THE GREAT PLANKTON RACE :D
Instructions: Observe videos/pictures of plankton and Discuss adaptions that they have to help them maintain neutral buoyancy in the water column.
Vocabulary
Photic Zone: The depth of water in a lake or ocean that is exposed to sufficient sunlight to photosynthesize.
Plankton: Small organisms that float or drift in great numbers in bodies of salt of fresh water; a primary food source for many animals, and consists of bacteria, protozoans, algae, cnidarians, tiny crustaceans such as copepods, and many other organisms.
Benthic: Non-floating plankton; these plankton do not float in the water- instead they live attached to or on top of a solid surface like rocks, plants, sediment, even a single grain of sand' planktonic diatoms are typically pennate, or not round- this is the most common type of diatom to find in a lake.
Planktonic: Floating in the water column; planktonic diatoms are typically centric, or round.
Phytoplankton: A type of plankton (drifting marine organism that makes up the foundation of the marine food web) that relies on photosynthesis. This group is comprised of mostly of single-celled algae, diatoms, and bacteria.
Zooplankton: A type of plankton that feeds on phytoplankton.
Adaptations: Any physical or behavioral trait that allows an organism to better survive in its environment.
Cilia: Hair-like extensions found on ciliates, a type of plankton, to help them move and catch the food.
Flagella: Tails found on dianoflagellates, a type of plankton.
Surface Area: The total area of all the faces and curved surface of a solid object.
Density: Mass per unit of volume; a measure of the relative "heaviness" of objects.
Plankton: Small organisms that float or drift in great numbers in bodies of salt of fresh water; a primary food source for many animals, and consists of bacteria, protozoans, algae, cnidarians, tiny crustaceans such as copepods, and many other organisms.
Benthic: Non-floating plankton; these plankton do not float in the water- instead they live attached to or on top of a solid surface like rocks, plants, sediment, even a single grain of sand' planktonic diatoms are typically pennate, or not round- this is the most common type of diatom to find in a lake.
Planktonic: Floating in the water column; planktonic diatoms are typically centric, or round.
Phytoplankton: A type of plankton (drifting marine organism that makes up the foundation of the marine food web) that relies on photosynthesis. This group is comprised of mostly of single-celled algae, diatoms, and bacteria.
Zooplankton: A type of plankton that feeds on phytoplankton.
Adaptations: Any physical or behavioral trait that allows an organism to better survive in its environment.
Cilia: Hair-like extensions found on ciliates, a type of plankton, to help them move and catch the food.
Flagella: Tails found on dianoflagellates, a type of plankton.
Surface Area: The total area of all the faces and curved surface of a solid object.
Density: Mass per unit of volume; a measure of the relative "heaviness" of objects.
Summary of what we did
In THE GREAT PLANKTON RACE we built a plankton which had to be a slow sinker or be neutrally buoyant. To build the plankton, we used materials such as tinfoil, spoons, clay, balloons, cotton, pipe cleaners, and more to make our neutrally buoyant plankton. These materials are supposed to represent adaptations the plankton receive to help them move, control buoyancy and/or avoid predators. If our plankton were to float, it would be disqualified from the race. It may sound easy, but with a lot of people testing their plankton and trying the right design, it proved some difficulty.
AdaptationFlagella-
Legs/Bristles- Cilia- Antennae- Eyes- Vacuole/Swim Bladder- Wings- Thin skin- Translucent- |
Advantage/ReasonHelps to swim/direction, keep away from predators.
To move/to catch phytoplankton. Movement- to avoid predation. To sense prey/ avoid predation. To see. To control buoyancy. Like a parachute/ slows down sinking. To stay afloat. To stay afloat/lighter and hide from predators. |
What are plankton?
Plankton are small organisms that drift in great numbers in bodies of salt or fresh water, and is a primary food source for many animals. They consist of bacteria, protozoans, algae, cnidarians, tiny crustaceans like copepods, and other organisms.
Plankton are small organisms that drift in great numbers in bodies of salt or fresh water, and is a primary food source for many animals. They consist of bacteria, protozoans, algae, cnidarians, tiny crustaceans like copepods, and other organisms.
What do plankton eat? What is the difference between phytoplankton and zooplankton?
Most plankton eat by photosynthesizing. This includes phytoplankton. However, zooplankton feed off of phyoplankton.
Why are they important?
Plankton are important because they are the start of the food chain, being a source of food for all living things in their area.
Where would plankton like to hang out?
Plankton would like to hang out in the "well-lit" or photic zone of the water.
Why would a plankton like to stay in the photic zone?
Plankton would like to stay in the photic zone because the phytoplankton need to photosynthesis and the zooplankton need to feed off of the phytoplankton, as well as to avoid predators.
How would a plankton stay in the photic zone?
A plankton would stay in the photic zone by using different adaptations such as legs, cilia, flagella, and more to stay.
Most plankton eat by photosynthesizing. This includes phytoplankton. However, zooplankton feed off of phyoplankton.
Why are they important?
Plankton are important because they are the start of the food chain, being a source of food for all living things in their area.
Where would plankton like to hang out?
Plankton would like to hang out in the "well-lit" or photic zone of the water.
Why would a plankton like to stay in the photic zone?
Plankton would like to stay in the photic zone because the phytoplankton need to photosynthesis and the zooplankton need to feed off of the phytoplankton, as well as to avoid predators.
How would a plankton stay in the photic zone?
A plankton would stay in the photic zone by using different adaptations such as legs, cilia, flagella, and more to stay.
Brainstorm ways that plankton could reduce sinking rates.
Some plankton would reduce their sinking rates by having wings. The wings would act like parachutes, slowing down their rates. A swim bladder would control the plankton's buoyancy, and the thin skin would help stay afloat.
Some plankton would reduce their sinking rates by having wings. The wings would act like parachutes, slowing down their rates. A swim bladder would control the plankton's buoyancy, and the thin skin would help stay afloat.
Melinda's and Marybelle's Plankton
Materials: Straws, tin foil, pipe cleaner, clay, and q-tips.
Our creature's name was Archie Cloudy, or Archie for short. His first name (Archie) came to my head while we were building him. In 7th grade, we had to build a creature that would survive in an environment. I built an ice slug with poisonous spikes out of paper and named it Archie. Building this plankton reminded me of that 7th grade project. His last name (Cloudy) came from how his body looked. Melinda and I were reminded of a cloud, so that's where that came from.
Special Adaptations
Our creature's name was Archie Cloudy, or Archie for short. His first name (Archie) came to my head while we were building him. In 7th grade, we had to build a creature that would survive in an environment. I built an ice slug with poisonous spikes out of paper and named it Archie. Building this plankton reminded me of that 7th grade project. His last name (Cloudy) came from how his body looked. Melinda and I were reminded of a cloud, so that's where that came from.
Special Adaptations