Aquatic Habitats

An area where heated water rises through cracks in the ocean floor is called a hydrothermal vent.

The organisms that form the base of most open-ocean food webs are a. fish. b. coral. c. plankton. d. kelp.

Benthos are organisms that live a. on the surface of water. b. throughout the water column. c. on the ocean floor. d. in shallow water.

The organisms that live around hydrothermal vents are supported by a. energy from sunlight. b. nutrients washed from the land. c. food made by algae. d. chemical nutrients from Earth's interior.

Which of the following organisms is an example of nekton? a. lobster b. dolphin c. clam d. sea star

Which classification of marine organisms includes swordfish and sharks?

A salt marsh oozes with smelly water, made up of sediments, animal and plant matter, and nutrients carried into the marsh by fresh water and tides.

A coastal inlet or bay in which freshwater from rivers mixes with salty ocean water is called a(n) a. transition zone. b. abyssal plain. c. estuary. d. hydrothermal vent.

What are the three classifications of marine organisms?

As ocean water in a tide pool warms and evaporates, the remaining water becomes a. cooler. b. saltier. c. calmer. d. darker.

Mangrove forests play an important role in _______.

Which of the following does not explain the importance of mangrove forests? a. They provide shelter to organisms on high energy coasts. b. They help prevent erosion along coasts. c. They increase surface runoff and flooding. d. They filter and process pollutants out of the environment.

How has human use of salt marshes changed over time? a. Humans have come to value salt marshes and now seek to preserve and restore them. b. Humans now use drained salt marshes exclusively for agriculture. c. Humans have begun to use salt marshes for landfills. d. Humans have begun to use marsh land for housing and commercial development.

Why do many fishermen support efforts to protect and restore mangrove forests? a. Most fishermen are environmentalists. b. Many fish breed in mangrove forests. c. They lay their nets in mangrove forests. d. Mangrove forests provide valuable hardwoods.

Salt marshes are found _______. a. at high elevations b. away from the coast c. on high energy coastlines d. on low energy coastlines

The salinity in salt marshes can vary throughout the day because _______. a. river flow changes throughout the day b. the amount of salt water in a marsh depends upon ocean tides c. daily winds and rains result in salt and fresh water mixing d. salt water collects in the lowest elevations

Mangrove forests help mitigate storm damage.

Which of the following is a benefit of having a healthy salt marsh? a. Salt marshes provide a habitat for juvenile fish. b. Salt marshes act as a buffer for storms. c. Salt marshes support marine life found in estuaries. d. All of the above

Mangrove have two types of specialized root systems.

Which of the following is not true concerning salt marshes? a. Historically they were drained for agriculture. b. Historically they were drained for development. c. Salt marshes are not productive habitats. d. Remaining marshes are severely degraded.

Which of the following is an impact of fishing on fisheries?

How has human use of salt marshes changed over time?

Which of the following does not explain the importance of mangrove forests?

Wetlands help reduce erosion through _______.

Brackish water is common in freshwater wetlands.