Quiz on Abiotic Factors Affecting Marine Organisms

Quiz on abiotic factors affecting marine organisms 1. How do currents influence marine ecosystems? A. They assist in the transporting of pollutants. B. They stabilize water temperatures year-round. C. They solely determine the color of ocean water . D. They have no significant effect on nutrient transport. Answer: They assist in the transporting of pollutants. (A) Currents play a role in nutrient transport and can carry pollutants, impacting marine ecosystems. 2. What impact do waves and tides have on marine organisms? A. They enhance nutrient cycling in the water column. B. They only affect large marine mammals. C. They stabilize the seabed for all types of organisms. D. They can damage organisms with delicate structures. Answer: They can damage organisms with delicate structures. (D) Waves and tides can exert physical forces that damage delicate marine organisms. 3. Which of the following describes the influence of substrate on marine life? A. All organisms can thrive in any type of substrate. B. Substrate composition has no effect on biodiversity. C. Substrates determine the salinity levels in the ocean. 2 D. Different substrates offer varying degrees of shelter . Answer: Different substrates offer varying degrees of shelter . (D) The physical nature of the substrate can provide different types of shelter and food resources for various organisms. 4. What is a consequence of increased sedimentation in marine environments? A. It has no effect on marine ecosystems. B. It can smother benthic organisms. C. It enhances the overall biodiversity of marine species. D. It improves the water clarity significantly. Answer: It can smother benthic organisms. (B) Accumulation of sediments can smother benthic organisms, affecting habitat quality. 5. Which factor is most likely to disrupt marine ecosystems through physical forces? A. Tides that erode resilient substrates. B. Nutrient transport through currents. C. Currents that promote larval dispersal. D. Waves that cause damage to organisms with delicate structures. Answer: Waves that cause damage to organisms with delicate structures. (D) Waves can exert significant forces that damage organisms that have delicate shells or structures. 3 6. What effect does increased temperature have on marine organisms? A. Increases optimal survival range B. Decreases metabolic rates C. Reduces pressure adaptation D. Influences growth and species distribution Answer: Influences growth and species distribution (D) Increased temperature can influence metabolic rates, growth, and the distribution of species. 7. How does salinity affect marine organisms? A. Improves reproductive rates B. Disrupts osmotic balance C. Increases nutrient availability D. Enhances photosynthetic activity Answer: Disrupts osmotic balance (B) Changes in salinity can disrupt osmotic balance, leading to dehydration or water influx for marine organisms. 8. What role does dissolved oxygen play in marine environments? A. Increases salinity concentration B. Promotes photosynthesis directly C. Helps regulate pH levels D. Is essential for respiration Answer: Is essential for respiration (D) 4 Dissolved oxygen in seawater is vital for respiration in marine organisms. 9. What is a consequence of nutrient depletion in marine ecosystems? A. Increased algal blooms B. Reduced primary productivity C. Enhanced metabolic rates of fish D. Improved growth of phytoplankton Answer: Reduced primary productivity (B) Nutrient availability influences primary productivity, and its depletion can reduce growth in marine ecosystems. 10. What happens when ocean pH levels decrease? A. Reduction of heavy metal toxicity B. Acidification affects shells and skeletons C. Enhancement of calcium carbonate structures D. Increased survival of marine organisms Answer: Acidification affects shells and skeletons (B) Changes in pH can harm shells and skeletons made of calcium carbonate due to ocean acidification. 11. How do heavy metals impact marine life? A. Enhance reproductive success B. Cause toxicity and bioaccumulation C. Aid in nutrient cycling D. Increase dissolved oxygen levels 5 Answer: Cause toxicity and bioaccumulation (B) Heavy metals can accumulate in organisms, causing toxicity and potentially impacting higher trophic levels. 12. Which factor directly affects the distribution of photosynthetic organisms in the ocean? A. Salinity levels B. Pressure variations C. Sunlight penetration D. Temperature fluctuations Answer: Sunlight penetration (C) Sunlight penetration influences where photosynthetic organisms, like phytoplankton, can thrive. 13. What can be a result of excess nutrient levels in marine environments? A. Eutrophication and algal blooms B. Decrease in fish populations C. Increase in water salinity D. Reduction in atmospheric CO2 Answer: Eutrophication and algal blooms (A) Excess nutrients can lead to eutrophication, promoting algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water.