Deck 16: Continental Shelves and Neritic Zone

Question 1

In soft-bottom communities suspension feeders dominate

A) where sediments are generally muddy.
B) as infauna.
C) where sediments are generally sandy.
D) as meiofauna.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Fine sediment bottoms with silt support a variety of

A) filter feeders.
B) suspension feeders.
C) epifauna.
D) infauna.
E) nekton.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Communities on hard substrate are often found distributed

A) randomly.
B) equally spaced out.
C) equally spaced along a vertical gradient.
D) in patches.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In the neritic zone, a 10-milliliter sample of surface water can contain ____ of multicellular planktonic organisms.

A) hundreds
B) thousands
C) millions
D) billions
E) trillions

Question 5

The pattern of larval settlement depends on all except:

A) light levels.
B) currents.
C) predation.
D) type of bottom substrate.

Question 6

Changes in sediment distribution can be attributed to all except:

A) currents.
B) burrowing animals.
C) feeding activity of predators.
D) temperature - salinity shifts.

Question 7

Food for the continental shelf benthic community primarily comes in the form of

A) migratory fish.
B) living kelps.
C) detritus.
D) plankton.
E) nutrients from terrestrial runoff.

Question 8

In soft-bottom communities deposit feeders dominate

A) where sediments are generally muddy.
B) as epifauna on worm tubes.
C) as meiofauna.
D) where sediments are generally sandy.
E) where oxygen levels are low.

Question 9

The average width of the continental shelves is

A) 1 mile.
B) 10 miles.
C) 40 miles.
D) 480 miles.
E) 4800 miles.

Question 10

Even though coastal areas comprise only 10% of the oceans' area, they make up ____% of the total oceans' fisheries.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 60
D) 90
E) 50

Question 11

The interaction of suspension and deposit feeders in muddy areas

A) is an example of mutualism.
B) is an example of interference when sediment particles from deposit feeders' activity clogs suspension feeders' ability to feed and exchanges gases.
C) demonstrates that deposit feeders can outcompete suspension feeders.
D) demonstrates that suspension feeders outcompete deposit feeders.
E) is an example of a keystone predator.

Question 12

In areas of the continental shelf where bottom currents are weak, the environment is considered to be

A) harsh.
B) always changing.
C) generally stable.
D) cyclically fluctuating.
E) low in species diversity.

Question 13

Coarse sediment bottoms primarily support

A) infauna.
B) interstitial animals.
C) epifauna.
D) pelagic organisms.
E) seaweeds.

Question 14

All the following utilize detritus for food except

A) filter-feeders.
B) grazers.
C) suspension-feeders.
D) detritus-feeders.

Question 15

Burrowing deposit feeders favor ____ bottoms.

A) muddy
B) rocky
C) sandy
D) cobble
E) pebble

Question 16

Patchiness of the soft-bottom benthos is a result of:

A) uneven distribution of food.
B) uneven distribution of sediments on the bottom.
C) low concentrations of nutrients on the bottom.
D) uneven distribution of predators.

Question 17

The benthic areas of continental shelf regions are dependent upon ____ for food.

A) phytoplankton
B) zooplankton
C) sinking detritus
D) attached algae
E) epifauna

Question 18

Microphytoplankton is:

A) 2.0 to 20 microns.
B) 20 - 200 microns.
C) 0.2 - 20 mm.
D) 20 - 200 cm.
E) 20 - 200 mm.

Question 19

Filter feeders on coastal shelves tend to dominate in areas that have:

A) moving currents and coarse sediments.
B) no currents and fine sediments.
C) silty areas.
D) muddy areas.

Question 20

Larger baleen whales feed on:

A) demersal fish.
B) krill.
C) suspension feeders.
D) sea stars.
E) other marine mammals.

Question 21

An important grazer of kelp plants is the:

A) octopus.
B) kelp bass.
C) sea urchin.
D) sea otter.
E) sea anemone.

Question 22

Many benthic organisms are dependent upon the neritic area to:

A) complete their life history cycle with juveniles as part of the plankton.
B) provide plankton for food.
C) protect them from desiccation and UV radiation.
D) both a and b

Question 23

Kelp beds are considered important because they support large

A) fish.
B) sea urchins.
C) diverse communities.
D) sea otters.
E) sharks.

Question 24

One commercially important species that is a resident of kelp forests is the

A) abalone.
B) mussel.
C) cowrie.
D) lobster.
E) sea anemone.

Question 25

Macrocystis kelp communities have numerous ____ organisms while Laminaria kelp communities have ____ organisms.

A) swimming, crawling
B) crawling, swimming
C) benthic, pelagic
D) pelagic, benthic
E) benthic, crawling

Question 26

Coccolithophores are abundant in:

A) cold marine waters.
B) tropical waters.
C) subtropical areas.
D) open ocean.
E) river mouths and estuaries.

Question 27

A gribble:

A) is the substrate required for kelp to grow on.
B) is a snail that crawls along kelp stipes.
C) is a group of lobsters.
D) is a crustacean that burrows into kelp holdfasts.
E) is an echinoderm that consumes kelp.

Question 28

Diatoms tend to be grazed in temperate coastal waters by:

A) amphipods.
B) dinoflagellates.
C) copepods.
D) lobsters.
E) radiolarians

Question 29

About 50% of the world's commercial fish supply comes from areas of:

A) deep submarine canyons.
B) atolls.
C) benthic outer-edge of the continental shelf.
D) upwelling.
E) mid-ocean ridges.

Question 30

The high productivity and short food chains of ____ areas support the greatest biomass of any planktonic system.

A) stable water column
B) turbid
C) upwelling
D) downwelling
E) coral reef.

Question 31

Macrocystis is the genus of kelp that dominates in:

A) the Indian Ocean.
B) the North Atlantic.
C) the Tropical Pacific.
D) the Mediterranean.
E) the Pacific Ocean.

Question 32

Kelps cannot live in water warmer than ____° C.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40
E) 50

Question 33

During high productive periods copepod abundance can be as high as:

A) 100 individuals per cubic meter.
B) 1,000 individuals per cubic meter.
C) 10,000 individuals per cubic meter.
D) 100,000 individuals per cubic meter.
E) 1,000,000 individuals per cubic meter.

Question 34

Which of these is an often abundant plankton organism in the North Sea?

A) Radiolarians
B) Shrimp
C) Coccolithophores
D) Dinoflagellates
E) Ocean sunfish (Mola mola)

Question 35

Macrocystis can grow up to ____ centimeters per day.

A) 10
B) 15
C) 35
D) 50
E) 100

Question 36

In warm and temperate waters, common phytoplankton are the

A) diatoms.
B) radiolarians.
C) coccolithophores.
D) dinoflagellates.
E) salps.

Question 37

Kelps require ____ substrates in order to grow.

A) rocky
B) muddy
C) silty
D) sandy
E) porous

Question 38

Laminaria is the genus of kelp that dominates in:

A) the Pacific coast.
B) the South Atlantic.
C) the Tropical Pacific.
D) the North Atlantic.
E) the Indian Ocean.

Question 39

The number of trophic levels between primary producers and large consumers in coastal waters is usually:

A) one.
B) two.
C) three.
D) four.
E) more than four.

Question 40

Nanophytoplankton is

A) 2.0 to 20 microns.
B) 20 - 200 microns.
C) 2 - 20 mm.
D) 20 - 200 cm.
E) 20 - 200 mm.

Question 41

Gribbles play an important role in kelp communities

A) by weakening holdfasts enabling kelps to be replaced.
B) by strengthening holdfasts enabling kelps to remain attached.
C) by randomly disturbing the environment.
D) by providing substrate for kelp undercover species.
E) by acting as keystone predators.

Question 42

MATCHING
Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.live in spaces between sediment particles
b.live on the surface sediments
c.burrow in the sediments
the abalone Haliotis

Question 43

The delicate nature of kelp beds is a result of the slow growth rates of kelps.

Question 44

Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.slender stalk
b.attached to rocks
c.leaf-like blades
Holdfast

Question 45

MATCHING
Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.live in spaces between sediment particles
b.live on the surface sediments
c.burrow in the sediments
Interstitial

Question 46

MATCHING
Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.live in spaces between sediment particles
b.live on the surface sediments
c.burrow in the sediments
the giant kelp Macrocystis

Question 47

Kelps of the genus Macrocystis are perennials.

Question 48

Kelps are a major source of detritus to kelp forest dwellers.

Question 49

The type of sediment limits the kinds of organisms that can live in a particular area.

Question 50

MATCHING
Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.live in spaces between sediment particles
b.live on the surface sediments
c.burrow in the sediments
Infauna

Question 51

Dinoflagellates tend to dominate in warmer waters.

Question 52

Coastal waters are highly productive areas.

Question 53

MATCHING
Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.live in spaces between sediment particles
b.live on the surface sediments
c.burrow in the sediments
Epifauna

Question 54

MATCHING
Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.live in spaces between sediment particles
b.live on the surface sediments
c.burrow in the sediments
the brown alga Laminaria

Question 55

Sea urchin populations are not affected by the decimation of kelp forests because these animals are generalists and can switch their diets.

Question 56

One square meter of open ocean areas supports more phytoplankton growth than a comparable coastal water area.

Question 57

Filter feeders are common in kelp forests.

Question 58

Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.slender stalk
b.attached to rocks
c.leaf-like blades
Stipe

Question 59

Diatoms dominate coastal waters of tropical and subtropical areas.

Question 60

On the west coast of North America, sea urchins were historically kept in check by:

A) lobsters.
B) surf perches.
C) sea otters.
D) crabs.
E) SCUBA divers.

Question 61

Match the trophic role with a closely associated kelp community species.
a.rockfish
b.kelp
c.gribble
Primary consumer

Question 62

What is the main source of nutrition for animals that live on the continental shelf?

Question 63

Match the words with the most closely associated organism.
a.feed on other molluscs
b.damage kelp by burrowing into holdfast
c.builds fecal mounds
Gribbles

Question 64

Match the consumer with its typical mode of feeding.
a.eats detritus and bacteria
b.scavenger and predator
c.eats detritus and plankton
d.herbivore
Deposit feeder

Question 65

Match the substrate type with the most closely associated organisms.
a.sandy bottom
b.muddy bottom
c.hard bottom
Suspension

Question 66

Match the consumer with its typical mode of feeding.
a.eats detritus and bacteria
b.scavenger and predator
c.eats detritus and plankton
d.herbivore
Sea urchin Strongylocentrotus

Question 67

Match the words with the most closely associated organism.
a.feed on other molluscs
b.damage kelp by burrowing into holdfast
c.builds fecal mounds
Whelks

Question 68

Describe 3 adaptations of benthic fishes for living on the continental shelf.

Question 69

Match the trophic role with a closely associated kelp community species.
a.rockfish
b.kelp
c.gribble
Primary producer

Question 70

Match the trophic role with a closely associated kelp community species.
a.rockfish
b.kelp
c.gribble
Secondary consumer

Question 71

Match the substrate type with the most closely associated organisms.
a.sandy bottom
b.muddy bottom
c.hard bottom
Burrowing

Question 72

Match the consumer with its typical mode of feeding.
a.eats detritus and bacteria
b.scavenger and predator
c.eats detritus and plankton
d.herbivore
Suspension feeder

Question 73

How do kelp beds in the northeastern U.S. differ from those of the northwestern U.S.? What is the dominant non-human predator in each habitat?

Question 74

Match the words with the most closely associated term.
a.slender stalk
b.attached to rocks
c.leaf-like blades
Fronds

Question 75

Match the substrate type with the most closely associated organisms.
a.sandy bottom
b.muddy bottom
c.hard bottom
Epibenthic

Question 76

In any ecosystem, short food chains are more efficient than longer ones. Why is this so?

Question 77

Briefly describe the ecological importance of coastal seas.

Question 78

Match the words with the most closely associated organism.
a.feed on other molluscs
b.damage kelp by burrowing into holdfast
c.builds fecal mounds
Sea cucumber

Question 79

Compared to oceanic waters, coastal waters are much more productive areas. Describe at least 3 factors that contribute to the high productivity of these waters.

Question 80

Match the consumer with its typical mode of feeding.
a.eats detritus and bacteria
b.scavenger and predator
c.eats detritus and plankton
d.herbivore
Sunflower star