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40 questions
Which of the following are the two greatest long-term threats to coral reefs?
ocean acidification and overfishing
damage by divers and predation
climate change and acidification
erosion and sea-level rise
climate change and predation
Although they only occupy 0.2% of the ocean floor, coral reefs provide many benefits. Which of the following is not one of these?
They provide significant free oxygen.
They serve as natural barriers.
They protect coastlines from erosion.
They provide habitats for one-quarter of all marine organisms.
They provide one-tenth of the global fish catch.
If you find a new species of algae floating on the surface of a coastal zone, you would likely consider it a type of ____.
benthos
zooplankton
nekton
phytoplankton
ultraplankton
A jellyfish would be considered a type of ____.
benthos
zooplankton
nekton
phytoplankton
ultraplankton
Oysters, sea stars, and lobsters would be considered what type of organism?
phytoplankton
zooplankton
nekton
benthos
decomposers
Strongly swimming consumers are most likely to be ____.
phytoplankton
zooplankton
nekton
benthos
decomposers
The single ocean on the earth is divided into four parts by the continents. Which of the following is not one of those parts?
Atlantic
Arctic
Baltic
Indian
Pacific
What prevents coral reefs from surviving below the euphotic zone?
high water density
high pressure
saline water
inadequate sunlight
damage from storms
Which of the following is not part of the saltwater or marine aquatic life zones?
oceans
estuaries
inland wetlands
coastal wetlands
mangrove forests
Which of the following is classified as a freshwater aquatic life zone?
oceans
mangrove forests
rivers
coral reefs
coastal wetlands
Net Primary Productivity is highest in ____.
open oceans as nutrients are plentiful
open oceans as disturbance is minimized
shallow systems as nutrients are plentiful
shallow systems as temperatures are cooler
open oceans as sunlight is plentiful
Which of the following is a major cause of increasing ocean acidification?
eutrophication
construction of dams and levees
rising sea level
rising levels of CO2
decreasing dissolved oxygen
Which of the following is not part of the coastal zone?
estuaries
coastal wetlands
bathyal zone
intertidal zone
coral reefs
What is the coastal marine ecosystem consisting of at least 60 species of plants that grow underwater in shallow marine and estuarine areas along most continental coastlines?
salt marshes
sea grass beds
intertidal zones
mangrove forests
coral reefs
Which of the following is a highly productive wetland that provides habitat for some 69 species of trees that can live in salty water?
seagrass beds
barrier beaches
barrier islands
coastal rain forests
mangrove forests
What is an area where a river meets the sea, and includes some of the earth’s most productive wetlands?
euphotic zone
estuary
inlets
bays
coastal marshes
Organisms in ____ must be able to avoid being swept away, crushed by waves, or being left high and dry at low tides, and must survive daily or seasonal salinity and temperature changes.
estuaries
coastal wetlands
bathyal zone
intertidal zone
coral reefs
The deepest part of the ocean is the ____.
abyssal zone
euphotic zone
estuary zone
bathyal zone
benthic zone
Most photosynthesis in the open ocean occurs in the ____.
abyssal zone
euphotic zone
estuary zone
bathyal zone
benthic zone
The dimly lit zone in which zooplankton and smaller fishes predominate is the ____.
abyssal zone
euphotic zone
estuary zone
bathyal zone
benthic zone
In certain areas of the open sea, winds, ocean currents, and other factors cause water to come up from the depths to the surface, bringing nutrient from the ocean bottom. This process is called a(n) ____.
downdraft
updraft
El Niño
La Niña
upwelling
The zone in which you would expect to find deposit feeders along with oysters, clams, and sponges is the ____.
euphotic zone
abyssal zone
coastal zone
intertidal zone
bathyal zone
The ocean zone that covers the continental shelf is the ____.
bathyal zone
coastal zone
littoral zone
benthic zone
abyssal zone
The ocean zone that makes up less than 10% of the world's ocean area, yet contains 90% of all the marine species, is the ____.
abyssal zone
bathyal zone
benthic zone
coastal zone
littoral zone
Which human activity is least likely to be a major threat to marine systems?
overfishing
sinking of ships to create artificial reefs
runoff of nonpoint source pollution
invasive species introduced by humans
habitat destruction from coastal development
Which of the following is not a type of inland wetland?
marshes
littoral
swamps
prairie potholes
Arctic tundra
In large lakes, there are four distinct zones. Which of the following is not one of those zones?
benthic
littoral
bathyal
limnetic
profundal
The open, sunlit surface area away from the shore is in which zone?
benthic
littoral
bathyal
limnetic
profundal
In lakes, the nutrient-rich water near the shore is part of the ____.
limnetic zone
benthic zone
littoral zone
profundal zone
abyssal zone
Humans have built dams and levees on many of the world’s rivers to control water flows. These structures ____.
cause major river deltas to sink
prevent flooding in areas downstream of the structure
increase wetland habitat
increase floodplain area
improve habitat for wetland species
Fish adapted to cool, dark waters in lakes are found in the ____.
limnetic zone
benthic zone
littoral zone
profundal zone
abyssal zone
Which of the following would be characteristic of the profundal zone?
rooted plants
low oxygen levels
nourished by dead matter
high photosynthetic activity
decomposers and detritus feeders
Deep lakes with steep banks that have a short supply of plant nutrients are ____.
oligotrophic lakes
eutrophic lakes
culturally eutrophic lakes
hypereutrophic lakes
mesotrophic lakes
Which of the following would be characteristic of a eutrophic lake?
crystal clear waters
limited population of phytoplankton
small supply of plant nutrients
well-supplied with nutrients for producers
low net primary productivity
In lakes, large numbers of decomposers are found in the ____.
limnetic zone
benthic zone
littoral zone
profundal zone
abyssal zone
If you fish for trout, you would be most likely to seek out which part of a stream?
source zone
benthic zone
transition zone
floodplain zone
profundal zone
Wide, slow-moving rivers containing lots of particulate matter (silt) would be typical of what aquatic life zone?
source zone
benthic zone
transition zone
floodplain zone
profundal zone
Four of the following are ecological and economic services provided by inland wetlands; one is not. Choose the one that is not.
filtering and degrading toxic wastes and pollutants
stopping the recharge of groundwater aquifers
reducing flooding and erosion caused by storms
helping to sustain stream flow during dry periods
helping to maintain biodiversity by providing habitat
Most of the wetlands that are lost are used for ____.
mining
urban development
growing crops
forestry
recreation
Since 1960, Chesapeake Bay has suffered from water pollution. What is a major cause of this?
human population growth
dam construction
sea level rise
introduction of exotic fish species
waste from fishing boats
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