World Oceans Day Quiz

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Happy World Oceans Day 2016! This year for World Oceans Day (8th June) we have prepared a special World Oceans Day Quiz! Some answers can be found dotted around this blog, with others about topical issues affecting the oceans today. Try the quiz today and test your knowledge of the oceans and its habitats!

Question 1: Why do the oceans appear blue in colour?

because the oceans scatter red light and absorb blue light.

Try again! Hint: If the oceans absorb it than it doesn’t reach our eyes!

because the oceans scatter both red and blue light.

Try again! Hint: If the oceans scatter red light than the oceans would appear red

because the oceans absorb red light and scatter blue light.

Correct! The oceans scatter blue light so they appear blue when the light reaches our eyes! Further more, red light does not reach the deep sea as it is absorbed so many deep sea creatures are red in colour, so they appear black to predators and prey.

Question 2: Where are the largest rhodolith beds in the world found?

South Western Australia.

Incorrect!

Abrolhos Shelf in Eastern Brazil.

The Abrolhos Shelf rhodolith beds cover an estimated 21 000 square km area- an area nearly the size of El Salvador! More can be found at the blog post link below.

At the Mouth of the Amazon.

Incorrect, although newly discovered rhodolith beds have been found in this area

Rhodolith beds (© Rodrigo L. de Moura)

Question 3: Coral bleaching is caused by…

Predatory sea stars such as the crown-of-thorns starfish who eat the coral

Incorrect!

changes in conditions causing the coral to expel symbiotic algae from their tissue.

Correct! When corals are stressed by changes in temperature, light or nutrients they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissue (known as zooxanthellae), turning white.

the presence of symbiotic animals such as worms living in the coral.

This answer is incorrect!

Coral Bleaching Photograph by XL Catlin Seaview Survey Copyright of National Geographic reproduced for Educational Use only

Question 4: In what year were hydrothermal vents first directly observed?

1977.

Correct! In 1977 a team of marine geologists studying the Galapogos rift zone observed dense aggregations of mussels, clams, tubeworms and crabs

1948.

Incorrect! Deep sea exploration is a very new science.

1986.

Incorrect- in 1986, the deep sea submersible Alvin made 12 dives to the wreck of the Titanic

Giant tube worms cluster around vents in the Galapagos Rift

Question 5: Which oceanic features were first discovered by the Challenger expedition?

Mid Atlantic Ridge.

The Challenger expedition in 1875 discovered the first oceanic trench and the Mid Atlantic ridge. More from their journey can be found in the Mapping the Deep book discussed in the Marine Science Book Club

Hydrothermal vents.

The presence of hydrothermal vents was discovered much later

Submarine Canyons.

Incorrect! More on submarine canyons can be found at our guest blog post.