Marine Biology

Epifauna

• Organisms that live on the surface of the substrate

• Organisms that live in the substrate

• Organisms that are so small that they live between the grains of soft substrate

Infauna

• Organisms that live in the substrate 

• Organisms that live on the surface of the substrate 

• Organisms that are so small that they live between the grains of soft substrate 

Meiofauna

• Organisms that are so small that they live between the grains of soft substrate 

• Organisms that live in the substrate 

• Organisms that live on the surface of the substrate 

Biological interactions are often important factors in determining lower limits of rocky intertidal organisms while physical factors are most important in determining upper limits.

• True

• False

The main source of food in muddy-bottom intertidal communities is:

• Large prey

• Seaweeds

• Detritus

• Epifauna

• Plankton

Ecological succession ultimately results in:

• Keystone predation

• Vertical zonation

• Competitive exclusion

• An upper-limit stage

• A climax community

Which of the following would not be considered epifauna?

• Organisms living on mud

• Organisms living in sand

• Organisms living on the surface on another organism

• Organisms living on the surface of sand

• Organisms living on the rocky shore

The upper limit of rocky intertidal communities is typically determined by:

• Mostly biological factors

• Neither physical or biological factors

• Mostly physical factors

• Both biological and physical factors

In terms of oxygen, the interstitial water in muddy bottoms:

• Has plenty of it since temperature is much higher than in the water column

• Is deficient in it but only during the day

• Accumulates it as a result of photosynthesis by inhabitants of the sediment

• Recirculates very frequently so it is high

• Is deficient in it

The particular characteristic most widely used in classifying intertidal communities is:

• Relative immersion by water

•  

  Type of substrate

• Relative exposure to air

• Type of seaweeds

• Type of tides