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.