Adaptations of Mangroves

Mangroves have pores on their leaves that excrete salt and keep in the fresh water.

Their roots are filled with a spongy tissue and small holes that offer structural support and allow oxygen to be transferred to the roots trapped underground in the anaerobic soil.

Their seeds grow with a root that helps it stick in the ground when it falls from the branches.

Overfishing

Overfishing has become a major concern in our world today. What some people don't understand is that when fishing boats use giant trawl nets to catch a large amount of fish, they can also catch by-catch, which are marine animals that are accidentally caught when using these big nets. These animals are taken out of their homes when they weren't even supposed to. Also, it takes more smaller fish to catch and feed fewer bigger fish. If we keep this up we could completely wipe out species of fish. That means less seafood for us to each, which is a great source of protein. We can help by supporting our politicians to speak up and stop using trawl nets and support local fisheries.  

Whale Lab

Today in my Aquatic Science class we did a lab where we had to identify different whales based on pictures of their flukes. When a whale comes to the surface, most of the time only it's fluke is revealed. This is how scientists identify them because each fluke is unique. Some have scars, some have chunks taken out of them, and some have tiny bumps or notches that are just a little more prominent than other flukes. This helps scientists distinguish between the different whales so they can study what type of whale lives where and conduct research easily on one whale simply by looking at the fluke.

In this lab we were given a folder full of whale flukes like the picture above. We were given a manilla envelope that contained four whale flukes and my partner and I had to identify which one it matched in the folder. The hardest part was the further along we got and the more we just wanted to get it over with, the more they all started to look the same. But this was a good experiment to get us to work together and be "whale detectives". I wouldn't change anything about it.

Sea Otter

Common Name: Sea Otter

Scientific Name: Enhydra lutris kenyoni

Habitat: Sea otters live in shallow, coastal waters. Their habitat has two areas: 1) The ocean floor where they find their food
2) The ocean surface where they eat, groom, rest, and play

Adaptations: Sea otters have paws that are fused together to create a paddle for moving through the water. Their tail acts as a rudder and also propels the otter through the water. They can also live on land but can't move as well as they can in the water. Sea otters have very thick fur with natural oils that repels water and traps tiny air bubbles, which provides a layer of warm air between their skin and the environment. 

Status: Sea otters in California are threatened because that species is hunted for its beautiful fur.

Current Issues: Oil spills, infectious diseases, parasites, boat strikes, entanglement, and toxins

Why I Chose It?: Sea otters are really cute and I was interested to learn about their lifestyle.

Mangroves

Mangroves are a very important part of the marine environment. It's home to many marine organisms. There are three types of mangroves. The first type is the red mangrove.

They are called red mangroves because of the chemical, called tannin, in their bark that makes it red when it gets red. This type of mangrove has prop roots which are the roots that come away and down from the main trunk. They are more tolerant than white or black mangroves so you'll find them closer to the sea. 

Next is the black mangrove. They grow closer to the shore than the red mangroves but father out than the white mangroves. Black mangroves have pneumotophores which are shallow roots, grow horizontally and send up vertical shoots that bring oxygen to rest of the roots.

Last is the white mangrove. It is the least tolerant of salt water so it grows furthest from the sea, usually on higher ground. It doesn't have any special root adaptations.

There are many benefits of protecting mangroves. Mangrove wetlands provide breeding, nursery and feeding areas for a great variety of organisms, including endangered and threatened species. They also filter upland run off and buffer wave action during intense tropical storms, like hurricanes as well as hold soil during periods of heavy precipitations stabilizing shoreline sediments.

Ocean Garbage Patch

The ocean garbage patch is a swirling sea of plastic bags, bottles, and other debris that is growing in the North Pacific. Recently, another one has been found forming in the Atlantic ocean. It is thought that this collection of garbage has formed by oceanic currents. The patch's rotational pattern draws in waste material from across the North Pacific Ocean, and as material is captured in the currents, wind-driven surface currents gradually move floating debris toward the center which traps it in the region.

Some of the longer-lasting plastics end up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals. Of the approximately one-third of the Laysan Albatross chicks that die, many of them are due to being fed plastic from their parents. Besides the particles; danger to wildlife, on the microscopic level the floating debris can absorb organic pollutants from seawater. Aside from toxic effects, when ingested, some of these are mistaken by the endocrine system as estradiol (a sex hormone) which causes hormone disruption in the affected animal.

We can help by being conscious of the plastic we use and dispose of. Even the smallest pieces of plastic can pose a threat to the health of all animals on our planet. Try using reusable water bottles and shopping bags and also try using products with less packaging and avoid single use plastics. You can also get involved with ocean cleanup programs and advocators such as Heal the Bay, Clean Ocean Action, and Ocean Conservancy.

Reptiles

Common Name: Sea turtle

Scientific Name: Chelonioidea

Habitat: Mainly found in warm and temperate waters throughout the world. Can be found on beaches when laying eggs.

Adaptations: Sea turtles are very strong swimmers and they have long paddle-like flippers which make swimming easier. They also have highly developed hearing.

Status: All sea turtles in the U.S are classified as endangered

Current Issues: Some of the biggest threats facing sea turtles are entanglement in fishing gear, poaching and illegal trade of eggs, meat, and shells, coastal development, plastic and other marine debris, global warming, and ocean pollution.

Why I Chose It: Sea turtles are cute and I knew some about them but not a lot.

Ocean Acidification

Ocean Acidification is the other carbon problem. Pollution from burning fuels and other sources emits into the atmosphere which touches the surfaces of all the Earth's oceans. 20 million tons of carbon dioxide mixes in the oceans everyday. The earth has been facing a steady climb in carbon dioxide level for a long time but it was very slight. Ever since the industrial revolution the climb in carbon dioxide levels has grown and it's starting to affect the creatures in the sea. 

Shells that the creatures of the sea have formed are starting to deteriorate. They don't have as much time to acclimate to the rise in carbon dioxide levels as they used to. Some plantonic and benthic organisms are starting to disappear. 

If we hope to save these sea creatures from disappearing, we need to "go green". We need to emit less pollution and take care of our oceans if we hope to save these creatures.

Plankton Pt. 2

There are two types of plankton: phytoplankton and zooplankton. Phytoplankton are the foundation of the marine food chain. They use photosynthesis to create food for themselves. There are two types of phytoplankton: diatoms and dinoflagellates. Diatom is the Greek word for "cut in two". Dinoflagellates resemble both plants and animals by propelling themselves with two flagella like animals and photosynthesizing like plants. Zooplankton are the primary consumers of the marine world. They feed on the phytoplankton. Then bigger fish feed on the zooplankton. Plankton are the building blocks of the marine food chain.

Killer Whale

Common Name: Killer Whale

Scientific Name: Orcinus orca

Habitat: Killer whales can be found in open ocean, but they're mostly found in coastal waters.

Reproduction: Killer whales give birth to only one baby. Only once was a killer whale recorded to have had twins. They start breeding when they're 14-15 years old. Babies nurse for a year and almost half of all baby killer whales die within the first year

Status: Killer whales are endangered but not close to being extinct.

Interesting Facts: 1) Killer whales are the largest member of the dolphin family. 2) They can travel up to 30 miles per hour. 3) The life expectancy for male killer whales is 50-60 years and 90 years for female killer whales.

Major Issues: One is the declining fish populations. Studies show that up to 90% of their diet is salmon. During the last 50 years, hundreds of wild runs of salmon have become extinct due to habitat loss and over-fishing. Toxic substances have accumulated in higher concentrations as they move up the food chain. Since orcas are at the top of several different food chains, they're more effected by this toxic exposure.

Why the killer whale?: I chose the killer whale because I didn't really know a lot about it and wanted to learn more about this interesting creature.

Plankton Race

For this "Plankton Race", we were told to make a "plankton" out of as many or as little of the things we were given that would take the longest to sink to the bottom of a jug of water. This taught us that plankton needed to sink the slowest or else they would die from lack of sunlight.

My partner and I created our plankton out of a toothpick, a rubber band, a fuzzy ball, and a thin square of flimsy plastic. The hardest part was getting a consistent time. The more we tested it, the wetter the toothpick became which made it sink faster. My partner and I ended up having the slowest time of 21.18 seconds. I wouldn't change anything about our design considering we had the slowest time.

HAB

HAB (Harmful Algae Bloom) is a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal bloom happens when environmental conditions are favorable for the development of algae to multiply their cells in high numbers. They can be any color, but the most common ones are red or brown, which are known as red or brown tides. Most algal blooms aren't harmful but some affect fish and humans in negative ways. These are known as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).

There are a number of different reasons algal blooms can occur. Nutrient enrichment of water is often the result of pollution and algal blooms. Water temperature is also related to the rapid production of algal cells. The warmer the water, the more likely algal blooms will form. One specie of HAB is Chaetoceros (shown above). Chaetoceros is a diatom with spines that can get stuck in fish gills which causes suffocation. 

There are many different steps the man is taking to prevent HABs. One is creating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Marine sites, such as sanctuaries, fishery management areas, state conservation areas, and wildlife refuges are established to protect habitats and endangered species. MPAs also restore the health of marine ecosystems in areas jeopardized by habitat and species loss.

Currently 37 microalgal species have been documented in Gulf of Mexico waters. Scientists have discovered that the marine dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, was responsible for the extensive blooms that have occurred in the region. These dinoflagellates produce potent toxins which have been responsible for killing millions of fish and causing shellfish poisoning in humans near the Gulf Coast. It's reported that a single red tide in the Gulf Coast of Florida costs about $20 million, including losses to the tourism industry, hotel suppliers, commercial fishers, and local governments for the expense of the beach cleanup.

Plankton

Plankton are a huge part of the ecosystem of the marine world. They are the foundation of the food chain of the sea. The zooplankton that feed on the phytoplankton are full of energy that is passed on to the larger sea creatures that eat them. Without plankton there wouldn't be any seafood for us to eat or fish or see.

There are two types of plankton I will be discussing today: Diatoms and Dinoflagellates. Diatoms are the most important phytoplankton as well as the most abundant type of photosynthetic organism in the ocean. They are single-celled and survive off the sun's energy. They can be found in salt water, fresh water, cold water, and warm water.

Dinoflagellates are the second most abundant type of photosynthetic organism in the ocean. They are almost all found in the ocean but some are found in fresh water. They have two flagella and some dinoflagellates cause harmful effects on marine life due to the toxins they carry.

Brittle Star

Scientific Name: Ophiuroidea

Adaptations: The brittle star has rarely poisonous spines on it's legs to help it move and some have eyes covering their bodies. It can camouflage in some cases. It can also reconstruct after a limb is severed which creates a whole new creature and it has intelligence of where to live and when to burrow.

Habitat: They are often found living under rocks during the day. However, when they are disturbed they can move quickly away using their spiny arms in a snake-like motion.

Endangered/Threatened?: As far as oceanographers can tell, brittle stars are not endangered, but with the rise in pollution and rising sea temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef they could become endangered.

Interesting Facts: They are the fastest kind of any star fish. There are around 2,000 species of brittle star which is more that any other group of sea stars.

Why did I choose this organism?: I've never seen an organism like it.

The Challenger Expedition

The Challenger may have been one of the most important ships in the history of oceanography. It was the first ship to make the sounding of the Marianas Trench, which is a depth of 35,850 feet. Sir Charles Whyville Thompson took his crew on this journey and made 492 deep soundings, 133 dedgings, obtained data from 362 oceanographic stations, and discovered more than 4,700 new species of marine life. Without this expedition, we would have been farther behind in the knowledge of the Earth's oceans and may not know all we know today. Much of the data that was discovered in 1872-1876 when this expedition took place is still being used to study the oceans today.

Changes in the History of Oceanography

I believe that the invention of sonar has drastically improved how we study the ocean. Before the invention of sonar, oceanographers used a weight tied on the end of a rope to determining the depth of the ocean.

Now with the help of sonar, we can map the ocean floor with this one tool. Oceanographers can measure depth, locate ship wrecks, and map underwater formations such as volcanoes.

Why should we explore?

There are many reasons why we should study the ocean. One reason is that we can learn so much by just studying the organisms and formations on the ocean floor. According to Robert Ballard, the ocean is the world's largest museum. There are billions of years of history in the ocean and if we explore the ocean it can tell us all about the history of the Earth.

Another reason is for safety reasons. If we don't study the ocean we won't know about all the dangerous creatures and fauna in the ocean. We also wouldn't know where they dwell and how to treat the wounds we could get from them.

A third reason is to find efficient ways of transportation. 90% of the world's trade is done by ocean travel. Many products that need to be shipped can't withstand the pressures of air flight so sea travel is the only way to ship (no pun intended) many products.

Coastal erosion is another reason to study the ocean. People who live on the shorelines are worried about this because it could make the foundation under their houses could falter.

The final reason we should study the ocean I will be discussing is the ocean plays a huge role in the hydrological cycle. A majority of the water that rains goes into the ocean which is a major source of the water that evaporates into the air to make clouds.

Come Sail Away Pt. 2

The first time my partner and I tried sailing our boat in the official test pool we found out our keel was too long and our sail was too long. We had to shorten the keel and cut about an inch off of the sail and mast.

Before we got a chance to do our final run for the grade, someone tripped over the chord and twisted the prongs on the plug for the hairdryer that propelled the boats across the pool. We will be able to test it for our grade on Monday. Don't worry, pictures will come.

Come Sail Away Pt. 1

My boat design is a very simple yet efficient design. It uses a styrofoam block, duct tape, straws, cardboard, aluminum foil, and hot glue. First my partner and I first cut a whole in the styrofoam block to hold 20 marbles on its meter long journey.

Next we made the keel. To make it we took some cardboard and cut out a curved triangle and covered it in duct tape so it wouldn't get soggy and fall off. We then cut a slit in the bottom of the styrofoam block and hot glued it into the block.

To make the mast my partner and I bound 5 plastic straws together and wrapped them in duct tape. We then attached the sail me made out of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil with some hot glue. 

All that was left to do was attach the sail to the styrofoam and put it in the water.

Horseshoe Crab

Common Name: Horseshoe Crab

Scientific Name: Limulidae

Adaptations: The horseshoe crab has a pair of appendages called the chelicerae which help place food into it's mouth. It also has eyes on top of it's shell to find mates as well as five more eyes on the center part of his shell. Two can see ultraviolet and visible light. There are also two eyes under the crab that help the crab see when it's swimming underwater. This crab also has five pairs of legs: eight for walking or mating and two for insurance it won't get stuck in the sand.

Habitat: Horseshoe crabs live in various homes throughout their lives depending on their development stage. When it comes time to lay eggs the females lay them in soft coastlines. When they get to the juvenile stage they can be found on sandy ocean floor. Finally, adult crabs stay in deeper waters until it's time to lay more eggs.

Endangered/Threatened/or Not?: The horseshoe crab is threatened because of over harvesting and habitat loss. The horseshoe crab is used to catch eels and the mass development of buildings on beaches hinders them from being able to lay eggs.

Why the Horseshoe Crab?: When I first saw the horseshoe crab, I thought it was a type of stingray. When I found out it was a type of crab I was intrigued and I wanted to find out more about this crustacean. 

Tools of an Oceanographer

At the beginning of this semester I thought all an oceanographer used was a microscope and some sampling tubes. Now I know that there are six types of oceanographers and they all use different tools.

The first is the biological oceanographer. This oceanographer studies the living things that reside in the ocean. To study the smaller things, they use microscopes. The microscope allows them to see the tiny microorganisms that live in the water that can't be seen with the naked eye.

The second type is the chemical oceanographer. These oceanographers study the chemical balances and reactions of the sea. To do this they use Nansen bottles which are sampling bottles that can be dropped into the ocean to collect samples of the water near the bottom of the ocean.

Another type of oceanographer is a physical oceanographer. This type is responsible for studying the waves, tides, and currents as well as the effects of hurricanes, typhoons, and tsunamis. To do this they use a ship called FLIP. This ship has a long tail that fills up with water until the ship is sticking straight up in the air as shown in the picture below. This makes the ship more stable which makes it easier to measure currents.

A geological oceanographer studies the formations at the bottom of the ocean such as volcanoes and hydrothermal vents. One of the tools they use is called a Bathymetric map. This shows the formations and depth levels of the ocean floor.

The final oceanographer is and oceanographic engineer. These engineers create the technology that other types of oceanographers use to explore the sea. To create these oceanographic engineers need computers of their own to log and save all the changes to these technologies that they create.

Why do we explore?

This week in my aquatics class we watched a video of a lecture given by Bob Ballard. He discussed the important question "Why do we explore?". So why do we explore? Is it to be able to say "Hey mom, look at what I found?" or "I found it, therefore, I'm the best"? There are so many things in the world that have yet to be discovered. How do we know what will benefit the world unless we explore and make discoveries? There could be a certain type of fish who's scales contain a chemical that cures cancer lurking on the ocean floor. I know that sounds crazy, but we'll never know if it's realistic until we look.

Mr. Ballard discussed the fact that 50% of the United States lies underwater. Half of the country that we've explored many times has never been seen. We know the complete geography of the moon but we don't even know what lies at the bottom of the ocean. Do I think it's sad that we know the moon better than our own planet? Yes. I think to fully understand other planets and moons we have to first understand our planet, from the top of the highest peak to the deepest part of the ocean.