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Oceans 11
Complete the following Marine Biological WebQuest.
Part A: Definitions- 4 TASK points
Part B: Questions- 4 TASK points
Part C: Crossword- 2 TASK points
TOTAL: 10 points
DUE DATE: TBA
Web Address: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/canwaters-eauxcan/index_e.asp
Canadian Waters Internet
Biological Oceanography: Just What Lives in the Ocean
Anyway?
OBJECTIVE: To familiarize students with the variety of organisms and habitats in
the oceans.
DID YOU KNOW?
The floating plants found in oceans account for 65 to 75% of the new oxygen produced
for the planet every day, three times more than all the land plants and trees combined.
20% of the world’s protein supply comes from the oceans, and since the world
landbased
protein production is nearing its limit, people are turning to the oceans to supply
food for a growing population.
Many under-utilized fish species are now being caught for food, increasing pressure on
ocean resources.
Recent developments in fish farming, or aquaculture, have allowed for the expansion of
total fish production, which means that more fish products are becoming available.
Promoting biodiversity or the variety and abundance of living organisms in any water
system ultimately improves the health of the oceans.
Oceans act as a vast highway for the billions of creatures that live there.
Over 200,000 different plants and animals live in the ocean compared to five to 50
million (1.5 million identified) different ones that live on land.
The shells of tiny diatoms (one-celled phytoplankton) are used in toothpaste, kitty litter,
and swimming pool filters.
In order to begin a discussion of the study of biological oceanography, there are key
phrases that you need to understand. Many terms are common to several branches of
science but there are some that are specifically used to describe the workings of the ocean
as they relate to living systems.
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Before we continue, let’s find the basic meanings of the following additional terms.
Various sources are available to find the meanings of these words. Your library would
be
the first stop; your computer can be a valuable tool also. You may ask resource people to
help you with the meaning of many words. A dictionary can also be very useful.
Step One GLOSSARY Lesson 2
Using an information source available to you, find the meaning of the following terms.
Be
as detailed as you think appropriate. Always interpret the word with a meaning in an
oceanographic context. This exercise is designed to be pre-lesson homework to be
completed before starting the rest of the lesson. The teacher will assign the glossary
workload individually or in groups.
This lesson begins with a guided discussion of the results of
the definitions found for these words, their interpretation and
their significance to the ocean. A good way to describe each
word is to explain it in context by giving an example of how it
operates. Be ready to share your research with the class.
benthos, biomass, carnivore, copepod, crustacean, diatom, dinoflagellate, filter
feeder,
herbivore, mollusc, omnivore, pelagic, phytoplankton, zooplankton
benthos
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biomass
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carnivore
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copepod
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crustacean
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diatom
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dinoflagellate
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filter feeder
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herbivore________________________________________________________________
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mollusc
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omnivore
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pelagic
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phytoplankton
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zooplankton
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Web Sources
http://www.ec.gc.ca/water/en/info/gloss/e_gloss.htm Environment Canada Water
Glossary
http://www.fao.org/fi/glossary/default.asp Food, Agriculture Organization U.N. Glossary
http://inter01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/waves2/index.html (library search engine)
http://www.glossarist.com/gsearch.asp (glossary search engine-general)
Step Two GENERAL INFORMATION OCEANOGRAPHIC THEORY
When most people think about the ocean, they usually picture one of the larger water
animals. We all know what a whale (mammal) or a shark (fish) looks like. These are the
top
carnivores, the top of the food pyramid, and the last in a chain of feeders that starts with
the
abundant but very small plankton. Some
whales are at the top of a short food chain
that ends with them because they filter
plankton for food. Plankton supports all
life in the oceans.
It is impossible to cover all life forms found in the oceans in a singlelesson. However,
some
of the main highlights can serve as a basis for further investigations. Investigating the
living
groups that are common to all oceans can lead to a basic understanding of the principles
that generally operate in the ocean.
Have you ever walked along our shorelines wondering what we you might find in these
environments? “By the Sea” was created for Fisheries and Oceans Canada to answer
your
questions. This guide (see below) details information for 11 ecosystems within the
coastal
zone of Eastern Canada. While consulting this guide, you will learn about the inhabitants
of
our shores, why these environments are so important to our economy and well-being and
what part we can play in preserving these productive and valuable habitats.
“By the Sea” http://www.glf.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sci-sci/bysea-enmer/index.html
After reading the selection below, answer the questions that follow.
Open Ocean Biological Oceanography
What are the key issues regarding life in the open ocean? Although some issues are of
particular interest to scientists, most should be of interest to all people, as they ultimately
affect the health of our planet. Organisms that live in depths of the open ocean cannot
survive out of water for long periods. Fish are a main source of concern, since they are
the
organisms we eat most often. Protein from the sea is important for feeding the world
population. These protein sources are spread over a wide area and constantly moving.
Efficient fishing methods have reduced their abundance, making them harder to find.
Overall the open ocean is like a vast desert in terms of productivity, so any shift in the
balance of species present can be harmful to overall ecosystem health.
Plankton – The Tiny Ones
The productivity of the open ocean is fueled by the production of plankton. Organisms
that
remain planktonic for their entire life cycle are called holoplankton. Plankton can be
generally separated into two groups, plants (phytoplankton) and
animals (zooplankton). Phytoplankton production depends on
sunlight and nutrients. Areas of higher productivity are associated
with coastal areas with higher sunlight and nutrient levels. The
phytoplankton group is made up of two large families, the
diatoms and the dinoflagellates.
Diatoms are the most abundant phytoplanktonic
photosynthesizers (98%) compared to the other group the
dinoflagellates (2%). Diatoms come in a variety of shapes, but
one feature common to most is that they are microscopic and
composed of two halves of silica-based shells that fit together like
a pill box. Dinoflagellates look like flying saucers with whiskers; these appendages help
them to stay near the top of the water column. Both of these species can be responsible
for
poisonings associated with eating shellfish.
Zooplankton are the tiny animal plankton that eat phytoplankton. They are passive
swimmers and tend to move up in the presence of sunlight and to sink back down in the
evening. This adaptation allows them to feed or graze on
a new section of phytoplankton each day as the surface
water moves carrying the phytoplankton with it. Part-time
plankton (meroplankton) are usually the larval stages of
larger organisms such as clams, scallops, cod and herring.
These organisms spend the early stages of their life cycle
feeding, growing and developing in the topmost portion
of the water column. Zooplankton are an important food
source for smaller fishes and large whales. For example
baleen whales, such as the humpback, strain larger zooplankton, known as krill, in
quantities of up to thousands of kilograms in a single mouthful.
Seaweed – Have You Eaten Any Lately
Marine plants of the open ocean are known as seaweed. Sargassum, or gulfweed, a brown
algae, is the most common floating species. It is estimated that over 7 million tonnes lie
in
an area known as the Sargasso Sea off the coast of Bermuda. This sea covers an area
close
to 60 % the size of Canada.
The coastal shore contains the majority of seaweeds that survive
by attaching to the bottom. These seaweeds consist of red,
brown and green algae. Besides contributing to photosynthesis,
they provide shelter, food, breeding and egg laying locations to
many species that co-exist with them. Certain extracts from
seaweeds are used in many products you eat or use every day.
Mobile and Hard to Catch
The swimming fishes and the organisms that live near the bottom tend to be larger but
less
numerous in the open ocean. Many
species tend to migrate with the seasons
as they swim long distances to breed and
locate food. Many of these fish species
are food items that people have gathered
over the centuries. Our local Atlantic
salmon, probably the most famous recreational fish species from this area, is famous for
leaving and returning to birth rivers each year. The larger swimming organisms, or
pelagic
fish, are very popular as food items. The most important commercial fish was once cod,
which are now fished on a limited basis, as the fishery was closed for conservation and
management purposes in 1994. Other recognizable fish we catch and eat include tuna,
halibut, sole, pollock, mackerel, herring and hake.
In the open ocean, the whale fishery has ended for most species and has been replaced by
eco-tourism whale watching enterprises. Humpback, fin, minke, blue and right whales are
species that are often seen in the Atlantic region. These are the baleen representatives that
feed extensively on copepods and euphausids in our warmer waters in the summers. A
right
whale can, for example, consume four percent of its body mass every day. The tooth
whales
such as the orcas, sperm, porpoises and dolphins are often found in the waters around the
Atlantic coast but usually farther out to sea. Porpoises and dolphins have a tendency to
come closer to shore in search of food.
Seals make up the last grouping of larger swimming mammals in the Atlantic region. The
four most common species are the Grey, Harbour, Hooded and Harp seal. The
controversy
that has surrounded the seal hunt is an interesting topic for further investigation.
Seafloor Animals - Careful Where You Step
The deepest areas of the open ocean have a remarkable variety of unique organisms that
most of us will never see alive. Scientists use remote sensing devices to study,
photograph
and collect these creatures from the bottom depths. Below 200 metres there is no light, so
these organisms live in complete darkness and use other primary energy sources besides
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light. The only way to view life in this environment is to take photos or record video
using
artificial light. Coastal regions and surface waters, where more light is available, contain
much higher densities of organisms. Both locations include representatives of the groups
you will read about.
Organisms that are found on, in or close to the bottom are referred to as benthic
organisms
or benthos. The majority of these are invertebrates or organisms that lack an internal
skeleton. Molluscs have a wide variety of body shapes, from the crawling snails to the
sessile, filter feeding mussels to swimming octopuses. Some of these we can eat, others
we
cannot. Some molluscs you may
have heard of include oysters,
mussels, clams, scallops, snails,
periwinkles, dog whelks, limpets
and squids. Crustaceans have
external skeletons and include the
ever-popular lobster, snow crab
and shrimp. Barnacles, isopods and amphipods are smaller but
no less important with regard to their role in the overall ecosystem. Echinoderms are
benthic animals with five-star symmetry. On the beach you can
easily find sand dollars and starfish, while sea urchins are abundant
in certain locations farther out. Brittle stars and sea cucumbers are
found in even deeper water. In the sand and muddy bottoms, a
variety of worms can be found. Other invertebrates that are
recognizable include sponges, sea anemones and leafy bryozoans.
Coastal Biological Oceanography
All of the organisms mentioned above, and more, can be found at one time or another in
the
coastal zones of the Atlantic region. As a visitor, you evidently have easier access to the
shores of the sea than to the open ocean. One of the more interesting places to visit in
Atlantic Canada is exposed tide pools during
low tide. The coastal zone is a harsh
environment, and the exposure to
desiccation, salinity changes, wave action,
wind and ice are dominant forces that the
living organisms will encounter daily and
seasonally. The special adaptations that
organisms have developed to survive in
these conditions are unique.
Marine plants have developed a holdfast system that allows them to attach to exposed,
solid
surfaces like rock. The strength of this holdfast is evident when you consider they can
resist
the ripping effect of strong waves and wind during intense storms. Mussels have
attachment
structures called byssal threads that are equivalent to animal holdfasts. Other molluscs
have
strong adductor muscles that close their shell halves to keep them from drying out
(desiccation) during exposure. Barnacles close their tops to achieve the same effect.
Other
organisms burrow deep into the bottom substrate to avoid predators and weather.
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Plankton reproduce in massive numbers to ensure perpetuation of the species; many fish
use the same survival strategy as eggs, larvae and adults are consumed by organisms
higher
up in the food chain. The coastal zone is very rich in nutrients from land-based and
shoreline sources. This is one reason that “blooms” or exponential population explosions
can occur more readily near the shore.
Many species have poisonous appendages to deter predators. Unique camouflage has
always been a main method of reducing detection by predators. Examples of this are too
numerous to explore in detail, but one is fairly universal: most fish have white undersides
and dark backsides. This is because looking up, a predator sees light, and a white
underside
blends in more effectively; similarly, looking down the dark colour of the backside also
blends in, making the fish harder to detect.
All kinds of birds frequent the coastal areas to feed. Gulls are by far the most commonly
observed species. Bird populations become smaller farther out to sea. Mudflats can be
covered with hundreds of thousands of individual semi-palmated sandpipers in the late
summer as the birds fatten up on Corophium for
their long migration south. Many species of ducks
stop to feed in the coastal region both coming and
going during their migrations.
The coastal region of the Atlantic is a vast and diverse set of ecosystems. This is reflected
in the tremendous diversity of living things that can be found there if you care, and know
where, to look.
Step Three STUDY QUESTIONS Lesson 2
DO THESE IN CLASS INDIVIDUALLY OR IN GROUPS AS DIRECTED
1. The general term given to the tiny organisms that make up the base of all ocean food
webs is referred to as what?
2. Why does an organism removed from the ocean not survive in the air?
3. Can you find out how much of the world’s protein supply comes from the oceans?
4. What does “photosynthesize” mean?
5. The other name for plant plankton is ________________, while animal plankton is
also
referred to as _____________________.
6. Diurnal vertical migration, or DVM, is a phenomenon displayed by what group of
small
organisms with limited swimming ability?
7. Why do we refer to the larval stages of larger swimming fishes and crustaceans as
meroplankton?
8. Would you say that there are more floating or more attached seaweeds on the planet?
9. Name one of the most famous Atlantic salmon rivers in the Maritimes.
10. What is the name of the fish we most often eat out of a can?
11. If there is no light for a primary energy source in the deep ocean, what do you
suppose
organisms use as an alternate?
12. Two of the most popular invertebrate molluscs that people consume are _______ and
___________.
13. What structure do marine plants use to attach to the bottom substrate?
14. Why do most fish in the ocean have dark-coloured backsides?
15. Where in the Maritimes could you go to see thousands of the migratory semipalmated sandpipers feeding in the late summer? (For a bonus, do you know what they
are eating?)
Complete the Cross-Word:
Across
4 an animal that eats plants
6 an animal that eats other animals
8 any water organism that lives in or on the sea floor
9 plant plankton that have limited swimming motion
11 refers to the open water of the ocean and anything that swims there
14 the most famous filter feeder and aquacultured mollusc in Atlantic Canada
17 an animal that eats both plants and animals
18 microscopic, shrimp-like crustaceans that exist as herbivores
19 animal members of the plankton; some are permanent, others larval and temporary
Down
1 term used to describe an exponential population explosion of plankton
2 plant members of the plankton; they float in the sunlit, top portion of the ocean
3 group of animals that circulate large quantities of water through their bodies to
remove food particles
5 non-backbone animals that have five-part symmetry, like a starfish
7 the smallest, most numerous of the plant plankton, visible only in large numbers
8 is the term that describes the amount of living matter an organism contains
10 animals with single shells, double shells or no shells and soft bodies that are very
numerous
12 a class of the jointed animals that have an external skeleton like crabs and lobsters
13 a food ______ shows how biomass feeding relationships exist in an ecosystem
15 the most important recreational and aquaculture fish in Atlantic Canada
16 A food ____ shows branched feeding relationships for all organisms in an
ecosystem