Marine Biology Terms

Front

a continuous chain of underwater volcanic mountains encompassing the earth

Back

Mid-Ocean Ridge

Front

A portion of the earth’s crust that primarily contains basalt, is relatively dense, and is about 5 km thick

Back

Oceanic Crust

Front

Large mostly circular systems of surface currents driven by the wind

Back

Gyres

Front

The way in which the rotation of the earth blends the path of winds and sea currents

Back

Coriolis

Front

The portion of earth’s crust that primarily contains granite, is less dense than the other kind of crust, and is about 20/50 km thick

Back

Continental Crust

Front

Autotrophs

Back

able to produce their own food

Front

Heterotrophs

Back

cannot make their own food, can't make their own food

Front

The process by which food is converted into useable energy for life function

Back

Respiration

Front

Poikilotherm

Back

An organism whose body temperature changes with its surrounding environment

Front

Heterotrophs

Back

Organisms that cannot make their own food and must obtain it from other organisms