Science / Marine Biology Glossary

Abiotic Factor: The physical, chemical and other non-living components of the environment that an organism lives in. These factors include all aspects of climate, geology, and atmosphere that affect ecologi . . . View Full Definition

Abyssal Plain: The deep ocean floor, an expanse of low relief at depths of 4,000 to 6,000 m

Abyssopelagic Zone: 'Abysso' meaning 'no bottom', this zone of the ocean begins 4000 m below the surface of the ocean and extends down to the sea floor. This zone is home to a variety of unique critters that ar . . . View Full Definition

Acclimation: Given a change of a single parameter, a readjustment of the physiology of an organism, reaching a new steady state

Accuracy: Is the correctness of a measure when comparing to a known standard. See also resolution and precision.

Adaptation: Any change in the structure or function of an organism which makes it better suited to its environment. For example, the torpedo body shape of a tuna allows for fast swimming in the open ocean.

Age Structure: The relative abundance of different age classes in a population

Aggregated Spatial Distribution: A case where individuals in a space occur in clusters too dense to be explained by chance

Ahermatypic: Non-reef-building (referring to scleractinian corals)

Allele: One of several variants that can occupy a locus on a chromosome

Allopatric Speciation: The differentiation of geographically isolated populations into distinct species

Allozyme: A variant of an enzyme type. These may be variants of a specific enzyme (e.g., cytochrome c) that are the products of a single genetic locus.

Amensal: Negatively affecting one or several species

Amino Acids: Basic structural unit of proteins

Anadromous Fish: Fish that spends most of its life feeding in the open ocean but that migrates to spawn in fresh water

Anoxic: Lacking oxygen.

Arrow Worms: Members of the phylum Chaetognatha, a group of planktonic carnivores

Asexual Reproduction: Reproduction of the individual without the production of gametes and zygotes

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