Squid Dissection

        

6 Interesting Facts About Squids

1. The squids Gonad is the reproductive organ. In males it is white, in females, clear.

2. The squid mouth parts resemble a bird's beak.

3. The siphon is the tube which squirts out water so that the squid moves just like a jet airplane. 

4. Squids have a well developed eye that allows them to see about as well as people.

5. The pen is all that is left of the shell the squid's ancestors once had.

6. Suction Cups help the squid to hold onto food. 

The most interesting thing we did was push the ink out of the ink sac, and use it to write with. We used the pen to write with the ink. 

The most disgusting thing about dissecting the squid was pulling out the eye. It was slimy and a lot nastier than i expected.

What i liked best was being able to closely see the suction cups on the tentacles. It was cool to get to touch and feel them. 

What i least likes about the dissection was the awful smell. I could barely take it. 

The only thing i would change about the dissection, is possibly having everyone dissect a bigger squid. With the larger squid it was easier to see what made up the internal anatomy as well as the external. 

          

                   

The Few, The Proud, THE MARINES

Petty Officer Allen 

&

Petty Officer Wakser

Officer Allen is a marine who works on airplanes. When they break, he is the one there to fix them. Officer Wakser on the other hand is in a totally different field. He works on nuclear power. Most of the things he does he can not talk about. It is one of those really cool top secret jobs.

The one thing i found most interesting was all the different places Petty Officer Allen has been. He showed us many pictures and explained all the different things he did on each journey. I never knew that when deployed, you still had time to relax and do things on your own. When ported, Officer Allen said that you would take shifts on who would stay on the boat and who would get off. Whoever got off got to take tours, relax, and really do whatever you pleased. I thought that was really cool about being a Marine. Everything isn't just about war and seriousness. 

This talk increased my understanding on the ocean in many ways. It was interesting to know that no matter what it may be, the Marines are always there to help. Also, the Marines use many of the tools we learned about in class, like Sonar. Sonar is a huge deal to submarines. When down under, submarines rely on Sonar for everything. Sonar is pretty much their eyes and ears.

The one thing I will always remember is the amazing memories and experiences he made while deployed. I will always remember his story about being with the little kids, and becoming a hero. He became a hero by simply throwing coins into the water for the kids to swim down and retrieve. Only, Officer Allen did not realize that the few coins he tossed in the water, nearly worthless to Americans, paid for two weeks of meals for the children's families. 

                                              

     Petty Officer Wakser                                                            Petty Officer Allen

Coral Bleaching

Coral Bleaching: is the loss of intracellular endosymbionts through either expulsion or loss of algal pigmentation. Symbiodinium, is also known as zooxanthellae. Under stress, corals may expel their zooxanthellae, which leads to a lighter or completely white appearance, hence the term "bleached".

Causes:

Temperature

Solar Irradiance

Sedimentation

Fresh Water Dilution

Inorganic Nutrients

Xenobiotics

Epizootics

Flukes

why are flukes used to ID whales?

Whales have varieties of black and white skin patterns on the underside of their tail flukes which allows permanent identification of individuals with photographs. Flukes make it easier to identify the many species of humpback whales. Humpbacks have many characteristics like the bumps or protuberances on the top of their heads which gives them a dill pickle look. 

Why do scientists need this data?

Scientists use this data to research the whales migration habits. By identifying the many different kinds of humpback whales, scientists have the ability to determine the range and migratory destinations of local whales.

What is the most difficult part of this lab?

The lab was fairly easy until you narrowed the fluke down to around 2 or 3. Many of the flukes contained marks and colors that appeared to be exactly the same. In order to correctly find the right match, you had to make sure every little marking on the fluke was correct. 

How could you change this lab to make it better?

One thing you could change about this lab is maybe putting the flukes in different categories. Also it would be easier to identify the flukes if they weren't all in black and white. Also some flukes would be easier to identify if they weren't so blurry. 

Over Fishing

Why is over fishing a major concern?

Over Fishing is an extreme issue. Sadly, 25% of all the world's fish stocks are either overexploited or depleted. Another 52% is fully exploited, these are in danger of overexploitation. Many fish are in the direct path to collapse. Thus a total of almost 80% of the world's fisheries are fully, or partially depleted. If not fully, they are in a state of collapse. 

How does this affect my daily life?

Many coastal communities around the world depend on fish as their primary source of protein. Overfishing threatens their long-term food security, particularly in developing countries. With the loss of many fish, the whole food web is effected, leaving myself and many people around the world at a loss of protein. 

What choices can you make to help?

- Take Action: make a pledge to purchase seafood that is certified. This seafood includes items verified by the MSC and the ASC labels.

- Stay Connected: Stay tuned in the latest wildlife news and conservation updates. 

Other ways people help:

- Making fisheries sustainable

- Influencing the Global market

- Addressing fishing subsidies

- Creating and Expanding marine protected areas

Marine Debris

     Entanglement: animals are entangled in fishing nets

Ghost-fishing: nets that are lost at sea keep on killing many marine animals.

Plastic Pellets: marine birds eat them and carry them back to their chicks.

Six-Pack Rings: entrap and strangle animals

Plastic Bags: resemble food such as jellyfish and can become stuck in the digestive system causing the animal to die. 

Garbage contains toxic or poisonous chemicals that can seep into groundwater or rivers and eventually reach the sea. To prevent the many problems caused my debris, we can start to recycle more. Bottle caps do no get recycled, so when you see some on the ground pick them up. When walking on the shore pick up trash and throw it away. Also break apart the holes on six pack rings so they can not entangle animals. 

Puffer Fish

Common Name: Puffer Fish

Scientific Name: Tetraodontidae

Adaptations: The puffer fish is most well known for it's unique adaptations it has to defend itself. The puffer fish has the ability to expand its body extremely quickly when faced with danger, revealing it's long poisonous spikes. These spikes cover its body, and are highly toxic to both humans and animals.

Hunting Strategies: Puffer fish are omnivores. They consume a variety of plants and animals. Puffer fish mainly feed on the algae that grows on the rocks and coral. They also find invertebrates that inhabit these areas as a great meal. Large puffer fish will crack open and eat clams, mussels, and shellfish by using their hard beaks. Poisonous puffers are believed to accumulate their deadly toxin from the bacteria in the animals they eat. 

Reproduction: Male puffer fish guide the female puffer fish towards the shore where she then releases three to seven eggs. The eggs of the puffer fish are very light and float on the surface of the water until they hatch in about one week. The babies of the puffer fish are known as puffer fish fry. Until their limbs begin to grow, these fry are still not fully developed, lacking a hard shell that is used to protect them. When the shell is produced it cracks living the tail and a fin develops. When the puffer fish is big enough, it will swim down and integrate itself into the reef community below.

Interesting Facts:

1.The smallest species of puffer fish are known as the dwarf puffer fish. They only grow to be about one inch and are only located in one river in India.

2. Although their poison is deadly to many animals and humans, it does not even face the shark. The shark can eat the puffer fish with no problem at all. 

3. Puffer fish only have four teeth. All together these teeth form a beak-like shape. They are then used to crack clams and mussels for food. 

Why I chose this fish? 

I chose this fish because it is very unique. You can't find very many fish that consume large amounts of water to expand their bodies to multiple different sizes. 

Sea Grass

Adaptations:

Sea grasses adaptation to saltwater is most important since most land plants cannot tolerate even small amounts of salt. They also have developed horizontal stems, known as rhizomes. Roots growing from the rhizome also assist in anchoring and taking up dissolved nutrients. Sea grass is very flexible, bending with any water movement. Air spaces among the sea grass provide flotation and reparation mechanisms. 

Food Provider:

Sea grass provides detritus which many animals then feed off of. The detritus is located on the sea grass along with nutritious bacteria and fungi. Animals can also feed off of the Epiphytes (epiflora/epifauna) which are organisms living on the sea grass. These organisms consist of anemones, snails, algae and cucumbers. 

Residents: Organisms which stay in the sea grasses. The sea grass provides only low cover. Many invertebrates live attached to the leaves. Over 100 species of algae are found on the sea grass. ( snails, sponges, crabs and sea cucumbers ).

  

Migrants: Organisms which visit the sea grass beds. Some search the beds by night and others by day. Eating and sleeping in shifts reduces competition for food and helps make sure there are enough safe places to hide. Many of these fish come to graze on the animals and detritus found on the sea grass. ( grunts, snapper, barracuda and wrasse ).

Travelers: Organisms which come threw the sea grass to look for food. Travelers are animals which travel for a long time at once. ( dolphins, sharks, sea turtles and whales ).

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Sea Grass Benefits

- Sea grass leaves slow ocean currents and their rhizomes help anchor sediment. ( Rhizomes are root-like stems that spread under the sand and send up roots)

 

- Sea grass also provides a nursery for many reef animals.  

 

- Sea grasses are also very important because they provide energy for the reef. 

 
- They also filter sediment and toxins from the water. 

- Sea grasses provide a critical environment for crustaceans.  

Marine Video Issue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KuP6x0Ushc

- The video I chose covers ocean pollution. It shows the many ways that humans greatly effect the beautiful ocean. There are many ways that we pollute the sea. Oil spills, waste, plastic and trash greatly effect the ocean. We must come together and make a conscious effort to save our seas. Many animals die every day because humans are so lazy. No one needs to "be a hero", we all need to do our part and contribute just a little bit in order to save the ocean. 

Rate: 10 out of 10

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Pollution

Problems Caused by Pollution

Garbage contains toxic or poisonous chemicals that can seep into the groundwater of rivers and eventually reach the sea. 

Mono-filament: is a type of fishing line which is often lost at sea, many animals get strangled and die.

Entanglement: many animals get tangled into fishing nets with no possible way to escape.

Plastic Bags: resemble food such as jellyfish and can become stuck in the digestive system causing animals to die.

Ghost fishing - consists of nets that are lost at sea, killing many animals.

Plastic pellets- marine birds eat them and carry them back to their chicks. *chocking hazard*  

Benefits of Mangroves

Benefits

- Mangroves provide a safe nursery of young marine animals.

- Mangroves provide detritus for sea grasses and coral reefs. The right nutrients they both need to function.

- Mangroves filter and trap dirt and sediment before it washes into the sea.

- Mangroves also filter toxins from the water before they enter the sea.

- Mangroves establish "buffer zones", which help keep the environment intact by providing a corridor for animals to migrate.

Adaptations of Black and Red Mangroves

   

5 Adaptations:

1. Red Mangroves are more salt tolerant than black or white.

2. Red Mangroves use prop roots, which are special roots that help anchor them in loose mud.

3. Black Mangroves use pneumataphores or shallow roots that grow horizontally, sending up vertical shoots that are used to bring oxygen to the rest of the root. 

4. These pneumataphores spring up all around the base of the tree.

5. Red Mangroves contain tannin, giving the mangroves bark its red-ish color. 

Proboscis Monkey

Scientific Name: Nasalis larvatus

Common Name: Proboscis Monkey (Long-Nosed Monkey)

Habitat: These monkeys are typically found in coastal mangroves and riverine forests. 

Reproduction: Females give birth to just one Proboscis Monkey after a long gestation of about five and a half months. They are born with dark colored fur and have a blue face. The babies stay that way until they reach the age 3 to 4 months. Babies will usually stay with the "female troop" until they are one years old.

Prey: Proboscis's are omnivores. They love eating leaves, shoots and fruit!

Interesting Facts:

1. The Proboscis Monkey is born with webbed feet which help it both to paddle in the water and walk on slippery banks. 

2. There nose can grow so big it will hang below the mouth, having to move it to eat. 

3. These monkeys are known to become swollen and red when hungry or angry.

Why I chose it?

I chose this animal because of its unique appearance. I also wanted to know more about this animal because I knew nothing about it. 

Mangroves

3 Different Types of Mangroves

1. Red Mangrove: grows in brackish areas along creeks, bays, and lagoons. The red mangrove is a tall tree that reaches 70' to 80' in height in the tropics. It is mainly characterized by its numerous above ground roots called prop roots. 

2. Black Mangrove: grows in wet soils of coastal high-tide shores in the mangrove ecosystem. It is a small to medium-sized tree that reaches heights of 50 feet. The black mangrove is small and shrub-like toward the north end of its range. It contributes to the ecological community by trapping in the root system debris and detritus brought in by tides. 

3.White Mangrove: grows in areas where tides may be high and also in lagoons. The white mangrove is a small low sprawling shrub or tree that reaches 40 to 60 feet in height. It is characterized by its narrow rounded crown.

3 benefits of protecting mangroves for organisms

1. Provides a safe nursery of young marine animals.

2. Detritus provides food for animals living in the mud and water around the mangrove roots.  

3. "Buffer Zones" help keep the environment intact by providing a corridor for animals to migrate.

3 benefits for man

 1. Mangroves protect homes from winds, waves and tides.

2. Mangroves are a natural resource, which in that case should be protected.

3. Mangroves also filters toxins from the water before it enters the sea. 

Mangroves benefit the fishing industry by providing many marine organisms with a great habitat to live. With a good place to live, the mangroves are filled with fish and crab for fishermen to catch. 

Ocean Garbage Patch

What is the ocean garbage patch?
 This patch is a gyre of marine debris in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135*W to 155*W and 35*N and 42*N. 

Where is it?
The ocean garbage patch is in the North Pacific Ocean.

How is it formed?
The garbage patch has sometimes been described as a "trash island", but that's an understatement. The patch is like a galaxy of garbage, populated by billions of smaller trash islands that may be hidden underwater or spread out over many miles. Plastic rubbish is often ferried into whats known as the Eastern and Western garbage patches. Therefore it comes together in the end to become the North Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. 

How does it affect marine organisms?
Many pieces of plastic and abandoned fishing nets entangle seals, sea turtles and other animals in a phenomenon known as "ghost fishing". This sadly drowns the animals. ): 

What can we do to help stop it?
Many clean up efforts have taken place but have fallen short of fixing the problem. The only thing we can really do to help is ultimately, more plastic recycling and wider use of biodegradable materials. 

Loggerhead Turtle

Common Name: Loggerhead Turtle

Scientific Name: Caretta caretta

Habitat: Prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries, as well as in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. 

Adaptations: Loggerheads nest at intervals of 2 to 4 years. They lay 3 to 6 nests per season, approximately 12 to 14 days apart. Lays average of between 100 to 126 eggs in each nest. Eggs incubate for about 60 days. 

Loggerheads are primarily carnivorous and feed mostly on shellfish that live on the bottom of the ocean. They eat horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other invertebrates. Their powerful jaw muscles help them to easily crush the shellfish.

Status: Under the U.S. Federal Endangered Species Loggerhead Turtles are listed as threatened. Internationally speaking they are listed as endangered. They face a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. 

Current Issues: The greatest threat these turtles face is the loss of their nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances. These all cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings. Other major threats include incidental capture in longline fishing, shrimp trawling and pollution. These captures in fisheries is thought to have played a significant role in the recent population declines observed for the loggerhead. 

Why I chose this animal: I chose this animal because its unique appearance. The Loggerhead is known for its abnormally large head.