Deck 11: The Coastal Ocean

Question 1

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. You may use each answer once, more than once or not at all.

A)isothermal
B)coral reef
C)pycnocline
D)salt marsh
E)mangrove swamp
F)isohaline
G)thermocline
H)halocline
I)isocline
J)sea grass bed
coastal wetland that occurs at subtropical to tropical latitudes devoid of killing frosts

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Match the pollutant with its general category. Use each answer, once, more than once, or not at all.

A)persistent organic pollutants
B)toxic metals
C)sewage sludge
D)hydrocarbons
mercury

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Match the description of the estuary with its name. Use each choice once, more than once, or not at all.

A)vertically mixed estuary
B)fjord
C)salt wedge estuary
D)highly stratified estuary
E)bar-built estuary
a very deep river mouth with a large volume of freshwater flow beneath which a wedge of salt water from the ocean invades

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Prevailing offshore winds tend to decrease surface water salinity in a coastal plain estuary.

Question 5

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. You may use each answer once, more than once or not at all.

A)isothermal
B)coral reef
C)pycnocline
D)salt marsh
E)mangrove swamp
F)isohaline
G)thermocline
H)halocline
I)isocline
J)sea grass bed
equal salinity

Question 6

Match the pollutant with its general category. Use each answer, once, more than once, or not at all.

A)persistent organic pollutants
B)toxic metals
C)sewage sludge
D)hydrocarbons
crude oil

Question 7

Match the pollutant with its general category. Use each answer, once, more than once, or not at all.

A)persistent organic pollutants
B)toxic metals
C)sewage sludge
D)hydrocarbons
DDT

Question 8

Match the pollutant with its general category. Use each answer, once, more than once, or not at all.

A)persistent organic pollutants
B)toxic metals
C)sewage sludge
D)hydrocarbons
PCBs

Question 9

The Pamlico Sound, a body of water between coastal North Carolina and the barrier islands of Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island, is an example of a bar-built estuary.

Question 10

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. You may use each answer once, more than once or not at all.

A)isothermal
B)coral reef
C)pycnocline
D)salt marsh
E)mangrove swamp
F)isohaline
G)thermocline
H)halocline
I)isocline
J)sea grass bed
coastal wetland occurring at temperate latitudes that experience seasonal frosts

Question 11

Match the description of the estuary with its name. Use each choice once, more than once, or not at all.

A)vertically mixed estuary
B)fjord
C)salt wedge estuary
D)highly stratified estuary
E)bar-built estuary
shallow estuaries in which freshwater and salt water are completely mixed from the top to the bottom of the water column

Question 12

Territorial seas extend 12 miles from the coast and were established by the Law of the Sea Treaty.

Question 13

Match the pollutant with its general category. Use each answer, once, more than once, or not at all.

A)persistent organic pollutants
B)toxic metals
C)sewage sludge
D)hydrocarbons
concentrated organic matter

Question 14

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. You may use each answer once, more than once or not at all.

A)isothermal
B)coral reef
C)pycnocline
D)salt marsh
E)mangrove swamp
F)isohaline
G)thermocline
H)halocline
I)isocline
J)sea grass bed
a layer of water in which the salinity changes rapidly with changes in depth

Question 15

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. You may use each answer once, more than once or not at all.

A)isothermal
B)coral reef
C)pycnocline
D)salt marsh
E)mangrove swamp
F)isohaline
G)thermocline
H)halocline
I)isocline
J)sea grass bed
a layer of water in which the temperature changes rapidly with changes in depth

Question 16

Match the description of the estuary with its name. Use each choice once, more than once, or not at all.

A)vertically mixed estuary
B)fjord
C)salt wedge estuary
D)highly stratified estuary
E)bar-built estuary
a long, narrow, deep U-shaped inlet that usually represents the seaward end of a submerged glacial valley

Question 17

The Law of the Sea Treaty is an international agreement which gives the United Nations control of the ownership of coastal waters.

Question 18

Salt wedge estuaries have a well-developed halocline.

Question 19

Match the term with the appropriate phrase. You may use each answer once, more than once or not at all.

A)isothermal
B)coral reef
C)pycnocline
D)salt marsh
E)mangrove swamp
F)isohaline
G)thermocline
H)halocline
I)isocline
J)sea grass bed
equal temperature

Question 20

Match the description of the estuary with its name. Use each choice once, more than once, or not at all.

A)vertically mixed estuary
B)fjord
C)salt wedge estuary
D)highly stratified estuary
E)bar-built estuary
a shallow lagoon separated from the open ocean by a bar deposit such as a barrier island

Question 21

Bioremediation involves the use of microorganisms to degrade pollutants such as crude oil.

Question 22

Minamata disease was caused by mercury contamination.

Question 23

The decreased calcium content in the shells of fish-eating birds was a result of bioaccumulation of pesticides in the food chain.

Question 24

Prevailing offshore winds produce coastal waters that:

A)are biologically diverse.
B)are cooler.
C)are identical to the open ocean.
D)have higher salinities.
E)have lower salinities.

Question 25

Biomagnification results in substances, including toxic chemicals, to move up food chains and become concentrated in the tissues of larger animals.

Question 26

Salt marshes serve as nurseries for over half of the commercially important fish in the southeastern United States.

Question 27

Pollutants are any substance that has a negative effect on the environment.

Question 28

An estuary produced by faulting or folding of rocks that creates a dropped-down section into which a river flows is called a:

A)bar-built estuary.
B)coastal plain estuary.
C)fjord.
D)salt wedge estuary.
E)tectonic estuary.

Question 29

The Mediterranean Sea water has little impact on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Question 30

An estuary formed from a flooded glacial valley is called a:

A)bar-built estuary.
B)coastal plain estuary.
C)fjord.
D)tectonic estuary.
E)vertically mixed estuary.

Question 31

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)extends:

A)3 nautical miles from the coast.
B)10.5 nautical miles from the coast.
C)20 nautical miles from the coast.
D)200 nautical miles from the coast.
E)into open international waters.

Question 32

One reason that coastal wetlands are important is that they are efficient at removing toxins from coastal run-off before it enters the ocean.

Question 33

The greatest sources of hydrocarbons in the marine environment include urban runoff and petroleum shipping.

Question 34

Laguna Madre is a classic coastal plain estuary.

Question 35

Lagoons that form behind barrier islands are examples of:

A)bar-built estuaries.
B)coastal plain estuaries.
C)fjords.
D)salt wedge estuaries.
E)tectonic estuaries.

Question 36

Before the Deep-water Horizon blowout, the largest oil pollution event was the result of the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

Question 37

Mangrove swamps are protective buffer areas in coastal ecosystems outside of the tropics.

Question 38

The Coriolis effect is evident in the surface circulation of Chesapeake Bay.

Question 39

The primary treatment of sewage involves the removal of inorganic nutrients from the liquid effluent.

Question 40

Inorganic nitrogen compounds and hydrocarbons are examples of persistent organic pollutants in marine ecosystems.

Question 41

The most biologically devastating oil spills in the marine environment are usually a result of:

A)blow out accidents on drilling platforms.
B)collision and/or sinking of oil tankers.
C)discharge from refueling tankers and ships.
D)natural deep-sea seeps.
E)urban run-off.

Question 42

The type of circulation pattern found in Laguna Madre is:

A)opposite of the typical estuarine circulation pattern.
B)salt wedge pattern.
C)slightly stratified circulation pattern.
D)vertically mixed circulation pattern.
E)wind-driven circulation pattern.

Question 43

Bioremediation has been particularly effective in marine ecosystems in the clean-up of:

A)heavy metals.
B)hydrocarbons.
C)nitrates.
D)pesticides
E)thermal effluents.

Question 44

The percentage of the original area of wetlands currently left in the United States is approximately:

A)10%.
B)25%.
C)50%.
D)65%.
E)75%.

Question 45

All of the following are examples of pollutants in the marine environment except:

A)heavy metals such as mercury and silver.
B)hydrocarbons.
C)nutrient inputs such as nitrogen and phosphorus compounds.
D)phytoplankton.
E)sewage sludge.

Question 46

Reasons for the loss of coastal wetlands include all of the following except:

A)agriculture.
B)coastal housing.
C)removal of mangroves and other coastal vegetation
D)industrial development.
E)all of the above.

Question 47

The Columbia River estuary received its most significant ecological damage from which of the following sources?

A)dikes erected by farmers to prevent flooding
B)dredging of the river to accommodate boat traffic
C)hydroelectric dams
D)pollution due to soil erosion from logging
E)poor farming practices

Question 48

Coastal wetlands are characterized by:

A)high levels of inorganic matter in the tidal zone and oxygen-rich muds
B)high levels of organic matter in the tidal zone and anoxic muds.
C)high levels of organic matter in the tidal zone and oxygen-rich muds.
D)high levels of inorganic matter in the tidal zone and anoxic muds.
E)low levels of organic matter in the tidal zone and oxygen-rich muds.

Question 49

Estuarine circulation associated with a deep, high river volume system where no horizontal salinity gradient exists at the surface is called a:

A)bar-built estuary.
B)highly stratified estuary.
C)salt wedge estuary.
D)slightly stratified estuary.
E)vertically mixed estuary.

Question 50

Minamata disease is associated with:

A)dinoflagellates in tropical reef ecosystems.
B)eutrophication.
C)harmful algal blooms.
D)illegal fishing in tropical areas.
E)ingestion of methyl mercury-contaminated fish and shellfish

Question 51

When less saline water enters a marginal sea above a return flow of saltier water, the circulation pattern is called:

A)estuarine circulation.
B)fjord circulation.
C)lagoon circulation.
D)loop current circulation.
E)Mediterranean circulation.

Question 52

An example of a bar-built estuary is:

A)Aleutian Islands.
B)Chesapeake Bay.
C)Laguna Madre.
D)Puget Sound.
E)San Francisco Bay.

Question 53

Secondary sewage treatment is distinguished form primary sewage treatment by the:

A)addition of bacteria to process organic contaminants.
B)aeration of liquid effluent following chlorination.
C)chlorination of the liquid effluent.
D)removal of inorganic nutrients from the liquid effluent.
E)separation of the suspended solids from the liquid effluent.

Question 54

The toxicity of marine pollutants is evaluated through bioassays by:

A)calculating the concentration at which 50% of the test organisms die.
B)determining the length of time that the pollutant remains in the environment.
C)determining the total biomass of affected organisms in the environment.
D)estimating the number of trophic transfers in the food web affected by the pollutant.
E)the EPA.

Question 55

This wetland coastal area occurs:

A)between 30°N and 30°S latitude.
B)in coastal areas that dissipate wave energy.
C)in coastal areas that do not experience seasonal killing frosts.
D)All of the above conditions control the distribution of this type of coastal wetland.
E)Only A and B determine the distribution of this type of wetland.

Question 56

Which of the following characterizes the pesticide DDT and industrial chemicals such as PCBs?

A)persistence in the environment
B)biologically active
C)relatively high toxicity
D)propensity to accumulate in food chains
E)All of the above are correct.

Question 57

An example of a coastal plain estuary is the:

A)Chesapeake Bay.
B)Laguna Madre.
C)Monterey Bay.
D)Pamlico Sound.
E)San Francisco Bay.

Question 58

One major problem associated with the Chesapeake Bay due to increased human pressure is:

A)an increased salinity during particular times of the year.
B)an increase in nutrients resulting in more frequent kills of bottom-dwelling or benthic animals.
C)decreased tributary river flow due to increased water demand.
D)salinity fluctuations due to reduced inflow from rivers.
E)the removal of sediments behind hydroelectric dams

Question 59

Estuarine circulation associated with a shallow, low-volume estuary in which river water mixes evenly at all depths with ocean water would be called a:

A)highly stratified estuary.
B)salt wedge estuary.
C)slightly stratified estuary.
D)tectonic estuary.
E)vertically mixed estuary.

Question 60

The two most significant human sources of oil pollution in the marine environment are:

A)blow out accidents and urban run-off.
B)natural seeps and urban run-off.
C)normal oil tanker/shipping operations and urban run-off.
D)oil tanker and blowout accidents in marine coastal waters.
E)tar balls and oil tanker accidents.

Question 61

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.
A. bar-built
B) coastal plain
C) fjord
D) reverse
E) tectonic

Question 62

How does coastal runoff of low-salinity water produce a coastal geostrophic current?

Question 63

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.
A. DDT
B) mercury
C) nitrates
D) phytoplankton
E) petroleum

Question 64

Distinguish between estuaries, lagoons, and marginal seas and give an example of each.

Question 65

What properties have contributed to plastics being considered a miracle substance? How do those same properties cause plastics to be unusually persistent and damaging in the marine environment?

Question 66

How and by whom are marine natural resources regulated? Briefly discuss the history of regulation and include in your answer the role of the United Nations.

Question 67

Discuss the biological role of estuaries in marine ecosystems. Why is it important to protect estuaries from human perturbation?

Question 68

Compare and contrast salt marshes and mangrove swamps.

Question 69

List and briefly describe the four types of estuaries based upon origin and give an example of each.

Question 70

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.
A. Atlantic comb jelly
B) Caulerpa taxifolia
C) green crab
D) Spartina alterniflora
E) water hyacinth

Question 71

Why is storm-water runoff or drain runoff a significant contributor to non-point source pollution?

Question 72

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern.
A. coastal plain
B) highly stratified
C) salt wedge
D) slightly stratified
E) vertically mixed

Question 73

Explain the difference between a territorial sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Question 74

Plastics cause significant biological damage in oceans when:

A)degradation rapidly releases toxins into the environment.
B)plastic waste strangles seals and birds.
C)pellets appear in the sediments.
D)plastics degrade into DDT.
E)bacteria levels increase in them.

Question 75

List the types of marine pollutants.