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OCN 201 Twelfth Readings Discussion Questions

Foundations of Life in the Ocean I

Segar - Chapter 14

1. Explain why the oceans are an ideal environment for life.

14.1 How do We Describe Life?

2. List the three domains of life based on genetics. (Also see fig. 14.1 and table 14.1)

3. Define prokaryotes. (Also see fig. 14.1, table 14.1, and p. 12G)

4. Define eukaryotes. (Also see fig. 14.1, table 14.1, and p. 6G)

5. List the two prokaryotic domains and the four kingdoms in the eukaryotic domain. (Also see fig. 14.1 and table 14.1)

6. Use table 14.1 to define protista, fungi, plants, and animals.

7. Give one example of a marine organism from each eukaryotic kingdom. (Also see table 14.1)

14.10 Plankton (p. 392)

8. Define the marine lifestyle plankton. (Also see p. 12G)

9. List the two primary types of plankton. (Also see fig. 14.14)

10. Define phytoplankton (Also see p. 12G) and zooplankton (Also see p. 16G)

12. Give the dominant size ranges and categories for phytoplankton.

13. Give an example of marine phytoplankton. (Also see figs. 14.15 and 14.17)

Diatoms

14. Explain why diatom frustules are porous.

15. Explain why diatoms contains a tiny oil droplet.

16. List phytoplankton's primary predators.

Dinoflagellates

17. Explain how dinoflagellates maintain an optimal depth.

18. Use fig. 14.17b to determine the relative abundances of coccolithophores, dinoflagellates, and diatoms with increasing distances from the shoreline.

Coccolithophores

19. List the three dominant types of marine phytoplankton.

Bacteria and Archaea

20. Explain why the importance of ultraplankton in the marine ecosystem is difficult to determine.

Zooplankton

21. Contrast holoplankton (Also see fig. 14.8 and p. 8G) and meroplankton (Also see fig. 14.20 and p. 10G).

Holoplankton

22. List the two most abundant types of holoplankton. (Also see fig. 14.18)

Gelatinous Holoplankton

23. Give an example of gelatinous holoplankton. (Also see fig. 14.19)

24. Explain why Portuguese man-of-war are unusual jellies. (Also see fig. 14.19c)

Meroplankton

25. List the different types of meroplankton. (Also see fig. 14.20)

26. List the different types of benthic organisms that have a meroplanktonic stage.

27. Explain the ecological reason that organisms have a meroplanktonic stage.