CCE LTER Cruise Blog Webquest
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/
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/
1: Click on the California Current Ecosystem link- read about about the research site. Why are
scientists particularly interested in this specific site? Why is it special?
The scientists are particulary interested in this specific site because they want to observe how climate change affected the ocean at that site. It is special because the scientists could discover something new.
2: What is the name of the research vessel that they are
on? Which educational institution is the vessel a part of?
The name of the research vessle the scientists were on was called Research Vessle (R/V) Melville. The Research Vessle Melville is a part of the Scripps Oceanicographic fleet.
3: How much does the ship weigh when it is fully
loaded?
The ship weighs 3,026,000 lbs. or 2,516 tons. This is equivalent to 560 elephants or 12 blue whales.
4: On day #3, read about zooplankton are captured by the MOCNESS- summarize the process
below:
The MOCHESS is a net which captures zooplankton. It has 10 nets, with one opening up at a time at different depths. These 10 nets are controlled by computers. The nets need to be straightened for everything to work properly.
5: Explain the “vertical migration” of many zooplankton species. Why do
they do this?
Vertical migration is when the zooplankton go down in the depths of the ocean during the day to avoid predators, and go up during the night to eat phytoplankton.
6: What are phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton are tiny plants in the water.
7. What information is collected by the SeaSoar? What are they trying to find specifically?
The information collected by the SeaSoar is the water temperature, water salinity, density, dissolved oxygen and more. They are trying to find the exact location of where the California Current meets denser water.
8. What does CTD stand for?
CTD stands for Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth.
9. What is the "E-Front"?
The E-Front is where the front of the California Current meets the inshore currents.
10. Why does the sampling need to be conducted at night?
The sampling needs to be conducted at night because they needed to make sure the zooplankton were present at the sampling depth.
11. What is the epipelagic zone?
The epipelagic zone is the light zone of the ocean.
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.
scientists particularly interested in this specific site? Why is it special?
The scientists are particulary interested in this specific site because they want to observe how climate change affected the ocean at that site. It is special because the scientists could discover something new.
2: What is the name of the research vessel that they are
on? Which educational institution is the vessel a part of?
The name of the research vessle the scientists were on was called Research Vessle (R/V) Melville. The Research Vessle Melville is a part of the Scripps Oceanicographic fleet.
3: How much does the ship weigh when it is fully
loaded?
The ship weighs 3,026,000 lbs. or 2,516 tons. This is equivalent to 560 elephants or 12 blue whales.
4: On day #3, read about zooplankton are captured by the MOCNESS- summarize the process
below:
The MOCHESS is a net which captures zooplankton. It has 10 nets, with one opening up at a time at different depths. These 10 nets are controlled by computers. The nets need to be straightened for everything to work properly.
5: Explain the “vertical migration” of many zooplankton species. Why do
they do this?
Vertical migration is when the zooplankton go down in the depths of the ocean during the day to avoid predators, and go up during the night to eat phytoplankton.
6: What are phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton are tiny plants in the water.
7. What information is collected by the SeaSoar? What are they trying to find specifically?
The information collected by the SeaSoar is the water temperature, water salinity, density, dissolved oxygen and more. They are trying to find the exact location of where the California Current meets denser water.
8. What does CTD stand for?
CTD stands for Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth.
9. What is the "E-Front"?
The E-Front is where the front of the California Current meets the inshore currents.
10. Why does the sampling need to be conducted at night?
The sampling needs to be conducted at night because they needed to make sure the zooplankton were present at the sampling depth.
11. What is the epipelagic zone?
The epipelagic zone is the light zone of the ocean.
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.
13. Explain how the chlorophyll samples are preserved.
They filled up 4 bottles and filtered them. To filter the water, the researchers poured them on different filter paper, collect the paper and freeze it.
14. Where is the mesopelagic zone? Why are the critters found here so special?
The mesopelagic zone is in the deep waters. The animals found here are special because the mesopelagic zone has no light and very little oxygen, so the creatures here had to adapt to the harsh conditions.
15. Explain why styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk when they lowered to the depths.
The styrofoam cups shrunk because there was a spike in the fluorometer around the 1500m mark. This signals that a giant squid might've attacked the CTD due to the bright colors.
16. Why is iron so important to phytoplankton?
Iron is important to phytoplankton because iron is a nutrient 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?
They strap water in bottles until they are tapped, hold the air filters under the water, so no particles in the air touch the water, and keep the water in containers.
18. How can scientists use "poop" to determine the biomass of an ecosystem? Explain.
Scientists can use poop to determine the amount of matter flowing in ecosystems.
19. What is "marine snow"? Explain how it is collected.
Marine snow is what scientists call poop and other materials. To collect marine snow, scientists lower vials down into the ocean and bring it back up. Then, the zooplankton gets filtered out so they can look at the poop.
20. Explain how long-lining is dangerous to marine birds.
When a bird sees the bait for the line, they grab it, but end up becoming stuck. The bird eventually ends up drowning because they can't detach from the bait.
21. Describe Fin Whales- what do they look like, what do they eat, why are they not hunted as much as other whales?
Fin whales have a unique coloration and eat zooplankton, like krill. The Fin whales aren't hunted so much as other whales because they are found so offshore.
22. What are copepods? What are they related to?
Copepods are a type of zooplankton commonly found in the Pacific Ocean. Copepods are related to crabs and lobsters.
23. Explain the two ways that copepods are studied on this ship.
Copepods can be studied by using the Bongo nets and sorting the copepods. If there were any females, the researcher would take the eggs and watch them hatch. The other way they can be studied is by catching the copepods in the CTD and sorting the images in the marine snow via computer.
24. What is the bow dome? Where is it located?
The bow dome is located at the bottom of the ship, and it is an area where you can see the bioluminescence of the zooplankton.
25. Would you be interested in spending a month at sea? Does a career in oceanography seem interesting?
I would be interested in spending a month at sea, and a career in oceanography seems interesting because you get to learn about the creatures of the deep sea.
26. Which part of this blog was the most interesting to you? Why?
Does it count if I found this whole blog interesting? I mean, it's interesting because I learned about what they researched, as well as life on the ship. The writer's style was also nice and witty (to me).
They filled up 4 bottles and filtered them. To filter the water, the researchers poured them on different filter paper, collect the paper and freeze it.
14. Where is the mesopelagic zone? Why are the critters found here so special?
The mesopelagic zone is in the deep waters. The animals found here are special because the mesopelagic zone has no light and very little oxygen, so the creatures here had to adapt to the harsh conditions.
15. Explain why styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk when they lowered to the depths.
The styrofoam cups shrunk because there was a spike in the fluorometer around the 1500m mark. This signals that a giant squid might've attacked the CTD due to the bright colors.
16. Why is iron so important to phytoplankton?
Iron is important to phytoplankton because iron is a nutrient 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?
They strap water in bottles until they are tapped, hold the air filters under the water, so no particles in the air touch the water, and keep the water in containers.
18. How can scientists use "poop" to determine the biomass of an ecosystem? Explain.
Scientists can use poop to determine the amount of matter flowing in ecosystems.
19. What is "marine snow"? Explain how it is collected.
Marine snow is what scientists call poop and other materials. To collect marine snow, scientists lower vials down into the ocean and bring it back up. Then, the zooplankton gets filtered out so they can look at the poop.
20. Explain how long-lining is dangerous to marine birds.
When a bird sees the bait for the line, they grab it, but end up becoming stuck. The bird eventually ends up drowning because they can't detach from the bait.
21. Describe Fin Whales- what do they look like, what do they eat, why are they not hunted as much as other whales?
Fin whales have a unique coloration and eat zooplankton, like krill. The Fin whales aren't hunted so much as other whales because they are found so offshore.
22. What are copepods? What are they related to?
Copepods are a type of zooplankton commonly found in the Pacific Ocean. Copepods are related to crabs and lobsters.
23. Explain the two ways that copepods are studied on this ship.
Copepods can be studied by using the Bongo nets and sorting the copepods. If there were any females, the researcher would take the eggs and watch them hatch. The other way they can be studied is by catching the copepods in the CTD and sorting the images in the marine snow via computer.
24. What is the bow dome? Where is it located?
The bow dome is located at the bottom of the ship, and it is an area where you can see the bioluminescence of the zooplankton.
25. Would you be interested in spending a month at sea? Does a career in oceanography seem interesting?
I would be interested in spending a month at sea, and a career in oceanography seems interesting because you get to learn about the creatures of the deep sea.
26. Which part of this blog was the most interesting to you? Why?
Does it count if I found this whole blog interesting? I mean, it's interesting because I learned about what they researched, as well as life on the ship. The writer's style was also nice and witty (to me).