Marine Bio
Essay Preview: Marine Bio
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Shawn Cheek
Marine Bio
Midterm Exam
sessile – permanently attached or fixed; not free-moving
benthic – the bottom under a body of water
neritic – of or relating to the region of the sea over the continental shelf which is less than 200 meters deep
stenohaline – limited to or able to live only within a narrow range of saltwater concentrations
ecology – the relationship between organisms and their environment
nekton – actively swimming animals in a body of water
spring tide – the exceptionally high and low tides that occur at the time of the new moon or the full moon when the sun, moon, and earth are approximately aligned
niche – the function or position of an organism or population within an ecological community
estuary – the wide part of a river where it nears the sea; fresh and salt water mix
prokaryote – a unicellular organism having cells lacking membrane-bound nuclei
aphotic – the region of a body of water that is not reached by sunlight and in which photosynthesis is unable to occur
phytoplankton – photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae
autotroph – an organism capable of synthesizing its own food from inorganic substances, using light or chemical energy
hermaphrodite – a plant or animal that normally has both male and female reproductive organs
population – all the organisms that constitute a specific group or occur in a specified habitat
sublittoral – below low tide; always covered by saltwater; fish, worms; gills, regulate salt intake
littoral – in between high and low tides; when the tide comes in the water can erode this zone; corraline algae, barnacles; photosynthesis, tolerance of salt water
supralittoral – above high tide; saltwater never reaches this zone; black lichen, some green algae; lungs, photosynthesis
highly developed eyes – better sight
large brains – more advanced than other mollusks
ink sac – help in capturing prey, defense
suckers – help in capturing prey
mantle – enhanced protection
protection by mantle, protection by arms/tentacles, better reactions when distance is shorter
zooanthellae – most important source of nutrition
light – photosynthesis