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in collaboration with Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge Education © Sophie Webb Grade Level • 6-8, with options for 9-12. Timeframe • Three 45-minute class periods Materials • • • • Student worksheets Albatross and bathymetry maps Lesson 3 Presentation Use of Google Maps (optional) Key Words • • • • • • Bathymetry Photosynthesis Upwelling Decomposition Albatross Hotspots Marine Protected Area Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Activity Summary Just as on land, the ocean’s floor has many diverse features, including mountains, hills, canyons, and plains. The prevailing wind patterns and the underlying seafloor features influence horizontal and vertical water movements, which in turn affect ocean productivity (how much organic matter is created by primary producers through photosynthesis). In this lesson, students will review common bathymetric features in the ocean and will examine the movements of albatross with respect to water depth and seafloor contours. Learning Objectives Students will be able to: • Identify common seafloor features. • Interpret contour maps. • Analyze albatross movements in relation to seafloor features. • Explain the concept of a hotspot of animal activity. • Discuss protections for North Pacific Ocean hotspots. Outline Engage – Imagining the Seafloor Explore – Identifying Seafloor Features Explain – Upwelling and Phytoplankton Elaborate – National Marine Sanctuaries Evaluate – Seafloor Features and Upwelling Background Information The ocean floor is home to earth’s highest mountains, widest plains, and other diverse features. Along the edge of the continents is a flat shallow area known as the continental shelf. Hills on the continental shelf are known as banks. The shelf “breaks” at a steep decline known as the continental slope, which extends down to the seafloor, also known as the abyssal plain. Midocean ridges are underwater mountain ranges where tectonic plates are diverging. At trenches, the plates are converging, creating the deepest areas of the ocean. Volcanic activity on the seafloor results in the formation of seamounts (underwater mountains) and islands, (reaching above the ocean’s surface). The study of depth and seafloor features is known as bathymetry. Much of the ocean is essentially a desert; the abundance of living things is very sparse. Ocean productivity is limited by light and nutrient availability, and sunlight can only reach the top 250 meters of the water column. The ocean’s major primary producers are photosynthesizing microbes known as phytoplankton. Phytoplankton have short life cycles and reproduce quickly when enough nutrients, such as nitrate and Vocabulary BATHYMETRY – the study of ocean depth and underwater topography SEAMOUNT – a mountain on the seafloor BANK – undersea hill on the continental shelf CONTINENTAL SHELF – shallow area found on the edges of continents CONTINENTAL SLOPE – steep land area between the shallow continental shelf and the deep abyssal plain ABYSSAL PLAIN – the flat base of the seafloor 2 iron, are available. Nutrients are made available to ecosystems by the work of decomposers. In the ocean, however, living organisms sink when they die, and decompose at great depths (over 250 m). Therefore, these precious nutrients are not always available near the surface. Ocean water is constantly in motion, due to the action of tides and currents. The water circulates among ocean basins and its movement is influenced by wind patterns and bathymetry. For instance, when steady winds moves surface water away from the coast, it is replaced by water from down below that is cold and nutrient-rich, a process known as upwelling. Upwelling also occurs along abrupt bathymetric features, such as continental shelves and slopes and at seamounts, which interrupt and redirect the flow towards the surface and cause mixing. Areas of upwelling fuel phytoplankton growth, providing more energy to the ecosystem. Therefore, upwelling zones tend to be incredibly productive, supporting rich food webs. Albatross, for instance, are known to travel thousands of miles to feed in productive upwelling areas along the coast of Alaska and California. If you have not completed Lessons 1 & 2, consider reviewing some of the background information on seabirds and their movements with your students. ATOLL – a ring-shaped area of coral around an island or seamount HOTSPOT – an area where organisms are observed very often UPWELLING – the movement of nutrient-rich water from depth to the surface PRODUCTIVITY – the amount of organic matter produced by primary produces using nutrients and light PHYTOPLANKTON – photosynthesizing microbes DECOMPOSITION – the breakdown of dead organisms into simpler elements by the action of bacteria Preparation Make a copy of the handouts “Albatross Bathymetry Tracking Maps” for each pair of students. There are four bathymetric maps highlighting a seamount, Japan trench, Alaska shelf/slope, and California shelf/slope. Divide these maps evenly among groups of students. (See example below.) Lesson 2 is highly recommended if mapping or wildlife satellite tracking are unfamiliar topics. Photo by Sophie Webb 3 Discuss some of these features with students. Example: ? Learning Procedure ? Direct students to answer Question 1 on their student worksheet. Have several students share their ideas with the class. Be aware that it is a common misconception that the seafloor is flat. Do not correct student ideas at this time. (65 minutes) Show slides of the Pacific Ocean and other ocean basins provided in the presentation. Alternatively, use Google Maps (www.maps.google.com), click on “satellite” view in the upper right, and then scroll so that the map is centered on the Pacific Ocean or other ocean basin of interest. Explain to students that they are looking at the seafloor, which is covered by up to 6 miles of water. As you show students the images, point out specific places, (e.g., Alaska, Baja California, Hawai‘i), to help students orient themselves. Give students a few minutes to observe the seafloor and to record their observations in Question 2 of the Student Worksheet. Have students share their ideas. If using Google Maps, zoom in on specific features to observe them more closely. In addition, the presentation shows zoomed-in images of several features, including the Hawaiian Islands and associated seamounts, the continental shelf off of California and Alaska, etc. 4 Describe the features that you see. Do any of them look like features you see on land? The seafloor is not flat. There are mountains, hills, valleys, and plains, very similar to features that we see on land. What does the majority of the seafloor looks like? Much of the seafloor is flat, but there are lots of bumps. As a class, read the short paragraph on the student worksheet. Moving forward in the presentation, show students the labeled pictures of different seafloor features. Remind students that the depths given are the vertical distances from the ocean surface. a) seamount – volcanic mountains rising from the abyssal plains, but under the waves b) bank – an undersea hill on the continental shelf c) continental shelf – shallow areas on the edges of continents (0 – 200 m deep) d) continental slope – steep “drop off” between the continental shelf and the abyssal plain (200 – 2,000 m deep) e) abyssal plain – the flat base of the ocean basin (2,000 m and deeper) Extension Students should draw a sketch and write a description of each seafloor feature in Question 3 on their worksheet. Discuss: ? ? Identify local or well-known land features for scale – what hill or mountain nearby is 200 m or 1000 m high? What do you think seafloor features have to do with albatross movements? Accept all answers at this point. Many students will likely believe that since albatross are seabirds that fly above the water, that bathymetry will not affect them. Share some of the albatross hotspots as a class. Use the slides of the maps and invite students to come to the board to point to areas that they found. For the seamount question, project the seamount map up on the board for students who did not analyze the seamount map originally. Read the Ocean Productivity and Food passage as a class and discuss it as you go. If you have not completed Lesson 1, provide students with some background information on albatross. Divide students into pairs or groups of three. Provide each pair with one of the photocopied albatross tracking maps. Several pairs will have the same map to work on. Each partner should count the dots and then compare findings. They should follow instructions on the student worksheet in order to analyze albatross movements with respect to bathymetry. Assist students in identifying areas of shallow and deep water on the shaded contour maps, and making calculations, as directed on the student worksheet. One way to do this is to work through some sample counts on the board. Differentiation: Have students illustrate each paragraph to build understanding of the content. Discuss: ? Create a class data table on the board, and invite pairs write in their data. Then calculate averages for shallow and deep water. Differentiation: To reduce the difficulty, do the calculations as a class. ? How would you describe upwelling in your own words? The vertical movement of water from depth to more shallow depths. The deep water contains lots of nutrients. Upwelling makes these nutrients available to primary producers living in the sunlit waters close to the ocean surface. Why is upwelling important? Upwelling makes nutrients available to primary producers, which use sunlight to produce the organic matter that supports the entire ecosystem. (35 minutes) Review students’ findings from the data table on the board, as well as their hypotheses as to why the animals might spend more time in certain areas. Work through the questions first in student pairs, then as a class. 5 ? Why do phytoplankton matter to albatross, which do not eat them directly? Phytoplankton (primary producers) produce organic matter via photosynthesis, which is eaten by zooplankton (grazers). These organisms are then eaten by other predators (fish, whales, birds). This way, the energy contained in the organic matter is passed on and used through the food web. Thus, albatross eat the squid that ate the zooplankton that ate the phytoplankton. Direct students to answer the questions with a partner. Then, review the answers as a class, referring back to the hotspots identified near seamounts and / or continental slopes. (20 minutes) Show the slide that highlights some of the U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments in the Pacific Ocean basin. Discuss what students are seeing: ? ? ? ? How do the areas of protection compare to the size of the whole ocean? Very little of the ocean is protected area. Differentiation: To reduce difficulty, read the passages aloud as a class. Have advanced students read the entire passage and complete the data table. Review the questions as a class. Invite groups to share their suggested areas for creation of national marine sanctuaries with the class. If applicable, explain that students will learn more about threats to albatross in future lessons. Because many people use and rely on our ocean, kai, for many reasons, conflicts may arise amongst different users accessing the same resources. Be sure that students understand the competing priorities of different users and interest groups. For instance, oil and gas companies would likely oppose the creation of a marine protected area in a location where they planned to drill. Fishers would oppose a no-fishing marine protected area in a productive fishing ground. On the other hand, conservationists would support their creation. (Homework) Which NMS is closest to us? Answers will vary. Why might oceanic areas need protection? Many human activities can have negative impacts on marine life. What are some human activities that could affect seabirds? Accept all answers at this time. They may include fishing, pollution, egg poaching, etc. Direct students to read the passages “Protecting 6 Ocean Habitats” and “National Marine Sanctuaries near the West Coast” on the student worksheet, and to complete the data table and answer the questions that follow. To save time. assign each student or small group 1-2 NMS and then to share their findings with other groups. Direct students to complete the Evaluate section of the student worksheet. Extension View NOAA’s video lesson about seamounts. http://www.montereyinstitute.org/noaa/ Resources • Animation of growing phytoplankton: http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/hab/habs_toxin s/phytoplankton/images/AlgalGrowth_Revi sed2.swf • Online land and ocean topography zoom tool: http://www.oceanmotion.org/html/resource s/etopo.htm • Learn to pronounce Papahānaumokuākea: http://www.papahanaumokuakea.gov/about /name.html Credits and More Information This lesson was developed for NOAA’s Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, by Meghan Marrero of Mercy College and Oikonos - Ecosystem Knowledge. This lesson cannot be used for commercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted for the reproduction, without alteration, of this lesson for educational use only on the condition its source is acknowledged. When reproducing this lesson, please cite NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Oikonos - Ecosystem Knowledge as the source, and provide the websites below. Data integrated into these lessons were provided courtesy of Michelle Hester (Oikonos), David Hyrenbach (Hawai‘i Pacific University), Josh Adams (USGS), and David Anderson (Wake Forest University). Data from Tern Island, Kure Atoll and Cordell Bank were obtained in partnership with USFWS, State of Hawaii, and Cordell Bank NMS. Special contributions of paintings and photography donated by Sophie Webb and high resolution images of albatross bolus contents donated by David Liittschwager. Content created and reviewed by Meghan Marrero, David Hyrenbach, Michelle Hester, Carol Keiper, Jennifer Stock, and Andy Collins. Tracking and bathymetry maps were created by Pam Michael (Oikonos). Graphics and design by NOAA, Tara Alvarez, and Greg Hester. We thank the many people who donated photographs, illustrations and video. Some content was adapted from Oikonos' We appreciate feedback, corrections and questions. Please email [email protected] Lessons and resources available at: http://cordellbank.noaa/gov/education/teachers.html http://papahanaumokuakea.gov/education/wa.html http://oikonos.org/education 7 Education Standards Ocean Literacy Principles • • • • • • • • California Hawai‘i 8 1a. The ocean is the dominant physical feature on our planet Earth—covering approximately 70% of the planet’s surface. There is one ocean with many ocean basins, such as the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian and Arctic. 1b. An ocean basin’s size, shape and features (such as islands, trenches, mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys) vary due to the movement of Earth’ lithospheric plates. Earth’s highest peaks, deepest valleys and flattest vast plains are all in the ocean. 1c. Throughout the ocean there is one interconnected circulation system powered by wind, tides, the force of the Earth’s rotation (Coriolis Effect), the Sun, and water density differences. The shape of ocean basins and adjacent land masses influence the path of circulation. 5b. Most life in the ocean exists as microbes. Microbes are the most important primary producers in the ocean. Not only are they the most abundant life form in the ocean, they have extremely fast growth rates and life cycles. 5e. The ocean is three-dimensional, offering vast living space and diverse habitats from the surface through the water column to the seafloor. Most of the living space on earth is in the ocean. 5f. Ocean habitats are defined by environmental factors. Due to interactions of abiotic factors such as salinity, temperature, oxygen, pH, light, nutrients, pressure, substrate and circulation, ocean life is not evenly distributed temporally or spatially, i.e., it is “patchy”. Some regions of the ocean support more diverse and abundant life than anywhere on Earth, while much of the ocean is considered a desert. 6e. Humans affect the ocean in a variety of ways. Laws, regulations and resource management affect what is taken out and put into the ocean. Human development and activity leads to pollution (such as point source, non-point source, and noise pollution) and physical modifications (such as changes to beaches, shores and rivers). In addition, humans have removed most of the large vertebrates from the ocean. 6g. Everyone is responsible for caring for the ocean. The ocean sustains life on Earth and humans must live in ways that sustain the ocean. Individual and collective actions are needed to effectively manage ocean resources for all. Grade 6: • 4c. Students know the sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on Earth's surface; it powers winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle. • 5a. Students know energy entering ecosystems as sunlight is transferred by producers into chemical energy through photosynthesis and then from organism to organism through food webs. • 5c. Students know matter is transferred over time from one organism to others in the food web and between organisms and the physical environment. • 7b. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data. Grade 7: • 7a. Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data. Grades 6-8: 1. Collect, organize, analyze and display data/ information, using tools, equipment, and techniques that will help in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. • Develop conclusions and explanations showing the relationship between evidence and results drawn. • Communicate and defend scientific procedure used and conclusion and explanation drawn from evidence. • Give examples where scientists used mathematics and technology to gather, quantify, and analyze results of an investigation. 2. Give an example of the interdependence of science, technology, and society and how it changed the course of history. • Describe and exemplify how information and communication technologies affect research and work done in the field of science. 3. Explain how methods for obtaining and using resources such as water, minerals, and fossil fuel have consequences on the environment. 5. Illustrate and explain the relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in a food web. 6. Explain how plants use the energy from sunlight and matter from the atmosphere to make food that can be used for fuel or building materials. 7. Relate how changes in the environment can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species. Education Standards Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Standards Students who demonstrate understanding can: MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem. MS-ESS2-3. Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions. Disciplinary Core Ideas Science & Engineering Practices Crosscutting Concepts LS1.C: Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms Plants, algae (including phytoplankton), and many microorganisms use the energy from light to make sugars (food) from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use. 4. Analyzing and interpreting data 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking 6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7. Engaging in argument from evidence Scale , Proportion and Quantity Common Core State Standards English Language Practices: CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively. Arts CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 Model with mathematics. Reading; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table). 9 Education Standards Common Core State Standards English Language Arts Writing: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.B Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic or text, using credible sources. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2.D Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Mathematics 6th Grade: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.A Reporting the number of observations. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.SP.B.5.B Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement. CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3.C Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent. 7th Grade: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.SP.A.2 Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population with an unknown characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or predictions. For example, estimate the mean word length in a book by randomly sampling words from the book; predict the winner of a school election based on randomly sampled survey data. Gauge how far off the estimate or prediction might be. 1 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _________________________________ Engage Think about the ocean and the seafloor. 1. Draw a sketch of what you picture when you think about the seafloor. Answers will vary widely. Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Explore 2. When your teacher projects the Pacific Ocean map, observe it carefully. Describe what you see. Students should note that much of the ocean basin is a flat plain, but that there are lots of other features as well. These features include seamounts, the continental shelf and slope, islands, etc. Read the following: The ocean is Earth’s final frontier. According to NOAA, the ocean’s average depth is 4.3 kilometers, which is 2.65 miles. This means that on average there are 4,300 meters, or over 14,000 feet, of water above the seafloor. This deep and flat area of the ocean is called the abyssal plain. Some areas, such as those along coastlines, are much shallower. There also are underwater mountains that stretch up from the abyssal plain towards the ocean surface. These features are called seamounts. The tops of seamounts can reach very close to the sea surface. Other areas are much deeper. The deepest spot in the ocean is the Mariana Trench, with a water depth of 6.8 miles or 10,924 meters, or over 35,566 feet. Many organisms live in the ocean’s deepest areas and on its surface, but scientists are still learning about them all. The description of the ocean’s depth and seafloor features is called bathymetry. 2 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ 3. In the chart below, name, sketch, and describe each feature from the slides shared by your teacher. Feature Name Seamount Continental Shelves Sketch Description Depth Mountain rising from the deep abyssal plain at any depth just below the surface to the sea floor Flat areas near the edges of continents 0 – 200 m 200 – 2000m Continental Slopes Drop offs from the continental shelf to seafloor Abyssal Plains Seafloor – mostly flat 2000 m + Banks Undersea Hill rising from a Continental Shelf Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots 200 m to just below the surface 3 Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Use the Albatross Tracking and Bathymetry Maps provided by your teacher to answer the following questions. 4. What seafloor features can you observe on your map? Answers include: continental shelf, continental slope, seamounts, abyssal plain, bank 5. The dots on the map indicate noon locations of tracked Black-footed Albatross. Follow the directions for each step below, and record your findings in the data table. a. Count the total number of dots on each map. b. Count the number of dots located in shallow water when the birds were either over ocean shaded 0 – 200 or shaded 200 – 2000. These shallow areas include continental shelf, continental slope, seamounts, and banks. c. Count the number of dots located in the deep water. These are areas with depths over 2000m, on the abyssal plain. 6. Find the percentage of the total time that the albatross spent in both shallow vs deep water. Record each percentage in the data table. d. To calculate the time spent in shallow water: e. To calculate the time spent in deep water: 4 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Location Counts Total Shallow Water Deep Water • • Number of Dots Japan Trench 49 (including 1 dot close but not on island) Alaska Slope 30 California Slope 40 Seamount 10 (NOT including 1 dot on the island) Japan Trench 37 Alaska Slope 24 California Slope 25 Seamount 4 Japan Trench 10 Alaska Slope 6 California Slope 15 Seamount 6 Percentage of Time Spent 100% (the total amount of time) 75% 80% 62% 40% 25% 20% 38% 60% Approximate counts for each handout (allow differences based on map interpretation). Average percent of time tracked in shallow water was ~64% and deep water ~36%. 7. Did the albatross spend more time in shallow water or deep water? Use your data to support your answer. All of the sample tracks reveal birds spending more time in shallow water, except for the seamount track. Be sure students are using data from their charts to support their answers. 8. Write your data in the class data table on the board. 9. In the North Pacific, 87% of the ocean is deep and 13% is shallow. According to the class data, are these birds spending about 87% of their time in deep water? How do you know? Based on the class averages, the tracked birds spent only about 35% of their time in deep water, although deep water covers about 87% of the Pacific Ocean. Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots 5 Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ 10. Scientists compare habitat use with habitat availability to measure “preference” and identify “hotspots”. For instance, when you are at a restaurant, all the food on a menu is availability, and what people order is preference. On your maps, circle any “hotspots” for your albatross. Hotspots are areas where an albatross spent a lot of time (multiple days) or that an albatross repeatedly visited. A “coldspot” is an area they traveled through in route to another destination but did not stay long. 11. How can you explain your findings? Why do you think albatross select or prefer certain areas Students may not know the answer at this point. The goal of this question is to get them thinking. 12. Seamount habitats make up approximately 5% of the sea floor. Explore the Seamount track and count the number of locations over the Kammut Guyot feature. Does the albatross spend more than 5% of its time on top of this seamount? If so, why? This albatross spent 40% of its time over the seamount. The Kammut Guyot seamount was closer to this bird’s nest on Kure Atoll than other productive features such as the shelf/slope habitats. 6 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Explain Ocean Productivity and Food You are now very familiar with seafloor features, such as seamounts and continental shelves and slopes. You have also identified areas that albatross visit over and over again. Seafloor features can affect how much food is available in different areas. Albatross take advantage of this. Diatoms are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Food provides both energy and nutrients. Imagine you are eating a cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato on a bun. In each bite, you are getting protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins (like Vitamins A and C) and minerals (like calcium and potassium). The food gives you the energy you need to do your life activities, like walking, breathing, and pumping your blood. The nutrients are used for life activities and to build body structures, including muscles and bones. Both energy and nutrients can be hard to get in the ocean. Almost all of the energy available to ocean organisms comes from the sun. Tiny plant-like organisms called phytoplankton capture the sun’s energy. They use the sun’s energy to create sugar in a process called photosynthesis. Phytoplankton make fats and oils. These compounds store the sugar, or chemical energy. Ocean grazers eat the sugars and fats, just like cows or grasshoppers eat plants on land. The grazers are then eaten by other predators, like squid and small fish, which receive the energy and nutrients. But, the sun only lights the top layer of the ocean (photic zone). Therefore, organisms living in deep water must travel to the surface to eat or get energy from the organisms living in the sunlit areas above them. Luckily for them, dead organisms and other waste (poop, skeletons) sink down. Deep ocean organisms eat these materials for their energy. Like you, phytoplankton need nutrients for their life activities, including photosynthesis. Land plants, which also do photosynthesis, get their nutrients from the soil. Soil is made up of pieces of rock and broken-down plant material. The remains of living organisms are broken down by decomposition. Decomposition makes the nutrients in the dead organisms available in the soil. In the ocean, when organisms die, they sink deeper into the water. Decomposition happens in the deep water. That means that the nutrients become available where there is no sunlight. Remember, though, that phytoplankton live near the ocean’s surface because they need sunlight. Therefore, the nutrients from decomposition are not available to them. In certain areas of the ocean, however, deep water containing lots of nutrients is brought up to the surface, where phytoplankton live. This process is called upwelling. Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots 7 Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Credit: NOAA Upwelling can happen for several reasons. Some upwelling is caused by the makani, the wind. When wind consistently blows parallel to a coastline, it pushes water away from the coast. This movement pulls up nutrient-rich water from down below (about 100 - 200 m deep) to replace the water at the surface. This type of upwelling occurs along the West Coast of the U.S. and many other coastlines. Water moves up the continental slope and onto the continental shelf. Upwelling can also happen in the open ocean, when deep-water currents encounter a seamount. Water flowing around a large obstacle, like an underwater mountain, will be pushed upwards and mix the nutrients into the surface waters. These are the two reasons why upwelling often happens near continental slopes and near seamounts. Upwelling gives lots of nutrients to phytoplankton. These tiny organisms photosynthesize and reproduce very quickly. Phytoplankton are eaten by other organisms, which also get eaten by larger predators. Energy and nutrients are passed to organisms higher up the food chain, including mōlī (Laysan albatross), koholā (whales), and honu (sea turtles). Lots of phytoplankton means that lots of energy and nutrients are available to the ecosystem. 13. How might areas of upwelling affect albatross? Upwelling brings needed nutrients up from deep water, which fuel phytoplankton growth. In turn, the plankton fuel the food chain, providing lots of feeding opportunities for albatross and other marine life 8 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ 14. Were the hotspots that you identified areas in which you would expect upwelling? How do you know? According to the text above, upwelling occurs near continental shelves and slopes, where wind blowing along a coastline can push water offshore and cause upwelling. Around seamounts. upwelling occurs when deep water currents encounter this geologic obstacle. Elaborate Protecting Ocean Habitats United States National Marine Sanctuaries and Marine Monuments are often compared with National Parks because they protect underwater treasures. These treasures include marine animal habitats and important cultural areas like shipwrecks. National Marine Sanctuaries and Monuments are marine protected areas (MPAs). Creating MPAs is one of the ways in which we can care for, mālama, our ocean, kai. In our studies of albatross, we will focus on some of the sanctuaries and monuments in the Pacific Ocean. 15. Read the following passage, which introduces some of the Marine Protected Areas in the Pacific Ocean. In the data table, take notes about each. Marine Protected Areas Description of Location Important Facts / Ideas (Answers will vary) Olympic Coast NMS Coast of WA state Protects kelp forests, deep water corals, and shipwrecks. Cordell Bank NMS on the continental shelf north of San Francisco Protects a bank on the continental shelf that his home to cold-water corals, fish, and more Gulf of the Farallones NMS Monterey Bay NMS near Farallon Islands near San Francisco off central Coast of California Channel Islands off of Southern California Protects a variety of ecosystems including open ocean, reefs, and wetlands. Only MPA to protect a seamount. Also protects a canyon and kelp forest. Protects diverse ecosystems including sandy bottom, rocky reef, and kelp forest. Near main Hawaiian Islands Northwest Hawaiian Islands Protects breeding ground for humpback whales Channel Islands NMS Hawaiian Humpback Whale NMS Papahānaumokuākea MNM Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Protects culturally and biologically important areas. 9 Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS) and Marine Monument near the West Coast and Hawai‘i Along the coast of Washington State is the Olympic Coast NMS, which protects lush kelp forests, deep water corals, and over 150 shipwrecks. The sanctuary covers over 3,000 square miles of ocean, and includes productive waters important for marine mammals such as sea otters and orcas, and seabirds including albatross and gulls. The Cordell Bank NMS is named for a rocky habitat, or “bank”, that sticks up above the sandy seafloor. This bank is home to cold-water corals, algae, fish, and many other organisms. Marine mammals and seabirds, such as whales, seals and sea lions, murres, albatross and shearwaters, frequent this sanctuary to feed themselves and their young. The sanctuary protects 529 square miles of waters northwest of San Francisco. Located near Cordell Bank and just beyond the city of San Francisco is the Gulf of Farallones NMS, named for its location near the Farallon Islands. The sanctuary protects several different ecosystems including wetlands, the open ocean and reefs, within it’s nearly 1,300 square miles of waters. Like Cordell Bank, the Gulf of the Farallones NMS is located in very productive waters that provide food for many seabirds and marine mammals. Monterey Bay NMS covers over 6,000 square miles of ocean and is home to numerous marine mammals, seabirds, fish, plants, and invertebrates such as sea stars, anemones, and corals. It includes one of the largest kelp forests and near-shore underwater canyons in the United States. Also, it protects the Davidson Seamount, the only seamount inside a NMS. It is located off the Central Coast of California. In Southern California, one finds the Channel Islands NMS. This sanctuary protects the Santa Barbara Channel and areas surrounding the Channel Islands. Protected ecosystems include rocky intertidal, kelp forests, rocky reefs, sandy bottom and open ocean. Species include over 60 types of seabirds, many invertebrates, fish, and marine mammals. Channel Islands NMS protects 1,500 square miles of ocean. The Hawaiian Humpback Whale NMS is found in the warm waters near the main Hawaiian Islands. It protects an important breeding ground for humpback whales, which are affected by human activities including collisions with boats, entanglement in fishing gear, noise pollution, and water quality issues. North of the main Hawaiian Islands lies the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, or, ancestral islands, of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (pronounced Pa-pa-hah-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah). This Monument protects 140,000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. Habitats protected include coral reefs, open ocean, and sandy beaches. Over 7,000 marine species make their homes within the Monument. U.S. National Marine Sanctuaries protect ocean areas by limiting pollution, damage to coral and rocky seabeds, and some extractive activities such as oil drilling. The National Marine Monument can also restrict fishing and recreational boating. Papahānaumokuākea also protects important cultural areas for Native Hawaiians. 10 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ 16. Answer the following questions based on the information above and your data table: a. Which is the largest national marine sanctuary or monument? Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. b. Which national marine sanctuary or monument is most interesting to you? Why? Answers will vary. Be sure students support their answers with evidence from the text. Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots 11 Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Albatross are very vulnerable to human activities. These seabirds are often accidentally snared on fish hooks. They can also be tangled in fishing line. Other pollutants, including plastic trash and oil spills, can affect their nutrition and health. 17. Based on the albatross hotspots you identified, draw an area in which you would recommend creating a protected area specifically to protect albatross. Answers will vary. Discuss students’ suggestions as a class. 12 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ 18. Why would creating a national marine sanctuary to protect albatross be a challenge? What human activities might conflict with an area like this? Why? Many human activities occur in the ocean. Some of these are compatible with MPAs, and others are not. Activities include fishing, recreational boating, shipping, oil/gas drilling, swimming. Stake-holders would have different perspectives on what the new MPA would mean for them. Evaluate Return to your sketch in Question 1. 1. What do you think about this sketch now? Answers will vary, but the goal is that students now see seafloor features as more diverse and important to marine organisms. Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots 13 Name: ________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ 2. Draw a new sketch of the seafloor, including features that you are now more familiar with. Label these features. Features may include trenches, seamounts, continental slopes or shelves. 3. Which features might result in upwelling? All of the above mentioned, except for trenches. 14 Lesson 3: Protecting Ocean Hotspots