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Cards In This Set
| Front | Back |
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What is primary productivity? and what methods do they use?
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Rate at which energy is stored in organic matter
Photosynthesis using solar radiation Chemosynthesis using chemical reactions 99.9% of marine life relies directly or indirectly on photosynthesis for food |
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What factors control photosynthetic productivity?
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Availibility of nutrients and sunlight.
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What are nutirents needed for photosynthetic producers, where do they come from, and where are they most productive?
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Nitrate, phosphorous, iron, silica
Most from river runoff Productivity high along continental margins |
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Where is sunlight most prevalent for photosynthetic producers, and which zone encompasses it, and how deep does it go?
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Uppermost surface seawater and shallow seafloor
Euphotic zone-surface to about 100 m |
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What are types of photosynthetic marine organisms?
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Anthophyta - Seed-bearing plants
Macroscopic (large) algae Microscopic (small) algae Photosynthetic bacteria – extremely small but may be half of photosynthetic biomass |
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What are two major types of microscopic algea?
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Golden algae
-Diatoms (silica) -Coccolithophores (calcium carbonate) Dinoflagellates -Red tide (harmful algal bloom) -Chitinous test and flagella |
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Regional primary productivity varies due to:
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Availability of nutrients
-Thermocline limits nutrient supply Seasonal changes in solar radiation |
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What are the 3 open ocean areas for regional primary productivity?
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Polar oceans (>60˚ latitude)
Tropical oceans (<30˚ latitude) Temperate oceans (30 to 60˚ latitude) |
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What are the characteristics for primary productivity in polar oceans? regarding to nutrients and sunlight.
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Sunlight peaks in summer
nutrients available year round |
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What are the characteristics for primary productivity in tropical oceans? regarding to nutirents and sunlight.
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Sunlight strong year-round
Nutrients limited by strong, permanent thermocline |
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What is the rate of productivity in tropical oceans, why? what are some exceptions?
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Steady, low rate
Limited by nutrients Exceptions: upwelling areas, mangrove swamps, coral reefs |
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What are the characteristics for primary productivity in temperate oceans? regarding to nutrients and sunlight.
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Sunlight varies seasonally
Nutrients limited by thermocline -Spring bloom limited by nutrients -Fall bloom limited by sunlight |
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What are producers?
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Organisms that feed themselves through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis
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What are consumers? what are some examples?
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Organisms that eat other organisms.
Includes herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, bacteriovores |
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What are decomposers?
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Organisms that break down dead organisms or waste products
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