1
ECOL111 Questions with Answers (100% Correct
Answers)
Benthic Zone Answer: Ecological region at the lowest level of a body
of water
Benthic-pelagic coupling Answer: Process that connects both zones
through an exchange of energy, mass, or nutrients
Nutrient Dynamics Answer: The change in nutrient availability over
time (involves how nutrients are taken up, retained, transferred and
cycled)
Bioturbation Answer: Reworking of soils and sediments by plants or
animals
Nutrient Pollution Answer: Too many nutrients added to a body of
water
Eutrophication Answer: Increase in nutrients in aquatic system
causing a dense growth in plant life (e.g. algae)
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
Diatom Blooms Answer: When a single celled photosynthetic
organism is able to exploit both abiotic and biotic factors (after an
increase in nutrients) to become dominant
Recruitment Answer: The process by which new individuals are
added to a population, whether by birth and maturation or by
immigration
What are the 6 bivalve case studies? Answer: New York - Oyster crash
Dutch Wadden Sea - Cockle, mussel, eider duck crash
Fiordland - Dumping of freshwater, cockle crash, rock lobster adaption
Blueskin Bay - Harvested cockles
Gulf of California - Bivalve decline, hoover dam
Antarctic Clam Shells - trace metals determine chemical dynamics of
changing sea ice
Ecosystem Services Answer: The process by which natural
environments provide life-supporting resources for humans
© 2025 All rights reserved
,3
What 5 ecosystem services do bivalves supply? Answer: Food, filter
water increasing the quality and decreasing the turbidity, benthic-
pelagic coupling, biodeposition, bioturbation
Fecundity Answer: Individuals' reproductive capacity (usually the
female)
Biotic Variables that Effect Cockles Answer: Competition, Predation,
Allee effect
Intertidal Zone Answer: The area between the highest tide marks and
lowest tide marks (highly variable)
Abiotic Variables that Effect Cockles Answer: Salinity, Light,
Temperature, Food Availability, Disturbance (Tides), Gradients
Relationship between Stressors and Success Answer: Managing stress
uses energy. More stress = less energy for reproduction = less success
Cockle fecundity increases with... Answer: Size and age
Cockles reproduce through... Answer: Broadcast-spawning
Anthropocentrism Answer: The belief that humans are the center most
important entity in the universe
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4
Morphological Characteristics Answer: Outwards appearance of an
organism as well as the form and structure of internal parts
Physiological Characteristics Answer: Physical and biochemical
characteristics of an organism that are involved in its biological
functions and processes
Phenological Characteristics Answer: The timing of biological events
Coastal Geomorphology Answer: Area influenced by the coast
Gradient Answer: A change in parameter or group of parameters over
space and time
Response Function Answer: Organism diversity and distribution vary
spatially and temporally across gradients
Gradients on scales (and examples) Answer: Global (elevation),
Regional (substrate type), Regional-local (tidal cycle), Local (water
potential in plants)
Ecosystem Function Answer: What organisms do to move carbon from
place or form to another
© 2025 All rights reserved
ECOL111 Questions with Answers (100% Correct
Answers)
Benthic Zone Answer: Ecological region at the lowest level of a body
of water
Benthic-pelagic coupling Answer: Process that connects both zones
through an exchange of energy, mass, or nutrients
Nutrient Dynamics Answer: The change in nutrient availability over
time (involves how nutrients are taken up, retained, transferred and
cycled)
Bioturbation Answer: Reworking of soils and sediments by plants or
animals
Nutrient Pollution Answer: Too many nutrients added to a body of
water
Eutrophication Answer: Increase in nutrients in aquatic system
causing a dense growth in plant life (e.g. algae)
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
Diatom Blooms Answer: When a single celled photosynthetic
organism is able to exploit both abiotic and biotic factors (after an
increase in nutrients) to become dominant
Recruitment Answer: The process by which new individuals are
added to a population, whether by birth and maturation or by
immigration
What are the 6 bivalve case studies? Answer: New York - Oyster crash
Dutch Wadden Sea - Cockle, mussel, eider duck crash
Fiordland - Dumping of freshwater, cockle crash, rock lobster adaption
Blueskin Bay - Harvested cockles
Gulf of California - Bivalve decline, hoover dam
Antarctic Clam Shells - trace metals determine chemical dynamics of
changing sea ice
Ecosystem Services Answer: The process by which natural
environments provide life-supporting resources for humans
© 2025 All rights reserved
,3
What 5 ecosystem services do bivalves supply? Answer: Food, filter
water increasing the quality and decreasing the turbidity, benthic-
pelagic coupling, biodeposition, bioturbation
Fecundity Answer: Individuals' reproductive capacity (usually the
female)
Biotic Variables that Effect Cockles Answer: Competition, Predation,
Allee effect
Intertidal Zone Answer: The area between the highest tide marks and
lowest tide marks (highly variable)
Abiotic Variables that Effect Cockles Answer: Salinity, Light,
Temperature, Food Availability, Disturbance (Tides), Gradients
Relationship between Stressors and Success Answer: Managing stress
uses energy. More stress = less energy for reproduction = less success
Cockle fecundity increases with... Answer: Size and age
Cockles reproduce through... Answer: Broadcast-spawning
Anthropocentrism Answer: The belief that humans are the center most
important entity in the universe
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4
Morphological Characteristics Answer: Outwards appearance of an
organism as well as the form and structure of internal parts
Physiological Characteristics Answer: Physical and biochemical
characteristics of an organism that are involved in its biological
functions and processes
Phenological Characteristics Answer: The timing of biological events
Coastal Geomorphology Answer: Area influenced by the coast
Gradient Answer: A change in parameter or group of parameters over
space and time
Response Function Answer: Organism diversity and distribution vary
spatially and temporally across gradients
Gradients on scales (and examples) Answer: Global (elevation),
Regional (substrate type), Regional-local (tidal cycle), Local (water
potential in plants)
Ecosystem Function Answer: What organisms do to move carbon from
place or form to another
© 2025 All rights reserved
