Question | Answer |
Syzygy occurs during __________. | spring tides |
Which of the following statements about the positions of the Earth–Moon–Sun system during a solar eclipse is FALSE? | Neap tide conditions are experienced. |
Resultant tidal forces are produced by __________. | the difference between centripetal and gravitational forces |
The reason that a lunar day is _________ a solar day is that __________________. | longer than; the Moon is also moving in its orbit around Earth |
A high tide is at 3:00 p.m. on a particular day. On the very next day, a high tide would most likely be expected at __________. | 3:50 p.m. |
Of the following phases of the Moon, which one is associated with the smallest tidal range? | quarter moon |
Destructive interference between the solar and lunar tidal bulges occurs during __________. | neap tide |
The gravitational force between two bodies is dependent on mass and distance, with distance being the greater influence of the two. | True |
In a simple model of the tides as tidal bulges, the strongest gravitational influence = maximum seawater bulge = highest tide. | True |
The best time to go collecting at a tide pool (when there would be the lowest low tides) is during neap tide conditions. | False |
The greatest tidal range on Earth occurs during the times when the Moon is at ___________ and the Sun is at ___________. | perigee; perihelion |
A tidal pattern with two nearly equal high tides and two nearly equal low tides per lunar day is called a __________ tidal pattern. | Semidiurnal |
A tidal pattern with one high tide and one low tide per lunar day is called a __________ tidal pattern. | Diurnal |
What tidal pattern occurs along the West Coast of the United States? | Mixed |
Under ideal conditions for the West Coast of the United States, the time interval between a high tide and the very next high tide would be __________. | 12 hours, 25 minutes |
What would tides be like on Earth if the Moon did not exist? | Tides would occur, but the tidal range would be reduced. |
In the open ocean, tidal currents follow which of the following patterns? | Rotary |
Water that is flowing out of a bay as a result of a change in the tides is called __________. | an ebb current |
What is a tidal bore? | a true tidal wave caused by an incoming high tide that moves up certain rivers |
Which of the following statements about tidal power plants is FALSE? | There are no existing tidal power plants anywhere in the world. |
In general, the sand on most beaches comes from _________. | Rivers |
Of the following zones, which one is defined as the portion of the shore that extends from the low-tide shoreline to the low-tide breaker line? | Nearshore |
In a typical coastal region, the berm is _________. | a dry, nearly level or gently sloping platform |
Normally, beaches would have the greatest amount of sand on the berm near the end of _________. | Summer |
During periods of very heavy wave activity, _________. | the berm shrinks, and the longshore bar grows |
Which of the following features are associated with erosional shores? | sea cliffs and sea stacks |
All of the following features are associated with emerging shorelines EXCEPT _________. | drowned beaches |
Submerging shorelines commonly exhibit _________. | drowned river valleys |
The movement of sand parallel to the shoreline _________. | is all the above (all the responses are true) |
Along the U.S. West Coast, longshore transport generally moves ________, and along the U.S. East Coast, longshore transport generally moves ________. | south, south |
Imagine that you are caught in a rip current in the ocean. What is the best thing to do to avoid drowning? | Swim sideways to the current before attempting to come ashore. |
All of the following are alternatives to hard stabilization EXCEPT _________. | increasing the rate of glacial ice cap melting so that there is a rise in eustatic sea level |
Beach nourishment is the establishment of coastal structures that prevent the movement of sand downcoast. | False |
Where does most of the sand involved in longshore transport in beach compartments eventually end up? | down submarine canyons |
With rising sea level, barrier islands tend to _________. | migrate landward |
All of the following events can produce a global (eustatic) rise in sea level EXCEPT _________. | isostatic rebound of the land following glacial melting |
Which U.S. coast would most likely experience the LEAST amount of shoreline retreat related to a 1-meter rise in sea level? | West Coast |
Which of the following human-made structures or natural features does NOT interfere with the natural flow of sand on the beach? | Spits |
Which longshore drift management technique was implemented at Santa Monica, California, before the breakwater was destroyed? | Sand was dredged from behind (inshore of) the breakwater. |
The type of hard stabilization that protects a harbor or bay entrance and is almost always found in pairs is called a _________. | Jetty |
The Law of the Sea Treaty provides for all of the following EXCEPT ___________. | the right of any nation to dump plastic trash at sea |
Runoff flowing into coastal waters can produce all of the following EXCEPT ___________. | dry offshore winds |
Which of the following is an example of a coastal plain estuary? | Chesapeake Bay |
A fjord is a type of estuary that was created by ___________. | submergence of a glacially carved valley. |
Of the following types of estuaries, which one has the best developed "estuarine circulation pattern"? | a highly stratified estuary |
Which of the following statements about Mediterranean Intermediate Water is FALSE? | It is composed of low-salinity water. |
Which of the following statements about coastal wetlands is FALSE? | Coastal wetlands have very low productivities. |
Mangroves grow in latitudes as high as 65 degrees north or south of the equator. | False |
By law, storm drains now divert flow into treatment facilities, not to the ocean as they once did. | False |
Toxins often accumulate and concentrate from organism to organism up marine food chains. | True |
Although the effects of DDT on the environment were devastating, they have long since disappeared. | False |
It is still legal to dump raw sewage into the ocean in the United States. | False |
Non-point source pollution includes large oil spills caused by ocean tankers. | False |
Based on the World Heath Organization's definition of marine pollution, all of the following would be considered pollution (provided that the item results in harmful effects) EXCEPT ___________. | "natural pollution," such as piles of dead seaweed at the beach. |
The standard laboratory bioassay is used to determine ___________. | the concentration of a pollutant in the water |
Minamata disease is caused by eating fish contaminated with ___________. | Mercury |
Years after the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez, ecologic recovery has largely taken place because ___________. | most substances that comprise oil are naturally biodegradable |
Bioremediation ___________. | is a method of oil cleanup that uses microbes to break down oil |
Other than the oil spilled intentionally by the Iraqi army during their invasion of Kuwait in 1991, the world's largest oil spill was from ___________. | the blowout of the Ixtoc #1 oil well in the Bay of Campeche, Mexico (1979) |
What is the source of the majority of human-caused marine oil pollution? | consumers who use oil |
Based on a working definition of life, which of the following is NOT a characteristic of living organisms? | Living organisms must be large enough to be seen with the naked eye. |
Which of the following kingdoms of organisms lack nuclei? | Monera |
Of the following groupings, which one is the most inclusive (contains the greatest number of species)? | Phylum |
What is the total number of marine species that have been catalogued? | 250,000 |
Only 14% of Earth's species live in the ocean. Which is the most logical explanation of why there are so few marine species? | The relatively uniform conditions of the open ocean create an easier life for marine organisms than terrestrial organisms. |
What percentage of marine species live in or on the ocean floor? | 98% |
Which type of marine organism comprises the greatest percentage of marine biomass? | Plankton |
All of the following adult-stage organisms are considered nektonic organisms EXCEPT ___________. | Jellyfish |
All of the following adult-stage organisms are considered benthos EXCEPT ___________. | Jellyfish |
Organisms that are plankton in their juvenile stage but become nekton or benthos in their adult stage are called ___________. | Meroplankton |
Osmosis is a process that describes the movement of water molecules from the less concentrated solution into the more concentrated solution. | True |
Diffusion is a process that involves passing particles or molecules from areas of low particle concentration to areas of high particle concentration. | False |
Countershading is a term used to describe an organism that is dark colored on bottom and light colored on top, thus able to avoid being seen by predators. | False |
The deep scattering layer (DSL) is found close to the surface at noon every day. | False |
The increasing pressure with depth in the oceans has a significant impact on most marine organisms. | False |
Organisms that can tolerate only a narrow range of salinity conditions are said to be ___________. | Stenohaline |
The oxygen minimum layer (OML) ___________. | is a zone of low dissolved oxygen concentration |
Because of seawater's high salinity, most marine fish have the following adaptations EXCEPT that ___________. | they are considered hypertonic |
Dead and decaying organic matter, including waste products, is called ___________. | detritus |
Which of the following shows the correct order of benthic environments, going from shallow water to deep ocean depths? | littoral, sublittoral, bathyal, abyssal, hadal |
What is the total estimate economic contribution that he Indian River Lagoon provides to the local, regional and national economies? | $ 750M |
Heavy concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus can fuel algal blooms in the lagoon. Which of the following are not contributors to nitrogen levels? | Coriolis affect |
Which of these are not primary controllers of the level of chlorophyl A in the IRL? | salinity |
Evaluation of seagrass resources in the lagoon is based on three measurements, which measurement is not used? | Satellite chlorophyl A analysis. |
What scale do marine scientist use to measure the color in natural bodies of water like the IRL? | Platinum cobalt units |
What scale do marine scientist use to measure the turbidity color in natural bodies of water like the IRL? | Nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs). |
Unnaturally high levels of Chlorophyll a in the IRL are generally considered a sign of which of the following? | Too much nutrient |
The convergence of tropical and temperate climatic zones make the Indian River Lagoon North America’s number one estuary with the highest species diversity. | True |
Recent CCMP implementation achievements did not include which of the following? | The establishment of largest nationwide all volunteer exotic species trapping program. |
. What fish commonly found in the IRL caused 19 cases of poisoning in less than a six month period? | Puffer Fish |
The above fish poisoning cases were found to be caused by what specific agent? | Planktonic Algae |
Which of the following non-indigenous species have not been found in or near the IRL? | Blue Ring Octopus (genus Hapalochlaena) |
What is considered to be the optimal salinity for sea grass growth in the IRL? | 20 ppt |
If you had a question about whether a specific species of marine animal or plant could be found or not in the IRL you could go to which of the following web sites? | Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce at www.serc.si.edu/sms/irlspec/index.htm |
Which of the following bodies are not considered part of the IRL? | Myakka River |
Areas adjacent to larger tributaries and major drainage do not experience higher than typical levels of ? | salinity |
The Indian River Lagoon features what type of water body? | Estuary |