Pressure, Temperature & Density
What happens to water pressure as ocean depth increases?
Water pressure increases as ocean depth increases
What layer separates warm surface water from colder deep water?
The thermocline.
What is deep ocean circulation driven by density differences called?
Thermohaline circulation.
What are the most important primary producers in the ocean?
Phytoplankton.
Satellite chlorophyll images measure phytoplankton concentration.
What do satellite chlorophyll images measure?
What is biodiversity?
The variety of life in a given area.
What is the average pressure at sea level?
1 atmosphere.
What layer of the ocean receives sunlight?
The photic zone.
What primarily drives the Global Conveyor Belt?
Temperature and salinity differences.
What gas is released during photosynthesis?
Oxygen.
What is a rapid increase in phytoplankton growth called?
An algal bloom.
What are organisms that drift with ocean currents called?
Plankton.
How much pressure exists about 10 meters below the ocean surface?
About 2 atmospheres.
Which color of light penetrates deepest into the ocean?
Blue light.
How long does one full Global Conveyor Belt cycle take?
About 1,000 years.
What pigment allows phytoplankton to absorb light energy?
Chlorophyll.
What conditions most often cause algal blooms?
Increased light and nutrients.
What group includes fish and marine mammals?
Nekton.
How does ocean temperature change with increasing depth?
Temperature generally decreases as depth increases.
What limits photosynthesis below the photic zone?
The aphotic zone is limited by a lack of light.
What process occurs when deep water rises to the surface?
Upwelling.
Chloroplasts convert light energy into chemical energy.
What is the role of chloroplasts?
What organism causes red tide in the Gulf of Mexico?
Karenia brevis.
What is the science of classifying organisms called?
Taxonomy.
What happens to density as water becomes colder and saltier?
Water becomes more dense when it is colder and saltier.
What is bioluminescence?
Bioluminescence is light produced by living organisms.
Why is upwelling important to ocean ecosystems?
It brings nutrient-rich water to the surface.
What is a reactant in photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide.
Which Earth sphere holds the largest amount of carbon dioxide?
The hydrosphere (oceans).
What is the most specific classification level?
Species.