Benthos: Reflective Questions
Science
Your essay answer should be clear and succinct, amounting to perhaps 3-5 sentences totaling 50 to 80 words; longer essays are strongly discouraged. It is recommended that you prepare your answer in a separate document from which you copy it into Canvas.
Question 1 5 pts
Explain why both rocky and sandy shores can be divided into different zones based on the variations in the organisms that dwell in these habitats and describe examples of distinct adaptations of biota within each of the environments that aid their survive in that setting.
A strong answer will describe the natural variations within both rocky and sandy shores and how organisms adapt to these conditions, including specific characteristics that distinguish the communities of organisms found in these distinct environments, citing examples.
Question 2: 1 pts
Clams are filter feeders that burrow into soft sediment, and this lifestyle places them in which of the following categories of benthic organisms?
Question 3 :1 pts
Many environmental factors influence how the planktonic larvae of benthic organisms select sites for settling, but which of the following factors is the principal agent in their dispersal?
Question 4 : 2 points
The ecosystems on Shemya Island and Amchikita Island differ in their abundance of kelp which is coupled to the populations of sea urchins and sea otters. Match the differences in kelp populations to the abundance of the organisms in the ecosystems that they sustain.
Thin kelp- 1. scarce sea urchins and abundant sea otters, or 2. scarce sea urchins and scarce sea otters, or 3. Abundant sea urchins and abundant sea otters, or 4. abundant sea urchins and scarce sea otters.
Abundant kelp- 1. scarce sea urchins and abundant sea otters, or 2. scarce sea urchins and scarce sea otters, or 3. Abundant sea urchins and abundant sea otters, or 4. abundant sea urchins and scarce sea otters.
Question 5 :1 pts
Which description best describes how oyster beds grow over time?
