Question 1

Toxic algal blooms

Accepted Answer

A)  Have only been observed in species of dinoflagellates 
B)  Are always characterized by red colored waters 
C)  Have been observed in some species of diatoms 
D)  Have been observed in floating green seaweeds off of Japan 
A)  Have only been observed in species of dinoflagellates 
B)  Are always characterized by red colored waters 
C)  Have been observed in some species of diatoms 
D)  Have been observed in floating green seaweeds off of Japan C

Question 2

Marine snow

Accepted Answer

A)  Forms only in Antarctic waters 
B)  Is formed only in tropical clear ocean waters 
C)  Is extremely pure particulate organic matter 
D)  Is found throughout the ocean water column 
A)  Forms only in Antarctic waters 
B)  Is formed only in tropical clear ocean waters 
C)  Is extremely pure particulate organic matter 
D)  Is found throughout the ocean water column D

Question 3

In contrast to phosphorous, nitrogen

Accepted Answer

A)  Is only limiting in estuaries 
B)  Is strongly controlled by microbial processes 
C)  Is a major factor in energy metabolism in phytoplankton cells 
D)  Is very insoluble in sea water 
A)  Is only limiting in estuaries 
B)  Is strongly controlled by microbial processes 
C)  Is a major factor in energy metabolism in phytoplankton cells 
D)  Is very insoluble in sea water B

Question 4

At the compensation depth

Accepted Answer

A)  Phytoplankton oxygen production per cell equals cell respiration 
B)  Total phytoplankton oxygen production in the water column equals total respiration 
C)  Phytoplankton cells are stationary in position 
D)  There is no light present 
A)  Phytoplankton oxygen production per cell equals cell respiration 
B)  Total phytoplankton oxygen production in the water column equals total respiration 
C)  Phytoplankton cells are stationary in position 
D)  There is no light present

Question 5

In the tropical gyre centers

Accepted Answer

A)  Nitrogen often comes mainly from excretion processes 
B)  Nitrogen is supplied mainly on windless days from regeneration across the thermocline 
C)  Nitrogen mainly circulates in the form of nitrate 
D)  Nitrogen is surprisingly abundant 
A)  Nitrogen often comes mainly from excretion processes 
B)  Nitrogen is supplied mainly on windless days from regeneration across the thermocline 
C)  Nitrogen mainly circulates in the form of nitrate 
D)  Nitrogen is surprisingly abundant

Question 6

Phytoplankton species that appear early in succession are likely to be

Accepted Answer

A)  Autotrophic 
B)  Auxotrophic 
C)  Heterotrophic 
D)  Mixotrophic 
A)  Autotrophic 
B)  Auxotrophic 
C)  Heterotrophic 
D)  Mixotrophic

Question 7

In phytoplankton in offshore waters

Accepted Answer

A)  We would expect phytoplankton to be relatively inefficient at nutrient uptake 
B)  We would expect saturation of nutrient uptake at nutrient concentrations higher than for inshore forms 
C)  Only nitrate can be taken up 
D)  We would expect saturation of nutrient uptake at nutrient concentrations lower than for inshore forms 
A)  We would expect phytoplankton to be relatively inefficient at nutrient uptake 
B)  We would expect saturation of nutrient uptake at nutrient concentrations higher than for inshore forms 
C)  Only nitrate can be taken up 
D)  We would expect saturation of nutrient uptake at nutrient concentrations lower than for inshore forms

Question 8

Plankton may be concentrated

Accepted Answer

A)  At the thermocline 
B)  At convergences near the surface 
C)  In quiet bays with little turbulence 
D)  All of the above 
A)  At the thermocline 
B)  At convergences near the surface 
C)  In quiet bays with little turbulence 
D)  All of the above

Question 9

A phytoplankton bloom will begin to increase if the mixing depth

Accepted Answer

A)  Is greater than the critical depth 
B)  Is equal to the critical depth 
C)  Is less than the critical depth 
D)  Is less than the compensation depth 
A)  Is greater than the critical depth 
B)  Is equal to the critical depth 
C)  Is less than the critical depth 
D)  Is less than the compensation depth

Question 10

The presence of a microbial loop is important because

Accepted Answer

A)  It means that microbes are very abundant 
B)  It means that microbes are incorporated into most planktonic food chains 
C)  Microbes will poison species in the water column 
D)  None of the above 
A)  It means that microbes are very abundant 
B)  It means that microbes are incorporated into most planktonic food chains 
C)  Microbes will poison species in the water column 
D)  None of the above

Question 11

In turbid nearshore ocean waters

Accepted Answer

A)  Light penetration is at wave lengths that are shorter than for the open sea 
B)  Light penetration is deeper than in the open sea 
C)  Light penetration is greatest at the far red end of the spectrum 
D)  Light penetration is at visible wave lengths that are longer than for the open sea 
A)  Light penetration is at wave lengths that are shorter than for the open sea 
B)  Light penetration is deeper than in the open sea 
C)  Light penetration is greatest at the far red end of the spectrum 
D)  Light penetration is at visible wave lengths that are longer than for the open sea

Question 12

In the water column

Accepted Answer

A)  Bacteria consume far more dissolved nutrients than do phytoplankton 
B)  Bacteria are consumed mainly by larger zooplankton 
C)  Bacteria are consumed by protozoans, which provides a link to the rest 
D)  All of the above 
A)  Bacteria consume far more dissolved nutrients than do phytoplankton 
B)  Bacteria are consumed mainly by larger zooplankton 
C)  Bacteria are consumed by protozoans, which provides a link to the rest 
D)  All of the above

Question 13

For phytoplankton,

Accepted Answer

A)  Light is captured by chlorophyll only in the infrared 
B)  The entire visible spectrum of wavelengths is captured by chlorophyll 
C)  A wide spectrum of visible light is captured by chlorophyll along with other light-harvesting pigments 
D)  Light penetrates to several thousand meters, allowing phytoplankton cells to live there 
A)  Light is captured by chlorophyll only in the infrared 
B)  The entire visible spectrum of wavelengths is captured by chlorophyll 
C)  A wide spectrum of visible light is captured by chlorophyll along with other light-harvesting pigments 
D)  Light penetrates to several thousand meters, allowing phytoplankton cells to live there

Question 14

In the sea the nitrogen:phosphorus ratio

Accepted Answer

A)  Varies greatly between phytoplankton and the water column 
B)  Varies strongly between winter and summer 
C)  Of phytoplankton resembles that of the water column 
D)  Is strictly constant at 1:15 
A)  Varies greatly between phytoplankton and the water column 
B)  Varies strongly between winter and summer 
C)  Of phytoplankton resembles that of the water column 
D)  Is strictly constant at 1:15

Question 15

Zooplankton grazing

Accepted Answer

A)  Is not required for a Spring diatom increase to end 
B)  May produce alternate areas of abundant and less abundant phytoplankton 
C)  Can fail to increase beyond an upper limit of phytoplankton cell concentration 
D)  All of the above 
A)  Is not required for a Spring diatom increase to end 
B)  May produce alternate areas of abundant and less abundant phytoplankton 
C)  Can fail to increase beyond an upper limit of phytoplankton cell concentration 
D)  All of the above

Question 16

A phytoplankton bloom at a site will likely occur

Accepted Answer

A)  If water turbulence is very strong there 
B)  If nutrients are abundant and water turbulence is minimal 
C)  If nutrients are low but inorganic particle density is very high 
D)  All of the above 
A)  If water turbulence is very strong there 
B)  If nutrients are abundant and water turbulence is minimal 
C)  If nutrients are low but inorganic particle density is very high 
D)  All of the above

Question 17

In the temperate zone, toward the end of the spring

Accepted Answer

A)  The water column becomes more stable vertically 
B)  The water column becomes less stable vertically 
C)  Mixing from below brings bottom nutrients toward the surface 
D)  The phytoplankton begin a secondary early summer increase 
A)  The water column becomes more stable vertically 
B)  The water column becomes less stable vertically 
C)  Mixing from below brings bottom nutrients toward the surface 
D)  The phytoplankton begin a secondary early summer increase

Question 18

Nitrogen

Accepted Answer

A)  Is mainly controlled by the breakdown of organic particles 
B)  Is mainly controlled in the ocean by different types of bacteria 
C)  Rarely limits phytoplankton growth 
D)  Is decreasing in estuaries in recent decades 
A)  Is mainly controlled by the breakdown of organic particles 
B)  Is mainly controlled in the ocean by different types of bacteria 
C)  Rarely limits phytoplankton growth 
D)  Is decreasing in estuaries in recent decades

Question 19

Benthic-planktonic coupling

Accepted Answer

A)  Occurs only in the deep sea 
B)  Is restricted to waters where a strong thermocline is permanent 
C)  Is correlated with the development of an isothermal water column 
D)  Can only occur when wind action is nil 
A)  Occurs only in the deep sea 
B)  Is restricted to waters where a strong thermocline is permanent 
C)  Is correlated with the development of an isothermal water column 
D)  Can only occur when wind action is nil

Question 20

Nitrogen

Accepted Answer

A)  Tends to exchange less rapidly than phosphorus between phytoplankton and the water 
B)  Tends to exchange more rapidly than phosphorus between phytoplankton and the water 
C)  Is never limiting during the phytoplankton season 
D)  Only occurs in one form at a time in the water column 
A)  Tends to exchange less rapidly than phosphorus between phytoplankton and the water 
B)  Tends to exchange more rapidly than phosphorus between phytoplankton and the water 
C)  Is never limiting during the phytoplankton season 
D)  Only occurs in one form at a time in the water column

Exam 11: Processes in the Water Column

Toxic algal blooms

Marine snow

In contrast to phosphorous, nitrogen

At the compensation depth

In the tropical gyre centers

Phytoplankton species that appear early in succession are likely to be

In phytoplankton in offshore waters

Plankton may be concentrated

A phytoplankton bloom will begin to increase if the mixing depth

The presence of a microbial loop is important because

In turbid nearshore ocean waters

In the water column

For phytoplankton,

In the sea the nitrogen:phosphorus ratio

Zooplankton grazing

A phytoplankton bloom at a site will likely occur

In the temperate zone, toward the end of the spring

Nitrogen

Benthic-planktonic coupling

Nitrogen

Sounding the Deep

The Oceanic Environment

Climate Oscillations and Climate Change

Ecological and Evolutionary Principles of Marine Biology

The Chemical and Physical Environment

Life in a Fluid Medium

Reproduction, Dispersal, and Migration

Plankton

Marine Vertebrates and Other Nekton

The Open Sea: Distributions and Adaptations

Productivity, Food Webs, and Global Climate Change

Benthic Microorganisms, Seaweeds, and Sea Grasses

The Diversity of Benthic Marine Invertebrates

Benthic Life Habits

The Tidelands: Rocky Shores, Soft-Substratum Shores, Marshes, Mangroves, Estuaries, and Oyster Reefs

The Shallow Coastal Subtidal: Sea Grass Beds, Rocky Reefs, Kelp Forests, and Coral Reefs

Benthos From the Continental Shelf to the Deep Sea

Polar Marine Biology

Biodiversity and Conservation of the Ocean

Fisheries and Food From the Sea

Environmental Impacts of Industrial Activities and Human Populations

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