6 Marine Ecosystems Free Online FlashCards

What is a marine ecosystem?

A community of organisms interacting with one another and with their physical and chemical surroundings.

What makes estuaries distinctive habitats?

They mix freshwater and seawater, creating changing salinity and nutrient conditions that support distinctive communities.

How do mangrove roots affect shorelines?

Their roots slow water and help stabilize shorelines.

What ecological roles do seagrass beds provide?

They provide food and shelter, and their plants help stabilize sediments.

What distinguishes pelagic and benthic zones?

The pelagic zone is the water column; the benthic zone is the seafloor.

How does ocean depth affect photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is possible in the sunlit upper ocean, but not below the sunlit zone.

What does biodiversity include?

Biodiversity is the variety of species, genes, and habitats in an ecosystem.

What is an ecological niche?

A niche is a space and set of resources an organism uses. Reef crevices, for example, offer hiding places and feeding sites.

How can an estuary support different stages of a fish's life?

Some fish use a sheltered estuary as a nursery before moving offshore as adults.

How do chemosynthetic microbes support some hydrothermal-vent animals?

Some vent animals host chemosynthetic microbes that use chemical energy to make food for them.

Which way do arrows point in a food web?

They point from the organism being eaten toward the organism that eats it.

What are the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers?

Producers make organic matter; consumers eat producers or other consumers; decomposers and microbes break down dead material and waste.