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Flashcards in Plankton Test Deck (57)
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1
Q

The tiny plant like organism which causes red tide is called a?

A

Dinoflagellates

2
Q

What is the purpose of the flagella on dinoflagellates?

A

Spins cell around

Propels it through water

3
Q

When are blooms created that release toxin into the water?

A

When certain dinoflagellates are in higher than normal concentrations

4
Q

In Florida waters, what is the scientific name for the most common red tide dinoflagellates?

A

Karenia brevis

5
Q

How do dinoflagellates reproduce?

A

Cell division

6
Q

How often do dinoflagellates reproduce?

A

Every 48-120 hours

7
Q

What 4 factors influence the growth of K. brevis?

A
  • sunlight
  • temperature
  • salinity
  • amount/type of nutrients available in the water
8
Q

What 2 factors play a role in determining when and where blooms will occur?

A
  • winds

- currents

9
Q

When can K. brevis blooms be a problem for people?

A

When winds and currents drive the blooms close to shore, where they can be concentrated

10
Q

Why do researchers off the coast of Florida believe that red tide blooms are not related to pollution?

A

Red tide blooms have happened for hundreds of years, long before man-made pollution became prevalent

11
Q

K. brevis red tide blooms occur most frequently between what months of the year?

A

August-February

12
Q

How do K. brevis toxins affect fishes?

A

Paralyzes the nerves of the fish causing death by suffocation

13
Q

What is the greatest threat to humans posed by K. brevis red tides?

A

Consumption of bivalve shellfish that have been contaminated with red tide toxins

14
Q

If humans consume clams, mussels, oysters, or coquinas, that have been contaminated with the red tide toxin what can happen to them?

A

They can become ill with Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning

15
Q

What are some symptoms of Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning?

A

Nausea, diarrhea, tingling of fingers and toes, reversal of sensations (hot seems cold, cold seems hot)

16
Q

In humans, how long does it usually take for the symptoms of NSP to occur?

A

Few minutes to several hours

17
Q

What does the Florida Department of Environmental Protection do when beds are threatened by red tide blooms?

A

Closes harvesting areas

18
Q

Besides poisoning, how else can people be affected during red tide blooms?

A

Sneezing, coughing, general respiratory irritation

19
Q

List the four reasons why it would be extremely difficult and costly to get rid of a red tide?

A
  • red tide blooms occur over hundreds to thousands of square miles
  • distributed throughout the water column
  • can be moved great distances along the coast
  • fluctuate daily with tides
20
Q

Why are chemical and biological control agents not a practical alternative to control and disperse the red tide blooms?

A

May adversely affect other forms of marine life

21
Q

What technology is being used today to detect and track the movement of ocean currents and blooms?

A

Satellites

22
Q

What does the term plankton mean?

A

Float or drift in ocean

23
Q

2 main types of plankton?

A

Zooplankton and phytoplankton

24
Q

Why must phytoplankton remain in the photic zone?

A

They need sunlight to make food for themselves

25
Q

Why are phytoplankton important for sustaining life?

A

They create the nutrients that all other animals eat

26
Q

What are the shells of diatoms made of?

A

Silica

27
Q

Why are dinoflagellates considered to be between plants and animals?

A

They produce their own food, but when there isn’t enough light they eat other plankton

28
Q

What do zooplankton feed on?

A

Phytoplankton, smaller zooplankton

29
Q

What are animals that spend their entire lives as plankton called?

A

Holo plankton

30
Q

What are animals that spend only part of their lives as plankton (usually as larvae) called?

A

Meroplankton

31
Q

What are two animals besides the crab that experience the meroplankton stage?

A

Shrimp, oysters

32
Q

What equipment is used to catch plankton?

A

Plankton net

33
Q

Small, usually microscopic plant and animal organisms that float or drift on the ocean

A

Plankton

34
Q

Plant plankton

A

Phytoplankton

35
Q

Lighted region of the ocean, where photosynthesis can occur

A

Photic zone

36
Q

Animal plankton

A

Zooplankton

37
Q

Tiny whiplike hairs used for movement or catching food

A

Flagella

38
Q

Small plankton with characteristics of both plants and animals, causes red tide

A

Dinoflagellates

39
Q

Organisms that spend entire lives as plankton

A

Holo plankton

40
Q

Organisms that spend only part of their lives as plankton

A

Meroplankton

41
Q

Composed of two identical halves encased in a shell made of silica or glass; most common phytoplankton

A

Diatom

42
Q

Single felled holo plankton with a transparent body or she’ll

A

Radiolarian

43
Q

Single felled holo plankton with a calcium carbonate shell

A

Foraminiferan

44
Q

Long, threadlike structures that hang from some organisms; may contain dangerous stinging cells

A

Tentacles

45
Q

Young planktonic larval stage of crab

A

Zoea

46
Q

Small crustaceans that have two long antennae for movement and gathering food; most common zooplankton

A

Copepods

47
Q

Planktonic larval stage of the crab; follows the zoeal stage

A

Megalops

48
Q

Open spaces in a net or screen

A

Mesh

49
Q

Cone shaped net of fine mesh that is pulled through the water to collect plankton

A

Plankton net

50
Q

Platonic shrimp larva

A

Mysis

51
Q

Foot like projection

A

Pseudopod

52
Q

Form of an organism that is immature and very different looking than the adult organim

A

Larva

53
Q

Primary consumer

A

Eat primary producers and photo synthesizing bacteria

54
Q

Secondary consumer

A

Eat primary consumers

55
Q

Decomposer

A

Break down organic material into inorganic form

56
Q

In trophic pyramid or food chain, how much of the available energy is transferred form one level to the next?

A

10%

57
Q

The Red Tide phenomenon has been documented along Florida’s Gulf Coast since when?

A

1840s