Ocean 102 Exam 4 Questions and
Correct Answers Already Passed
What is unclear about carbon limitation? - Answer-How much carbon is transported and
sequestered to deep sea, how the phytoplankton community composition shifts, and
if/when zooplankton respond to increase in phytoplankton
What are the two pathways to sinking carbon? - Answer-the surface food web and
sinking to depths
What is the sinkage of carbon dependent on? - Answer-phytoplankton size and type
and the zooplankton response
What are some benefits to fertilizing the oceans? - Answer-remove atmospheric CO2,
low cost, boost the food web, money (sell emissions credits, investments)
What does Planktos Corporation do? - Answer-sells shares to finance fertilization to
generate "carbon offsets"; currently charged with 10 environmental violations
What is the Climos Corporation doing? - Answer-exploring various ways for naturally
removing large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere
What is the Ocean Nourishment Company doing? - Answer-finding a solution to the
increasing climatic instability and to an emerging crisis in global food security, Blue
Carbon technology, mimicking upwelling, potential reversal of ocean acidification, and
stimulation of the base of the marine food web
What is Blue Carbon technology? - Answer-delivers controlled amounts of missing
macronutrients to the open ocean in order to enhance biological productivity and
sequester carbon while growing food
Is fertilization worth it? - Answer-there is not enough export (eaten/recycled in surface
waters), and there are unknown side effects (production of DMS, clouds, and cooling,
disruption of the food chain, stimulation of HABs, and the creation of anoxic deep
waters
Fertilization and hypoxic zones - Answer-decomposition and decay uses oxygen,
bottom water and sediments become oxygen depleted, organisms that cannot avoid
these areas die, anoxic waters mix upward killing organisms
, What is the EEZ? - Answer-an exclusive economic zone; a seazone over which a state
has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources
How far is an EEZ? - Answer-from sea edge to 200 nautical miles out
What was the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention's purpose? - Answer-to protect and
preserve the marine environment, and to take all measures to reduce and control
pollution from all sources
Can iron fertilization be regarded as pollution? - Answer-yes
Arguments for fertilization - Answer-it is a responsibility, not just an opportunity
Arguments against fertilization - Answer-it is meager, temporary, and unverified
What does the middle ground say about fertilization? - Answer-experiments are our best
hope
What does desalinization do? - Answer-removes salts and minerals from water for
human consumption and the irrigation of crops
How can we utilize the oceans energy? - Answer-wind, waves, tides, temperature, and
current
What is an offshore source of wind energy? - Answer-an indirect form of solar energy,
wind moves the blades and turbine to generate electricity; very expensive
What are some pros to offshore wind energy? - Answer-there are stronger winds over
the ocean, it is less visible and less noise, and it could be designed to act as artificial
reefs
What are some cons to offshore wind energy? - Answer-it needs to be in shallow water
(close to shores), disturbance of seabeds (habitat destruction), noise pollution, and
winds are not predictable
What is a wave? - Answer-a disturbance that propagates through space and time,
usually transferring energy
Waves are characterized by: - Answer-wave height (H), wave length (L), and period (T)
What is a wave period? - Answer-the time interval between the arrival of consecutive
crests/troughs at a stationary point
What does the IPCC predict about CO2 in the atmosphere? - Answer-changes in
precipitation patterns, increase in duration and frequency of natural disasters, increase
in disease in death
Correct Answers Already Passed
What is unclear about carbon limitation? - Answer-How much carbon is transported and
sequestered to deep sea, how the phytoplankton community composition shifts, and
if/when zooplankton respond to increase in phytoplankton
What are the two pathways to sinking carbon? - Answer-the surface food web and
sinking to depths
What is the sinkage of carbon dependent on? - Answer-phytoplankton size and type
and the zooplankton response
What are some benefits to fertilizing the oceans? - Answer-remove atmospheric CO2,
low cost, boost the food web, money (sell emissions credits, investments)
What does Planktos Corporation do? - Answer-sells shares to finance fertilization to
generate "carbon offsets"; currently charged with 10 environmental violations
What is the Climos Corporation doing? - Answer-exploring various ways for naturally
removing large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere
What is the Ocean Nourishment Company doing? - Answer-finding a solution to the
increasing climatic instability and to an emerging crisis in global food security, Blue
Carbon technology, mimicking upwelling, potential reversal of ocean acidification, and
stimulation of the base of the marine food web
What is Blue Carbon technology? - Answer-delivers controlled amounts of missing
macronutrients to the open ocean in order to enhance biological productivity and
sequester carbon while growing food
Is fertilization worth it? - Answer-there is not enough export (eaten/recycled in surface
waters), and there are unknown side effects (production of DMS, clouds, and cooling,
disruption of the food chain, stimulation of HABs, and the creation of anoxic deep
waters
Fertilization and hypoxic zones - Answer-decomposition and decay uses oxygen,
bottom water and sediments become oxygen depleted, organisms that cannot avoid
these areas die, anoxic waters mix upward killing organisms
, What is the EEZ? - Answer-an exclusive economic zone; a seazone over which a state
has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources
How far is an EEZ? - Answer-from sea edge to 200 nautical miles out
What was the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention's purpose? - Answer-to protect and
preserve the marine environment, and to take all measures to reduce and control
pollution from all sources
Can iron fertilization be regarded as pollution? - Answer-yes
Arguments for fertilization - Answer-it is a responsibility, not just an opportunity
Arguments against fertilization - Answer-it is meager, temporary, and unverified
What does the middle ground say about fertilization? - Answer-experiments are our best
hope
What does desalinization do? - Answer-removes salts and minerals from water for
human consumption and the irrigation of crops
How can we utilize the oceans energy? - Answer-wind, waves, tides, temperature, and
current
What is an offshore source of wind energy? - Answer-an indirect form of solar energy,
wind moves the blades and turbine to generate electricity; very expensive
What are some pros to offshore wind energy? - Answer-there are stronger winds over
the ocean, it is less visible and less noise, and it could be designed to act as artificial
reefs
What are some cons to offshore wind energy? - Answer-it needs to be in shallow water
(close to shores), disturbance of seabeds (habitat destruction), noise pollution, and
winds are not predictable
What is a wave? - Answer-a disturbance that propagates through space and time,
usually transferring energy
Waves are characterized by: - Answer-wave height (H), wave length (L), and period (T)
What is a wave period? - Answer-the time interval between the arrival of consecutive
crests/troughs at a stationary point
What does the IPCC predict about CO2 in the atmosphere? - Answer-changes in
precipitation patterns, increase in duration and frequency of natural disasters, increase
in disease in death
