productivity? A) Coastal Ocean. B)
Estuaries. C) Upwelling Zones. D) Open Ocean, E) Mid-Ocean Gyres

Which of the following would be at the highest trophic level? A) sardines. B) phytoplankton. C) tuna. D) human.

Dinoflagellates are important examples of ______ that are often associated with ______.
A. phytoplankton; red tides, B. zooplankton; tidal bores, C. nekton; grunion runs, D. benthos
organisms; spring tides, E. krill; neap tides

In mid-latitude waters during the winter, the supply of sunlight is ________ and the supply of
nutrients is ________. A. maximized; maximized, B. maximized; minimized, C. minimized;
maximized, D. minimized; minimized

In mid-latitude waters, productivity of marine algae _____ during the spring because _____.
A. decreases; a strong thermocline develops, B. increases; sunlight is getting better, C. decreases; the nights are getting longer, D. increases; there is an abundance of grazers at that time, E. remains constant; the conditions are the same as in the fall

Kelp belong to which of the following types of organisms? A. macroscopic algae, B. diatoms, C. seed-bearing plants, D. eelgrass, E, surf grass

In mid-latitude waters, there is a(n) ____ of nutrients during the spring because ________.
A. increase; the days are getting shorter, B. decrease; they are getting used up by phytoplankton, C. increase; that is when spring tides occur, D. decrease; the water is isothermal, E. constant supply; the water is isothermal

Late one night as you are flipping channels on TV, you come across the Alfred Hitchcock
thriller, The Birds. You know that this movie showing unusual bird behavior was inspired by an
actual event involving birds that pecked people because the birds were affected by:
A. denitrifying bacteria, B. domoic acid, C. paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), D. western
intensification. E. symbiosis.

Photosynthesis in tropical waters is limited by which of the following factors?
A. availability of nutrients, B. amount of solar radiation, C. presence of reef predators, D. color of the water, E. lack of a prominent thermocline (and associated pycnocline) in this region

31. The ratio of energy passed on to the next higher trophic level divided by the energy received from the trophic level below it is called: A. the food web, B. the biomass pyramid, C. net primary production, D. gross ecological efficiency, E. biogeochemical cycling of matter.

32. Which one of the following statements is TRUE concerning photosynthesis?
A. All animals photosynthesize, B. Water and carbon dioxide are converted to sugar and oxygen gas, C. Nitrogen and sulfuric acid are converted to water and sulfur dioxide, D. Photosynthesis is another term for respiration, E. Photosynthesis can occur in the absence of sunlight.

n primary production: A. carbon dioxide is released into the water, B. oxygen is utilized by
plants, C. oxygen utilized by animals is less than the oxygen consumed by autotrophs, D. proteins are made by animals, E. there is a net gain in organic carbon.

Bacteria that make their own carbohydrates by obtaining energy from chemical compounds and not directly from the sun are: A. chemoautotrophs, B. cyanobacteria, C. heterotrophs, D. phytoplankton, E. protists.

35. Net primary productivity is: A. net gain in organic carbon, B. photosynthesis minus cellular
respiration, C. total amount of photosynthesis, D. A and B are correct. E. A and C are correct.

The nutrients that tend to limit photosynthesis in marine environments include: A. carbon
dioxide, B. nitrogen, C. phosphorus, D. A and B are correct, E. B and C are correct.

The depth at which the cellular respiration rate equals the photosynthetic rate is referred to as the: A. calcite compensation depth, B. epipelagic depth, C. euphotic zone, D. compensation depth, E. productive zone.

D. compensation depthAn important marine autotroph that has SiO2 incorporated in the cell walls are:
A. coccolithophorids, B. cyanobacteria, C. diatoms, D. dinoflagellates, E. radiolarians.

Primary productivity can be estimated from satellites by sensors that detect (a) carbohydrates in seawater (b) chlorophyll concentrations, (c) sea surface temperature, (d). latitude and longitude

Large jellyfish are categorized as (a) Plankton, (b) Phytoplankton, (c) Meroplankton, (d)
Holoplankton, (e) Zooplankton

Following photosynthesis, the energy of sunlight ultimately rests in (a) Carbon dioxide
molecules, (b) Carbohydrates, (c) Oxygen molecules, (d) Water molecules, (e) Hydrogen molecules

When a phytoplankton remains below its compensation depth, it: (a) Will survive but grow
much more slowly, (b) Will eventually die, (c) Will die immediately, (d) Will reproduce, (e) The
question is meaningless

What is PRODUCED in primary productivity? (a) Carbon dioxide, (b) Cold, blue light, (c)
Carbohydrates, (d) Gametes, (e) Carbon atoms

“Red tide” is caused by (a) Water mass sinking, (b) Rising sea level, (c) Downwelling, (d)
Planktonic organisms, (e) Pollutants.

45. Which of the following is NOT a planktonic organism? (a) Copepod, (b) Diatom, (c)
Radiolarian, (d) Sea cucumber, (e) Coccolithophore

Diatoms have an exoskeleton made of (a) Calcium carbonate, (b) Calcium phosphate, (c) Opal, (d) Strontium sulphate, (e) Cellulose

All of the following are lifestyles of marine animals except: (a) Grazers, (b) Producers, (c)
Scavengers, (d) Predators, (e) Deposit feeders

Which of the following is closest to the percentage of total incoming light energy that remains at a depth of 100 meters in clear ocean water? (a) 1%, (b) 10%, (c) 25%, (d) 50%, (e) 75%, (f) 99%

Probably the most abundant zooplankton (by number) in the ocean are (a) Diatoms, (b)
Dinoflagellates, (c) Shrimp, (d) Euphausiids, (e) Copepods

Probably the most abundant zooplankton (by biomass) in the ocean are (a) Diatoms, (b)
Dinoflagellates, (c) Shrimp, (d) Euphausiids, (e) Copepods

The by-products of photosynthesis are carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).

Bacteria that manufacture carbohydrates in the absence of solar energy from inorganic carbon are autotrophs.

Tropical marine waters have the highest rate of primary productivity in the world’s ocean

Yes or No. Do zooplankton have a compensation depth?

Yes or No. Do phytoplankton have a compensation depth?

What’s the difference between a FOOD WEB and a FOOD CHAIN?

Can phytoplankton ever get too much light? Provide an example.

Can phytoplankton ever get too little light? Provide an example.

Can phytoplankton ever get too little nutrients? Provide an example

Can phytoplankton ever get too many nutrients? Provide an example

Define PLANKTON.

Definer NEUSTON.

Explain the difference between BIOMASS and PRODUCTIVITY.

What is the average percent transfer of energy between marine trophic levels?

15. How can primary productivity be measured? Which method is considered most accurate?

Although not actually a universal nutrient in the strict sense, a lack of ______ can limit the
productivity of diatoms because it is needed to construct frustules.

How are ocean currents important to Meroplankton?

In general, why is productivity higher near the continents than it is farther offshore?

Why is productivity high near the equator in the deep topical Pacific ocean?

20. Are herbivores most abundant above or below the thermocline?

Is Primary Productivity generally greater associated with upwelling or downwelling?

23. What does the term Odontocetes mean?

What do Primary Producers produce?

25. Red tide is produced by ________.