Midterm #1

• Animals have evolved brain structure which permits sentience, which allows them to sense an impression of the environment.
• Fish and frogs have primary consciousness, which allows an awareness of surroundings and a capacity to feel pain.
• Humans, cats, dogs, monkeys, and dolphins have secondary consciousness, which allows for an awareness of surroundings, a capacity to feel pain, and an awareness of self.
• Fish and frogs do not have awareness of self due to their lack of neocortex.
• Fish were observed to feel pain from behavioral and neuro-anatomical evidence.
• Fish have more than five senses.
• The lateral line on fish has sensory receptors which allow fish to detect nearby objects (e.g., vibrations and water currents).
• The 3 Rs of animal welfare considerations are: replacement, reduction, and refinement.
• The 5 freedoms of animal welfare are:

  • Sufficient access to food and water
  • Suitable habitat for rest and shelter
  • Healthy and wellbeing free from pain and injury
  • Conditions in captivity so the animal behaves normally
  • Conditions so the animal can avoid fear and suffering
• Primary producers in coastal seas include single-cellular algae, multi-cellular algae seaweeds, flowering seagrasses, and salt marsh plants.
• Most of the photosynthetic production in the seawater is by microscopic phytoplanktonic algae.
• Seaweeds, seagrasses, and salt marsh plants that grow along shorelines also contribute to the primary production of organic matter.
• Perennial vegetation is vegetation that lives for more than 1 growing season (e.g., seaweeds, seagrasses, and salt marsh plants).
• The 3 classifications of seaweed are:

  • Red algae
  • Brown algae
  • Green algae
• Seaweed is grouped according to their dominant type of photosynthetic pigment in the tissue.
• The main body of a seaweed is called the thallus, which can take various shapes and forms depending on the species.
• Rockweed is a brown algae (Phaeophyta) commonly found in the rocky intertidal zone.
• Rockweed has air bladders in the bumpy branches that will pop under pressure.
• Knotted wrack is a brown algae (Phaeophyta) common in the rocky intertidal zone.
• In kelp species, the thallus is flattened and called a blade.
• The stem-like region of the kelp is called a stipe, which is attached to the sea bottom by the holdfast.
• Kelp blades produce spores which settle on new sea bottom and grow into microscopic filaments.
• The microscopic filaments from kelp blades have a sexual reproductive stage which produces new kelp blades.
• The cabbage kelp is a brown algae (Phaeophyta) that is present in subtidal waters. Its holdfast is attached to rocks encrusted by coralline red algae.
• The sea colander is a brown algae (Phaeophyta) that grows in subtidal waters attached to the sea bottom.
• Smooth cord weed is a brown algae (Phaeophyta) that grows in lower intertidal zones and subtidal waters.
• The only plant species in the sea that produce flowers, seeds, and fruit are eelgrass and widgeon.
• Eelgrass (Anthophyta) is found in river deltas.
• Widgeon is found in coastal regions.
• Eelgrass and widgeon have the same structural form as many land plants (stems, roots, seeds).
• Seagrass plants can live totally submerged in water, without exposure to air at low tide.
• Salt marsh plants have the same structural form as many land plants (stems, roots, and leaves) and produce flowers and seeds.
• Salt marsh plants grow in intertidal zones with mud sediment.
• Salt marsh plants require periodic exposure to air at low tide to grow and reproduce.
• Salt marsh plants are found along river deltas and the shores of bays in temperate regions.
• The distribution of salt marsh plants in high latitudes is restricted by the ice scouring of intertidal zones.
• The distribution of salt marsh plants in low latitudes is restricted by the high temperature of the seawater.
• Smooth cordgrass (Anthophyta) is usually the dominant plant in the lower marsh.
• Salt marsh habitats transition to terrestrial habitats with increasing elevation.
• Upper salt marshes are only underwater during spring tides and storm surges.