Purpose: This blog guided reading worksheet is to help introduce students to how scientists may go about research collecting samples and data while out on a cruise at sea. This particular cruise employed a high school science teacher to go along to help out, learn about the processes and blog about her experiences. Go to: http://cce.lternet.edu/blogs/2012/2012/08/01/day-1/
CCE LTER Cruise: Day One, "I'm on a boat!"
1)Click on the California Current Ecosystem link - read about the research site. Why are scientists particularly interested in this specific site? Why is it special?
Scientists are interested in this site because it shows the good work many different scientists can do if they work together to achieve something, to find out how the climate change affects the ocean.
2) What is the name of the research vessel that they are on?
The research vessel that they are on is called the Melville.
Which educational institution is the vessel a part of?
The Melville is the longest ship in the Scripps Oceanographic fleet.
3) How much does the ship weigh when it is fully loaded?
When the ship is fully loaded, it weighs 3,026,000 lbs, or 2,516 tons.
1)Click on the California Current Ecosystem link - read about the research site. Why are scientists particularly interested in this specific site? Why is it special?
Scientists are interested in this site because it shows the good work many different scientists can do if they work together to achieve something, to find out how the climate change affects the ocean.
2) What is the name of the research vessel that they are on?
The research vessel that they are on is called the Melville.
Which educational institution is the vessel a part of?
The Melville is the longest ship in the Scripps Oceanographic fleet.
3) How much does the ship weigh when it is fully loaded?
When the ship is fully loaded, it weighs 3,026,000 lbs, or 2,516 tons.
Day Three, "Releasing the MOCNESS"
4) On day #3, read about zooplankton are captured by the MOCNESS, summarize the process below:
MOCNESS stands for Multiple Opening and Closed Net and Environmental Sensing System. It is a piece of equipment used to capture many plankton by using its many nets. It will be lowered at 1500 feet into the Pacific Ocean to find and capture plankton so that scientists can look at how many types and what kinds of plankton species are at a sea depth of 0 ft to 1500 ft.
4) On day #3, read about zooplankton are captured by the MOCNESS, summarize the process below:
MOCNESS stands for Multiple Opening and Closed Net and Environmental Sensing System. It is a piece of equipment used to capture many plankton by using its many nets. It will be lowered at 1500 feet into the Pacific Ocean to find and capture plankton so that scientists can look at how many types and what kinds of plankton species are at a sea depth of 0 ft to 1500 ft.
5)Explain the "vertical migration" of many zooplankton species. Why do they do this?
"Vertical migration" is just another way to explain how plankton avoid predators and preserve their energy. At morning times, plankton swim down into the deeper sea to escape predators and they swim back to the surface, to the top at night, to eat phytoplankton.
6) What are phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton are a type of plankton that drifts. To survive, it relies on photosynthesis to make its own food. This group consists of single-celled algae, diatoms and bacteria.
"Vertical migration" is just another way to explain how plankton avoid predators and preserve their energy. At morning times, plankton swim down into the deeper sea to escape predators and they swim back to the surface, to the top at night, to eat phytoplankton.
6) What are phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton are a type of plankton that drifts. To survive, it relies on photosynthesis to make its own food. This group consists of single-celled algae, diatoms and bacteria.
Day Six, Seasoaring Away
7) What information is collected by the SeaSoar? What are they trying to find, specifically?
The SeaSoar identifies the exact location of where the California Current meets more denser coastal water. It goes down into the water column to collect data and sends it back to a computer in a lab from the Melville.
8) What does CTD stand for?
CTD stands for Conductivity, Temperature and Depth.
7) What information is collected by the SeaSoar? What are they trying to find, specifically?
The SeaSoar identifies the exact location of where the California Current meets more denser coastal water. It goes down into the water column to collect data and sends it back to a computer in a lab from the Melville.
8) What does CTD stand for?
CTD stands for Conductivity, Temperature and Depth.
Day Ten, Ahoy E-Front
9) What is the " E-Front" ?
The E-Front is short for the "Eddy Front", which is where the California Current meets up with the inshore currents.
10) Why does the sampling need to be conducted at night?
The sampling had to be done at night because they wanted to be sure that the zooplankton was present at the depth where they would collect the samples.
11) What is the epipelagic zone?
At every hour, the team would deploy a Bongo Net into the water at 300 ft and wait for thirty seconds then bring the net back up. The water would flow through the net, leaving it full of zooplankton. There are many layers to the ocean floor but the one where 90% of all ocean life lives. This is called the epipelagic zone.
12) These samples were taken along the E-Front - Can you tell where the actual front is located? Draw an arrow where you see the sample changes.
The front is located where the sample gets darker.
9) What is the " E-Front" ?
The E-Front is short for the "Eddy Front", which is where the California Current meets up with the inshore currents.
10) Why does the sampling need to be conducted at night?
The sampling had to be done at night because they wanted to be sure that the zooplankton was present at the depth where they would collect the samples.
11) What is the epipelagic zone?
At every hour, the team would deploy a Bongo Net into the water at 300 ft and wait for thirty seconds then bring the net back up. The water would flow through the net, leaving it full of zooplankton. There are many layers to the ocean floor but the one where 90% of all ocean life lives. This is called the epipelagic zone.
12) These samples were taken along the E-Front - Can you tell where the actual front is located? Draw an arrow where you see the sample changes.
The front is located where the sample gets darker.
Explain how the chlorophyll samples are preserved.
They poured different water samples into different bottles and then filtered them using different size filter papers. After doing that, they collected the paper and preserved it by using acetone and freezing it.
Day 12, Team Oozkeki
14) Where is the mesopelagic zone? Why are the critters found here so special ?
The mesopelagic zone is where all types of fish live deep in the water. The critters found there are special because they are not the kinds of animals that you see in an aquarium and they adapted to the deep water where they are habitated.
They poured different water samples into different bottles and then filtered them using different size filter papers. After doing that, they collected the paper and preserved it by using acetone and freezing it.
Day 12, Team Oozkeki
14) Where is the mesopelagic zone? Why are the critters found here so special ?
The mesopelagic zone is where all types of fish live deep in the water. The critters found there are special because they are not the kinds of animals that you see in an aquarium and they adapted to the deep water where they are habitated.
Day 14, Strunken cups
15) Explain why styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk when they were lowered to the depths.
If you increase pressure to an object, (styrofoam cups) the volume of the object will decrease. Since the pressure underwater is greater than the pressure on land, the cups shrunk.
15) Explain why styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk when they were lowered to the depths.
If you increase pressure to an object, (styrofoam cups) the volume of the object will decrease. Since the pressure underwater is greater than the pressure on land, the cups shrunk.
16) Why is iron so important to phytoplankton?
Iron is a nutrient that phytoplankton need.
17) What kind of precautions are taken by the scientists on board to make sure that the water samples are not contaminated by metals on or around the ship?
Special equipment that is covered in plastic is used to help protect contamination.
Day 21, Twinkle little Seat
18) How can scientists use "poop" to determine the biomass of an ecosystem? Explain.
Scientists uses poop to determine the biomass of the ecosystem by looking at the amount of carbon in it.
19) What is "marine snow"? Explain how it is collected.
Marine snow is what scientists call all the scat and other materials (such as phytoplankton) that fall through the water column. It is collected by lowering vials filled with salt water that is more dense (heavier) than the salt water in the ocean into the deep . These vials sit in the ocean at different depths, so anything that floats down the water column will float into the vial.
Day 24, Marine Birds
20) Explain how long-lining is dangerous to marine birds.
Long-line fishing is dangerous to marine birds because They will see a fish on the line, eat it, and get stuck on the bait, which results in them drowning.
21) Describe Fin Whales- What do they look like, what do they eat, why are they not hunted as much as other whales?
You can identify fin whales by their unique coloration and the position of their dorsal fin. They eat plankton, like krill. They are not hunted as much like other whales because they are found far off shore.
Iron is a nutrient that phytoplankton need.
17) What kind of precautions are taken by the scientists on board to make sure that the water samples are not contaminated by metals on or around the ship?
Special equipment that is covered in plastic is used to help protect contamination.
Day 21, Twinkle little Seat
18) How can scientists use "poop" to determine the biomass of an ecosystem? Explain.
Scientists uses poop to determine the biomass of the ecosystem by looking at the amount of carbon in it.
19) What is "marine snow"? Explain how it is collected.
Marine snow is what scientists call all the scat and other materials (such as phytoplankton) that fall through the water column. It is collected by lowering vials filled with salt water that is more dense (heavier) than the salt water in the ocean into the deep . These vials sit in the ocean at different depths, so anything that floats down the water column will float into the vial.
Day 24, Marine Birds
20) Explain how long-lining is dangerous to marine birds.
Long-line fishing is dangerous to marine birds because They will see a fish on the line, eat it, and get stuck on the bait, which results in them drowning.
21) Describe Fin Whales- What do they look like, what do they eat, why are they not hunted as much as other whales?
You can identify fin whales by their unique coloration and the position of their dorsal fin. They eat plankton, like krill. They are not hunted as much like other whales because they are found far off shore.
Day 26, Copepods
22) What are copepods? What are they related to?
Copepods are a type of zooplankton found in the Pacific Ocean. They are related to very small crabs and lobsters.
23) Explain two ways that copepods are studied on this ship.
One way was fishing for copepods. When the nets came in, someone sorted all of the animals under a microscope until she found female copepods. Each female would be placed in a little dish and monitored every hour to see if it laid eggs. If she did lay eggs, she was removed from her eggs, and then someone would watch the eggs for two days to see how many of the eggs hatched.
Another way is that Alexis, looks at pictures of marine snow to copepods. He studies them and tells the other members on the ship how many copepods can be found in the sea.
22) What are copepods? What are they related to?
Copepods are a type of zooplankton found in the Pacific Ocean. They are related to very small crabs and lobsters.
23) Explain two ways that copepods are studied on this ship.
One way was fishing for copepods. When the nets came in, someone sorted all of the animals under a microscope until she found female copepods. Each female would be placed in a little dish and monitored every hour to see if it laid eggs. If she did lay eggs, she was removed from her eggs, and then someone would watch the eggs for two days to see how many of the eggs hatched.
Another way is that Alexis, looks at pictures of marine snow to copepods. He studies them and tells the other members on the ship how many copepods can be found in the sea.
Day 29, Last Day
24) What is the bow dome? Where is it located?
The bow dome are windows located in the bottom of the front of the boat. It was made so you could watch marine life.
25) Would you be interested in spending a month at sea? Does a career in oceanography seem interesting?
Yes, I would be interested in spending a month at sea. A career in oceanography seems interesting to me.
26) Which part of this blog was most interesting to you? Why?
I found the styrofoam cup experiment the most interesting, I found it interesting because I learned that if you lower a styrofoam cup, where the pressure is greater in the ocean than on land, the cups would shrink.
24) What is the bow dome? Where is it located?
The bow dome are windows located in the bottom of the front of the boat. It was made so you could watch marine life.
25) Would you be interested in spending a month at sea? Does a career in oceanography seem interesting?
Yes, I would be interested in spending a month at sea. A career in oceanography seems interesting to me.
26) Which part of this blog was most interesting to you? Why?
I found the styrofoam cup experiment the most interesting, I found it interesting because I learned that if you lower a styrofoam cup, where the pressure is greater in the ocean than on land, the cups would shrink.