Station #1: Deep Ocean Exploration
Oceanography is the study of the physical properties of oceans. The four oceans
differ from each other in size, depth, temperature, currents, and physical
properties such as density, salinity and pH. Sonar, which stands for Sound
Navigation And Ranging, is a method used to determine the depth of the ocean
using echoes.
Some equipment on a ship sends out a pulse which travels to the bottom of the
ocean, bounces off the ocean floor, and returns to the ship. Scientists can use the
time it takes the pulse to return to calculate the depth of the water. Scientists
have used sonar technology to create a map of the ocean floor showing features
such as underwater mountains, canyons, and trenches. The maps also help
scientists to understand tectonic plate processes (convergent, divergent, and
transform boundaries).
1. In 3 sentences, explain why it is important for scientists to understand what the
ocean floor looks like.
2. How do scientists gather information about the characteristics of the oceans?
3. Scientists are measuring 2 separate depths of the ocean using sonar. Point A
takes 4 seconds to return to the ship. Point B takes 8 seconds to return to the
ship. Knowing these two numbers, what could the scientists determine about the
depth of the ocean in those two points? How do you know?
Station #2: Marine Life Forms
Complete the chart after reading this passage
What living organisms are found in any one place in the ocean is determined by
the environment at that place: temperature, pressure, and the amount of light
in the water. Marine biologists have classified ocean-dwelling organisms into 3
main types: plankton, those that do not swim or that swim weakly, nekton, those
that swim, and benthos, those that are bottom dwelling. Organisms living in the
intertidal zone are adapted to being repeatedly exposed to air and to the action
of waves. Most marine life is found in the neritic zone, where there is enough light
for photosynthesis. In deeper zones there is little or no light. Animals in these
zones have such adaptations as light-producing organism, high sensitivity to
pressure and very sensitive eyes.
Plankton
These organisms are drifters, carried place to place by the wind, waves, and
current. Plankton are microscopic organisms that float freely with oceanic
currents and in other bodies of water. Plankton is made up of tiny plants (called
phytoplankton) and tiny animals (called zooplankton). Plankton is the first link
in the marine food chain; it is eaten by many organisms, including mussels, fish,
birds, and mammals (for example, baleen whales). Phytoplankton are primary
producers (also called autotrophs). As the base of the oceanic food web,
phytoplankton use chlorophyll to convert energy (from sunlight), inorganic
chemicals (like nitrogen), and dissolved carbon dioxide gas into carbohydrates.
Zooplankton are microscopic animals that eat other plankton.
Nekton
Animals that swim or move freely in the ocean are nekton. Nekton come in all
shapes and sizes. Fish of all varieties are a major part of this group, as are reptiles
like sea turtles and sea snakes, and mammals such as seals, whales, or porpoises.
Invertebrates, such as jellyfish, sea worms, squids, shrimps and scallops complete
the group. Nekton live in shallow and deep ocean waters. Most nekton eat
zooplankton, other nektons, or they scavenge for waste.
Benthos
The benthos live on the ocean floor. There are four main groups: burrowing,
attached, crawling, and swimming animals. Starfish, oysters, clams, sea
cucumbers, brittlestars and anemone are all benthos. Most benthos feed on food
as it floats by or scavenge for food on the ocean floor.
Station #2: Marine Life Forms Chart
Plankton
How they move
Where they live
Examples of this life
form
Nekton
Benthos
Station #3: Ocean and Marine Food Webs
1. Visit this website:
http://sciencesource2.ca/resources/SS_active_art/active_art/SEinteractive_gr09_ch
01_pg31/index.html
(or search for Pearson ocean food web, it should be first on the list)
2. Read the passage at the top of the interactive before you begin.
3. Navigate around the food web in order to answer the following questions:
 From where does the algae plankton get its energy to make its food? Are
algae plankton considered producers or consumers?
 What do silversides eat as their food source? List 3 organisms which eat the
silversides.
 What would happen to the population of Arctic cod if the population of
silversides greatly increased?
 What does the Beluga whale depend on as its food sources?
 Which 3 organisms depend ONLY on 1 primary source of food? What
happens to the population of these 3 organisms if their source of food is
wiped out?
Station #4: Our Living Resource Infographic
Use the infographic at: https://www.globalpartnershipforoceans.org/oceans-ourliving-resource-infographic to answer the following questions
1. According to the infographic, why are oceans important?
2. Our oceans are
under severe stress
from what?
3. How many
pieces of plastic are
estimated to be
afloat on every
square mile of
ocean?
4. Currently, what
is a major source of
ocean pollution?
How much more
pollution is
occurring
compared to 1960?
5. What are “Dead Zones”? How many exist?
6. What is overfishing doing?
Station #5: Estuaries
Complete part of your chart at this station
An estuary is a partially enclosed body of water along the coast where freshwater from rivers
and streams meets and mixes with salt water from the ocean. Estuaries and the lands
surrounding them are places of transition from land to sea and freshwater to salt water.
Estuarine environments are among the most productive on earth, creating more organic
matter each year than comparably-sized areas of forest, grassland, or agricultural land. The
tidal, sheltered waters of estuaries also support unique communities of plants and animals
especially adapted for life at the margin of the sea. Many different habitat types are found in
and around estuaries, including shallow open waters, freshwater and salt marshes, swamps,
sandy beaches, mud and sand flats, rocky shores, oyster reefs, mangrove forests, river deltas,
tidal pools, and seagrasses.
Thousands of species of birds, mammals, fish, and other wildlife depend on estuarine habitats
as places to live, feed, and reproduce. And many marine organisms, including most
commercially-important species of fish, depend on estuaries at some point during their
development. Because they are biologically productive, estuaries provide ideal areas for
migratory birds to rest and re-fuel during their long journeys. Because many species of fish and
wildlife rely on the sheltered waters of estuaries as protected spawning places, estuaries are
often called the "nurseries of the sea."
Estuaries provide us with a suite of resources, benefits, and services. Some of these can be
measured in dollars and cents, others cannot. Estuaries provide places for recreational
activities, scientific study, and aesthetic enjoyment. Estuaries are an irreplaceable natural
resource that must be managed carefully for the mutual benefit of all who enjoy and depend
on them. Estuaries also perform other valuable services. Water draining from uplands carries
sediments, nutrients, and other pollutants to estuaries. As the water flows through wetlands
such as swamps and salt marshes, much of the sediments and pollutants are filtered out. This
filtration process creates cleaner and clearer water, which benefits both people and marine
life. Wetland plants and soils also act as natural buffers between the land and ocean,
absorbing flood waters and dissipating storm surges. This protects upland habitat as well as
valuable real estate from storm and flood damage. Salt marsh grasses and other estuarine
plants also help prevent erosion and stabilize shorelines.
Coastal counties are growing three times faster than counties elsewhere in the nation.
Unfortunately, this increasing concentration of people upsets the natural balance of estuarine
ecosystems, threatens their integrity, and imposes increased pressures on vital natural resources
like estuaries. What happens on the land affects the quality of the water and health of the
organisms that live in an estuary. For example, if a river or stream flows through an
agricultural area, it picks up fertilizer, manure, and pesticides from farming operations that
run off the land after a rainstorm. As it passes urbanized and suburbanized areas, it gathers
fertilizers or pet waste that wash off lawns, untreated sewage from failing septic tanks,
wastewater discharges from industrial facilities, sediment from construction sites, and runoff
from impervious surfaces like parking lots.
Station #6: The Intertidal Zone
Use this information to complete your chart
The intertidal zone, also known as the littoral zone, in marine aquatic environments is the area
of the foreshore and seabed that is exposed to the air at low tide and submerged at high tide,
ie the area between tide marks. In the intertidal zone the most common organisms are small
and most are relatively uncomplicated organisms. This is for a variety of reasons; firstly the
supply of water which marine organisms require to survive is irregular. Secondly, the wave
action around the shore can wash away or remove poorly suited or adapted organisms.
Thirdly, because of the intertidal zone's high exposure to the sun the temperature range can
be extreme from very hot to near freezing in frigid climates (with cold seas). Lastly, the salinity
is much higher in the intertidal zone because salt water trapped in rock pools evaporates
leaving behind salt deposits. These four factors make the intertidal zone an extreme
environment in which to live.
The littoral zone is divided into vertical zones. The zones that are often used are the spray
zone, high tide zone, middle tide zone, and low tide zone. Below these is the sub-tide zone,
which is always underwater.
Spray Zone: This area is dry much of the time, but is sprayed with salt water during high tides.
It is only flooded during storms and extremely high tides. Organisms in this sparse habitat
include barnacles, lice, periwinkles, and whelks. Very little vegetation grows in this area.
High Tide Zone: Also called the Upper Mid-littoral Zone and the high intertidal zone. This area
is flooded only during high tide. Organisms in this area include anemones, barnacles, brittle
stars, crabs, green algae, mussels, sea stars, snails, and some marine vegetation.
Middle Tide Zone: Also called the Lower Mid-littoral Zone. This chaotic area is covered and
uncovered twice a day with salt water from the tides. Organisms in this area include
anemones, barnacles, crabs, green algae, mussels, sea lettuce, sea palms, sea stars, snails,
sponges, and whelks.
Low Tide Zone: Also called the Lower Littoral Zone. This area is usually under water - it is only
exposed when the tide is unusually low. Organisms in this zone are not well adapted to long
periods of dryness or to extreme temperatures. Some of the organisms in this area are abalone,
anemones, brown seaweed, crabs, green algae, hydroids, isopods, limpets, mussels, sea
cucumber, sea lettuce, sea palms, sea stars, sea urchins, shrimp, snails, sponges, surf grass, tube
worms, and whelks.
Station #6: The Neritic Zone
Use this information to complete your chart
The neritic zone, or coastal zone, is a shallow marine environment extending
from low tide mark to 200-meter depths (or 660 feet), which is generally where
the continental shelf ends. Neritic waters are penetrated by varying amounts of
sunlight, which permits photosynthesis by both planktonic and bottom-dwelling
organisms. The zone is characterized by relatively abundant nutrients and
biologic activity because of its proximity to land. Coarse, land-derived materials
generally constitute the bottom sediments, except in some low-latitude regions
that favor production of calcium carbonate sediments by such organisms as
algae, bacteria, and corals.
Within the neritic zone, marine biologists must also identify the following:
 The infralittoral zone is the algal dominated zone; it goes to maybe 5
meters below the low tide mark.
 The circalittoral zone is the region beyond the infralittoral, it is dominated
mostly by sessile (fixed in one place; immobile) animals such as oysters.
 The subtidal zone is sometimes defined as the shallower region of the
neritic zone close to the shore.
The neritic zone is permanently covered with generally well-oxygenated water,
receives plenty of sunlight and has low water pressure, moreover, it has relatively
stable temperature, pressure, light and salinity levels, making it suitable for
photosynthetic life. In particular, the benthic zone (ocean floor) in the neritic is
much more stable than in the intertidal zone.
The above characteristics make the neritic zone the location of the majority of
sea life. Sea turtles, dolphins, coral and colorful fish make up some of the
organisms found in this zone. Phytoplankton and floating Sargasso make up
most of the photosynthetic life here. Zooplankton, such as free-floating
microscopic foraminiferans or small fish and shrimp feed on the phytoplankton
(and one another).
Station #7: The Oceanic Zone
Use the information to complete your chart
The oceanic zone begins in the area off shore where the water measures 200 meters (656 feet)
deep or deeper. It is the region of open sea beyond the edge of the continental shelf and
includes 65% of the ocean’s completely open water. The oceanic zone has a wide array of
undersea terrain, including crevices that are often deeper than Mount Everest is tall, as well as
deep-sea volcanoes and ocean basins. While it is often difficult for life to sustain itself in this
type of environment, some species do thrive in the oceanic zone.
The oceanic zone is subdivided into the photic, and aphotic zones. The photic zone, also called
the sunlit zone, receives enough sunlight to support photosynthesis. The temperatures in this
zone range anywhere from 104 to 27 °F. 90% of the ocean lies in the aphotic zone into which
no light penetrates. Water pressure is very intense and the temperatures are near freezing
range 32 to 43 °F.
Oceanographers have divided the ocean into zones based on how far light reaches. All of the
light zones can be found in the oceanic zone. The photic zone is the one closest to the surface
and is the best lit. It extends to 200 meters and contains both phytoplankton and zooplankton
that can support larger organisms like sharks, tuna, mackerel, and sea turtles.
There are creatures however, which thrive around hydrothermal vents, or geysers located on
the ocean floor that expel super heated water that is rich in minerals.[1] These organisms feed
off of chemosynthetic bacteria, which use the super heated water and chemicals from the
hydrothermal vents to create energy in place of photosynthesis. The existence of these bacteria
allow creatures like squids, hatchet fish, octopuses, tube worms, giant clams, spider crabs and
other organisms to survive.
Animals that live in the deep sea must be able to survive cold temperatures, an increase in
pressure, and dark waters. Past 200 meters, not enough light penetrates the water to support
life, and no plant life exists. Some fish, like the viper fish and hatchet fish have sharp fangs and
large mouths to help them catch food. Due to the total darkness in the zones past the photic
zone, many organisms that survive in the deep oceans do not have eyes, and other organisms
make their own light with bioluminescence. Often the light is blue green in color, because
many marine organisms are sensitive to blue light. Two chemicals, luciferin and luciferase,
react with one another to create a soft glow. The process by which bioluminescence is created
is very similar to what happens when a glow stick is broken. Deep-sea organisms use
bioluminescence for everything from luring prey to navigation.
Station #8: The Benthic Zone
Use this information to complete your chart
The benthic zone, or sea floor, extends from the water's edge to the deepest
ocean trenches. The benthic zone begins at the edge of the sea at the intertidal
zone, extends out along the continental shelf, and continues down the
continental slope to the abyssal plain, thousands of meters below sea level. It
includes the entire seabed, rising along the mid-ocean ridges where new sea floor
is continually being made, and dives down into the deep ocean trenches.
The habitats of the benthic zone
vary widely depending on how far
below the surface the bottom lies.
Just beyond the intertidal zone, the
shallow water receives plenty of
sunlight and oxygen. Continuing
down along the continental slope,
the environment becomes
increasingly dark and cold, and the
pressure increases. A remarkable
variety of organisms live in these
different habitats, each with
specialized adaptations reflecting
the conditions of their environment.
The organisms that live in the benthic zone are collectively called "benthos." They
include crustaceans, mollusks, worms, fish, and any other type of organism that
makes its home on or in the seabed. The majority of benthos are scavengers or
detritus feeders that eat decomposing organic matter. Much of the food supply
in the benthic zone is in the form of "marine snow", or small particles of decaying
organic matter that slowly descend down into the ocean and build up on the
ocean floor.