SOE Final Exam Questions and Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
Humans are part of which of the following domains? - Answers Eukarya
Which of the following domains has cells that house DNA in a discrete nucleus and contain
structures that supply energy to build the cell and maintain its functions? - Answers Eukarya
What is the name for organisms that float and drift with ocean currents? - Answers Plankton
Which of the following types of plankton can photosynthesize and produce its own food? -
Answers Phytoplankton
Which of the following types of plankton are heterotrophic, non-photosynthetic and must get
their energy from consuming other organisms? - Answers Zooplankton
A good working definition of life includes that living things ____. - Answers Are capable of
reproduction, can adapt to their environment, can capture, store, and transmit energy, and can
change through time
The process by which energy is derived from solar radiation that is used by certain organisms to
form organic matter is called ____. - Answers Photosynthesis
The nutrients that tend to limit photosynthesis in marine environments include ____. - Answers
Nitrogen and phosphorous
The euphotic zone in the clear water of the open ocean extends from the surface down to
approximately ____. - Answers 100 meters
In primary production ____. - Answers There is a net gain in organic carbon by organisms
What are the two main factors affecting primary production? - Answers Availability of solar
radiation and nutrients
Why do areas of upwelling typically have high primary productivity? - Answers Because of the
nutrient-rich water at depth it brings to the surface
Productivity in the tropical ocean is generally ____. - Answers Nutrient-limited
Productivity in the polar ocean is mostly ____. - Answers Light-limited
Although primary production in tropical areas is generally low, which of the following tropical
locations have unusually high primary productivity rates? - Answers Coastal upwelling zones
Which of the following compose the majority of the ocean's zooplankton biomass? - Answers
Copepods
Which of the following animals compensates for not having a swim bladder by using large flat
pectoral fins and an asymmetrical caudal fin to produce lift? - Answers Shark
, What is the definition for commensalism? - Answers When and organism benefits without
harming the host
What is the definition for mutualism? - Answers When both organisms benefit
What is the definition for symbiosis? - Answers When two or more organisms associate in a way
that benefits at least one of them
What is the name for organisms capable of moving independently of ocean currents? - Answers
Nekton
Most of the biomass on Earth is made up of _______________. - Answers Plankton
Biomagnification of toxic substances means that __________. - Answers toxic substances
become increasingly concentrated in the tissues of organisms in each higher level of the food
web
All organisms that live on (or in) the ocean bottom are classified as ____. - Answers Benthos
Planktonic organisms that spend part of their life in planktonic form and the rest of their life as
either benthos or nekton are called ____. - Answers Meroplankton
An organism that lives on top of benthic sediments is classified as ____. - Answers Epifauna
An organism that lives in benthic sediments is classified as ____. - Answers Infauna
What accounts for the greatest diversity of life in the oceans, pelagic or benthic species? -
Answers Benthic
What accounts for the greatest biomass in the oceans, pelagic or benthic species? - Answers
Pelagic
Ninety eight percent of marine species belong to which of the following? - Answers Benthos
In general, what organisms have bigger surface to volume ratios? - Answers Small organisms
For organisms with the same shape, which have the larger surface/volume ratios? - Answers
Small organisms
The process of the movement of soluble substances (e.g., nutrients) from areas of high
concentration to low concentration until balanced is called ____. - Answers Diffusion
A small size is advantageous for marine organisms because it ____. - Answers Increases the
ability to absorb nutrients, increases the ability of wastes to diffuse out of the organism, and
increases the surface area to volume ratio that in turn reduces frictional resistance to sinking
Does diffusion work more efficiently on small or large organisms? - Answers Small
Humans are part of which of the following domains? - Answers Eukarya
Which of the following domains has cells that house DNA in a discrete nucleus and contain
structures that supply energy to build the cell and maintain its functions? - Answers Eukarya
What is the name for organisms that float and drift with ocean currents? - Answers Plankton
Which of the following types of plankton can photosynthesize and produce its own food? -
Answers Phytoplankton
Which of the following types of plankton are heterotrophic, non-photosynthetic and must get
their energy from consuming other organisms? - Answers Zooplankton
A good working definition of life includes that living things ____. - Answers Are capable of
reproduction, can adapt to their environment, can capture, store, and transmit energy, and can
change through time
The process by which energy is derived from solar radiation that is used by certain organisms to
form organic matter is called ____. - Answers Photosynthesis
The nutrients that tend to limit photosynthesis in marine environments include ____. - Answers
Nitrogen and phosphorous
The euphotic zone in the clear water of the open ocean extends from the surface down to
approximately ____. - Answers 100 meters
In primary production ____. - Answers There is a net gain in organic carbon by organisms
What are the two main factors affecting primary production? - Answers Availability of solar
radiation and nutrients
Why do areas of upwelling typically have high primary productivity? - Answers Because of the
nutrient-rich water at depth it brings to the surface
Productivity in the tropical ocean is generally ____. - Answers Nutrient-limited
Productivity in the polar ocean is mostly ____. - Answers Light-limited
Although primary production in tropical areas is generally low, which of the following tropical
locations have unusually high primary productivity rates? - Answers Coastal upwelling zones
Which of the following compose the majority of the ocean's zooplankton biomass? - Answers
Copepods
Which of the following animals compensates for not having a swim bladder by using large flat
pectoral fins and an asymmetrical caudal fin to produce lift? - Answers Shark
, What is the definition for commensalism? - Answers When and organism benefits without
harming the host
What is the definition for mutualism? - Answers When both organisms benefit
What is the definition for symbiosis? - Answers When two or more organisms associate in a way
that benefits at least one of them
What is the name for organisms capable of moving independently of ocean currents? - Answers
Nekton
Most of the biomass on Earth is made up of _______________. - Answers Plankton
Biomagnification of toxic substances means that __________. - Answers toxic substances
become increasingly concentrated in the tissues of organisms in each higher level of the food
web
All organisms that live on (or in) the ocean bottom are classified as ____. - Answers Benthos
Planktonic organisms that spend part of their life in planktonic form and the rest of their life as
either benthos or nekton are called ____. - Answers Meroplankton
An organism that lives on top of benthic sediments is classified as ____. - Answers Epifauna
An organism that lives in benthic sediments is classified as ____. - Answers Infauna
What accounts for the greatest diversity of life in the oceans, pelagic or benthic species? -
Answers Benthic
What accounts for the greatest biomass in the oceans, pelagic or benthic species? - Answers
Pelagic
Ninety eight percent of marine species belong to which of the following? - Answers Benthos
In general, what organisms have bigger surface to volume ratios? - Answers Small organisms
For organisms with the same shape, which have the larger surface/volume ratios? - Answers
Small organisms
The process of the movement of soluble substances (e.g., nutrients) from areas of high
concentration to low concentration until balanced is called ____. - Answers Diffusion
A small size is advantageous for marine organisms because it ____. - Answers Increases the
ability to absorb nutrients, increases the ability of wastes to diffuse out of the organism, and
increases the surface area to volume ratio that in turn reduces frictional resistance to sinking
Does diffusion work more efficiently on small or large organisms? - Answers Small
