Lesson 1: Diving Into Ocean Ecosystems Top 10 Facts: Ocean – Stop early at 8:55 (or mute)! World’s Oceans http://www.purposegames.com/game/123 http://www.purposegames.com/game/the-world-oceans-quiz-quiz The wide-open ocean holds many mysteries. Physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth science concepts and ideas help scientists solve them. Fig 1.1 Earth’s biography: Oceans The ocean is home to a wide variety of marine ecosystems, some of which you will study in this Lesson. In every ecosystem, whether land or marine, there is interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. Fig. 1.5 Marine Ecosystems World Map Activity – Visit http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/oceans.htm • https://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/globalmarine Human Impacts on Marine Ecosystem Case Study 1 – Whale Falls • While you watch, answer the following ?’s in your journal: • What do you observe happening? • About how many diff types of organisms do you see? • Do you this is the result of a natural event of human activity? Why? Blue Whales Largest living things of all time Whale explosion February 2002. Initial visit by scientists (~6 months after the whale fall event); (B) December 2004. 34 months since initial scientist visit; (C) November 2005. 45 months since initial scientist visit; (D) December 2007. 70 months since initial scientist visit; (E) March 2009. 85 months since initial scientist visit. Whale Fall Event Weird vimeo • Background specialists • Species that remove flesh or soft tissue from carcass • Arrive early and remain present throughout entire decomposition • Examples • • • • • Deepwater fish Blob sculpin Snubnose eelpout Hagfishes Sleeper sharks • • • • Worms Shrimps Crabs Many scavengers Hagfish/lamprey Osedax – marine worm • The number of background specialists varies, however, they remain present over the entire decomposition process. The number of bone specialists is lowest in the initial stages of the decomposition and increases after 21 months. The presence of species with unclear connections varies over time. • By this time all of the flesh was likely removed from the whale carcass, exposing whale bone. Bone specialists increased in number because of the availability of bone on which to feed. • It is possible that organisms categorized as background specialists include those that feed on bone specialists. Predators of bone specialists may arrive at this time. These organisms may or may not be included in the species with unclear connections. • Student answers will vary but should include the topic of conducting additional research and consulting with scientists in the field. National Geographic Photograph A B Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors Photograph Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors A Trees in background, shrubs Water, ample sand, sunlight, small rocks B Grasses, plants in foreground, trees in background Water, sunlight, small amount of exposed sand along shore Coral Reef Climate Change Ghost fishing gear Pollution Coastal development Habitat destruction Kelp Forest Habitat destruction Pollution Mangrove Forest Coastal development Pollution Habitat destruction Open Ocean Overfishing Pollution/marine debris Bycatch Deep Ocean Pollution Ghost fishing gear Rocky Shore Coastal development Pollution Polar Sea Climate Change Pollution Overfishing Salt Marsh Coastal development, Pollution, Overfishing 170,000 Papahanaumokuakea http://vimeo.com/20114730