Bottom of the Sea Webquest

Plate Tectonics and the Seafloor

The people who first mapped the seafloor were aboard military vessels during World War II, using echo sounders  to search for submarines. The results produced a map of seafloor depths. Depth sounding continued after the war. Scientists used this information to produce bathymetric maps of the seafloor. During WWII and in the decade or so later, echo sounders had only one beam, so they just returned a line showing the depth beneath the ship. Later echo sounders sent out multiple beams and could create a bathymetric map of the seafloor below. Using the resources provided, answer the following questions, in complete sentences, on your blog. You may copy and paste these questions and resources, to get you started.

• What is a bathymetric map? Provide a picture of a bathymetric map. What are three ways that these maps are produced?  http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Bathymetry
• What does “sonar” mean? After watching this two-minute video, describe what NOAA scientists use sonar for: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sonar.html
• What is “seafloor spreading”?  http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Plate-Tectonics/Chap1-Pioneers-of-Plate-Tectonics/Harry-Hess
• Describe the following image and how it occurs. Identify a location in the ocean where this may be found. http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Plate-Tectonics/Chap1-Pioneers-of-Plate-Tectonics/Vine-and-Matthews

Magnetic Stripes

• Name the seven major and eight minor tectonic plates, and describe why they are broke into two categories.  http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Plate-Tectonics/Chap2-What-is-a-Plate
• Explain each of the following major features of ocean basins, and how they form, providing an image for each one:
  • Mid-ocean ridge:  http://www.whoi.edu/main/topic/seamounts or  http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/164696/
  • Seamount:  http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/seamounts.html and Listen
  • Continental margin, continental shelf:  http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/continental-shelf/
  • Abyssal plain:  http://www.education.noaa.gov/Ocean_and_Coasts/Ocean_Floor_Features.html
  • Rift zones:  http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/gallery/kilauea/erz/erz_overview.html
  • Deep sea trenches:  http://www.livescience.com/23387-mariana-trench.html
• The Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) is the largest Marine Protected Area in the world.One dozen seamounts are within PIPA boundaries, from sea level to 5000 meters depth. Where are these islands and what is a Marine Protected Area?  http://www.whoi.edu/main/topic/marine-protected-areas

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Protecting Marine Resources

We can describe “sustainable resources” as renewable resources which are being economically exploited (used) in such a way that they will not diminish or run out.  People want or need to use the ocean’s resources but a balance must be maintained to ensure that they will be there for the future.

Over the past two weeks you have heard about marine conservation work, watched the movie “Blackfish”, and read from the text book about marine resources. With this classwork as a backdrop, blog about the following:

1. What role does the marine wildlife and nature play in your life?
2. How does the use of marine resources impact you on a personal level?
3. Specifically, what new thoughts do you have about marine resources and the way they are used by people?

Finally, what Code of Ethics will you take to protect marine resources both now and in the future?

Criteria for assessment of your blog post:

• at least three paragraphs in length (a paragraph is 8 – 10 sentences long);
• each answer includes supporting information;
• there is a link to a site that provides more information about a particular resource discussed;
• a picture that provides applicable visual interest is embedded, with a citation to the original source.

Photo credit: UCL Inst. for Sustainable Resources

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Effects of Sand

Sand is always moving. The beaches you might visit everyday are not perminent features. The shape and size of beaches change everyday on a small scale and somtimes drastically over a longer period of time. The changes occur becasue of various reasons but its always because of the sand moving.

In our Oceanography class we looked at different sand samples from around the United States under microscopes and noticed the many differences. Some of the differences are visable to the naked eye and some require the use of a microscope. Here is the list of traits we observed:

• Color
• Magnetite
• Size
• Texture
• Wentworth Scale
• Sorting
• Composition

A few days after doing our observations we went on a field trip to our local beach. We looked at the sand closely but it did not look any different than the sand we were used to. Although the sand varys greatly around the world, it usually doesnt look very different when the beaches are close to each other. The drastic changes can only seen if one compares sand from different areas across the world. Here is a few examples of the diversity found in beach sand colors.

source:

http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/ASK/beacherosion.html

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OIL SPILL

The Oil spill that has happened in the Gulf of Mexico isn’t that bad. It will only kill thousands of plants and animals but, who really cares about the baby turtles, fish and birds. They shouldn’t deserve to live since they are stupid enough to eat the oil. Anyways, the CEO of Bp, Tom Hayward says “the effects will be very modest” so don’t bother worrying about it. This HAS to be true cause he would never lie about this.

Also, the Gulf of Mexico is a big OCEAN and the oil spill is only a small portion of it. If worse comes to worse the oil may disperse into the marshes and possibly into the Gulf stream which will then travel all over the world. These marshes only harbor a entire ecosystem. Take for example the brown Pelican. Some of these birds are so incrusted in oil that they cant fly and the fish they eat to survive are dying too. As of this moment there has been no solution to fixing this minor problem and were looking for solutions so if you have any ideas please share.

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Oil Spill Hurts Environment

The Gulf oil leak is hurting all the organisms in the water.  Not only are the organisms living in the water feeling the effects, but others are too.  The pelicans have been covered in the nasty oil.  More than 65 miles of Louisiana shore line has been covered.  Two major pelican rookeries are filled and many marshes.  They are now using chemicals to break down the steady flow of the oil.  This solution is safer for the birds and keeps the oil away from land.  The fish are usually incapable of handling the harsh chemical and are usually killed.  The chemicals migrate fast and effect many fish in many areas.  I do not believe this is the right solution.  I think they should take the fish into consideration and not just the birds.  This oil spill is taking a harsh tole on these poor organisms.

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The Diversity of Earth’s Biomes

I had an idea prior to the biome project in biology class of how different parts of the Earth were from the others, but hearing from classmates on these major biomes was even more enlightening.  I was introduced to many biomes that were more unique than I had guessed.  The biomes also had some similarities with each other as well as differences.  Because I had a prior interest in marine life and ecosystems, the aquatic(especially salt water) biomes really captivated me.  The amazing range of life and unique biodiversity of oceans the world over are truly fascinating.  The fact that so many unique species can live together in one body of water is astounding.  The physical wonders of the ocean are also enthralling.  The enormous underwater mountain ranges, deep sea trenches, and desert-under-the-sea look is beautiful. 

It makes you sad to think that people are so careless about these delicate biomes and do truly stupid things like, say, drill in the Gulf of Mexico and accidentally have their oil rigs blow up, releasing millions of gallons into the water.  It’s hard to imagine the loss of life that will occur due to this BP oil spill.  Hopefully the people that care about the aquatic biomes of the planet will find a way to help.

-Nicole B.

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Earth’s Different Biomes

For the brochure I had to research Freshwater Biomes. It was really interesting because I was able to learn about all the different animals that live in the freshwater biomes like:  Turtles, frogs, some fish, crustaceans, snails, insects, and many others. I also learned about how valuable freshwater is to the world. Like how it supplies 90% of our drinking water, bath water, and irrigation for farmers.  Not only did I learn about the freshwater biome, but also about the marine biome, deserts,  savannah, rainforest (temperate, tropical), tundra, & grasslands. The class discussion on these really helped me understand and become aware of the different climates, animals, and plants of these biomes.

– Katrina

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The Biome Project

 

An assignment we had to do in biology last week was find information on a biome and create a brochure on it. I did marine biomes. Other people did freshwater, tundra, hot and cold deserts, rainforests, or other climates. Everyone’s project was very interesting. I got a lot of information from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php. Freshwater biomes consist of lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and wetlands. Before this project I did not know that freshwater areas actually do contain salt, although it is less than1%. My subject, marine biomes consist of oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries. I mainly focused on coral reefs because they are so interesting. The diversity of life in coral reefs is amazing. Thousands of different organisms live together. Before this project, I did not know that a coral reef is actually a mass of living things, called polyps. After they die a new one grows on the old ones skeleton. This is the way that coral reefs grow, skeletons building up, and a coral reef can grow around one inch per 100 years! Desert biomes are also very interesting. Deserts can be hot or dry. Most people think of deserts as hot, barren, sandy land, but one example of a cold desert is Antarctica. They are also semiarid and coastal deserts. Forest biomes cover about 1/3 of the earth. There are tropical, temperate, and boreal forests. Grassland biomes are another biome people did projects on. There are tropical grasslands, savannas, and temperate grasslands. Temperate means moderate, or not extreme. The last biome is the tundra. There are alpine tundra and arctic tundra. Tundra is the coldest of all biomes. I defiantly learned a lot from this biome project and think that earth science about populations and habitats are very interesting.

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Pond Excursion

To Much Algae

    

Pentucket Pond

   

As I was walking around the pond yesterday I saw a frog leap in to the water. As the ripples from the frogs leap disturbed the surface of the water I saw a few fish. Seeing the fish was weird because previously I thought this algae infested body of water was able to sustain no life except the insects which floated on its surface along with the green and brown algae. Seeing this got me to wondering what if their was no algae on the surface? With that question on my mind I went off to find out what was the purpose of algae. I found that the purpose of algae was to oxygenate the pond. If the algae were for some reason to disappear I found that there would be no other plant to oxygenate the water which would cause the fish living in the water to die. I also thought what if the insects floating on the surface were to some reason disappear and I found that the fish would lose their food source and begin to die which would cause the algae to increase and over run the pond and then die. When algae dies it takes all of the oxygen with it which would kill the pond and make it uninhabitable. From my research I found that it is difficult to tell if something starts to die if it will die off completely or it is just being reduced to maintain homeostasis.    

                                                                                                                                Jeffrey H.    

      

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One with Nature

 

On our walk around the pond, we observed many different types of plant, animals, and trees. We looked at our pond in front of our school.  The pond was mucky and dirty but with many frog in it. If the muck was removed from the pond it would look crystal clear but nothing would be able to live in it. We saw many frogs around the pond and if their entire habitat was removed they would not be able to strive. There *food chain might be altered if their environment is changed. We also observed many dandelions all over the fields. They were every where and we picked them and Calvin put them in his shirt. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EcvgZyQvLo 

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_chain

AlexanderM.

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pond walk

On Thursday May 6th I went on a nature walk around a small pond. When on this walk I encountered many types of plant and animal life. For animals there were frogs and turtles. Some of the plants there were are milkweed, grass and dandelions. There were multiple frogs of various sizes. It was interesting to see them interact in there natural environment. The snapping turtle just kind of sat in the middle of the pond on a sandbar. One example of a plant there was was the skunk cabbage. Skunk Cabbage is an invasive species and when it reproduces it reproduces quickly. We also threw a walk into the pond and saw fish move around. There was bubbles floating up from the bottom of the pond and we knew that meant there were fish.

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Pond Ecosystem

At the school pond I noticed that despite the algae there were fish, frogs, and various plants. I thought algae in ponds or lakes was bad for the other life in that pond or lake. Maybe there is not enough to kill the other life, but just enough to create food for the fish and birds.  There probably is enough primary consumers to keep it in check.  I tried to catch a frog, but the algae and other plant matter provided good cover.  If there are so many frogs, I bet there are many flies to feed them.

Jacques L.

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