Human Impacts
This type of pollution occurs when excess fertilizers enter waterways and cause algal blooms
What is runoff (or nutrient pollution/eutrophication)?
This climate cycle warms Pacific Ocean waters and changes weather patterns.
El Nino
This refers to the number of organisms living in a given area.
Population density
Fossil fuels are considered this type of resource.
nonrenewable
An isolated system exchanges ______ with its surroundings.
Neither matter nor energy
Greenhouse gases increase ocean acidity because more ______ dissolves into seawater
carbon dioxide (CO₂)
What is ecological succession?
The gradual change in an ecosystem over time.
Which distribution pattern occurs when organisms live in groups?
Clumped distribution
Mangrove forests benefit coastal ecosystems by doing this.
The ocean is generally considered what type of system?
Open System
Name 3 major impact oil spills have on marine ecosystems.
How can hurricanes impact marine ecosystems?
What is carrying capacity?
The maximum population an environment can sustainably support.
Give one benefit and one cost of offshore drilling.
Benefit:
Cost:
Differentiate between open and closed systems.
Explain how ocean acidification affects coral reefs.
Acidification reduces corals’ ability to build calcium carbonate skeletons.
Describe one effect climate change has on marine ecosystems.
Give one reason marine organisms may show random distribution.
Why are fisheries considered renewable resources only under proper management?
Fish populations can recover if harvesting stays below reproduction rates.
A sealed aquarium with sunlight entering is what type of system?
Closed system
A coastal city dumps untreated waste into the ocean. Predict TWO long-term ecosystem impacts.
A warming ocean causes fish populations to move northward. Explain why this changes ecosystems.
Species interactions and food webs change when organisms migrate to new areas.
A fish population rapidly exceeds carrying capacity. Predict what will likely happen next.
A government must choose between protecting mangroves or building coastal resorts. Evaluate both sides.
Should discuss economic benefits vs ecosystem protection.
Explain how the Law of Conservation of Energy applies to ocean systems.
Energy changes form but total energy remains conserved