marine science

Please answer only four (4) of the questions below as completely as possible. Answers to the questions can be found in Introduction to Ocean Science 4th Edition, by Douglas Segar as the questions come from the Critical Thinking Questions in the text. 25 points each.

I expect that to answer each question completely, your answer should be between 100 and 200 words in length, but the choice is yours. A few words is not likely to provide a sufficient explanation.

1. You are sailing across the water into an almost regular swell that comes from directly ahead of you. Suddenly you notice that the same swell now appears to be coming at you from two slightly different directions at a small angle from each side of the boat’s bow and the wave pattern ahead looks confused compared to the smooth swell you were sailing on a few minutes before. What are you seeing, and why? Should you be concerned? Chapter 9

2. In the Hawaiian Islands the youngest island, Hawaii, is the biggest, has sandy beaches along the smallest fraction of its coastline, and has more black sand beaches than the other islands. Oahu, which is older than Hawaii, is smaller, has a greater fraction of its coastline occupied by beaches, and does not have black sand beaches. Kauai, which is older than both Oahu and Hawaii, is smaller than either of these other islands, has the largest fraction of its coastline occupied by beaches, and also does not have black sand beaches. Explain why this progression of island characteristics with age occurs. (These processes are described individually in several differ¬ent chapters of this text.) Chapter 11

3. If you measured the dissolved oxygen concentration carefully in the photic zone during a spring bloom of phytoplankton, describe how you would expect it to change over 24 h and why. Would the changes in concentration during the 24 h be different at different depths within the photic zone? If so, describe how and why. Hint: First list and explain the important factors that control diurnal variations and then explain the result of these processes. Chapter 12

4. Is it likely that a global climate change in which the Earth’s atmosphere warms by several degrees will alter the frequency or intensity of dinoflagellate blooms? Why? Is it likely that the frequency and geographic extent of periodic anoxia in coastal waters will change? If so, how and why? Chapter 13

5. The temperature and salinity of the abyssopelagic environ¬ment vary little with latitude or from ocean to ocean. This environment is also uniformly dark and the pressure uniform¬ly high. Does this mean that, if we were able to sample every species in a cubic kilometer of deep-ocean water, we could be certain that we had sampled a large majority of all abyssope-lagic species that exist in the oceans? Why or why not? Chapter 15

6. Coral reefs and kelp forests both have high species diversity compared to some other ocean ecosystems. What are the pos¬sible reasons for this high diversity? Chapter 15

7. Describe the principal sources of petroleum contamination in the oceans. Discuss what would probably cause more pollu¬tion of the oceans: production of oil from drilling platforms in U.S. coastal waters and transport of the oil ashore in sea¬floor pipelines, or purchase of oil from foreign suppliers and transport to the United States in oil tankers. Chapter 16

ANSWER

Marine Science

Question 4: Global climate change and the impact on the frequency or intensity of dinoflagellate blooms

Climate change plays a vital role in the development of algal blooms. The warm environmental conditions that emerge with climate change favor harmful algae as it thrives better in warmer water. One of the essential aspects to note is that warmer waters make it hard for water to mix and thus create a favorable environment for algal blooms’ growth. These substances absorb sunlight and accelerate increasing water temperatures. It promotes the development of more algal blooms. Notably, climate change generates excessive nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous, and their high concentration in the water ecosystem leads to increased growth of algal blooms. Thus, climate change increases Earth’s temperatures that warm water systems and enhances these harmful substances’ growth intensity. There is a higher chance that period anoxia in coastal waters will accelerate with the increasing climate change levels in the contemporary setting. The high growth rate of bacteria affects the levels of dissolved oxygen, leading to anoxic waters. Unless human beings limit activities that generate climate change, coastal waters risk high levels of anoxia.

Question 5: Sampling abyssopelagic species in the water system

The abyssopelagic species’ sampling per cubic kilometer of deep-ocean water is expected to generate a viable outcome. Despite the temperature and salinity changes across the ocean waters, these animals have a tendency to survive in a harsh environment. They live in a uniformly dark environment characterized by high pressures that support these animals’ thriving. Thus, if an individual samples every species in a cubic kilometer of deep ocean-water, there is a high chance that the sample results obtained with be representative of the majority of the abyssopelagic species. This is because they are less likely to move from one segment to another despite the changes occurring in their living environment. These species can survive and grow further in harsh conditions. Thus, there is a limited chance of moving from one area to another in search of a viable environment since they are structured to survive in extreme conditions.

Question 6: Coral reefs and kelp forests have high species diversity compared to other ocean ecosystems

Coral reefs and kelp forests have algae components that accelerate their growth. This has led to massive production and survival of these species because they can also survive harsh environments. For example, warm waters make it possible for these species to develop progressively. Both coral reefs and kelp forests require warm water conditions to survive. They can also tolerate high temperatures and saline waters, unlike most species that are weakened by such conditions. Thus, the ability to thrive in extreme settings makes coral reefs and kelp forests high diverse species in the ocean ecosystem. The other reason behind their diversity is that other species rely on them for survival. They offer a three-dimensional habitat utilized by other ocean species for survival. Thus, there is a high chance that coral reefs and kelp forests are the majority species in each unit area.

Question 7: The principal sources of petroleum contamination in the oceans

Oil spillage from ships and pipelines is a crucial source of oil pollution in the oceans. Ships and oil tankers deliberately or accidentally expose the ocean ecosystem to pollution affecting the welfare of the animals. Notably, seeps contribute to a significant level of pollution. Crude ill and natural gas may leak through fractures and mix with the ocean water. Offshore drilling has a massive effect on ocean resources. Drilling oil and natural gas resources along the state and deferral waters pose a significant threat to the ecosystem. There is a likelihood that a fracture of fragment could occur and thus pollute the ocean water. Prevention of fractures is a challenging task considering the drilling increasingly exposes the land to such outcomes. Thus, it results in hazardous environmental conditions in the coastal waters.