Rain and the rumble of thunder did not deter the four groups of Marine Biology engineers from successfully launching the SeaPerch robotic and running it through the course set up with hula-hoops in a backyard pool! Five hoops were set up in a course and each robotic made it through successfully.
One group had some repair work to complete as the family cat chewed several holes into the electrical cord. But the competent team (with additional group members) set to work splicing together the cord.
Bad Kitty!
I am still waiting to receive pictures and video from that day so that they can be included on this post.
April 20, 2010, Methane gas blew out from a wellhead a mile below the Gulf of Mexico. At a Pressure 150 times greater than air at the Earth’s surface, the gas shot up through a drilling riser to the Deepwater Horizon oil platform and platform and exploded, killing 11 workers.
Fire raged 87 days, spilling 2.5 million gallons of crude oil per day.
It was the worst offshore oil spill in history. It continued to gush oil for 87 days, spilling 200 million gallons ( 2.5 million gallons per day) of crude spilling crude oil in a four-dimension disaster that reached from the Gulf’s floor to the its surface, and its seashore.
What happened to all the oil? Some of it was burned off, some of it was skimmed up and also applied chemical dispersants used to break up some of it so that it would either dissipate, become soluble or be small enough for microbes to eat. But 5 years later, up to 10 percent remains in marshes and anywhere from 3 to 30 percent – though 10 percent is probably a good estimate – is on the ocean floor. We discussed in class the numerous factors that are involved in this disaster and its effects and the clean up. (See PowerPoint)
DISSECTIONS: GAR, TALAPIA, BREAM, CAT FISH
We were able to dissect 4 difference fish specimens in class. Photos by Natalie.
Gar Fish
Gar Tail
Talapia
Talapia Head
Talapia Tail
Talapia Scales
Bream
Cat Fish Head
Cat Fish
Scale
Homework:
Finish reading Module 15 Ocean Resources
Complete OYO’s
Complete Study Guide
Take all Module tests through Module 15
April 28 class will be held at the Bowers’ home for our SeaPerch challenge. I will be leaving campus at 10:30 am and will return to campus by 1:15 pm. I will be happy to transport students who need a ride. We will be having lunch after our challenge. Hot dogs, buns, condiments and paper goods will be provided. If you wish to bring something to share, it will be welcome.
As our textbook asks, “What is the most popular food resource from the sea?”, we would most likely answer, “Fish.” Although, correct we discovered that this answer can be further explained by delineating between finfish and shellfish, and not to be excluded are the seaweeds.
In Experiment 15.1, Mapping Ocean Resources. Resources from the ocean are found throughout the world. Most of the world’s major fisheries are located near the coasts, collecting both pelagic and demersal organisms. Most of these sites are concentrated where upwelling enhances primary production and where the wide continental shelf areas are around the world. Finish this lab and have it ready for class on Thursday.
We further view Florida Aquaculture.
ADDITIONAL OCEAN RESOURCES
ATTENTION STUDENTS:
We have specimens to dissect at our next class! Bring your dissection kits. I will provide gloves.
You have done a good job presenting deep sea creatures this past week. Those of you who did not have a chance to present will be able to do at our next class.
All the SeaPerch projects are about finished. If you have finished, the Team Leader should give it a test run prior to April 28. If you are going to mount an underwater camera on the SeaPerch, do so at the test run. Those of you who said that that you have hula-hoops to share for launch day, bring them to class on April 21. Cameryn will be setting up the course at her pool and we want to have it completed ahead of time.
SeaPerch Team nearing completion
As we continue our study of the Deep Ocean, we learned that scientists only know about 5% of what lies in the Deep Ocean. At these great depths, pressure is the determining factor for where an organism can live. The deeper depth, the greater the pressure. Since the deep ocean is devoid of light, there us no need for countershading. However, bioluminescence plays a significant role in an organisms ability to gather food and reproduce.
In the deep ocean there are the deep trenches and mid-ocean ridges. These are areas of the earth’s crust that are slowly moving away from each other. Sea water moves down through these cracks and gets heated to very high temperatures. It then spews out vent areas, carrying with it dissolved minerals and hydrogen sulfide. We call these Hydrothermal Vents.
Hydrogen Sulfide is toxic to most creatures. However, around them there are thriving communities that live there. They are like an oases in a desert! Scientists have learned that there are types of bacteria that can extract the energy contained in certain minerals and use that energy to make organic matter. They use a process similar to photosynthesis, but they substitute chemical energy for solar energy. This process is called chemosynthesis. The two deep ocean vent communities that we studied are called Black Smokers and Cold Seeps.
Homework:
Finish Module 14 reading ….
Finish OYO Questions …..
Finish Study Guide questions ….
Class Challenge – How many sit ups can you do in 1 minute?
Class Quiz on the Deep Ocean
Have a good week! – Mrs. S
“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The Spring rains will come again.” -Sarah Ban Breathnach
“Rejoice in confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” -Romans 12:12
We have learned about the surface layer of the ocean: the epipelagic zone. As we continue our study of the ocean divisions, we will now investigate the deep ocean, where light is not abundant. This area can be divided into two major regions: The mesopelagic zone (200 meters to 1000 meters)and the deep ocean (1000 meters to 6000 meters and beyond).
Because there is so little to no light in these regions, organisms are specially equipped in their body design to live in this region and to find food.
The Epipelagic Zone
You selected a deep sea creature to prepare for your oral presentation to the class. Prepare a 3 minute presentation for class this Tuesday.
Homework:
Take Module 13 Test
Read Module 14 pages 333 – 351
Answer On Your Own questions 14.1 – 14.11
Answer Study Guide questions 1 – 28
Oral presentation for your Deep Ocean creature
Notebook check on April 7 Through Module 13.
Class Challenge: Act out lines from your favorite movie or TV show.
Wishing you a blessed Easter! -Mrs. S
“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” – Matthew 28:6
Since we were not able to connect to the internet at our last class, review the following videos that will continue to help you understand the Epipelagic Zone.
The uppermost layer of the pelagic division is called the epipelagic zone. This is the area of water column that extends from the surface down to about 200 meters (650 feet). This zone overlaps the photic zone. This layer of the ocean’s surface is where light can penetrate to allow for photosynthesis.
The Epipelagic Zone
Homework:
Take Module 12 Test
Read Module 13 to page 317
Answer OYO 13.1 – 13.7
Study Guide Questions define a-d; 2-15
Finish lab book: Brine Shrimp
Quiz: Epipelagic Zone – See Study Notes for Module 13
In most of the cold temperate areas of the world, hard-bottom shelf substrates are inhabited by large, brown seaweeds known as kelp. Kelp can grow quite tall (up to 30 meters) compared to other seaweeds. Kelp Beds create a third dimension to the hard-bottom communities, in the same way that trees create canopy structures in forests.
In Kelp Forests a canopy is formed when the kelp is tall enough to stretch from the bottom of the subtidal community all the way up to the surface. As a result, most of the kelp is underneath the water, but some of it is on top of the water as well. When kelps are not tall enough to reach the surface and form a canopy, the community they form is called a kelp forest.
If you have NetFlix watch Mike Rowe in Dirty Jobs as Mike gets dirty harvesting kelp to feed abalone. NetFlix: Dirty Jobs Season 3 Episode 11
Congratulations to Cameryn for winning the class challenge! Thanks to all who participated.
The continental shelf is a gently sloping area, beginning at a point near land, just below the low-tide mark. It continues out to the shelf break, which is the outer edge of the continental shelf. This area contains abundant quantities of life. Vast fishing areas are found here. Coral Reef communities are located on the continental shelf. Let’s look at life on the bottom of the continental shelf. Using scuba diving equipment and underwater submersibles, scientists are beginning to learn more about the vast resources in this area. Oil and mineral deposits are found here, and nations depend upon many of the resources in this underwater zone. Review the following videos.
Homework
Take Module 11 test
Read Module 12 to page 297
OYO: 12.1 – 12.9
Study guide: define a-c questions 2-18
Finish Up lab 12.A: Predator-Prey Relationships
Quiz: Continental Shelf Communities definitions (see PowerPoint)
Coral Reefs are home to an amazing assortment of organisms and are truly the underwater equivalent of a diverse rain forest. Coral reef communities are found in the tropical climates of the world because reef-building corals need warm temperature in order to survive. They are found between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn latitudes. This “band” around the earth receives a much larger portion of sunlight throughout the year than the rest of the world and has overall warmer climates.
See Figure 11.6 (page 265) Diagram of a Coral Polyp for the quiz.
Homework:
1. Module 11: Read pages 269 to 280.
2. OYO questions : 11. 7 – 11. 15
3. Study Guide: define: d-e; 14 – 26
4. Quiz on Coral polyp (Fig 11.6)
5. Class challenge: Share the most unique thing about yourself.
6. SeaPerch Team Leaders: Remember to bring your project.
Wavemakers 