ocean acidification - massachusetts marine...
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Ocean AcidificationScott C. Doney, Senior Scientist
Dept of Marine Chemistry and GeochemistryWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole MA [email protected]
The phrase global warming conjures images of intense heat waves, melting glaciers and stronger hurricanes. There are other, less visible environmental trends that may be of comparable significance for marine life and our local New England coastlines. The rapid rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (CO2), the main factor driving global warming, is also causing a wholesale shift in the chemistry of seawater
that goes under the rubric of “ocean acidification”. Elevated CO2 levels and ocean acidification may threaten some marine organisms while benefiting others, which could lead to substantial reorganizations and perhaps even large-scale disruptions in ocean foodwebs. In particular, there is increasing evidence that higher CO2 levels slows the growth of many ocean plants and animals that build shells from calcium carbonate, the same mineral as in chalk and limestone. The impacts could be wide-ranging influencing some types of microscopic plankton, shellfish, and massive coral reefs. When we burn gasoline in our cars or use electricity from a natural gas or coal-fired power plant, we release carbon dioxide gas into the air. Carbon dioxide is also emitted by human-driven deforestation in the tropics. CO2 gas is transparent in visible light but is rather opaque in the infrared, and it is the absorption of heat (infrared radiation) by CO2 and other greenhouse gases that is the root of the global warming problem. Globally, the amounts of carbon involved are staggering; each year people inject about 10 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere. Atmospheric CO2 concentrations are already more than 30% higher than pre-industrial levels and could double or triple by the end of this century unless we dramatically change our utilization of fossil fuels. About half of the released CO2 will stay in the atmosphere for decades to centuries to come. Put another way, our actions now will have consequences for many future generations. Fortunately from the perspective of global warming, the ocean removes about a quarter of human CO2 emissions; unfortunately for many marine species this results in large changes in ocean chemistry.
(Doney - cont on page 14)
Inside This IssueOcean Acidification Page 1MME Calendar Page 2President's Message Page 3From the Editor's Desk Page 4Turtle Press Release Page 5WHOI Conference Report Page 7High School Marine Science Page 9 Symposium ReportMME Annual Report Page 10Book Review Page 11Blue Lobster Bowl Page 12Plankton Net Activity Page 16Marine Science News Page 19Boston Harbor Educators Conference Page 21MME T-Shirts Page 23MME Annual Awards Page 24Member Application Is now found Under the Membership Link on the homepage
Summer 2009 www.massmarineeducators.org Vol. 38, No. 1
Next Issue of F&J will be posted on the website September 14
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Editor-in-Chief Howard Dimmick Science Education Consultants [email protected] Editor Doug Corwine [email protected]
Members are reminded that new passwords will be sent in August for all current members. The passwords will be found on the back of the new membership cards. This issue may be accessed with the existing passwords.
If you have problems with the password, contact the editor at [email protected]
Massachusetts Marine Educatorsc/o Bob Rocha
New Bedford Whaling Museum18 Johnny Cake Hill
New Bedford, MA 02740
www.massmarineeducators.orgOfficers:PresidentPresident-ElectPast-PresidentTreasurerAssistant TreasurerSecretaryExecutive Director
Bob RochaWilliam AndrakePat HarcourtGail BrookingsLinda McIntoshJoe LaPointeJack Crowley
New Bedford Whaling MuseumSwampscott High SchoolWaquoit Bay NERREducational ConsultantSwampscott High SchoolRetiredEducational Consultant
Directors Emeritus:Alfred BenbenekElizabeth Edwards-CabanaKatherine Callahan George DuaneGordon EstabrooksMarge InnessFrank TaylorBarbara Waters
RetiredEducational ConsultantEducational ConsultantRetiredBoston Latin SchoolEducational ConsultantEducational ConsultantEducational Consultant
Calendar Summer-Fall 2009September 9, 2009 MME Board Meeting Contact: Jashree OberoiOctober 3, 2009 Boston Harbor Educators Conference Contact: Peg CollinsNovember 18, 2009 MME Board Meeting Contact: William Andrake
New England [email protected]
Thompson [email protected]
Swampscott Middle [email protected]
Board of Directors:Lydia BreenMargaret BrumstedPeg CollinsHoward DimmickTracy HajdukErin HobbsSue Wieber NourseJayshree OberoiDr. Joel RubinCarolyn SheildAnne I. SmrcinaKathleen Streck
Stoneham High SchoolDartmouth High SchoolEducational ConsultantEducational ConsultantNortheastern U. Marine Science CenterStoneham High SchoolTabor AcademyNew England AquariumStoughton Public SchoolsClarke Middle School, LexingtonStellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuaryEducational Consultant
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President's Message
On May 2, 2009, Bob Rocha assumed the role of MME President. Bob is Science Programs Manager/Co-Principal Investigator for New Bedford ECHO Project, a unique collaboration between the New Bedford Oceanarium and the New Bedford Whaling Museum. He has been an active MME member for many years. This is his first Presidential Column.
It is my pleasure and honor to write my first F&J column as the President of MME. When I think about the 300+ years of collective experience among the Board of Directors, plus the experience that all of you bring to classrooms, science centers,
shorelines and other venues, I am humbled by your dedication to the field of marine science. Being chosen to lead Massachusetts Marine Educators for the next two years is a both a thrill and a responsibility that I take to heart. In the 22 years that I’ve been involved in education (most of it ‘informal’) I’ve observed and worked with dozens of excellent teachers. Their mastery of subject matter, adeptness at managing groups of varying sizes and adaptability to changing field trip weather and to shifting resource availability have shaped my teaching style. I have also watched with appreciation and awe the educators receiving their awards during the award ceremonies at the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) and MME annual meetings. Being in the midst of such excellence inspires me to keep my focus, refine my skills and be the best that I can be. While we’re on the subject of ‘best’, I’d like to toot MME’s horn for just a moment by stating that I think this newsletter of ours, known to most by its nickname, F&J, might just be the best NMEA chapter newsletter going. One of the best things we’ve done as an organization is to ask Howard Dimmick to create and edit F&J and keep us on a consistent production schedule. His efforts keep us on target so we can provide all of you with a product that offers activities, curriculum, up-to-date science news and chapter updates. Doug Corwine, our webmaster, works with Howard in the final design of F&J as well as maintaining our website. I would like to thank our outgoing President, Pat Harcourt, for two great years of steering this organization. Her easy-going, selfless style and love of marine education guided us through many full meeting agendas and kept us functioning as a unit. I’m glad she’s ‘forced’ to stick around as immediate Past-President. Her experience is appreciated. My thanks also to the Board members who wanted to stay on for another term. So, what’s in store for the next two years? The big news is that MME will be the host chapter of the 2011 NMEA conference. We’re still trying to finalize the venue, but our expectation is that we will meet in Boston that summer. Massachusetts has such an embarrassment of riches in the marine sciences that our biggest challenge might be narrowing down our choices of keynote presenters and evening activities. If you have not attended an NMEA conference, I encourage you to do so, if at all possible. By attending workshops and socializing at night with the presenters, you are able to create professional connections that seem to come in handy when you most need them. You may get an idea that you can then adapt for your classroom or facility. Most importantly, those award winners we watch each year can become part of that network of resources. It’s come in pretty handy for me when creating new programs and activities. In the meantime, MME will host the Boston Harbor Educators Conference on October 3rd on Thompson’s Island, will be part of the MAST conference in November, will host the High School Marine Science Symposium in March 2010 and will be back in Woods Hole in the spring of 2010 for our annual conference. This is indeed an embarrassment of riches, and it’s right here in our own chapter.
Bob RochaPresident, Massachusetts Marine Educators
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From the Editor's Desk As June advances, many of you are finishing up the school year and planning to rejuvenate this summer. Here at F&J we are also finishing up another year, with an issue that is packed with information about MME events past and future. This issue has several new items for you to consider. After four years of quarterly publications, your editors have performed a facelift for this issue. We have made some changes, and we sincerely would like to hear your thoughts on
them. An online may be accessed from this column at http://www.massmarineeducators.org/feedback.php. Please jot down your comments then click and send them to Doug and myself. On page one of the print edition and of the on line edition, you will see a barcode. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM now has its own ISSN numbers assigned by the Library of Congress. This registers the publication and allows readers to cite the publication. It is a unique numerical identifier. As the editor of this publication, I would like to sincerely thank ALL those who have helped put this publication out. With activities, articles, pictures and editorial advise, it has made the task much easier. With four editions a year, you might think that it would be an easy task, but a large amount of research goes into the preparation of each journal. We have many ideas for the coming year, and encourage you to e-mail us if you would like to see a specific item in a future journal. Also, we are always looking for favorite activities from our members to feature in an issue. You give us the pieces for the activity, and we will put it into a standard format for inclusion in the future. MME is attempting to build a permanent archive of Flotsam and Jetsam articles. If you have any extra copies of past issues – PRE Winter 2006 which you would like to donate to the archives, please contact Howard Dimmick, Editor at [email protected]. Any assistance in building this archive will be greatly appreciated. Members are reminded that this is the final issue for this membership year, and if you have not already renewed your membership, we hope you will do so very soon. Renewal letters were sent out after the Woods Hole Conference to those who have not completed their renewal.Howard Dimmick, Editor
2009 Art Contest WinnersThe 2009 Marine Art Contest sponsored by MME, Stellwagen Bank NMS, The New England Aquarium, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Friends of the NMS and Blue Bunny Bookstore was a huge success. Nearly 400 entries were received from many locations including some from VA and out of the country. The winners are as follows:High School Art1st – Kathleen Mills, Sandwich High School – humpback whale2nd – Rebecca Cushing, Plymouth South High School – herring gullMiddle School1st – Morgan O’Connell, Milton Academy, grade 7 – kemp’s ridley sea turtle2nd – Madison Duce, Nantucket New School, grade 7 – moon jellyElementary School1st – Mark Sprague, South Shore Charter Public School, Norwell, grade 2 – goosefish2nd – Evelyn K. Robins, Stonebridge School, Portsmouth, VA, grade K – naked sea butterflyComputer Graphics1st – Timothy Ready, Plymouth South High School, grade 12 – minke whale2nd – Melissa Prew, Plymouth South High School, grade 11 – jellyfishScientific Illustration1st – Sienna Condon, Plymouth South Middle School, grade 7 – mackerel2nd – Micah Watson, Provincetown High School, grade 12 – striped bassSpecial Art Awards – Pieces that were outstanding artistic creations but did not meet all contest rules.Lindsey Connors, Plymouth South High School – portrait of Henry StellwagenJacqueline Smith, Plymouth South High School – manateeJessica Pennington, Sandwich High School – giant squid
First place artwork can be found on page 20 of this journal. All winning artwork can be found at: http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/pgallery/2009contest.html
Contact:Don Lewis
“The Turtle Guy”Office Phone: (508) 743-9888
Email: [email protected]@comcast.netWeb Site: www.nmlc.org
$100K Challenge to Open Cape Marine Animal Hospital for Stranding Season
A collapsed roof forced the demolition of the National Marine Life Center’s old warehouse hospital, creating a large gap in treatment capacity for stranded marine animals on the Cape. But thanks to generous donors, help is on the way in the form of a $100K challenge grant to open a brand new marine animal hospital this fall on Main Street, Buzzards Bay at the gateway to Cape Cod.
Spring may be in the air, but for marine animals in Cape Cod Bay, the deadly fall stranding season lies just around the corner. As certain as autumn’s first frost, the rarest sea turtles in the world will wash ashore each November, cold-stunned and near death. Add in beached porpoises, dolphins and pilot whales and these events makethis area the most active stranding hotspot in the Americas.
Volunteers Jim and Ann Marie know this challenge first hand. They have nursed the most seriously ill marine animals back to health. They have bailed water from the leaky roof, hauled buckets of sea water into makeshift tanks, fed hungry critters ... and cleaned up after them, too. And they have witnessed the ultimate rescuers' joy of restoring life to the ocean as a rehabbed turtle like Lavender slips back into the sea.
Rehabbed Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle “Lavender”
Jim and Ann Marie want the animal hospital to open in time for the fall stranding season and they're backing that hope with a $100,000 challenge grant. They pledge to match any new donation of $500 or more between now and August 10th, up to $50,000 … for a grand total of $100,000. That’s the precise sum needed to open the new hospital's doors on October 30th with a sea turtle rehabilitation suite just in time to receive patients from the fall 2009 stranding season on Cape Cod.
B.C. (Before Collapse), dedicated staff and volunteers labored in challenging conditions (leaky roof, no heat, inadequate plumbing) to provide the best medical care for patients. They rehabbed scores of endangered and threatened marine animals, including 19 of the rarest sea turtles in the world, and returned them to the wild to revitalize vanishing populations. After the roof collapsed, the NMLC sped up plansto build a new hospital in discrete, affordable “waves” of increasing capabilities.
As the first wave, the center’s Life Support Building delivered the very heart of the marine animal hospital to pump life-sustaining salt water directly from Cape Cod Canal into patient’s pools and tanks. The second wave, now under construction, will raise the hospital building itself, as well as supporting infrastructure and treatment facilities for sea turtles and seals. The third wave will equip the hospital with pools and medical facilities to care for dolphins, porpoises and small whales; the only facility of its type in the entire region. Each wave is pegged at $1.5M and delivers increasing levels of critical treatment capacity. The NMLC is currently engaged in a capital campaign to acquire $1.5M funding for the final wave of hospital construction to be completed in 2010.
For now, Jim, Ann Marie and the entire NMLC team of staff, volunteers and supporters eagerly await patientsto be admitted to this one-of-a-kind marine animal hospital in November, when that final $100K is raised to wrap-up the last few details. The NMLC Discovery Center opens for the summer season during Memorial Day Weekend and offers a chance to learn more about marine animals and the hospital’s rescue and rehabilitation activities, while checking out the progress of hospital construction. If you can’t visit in person, frequent postings on the NMLC web site, www.nmlc.org, tell the story of the new marine animal hospital and its many interesting patients.
For information about donations to the National Marine Life Center marine animal hospital call (508) 743-9888 or visit the NMLC web site at www.nmlc.org.
The architectural design of the marine animal hospital includes a plastic called Extech that is translucent. The light of day comes through the plastic to provide diurnal regularity to the animals inside. The aesthetic side effect is that the colors of the light change throughout the day from bright blue in daylight to dusky red at Sunset. At night, light will flow from the pools inside and backlight the plastic wall from inside. There will be decals on the inside of the plastic wall that reflect the animals that will be treated in the hospital. This design will be a stunning effect. To hear about this feature, click on NMLC Stunning Plastic Wall as URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9vxsCZzgbw&fmt=18 for the high quality version.
For more information about this topic, for access to illustrative images or to arrange an interview, contact Don Lewis at (508) 274-5108 or (508) 743-9888, or email him at [email protected].
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Scott Doneyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJp_iRIulIM
MME’s 33rd Annual Conference at WHOI MME’s annual meeting at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution always serves as an opportunity for local scientists to share some of their recent discoveries with us. We pride ourselves on being able to take their experiences and results and turn them into meaningful lessons and activities. But, first they and their teams must venture out, do the work and present their findings so we can put some meat onto the bones of our lessons. This year our topics were quite varied. Dr. Scott Doney, Senior Scientist in the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department at WHOI started our day with Climate Change and the Future of the Oceans in the 21st Century. Dr. Doney, guided us through several examples of changes in ocean and atmospheric temperature, carbon dioxide levels, ocean pH and rising coastlines. He also made quite clear that the data we were viewing was the real thing. The numbers are not hypothetical, based on models generated for the purposes of prediction. There are thousands of stations measuring ocean surface temperature. Balloons are launched regularly to gather more information. Scientists around the world focus on this issue. An ocean Literacy panel discussion completed the morning session. Many thanks go to the panel members for their thoughts on this very timely topic. Members of the panel were Moderator Sandy Ryack-Bell Museum Institute for Teaching Science, Lynn Connor Science Teacher at Old Rochester Regional High school, John Farrington, Scientist Emeritus Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Jake Foster, Science and Technology/Engineering Director, MA Department of Education, and Marissa Thornton, K-2 Teacher at the John Philbrick school in Roslindale. Dr. Michael Moore Senior Research Specialist in the Department of Biology examined Using Yesterday’s Whaling Tools and Techniques to Conserve Today’s Whales. Modern whales face many challenges along the East Coast of the U.S., including entanglement in a variety of fishing gear and ship strikes. Dr. Moore showed examples of the results of these negative interactions. Two hundred years ago they faced the possibility of being hunted and turned into an assortment of products. However, the tools used during the Yankee whaling period now serve as a template for tools being used to study whales via necropsy and recently used during a landmark disentanglement of a northern right whale. In March of this year a tangled whale was successfully sedated, for the first time ever, to allow for the close approach of an inflatable rescue boat. The crew then used their new tool, based on traditional tools, to cut free from the whale several hundred feet of rope. A high point of the day was the passing of the presidency from Pat Harcourt to Bob Rocha. The passing is accompanied by a Belay Pin being given to the incoming president by the retiring president. After the speakers finished their presentations dozens of door prizes were awarded to attendees. Several tours of the facilities were to the attending members. The afternoon was topped off by a reception at the Sea Education Association campus. Members who attended may receive PDP’s on completion of their survey for the conference, and preparation of a classroom activity based on the conference. The completed activity should be sent to the President, Bob Rocha at the address on page 2 of this journal.
Turtle Journal (www.turtlejournal.com) has posted short clips of each presentation.
Michael Moorehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vg_DG2KoCw
Additional Conference pictures on next page.
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Pictures from MME’s 33rd Annual Conference at WHOI
MME members visit exhibits at WHOI Annual Conference
Picture courtesy of Susan Wieber Nourse
Chowder Break at noonPicture courtesy of Susan Wieber Nourse
Pat Harcourt passes theBelay Pin to Bob Rocha
Picture courtesy of Susan Wieber Nourse
National Marine Life Center ExhibitPicture courtesy of Susan Wieber Nourse
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HSMSS a Huge SuccessArticle by Margaret Brumsted
On an unseasonably warm, spring-like Wednesday this past March, over 300 high school students from all corners of Massachusetts converged on the campus of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for an exciting day of marine science. The students and their courageous teachers were treated to two fascinating keynote addresses and twenty different workshops ranging from “Academic Adventures with SEA” to Underwater Explorations Using ROV’s. From outer space; “Greenhouse Gases and Heat Transfer”, to inner space; “Dive to the Deep Sea”, all students were able to select and attend a workshop suited to their particular interests. The first keynote “The Science of Sound in the Sea” was delivered by Stellwagen Bank whale ecologist, Danielle Cholewiak. Dr. Cholewiak wasted no time getting the barely awake high school students’ attention by sharing the very alien sounds of the vocalizations of humpback whales. The soundtrack initially incited a chorus of giggles that quickly morphed into rapt attention while Dr. Cholewiak discussed how she went about her work of figuring out how these leviathans are impacted by anthropogenic and natural sounds in the sea. Our second keynote speaker, Robert Michelson, a renowned photographer and videographer, spun the tale of Minot’s Light. This historic first lighthouse built in the United States was completely demolished by the “perfect storm” of April 1851, with the loss of both lighthouse keepers. The search for and discovery of Minot’s Light has been documented by Mr. Michelson. Mr Michelson concluded his presentation by sharing a debut of a soon to be released PBS documentary on “The Minot Light Project”. This incredible day of marine education could never happen without the help of some incredibly energetic Massachusetts Marine Educator Board member volunteers. Hope to see you next year at the High School Marine Science Symposium.
A collage of pictures from the HSMSS 9 Pictures by Mike Estabrooks for the Ocean Explorium
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Massachusetts Marine Educators 2009 Annual Report Pat Harcourt, President 2008-2009
2008-2009 has been a banner year for Massachusetts Marine Educators. Our projects and conferences, activities and alliances have helped us fulfill our mission to provide materials and ideas for teaching about the oceans, and to create opportunities for students and teachers to learn more about oceans. MME conferences are one of our best known projects. The 2008 Boston Harbor Educators Conference, held on a beautiful October day, was creatively and successfully staged on Thompson Island in Boston Harbor. MME doesn’t just talk about the ocean – we go out on, through, and in it! The conference included an informative and scenic tour of the Boston Harbor Islands and informative presentations on local geology, history, ecology, and biology. We are delighted that
many young Boston area teachers attend the Boston Harbor Educators Conference and we encourage members to reach out to new teachers and invite them to participate in MME events. Congratulations to Peg Collins and the BHEC committee for producing a such a well-organized event. The annual High School Marine Science Symposium hosted by the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth in March brought together hundreds of high school students who are especially interested in oceans and marine science. Students and their teachers chose from a wide variety of classes to learn about such topics as sharks, diving, remotely operated vehicles, and climate change. MME extends warm appreciation and thanks to Symposium chair Margaret Brumsted and the HSMSS committee. Massachusetts Marine Educators relies on partnerships to accomplish our mission. MME members represent schools and institutions from around the Commonwealth, and we send a breeze of salty air into halls and classrooms with every member. This year we joined with New England Aquarium to support an innovative professional development program for teachers that will help them gain skills and learn about resources for teaching marine science. We worked with MIT Sea Grant to sponsor the Blue Lobster Bowl, an academic competition for high school students that is focused on ocean topics. We will continue to work with schools and organizations whenever we can to promote understanding and appreciation of the ocean. Our Annual Meeting and Conference at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution this year has a theme of ocean literacy. A glance at the ocean literacy principles included below reveals how important it is to work towards improving people’s understanding of oceans. With our mission, experience, and active membership, Massachusetts Marine Educators is an organization particularly well suited to working towards the goal of promoting ocean literacy. These ocean literacy goals include:
1. Earth has one big ocean with many features. 2. The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth.3. The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.4. The ocean makes Earth habitable.5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.6. The ocean and humans are inextricably linked.7. The ocean is largely unexplored.
One of the benefits of membership in MME is the journal Flotsam and Jetsam. This quarterly compendium of information is especially valuable in tight economic times. Each issue focuses on a special topic with ocean news, a wealth of information from scientific articles to adventurers’ stories, and always includes some classroom tested lesson ideas. The journal has something for new and seasoned teachers of all grade levels and is a great resource for student research projects. We have gone green in publishing F&J on line, and one big advantage is that you always know where to find it! MME is proud to present at this conference the new handbook for members. This resource represents enormous effort and terrific coordination from Bill Andrake and his handbook committee. Members can use the handbook as a resource and add to it as they collect favorite lessons and resources. MME extends many thanks and much appreciation to the team who produced it. In the administrative realm, Massachusetts Marine Educators has a strong presence on the board of the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers. One result is that there will be a marine strand at the MAST annual conference in October 2009. On the state level, MME will also have a voice in the review of
(Report - cont on page 11)
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(Report - cont from page 10)the State curriculum frameworks for science, technology, and engineering, with representation on the review committee. Finally, as we look ahead, MME is beginning to gear up to host the annual conference of the National Marine Educators Association in summer 2011. We will meet in Boston for a week of presentations, field trips, and networking. Plan now to participate and help us produce this major conference – you’ll find the more you are involved with MME , the more rewarding it is! I would like to thank the MME board of directors for their constant support, guidance, and good humor during my term as president. It has been a great honor and a privilege to serve. I look forward to continuing my support of MME and am delighted to pass the President’s belaying pin to incoming president Bob Rocha. Godspeed and here’s to many more years of ocean education with MME!
Book Review - U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5101
In this volume, U.S. Geological Survey researchers and their colleagues have developed and applied a remarkably integrated approach to the reefs of Moloka‘i, combining geology, oceanography, and biology to provide an in-depth understanding of the processes that have made these reefs grow and that now limit them. They have joined old fashioned natural history of marine animals and plants with study of the geological evolution of the island, hydrology, meteorology, and land-use history, to an arsenal of new methods of remote sensing, including aerial photography, laser ranging, infrared thermal mapping, seismic reflection, in-situ instrumentation to measure chemical parameters of water quality, and direct measurements of the physical driving forces affecting them—such as wave energy, currents, sedimentation, and sediment transport. They provide a level of documentation and insight that has never been available for any reef before. A feature of this book is that it is aimed at the people of Moloka‘i to inform them of what is happening to their reef and what they might do to preserve their vital resources. The scientific data and interpretations are expressed in unusually clear and comprehensible language, free of the professional jargon that makes most technical publications impenetrable to the public that most needs to know about them, yet without loss of scientific rigor. Readers will see clearly explained the whole path of soil loss, from the impacts of wild pigs and goats at higher elevations, deforestation of the hills for cattle pasture at lower levels, and denudation of low lands for cash crops. The resulting biological impoverishment has bared the soils, which wash away in flash storms, smothering the inshore reefs, whose growth was already limited because they had grown right up to sea level. The data in this book show that the mud doesn’t get far if it is washed into the sea during a big storm with heavy waves. Afterwards this mud keeps getting stirred up by every succeeding storm, spreading and affecting corals over wider areas until it is finally washed out of the system—and that only happens if there is no more new mud washing onto the reef. If you wish to acquire an new understanding of coral reefs, this book has a will be a valuable resource. Although some of the information is quite technical, most is easily understood. The maps and color pictures are stunning. The entire book is a 190 page 11” x 17” document with high quality photographs on glossy paper. It may be downloaded as a pdf file (73.9 mb), or individual chapters may be downloaded separately. This report is also available in print from:USGS Information Services, Box 25286,Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225telephone: 888 ASK-USGS; e-mail: [email protected]: 1-4113-2288-6208637 208637 CORAL REEF SOUTH MOLOKAI, HI 39.00 USD
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Blue Lobsters Take over Massachusetts!by Brandy Wilbur
MIT Sea Grant College Program
A hurricane can only sustain itself if the ocean water 30 meters deep is at least A) 16ºC; B) 21º C; C) 27º C; or D) 32º C? If you slammed down on the buzzer first and answered C) 27º C, you might have a fighting chance in outsmarting Massachusetts’s top science students at the annual Blue Lobster Bowl. This year’s event was held at MIT on Saturday, February 7, 2009. The event is one of the 25 regional competitions that are part of The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), a program of the Consortium for Oceanographic Leadership, based in Washington, DC. The NOSB seeks to inspire and challenge students, and to encourage and support the next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, teachers, explorers, researchers, technicians, environmental advocates and informed citizens. There are over 2,000 students from over 300 U.S. high schools that participate annually in NOSB. Sixteen teams of students from 12 Massachusetts high schools answered quick buzzer questions and more complex team challenge questions in areas such as biology, marine science, chemistry, and ocean engineering at this years BLB. Massachusetts teams included students and teachers from Bedford High School, Brookline High School, Cambridge Rindge & Latin School, Chelmsford High School, Lexington High School, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Lynn Classical High School, Marblehead High School, Newton North High School, Newton South High School, North Andover High School, and Philips Academy. Students from Lexington High School took home the first place prize for 2009 which was an all expense paid trip to the NOSB finals in Washington D.C. April 25-28. The second place Blue Lobster Bowl award went to Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (last year’s national champions), with Philips Academy coming in third. Lexington High School’s venture to the nationals, where they competed against 24 other regional winners, landed them in second place – a truly remarkable performance!!! We are so proud for their tremendous effort at the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The team stormed into Washington D.C. and proved (once again) how strong the Blue Lobster Bowl competitors are. Congratulations to all of the students and teachers that participated in the Blue Lobster Bowl. Get your teams together, because we hope to see you all for the next competition on February 6, 2010!!!
This event is co-sponsored by The MIT Sea Grant College Program, The MIT Center for Ocean Engineering, The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA Marine Educators Association and Raytheon.
For more information, please visit: http://bluelobsterbowl.mit.edu/Lexington High School Lobster Bowl 2009 Winners
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(Doney - cont from page 1) See Chart below:
To really appreciate ocean acidification, you have to understand some basic seawater chemistry. When CO2 gas dissolves in the seawater, it combines with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3):CO2 + H2O => H2CO3 Carbonic acid then breaks down into hydrogen ions (H+) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-): H2CO3 => H+ + HCO3-and some of the hydrogen ions in turn bind with carbonate ions (CO32-) to form even more bicarbonate:H+ + CO32- => HCO3-The build-up of hydrogen ions increases the acidity of the seawater and lowers the pH, a measure of acidity.
Hydrogen ion concentrations vary over such a large range that chemists use a logarithmic scale; a 1 unit change in pH is a factor of 10 change in H+ ions or acidity. To confuse the issue, pH is defined as the negative of the logarithm so a pH drop signifies an increase in acidity. The term ocean acidification is a slight misnomer because fossil CO2 acts to shift normally somewhat alkaline or basic seawater (average surface pH about 8.2) toward more acidic conditions but will not cause surface water to become truly acidic. Based on an extensive global ocean survey in the 1990s, scientists estimate that ocean surface pH has dropped already by 0.1 pH unit relative to pre-industrial conditions, equivalent to a 25% increase in acidity. By the end of this century, surface pH values could decline by an additional 0.3 to 0.4 pH units, a larger and more rapid perturbation than anything experienced by sea-life for tens of millions of years. While the future changes in the ocean chemical environment are relatively clear, the biological consequences are more complicated and may vary widely across species and taxa. For organisms that build shells and skeletons out of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), a key factor will be the decline in carbonate ions. In a purely abiotic, chemical system, an equilibrium sets up between solid calcium carbonate and calcium and carbonate ions in solution:CaCO3 Ca2+ + CO32-If carbonate levels fall low enough, the water becomes corrosive, and unprotected shells begin to dissolve. Even above that threshold, lower levels of CO32- in the future likely mean that plants and animals will have a more difficult time building calcareous shells and skeletons or that they may have to devote more energy and resources to do so. The most sensitive areas may be the surface subpolar North Pacific, the Arctic and Southern Ocean, and at mid-depth along the Pacific continental shelf and margin where waters are already closer to being corrosive for carbonate shells. Laboratory experiments show that elevated CO2 levels and acidification directly harms many marine species by reducing shell formation, slowing growth rates and hindering reproduction. Tropical corals are the backdrop for rich and diverse reef environments, and many fish species would disappear along with the corals. Others such as clams and oysters, sea urchins, shrimp and lobsters are important sources of seafood. About half of the dollar value for marine fisheries in the United States comes from these acidification sensitive species. Less familiar are the many shell-forming planktonic organisms, including plants like coccolithophores and marine snails called pteropods, which are an important food source for salmon and whales. Recent discoveries indicated extensive deep-water coral reefs around the edge of continents and on seamounts. Some preliminary experiments suggest that larval and juvenile fish may also be at risk. In contrast, higher CO2 levels appear to be beneficial for some marine photosynthetic organisms such as sea-grasses, benthic algae and some microscopic phytoplankton. So far scientists have only a handful of examples from the wild suggesting how ocean acidification might impact individual species and food webs. In one rather extreme case, a volcanic vent bubbling CO2 into a
(Doney - cont on page 15)
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(Doney - cont from page 14)shallow, near-shore habitat was explored to see what changes could be detected in the benthic marinecommunity. Consistent with laboratory studies, the areas close to the vents had no corals or juvenile shellfish and only a few, unhealthy adult shellfish. Instead the bottom was covered with seagrasses and invasive algae. We do not know yet, however, if marine ecosystem will be able to adapt over time to more gradual and less severe acidification. Future changes in seawater chemistry will occur in conjunction with other human-driven stresses like global warming, pollution, over-fishing, and nutrient inputs. Together, these perturbations will alter marine food webs in ways that are difficult to predict. But it is likely that the ocean of the future under high carbon dioxide will look quite different within the lifetimes of today’s children if we continue on our current course. So what can be done about ocean acidification? The most obvious answer is to slow and eventually eliminate fossil fuel carbon emissions and to develop approaches for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While there is no single panacea, a suite of promising technologies is emerging involving increased energy efficiency, renewable energy like wind, solar and biofuels, and carbon capture and sequestration, where carbon dioxide produced by power plants is pumped deep into the earth rather than being released to the atmosphere. We need to take action soon, however, to ensure the long-term health of the ocean, which we depend upon for fisheries, tourism, coastal protection and biodiversity and simply it’s great beauty and mystery.
Further Reading:Doney, S.C. (2006) The dangers of ocean acidification. Scientific American. March: 58-65. Doney S, Fabry V, Feely R, Kleypas J. (2009) Ocean Acidification: The Other CO2 problem. The Annual Review of Marine Science. 1: 169-192. Special Issue: Ocean Acidification-from Ecological Impacts to Policy Opportunities. (2009) Current: The Journal of Marine Education. 25(1): 1-45.
Web Resources:http://www.ocean-acidification.net/http://oceanacidification.wordpress.com/http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/OA/
A hands-on educational science kit on ocean acidification is available for lending to regional area teachers (contact Scott Doney: [email protected]). The kit is appropriate for students in grades 6-12 and will familiarize students with the causes and consequences of ocean acidification through three lessons. Lesson 1 involves a Power Point lecture and background readings, in Lesson 2 students conduct an experiment where they measure rising CO2 in air and decreasing pH in water, and in Lesson 3 students witness affects on marine life by observing how calcium carbonate sand and basalt sand each react when placed in an acidic solution. This science kit can be successfully integrated into an earth science, biology, environmental science, marine science, or chemistry curriculum.
About the Author Scott Doney is a Senior Scientist in the Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). He graduated with a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography in 1991 and was a postdoctoral fellow and later a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, before returning to Woods Hole in 2002. He was awarded the James B. Macelwane Medal from the American Geophysical Union in 2000, a Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow in 2004, and the WHOI W. Van Alan Clark Sr. Chair in 2007. His science interests span oceanography, climate and biogeochemistry. Much of his research focuses on how the global carbon cycle and ocean ecology respond to natural and human-driven climate change, which may act to either damp or accelerate climate trends. A current focus is on ocean acidification due to the invasion into the ocean of carbon dioxide and other chemicals from fossil fuel burning. He is currently the chair of the U.S. Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Program and the U.S. Ocean Carbon and Climate Change Program.
Scott C. Doney, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, [email protected]
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Classroom ActivityPlankton Net Construction and Deployment
Credit: Erin B. Hobbs, Stoneham High School. Prepared for the New Bedford Oceanarium”s WOW Mobile Curriculum in 2006
Objectives:Construction of a plankton net, description of construction, and an evaluation of its use
Grade Level: 6 – 8 and 9 - 10
Enduring Understandings* Reflection on how we know what we believe will help our understanding.* Currently, the human species is significantly affecting earths systems, but has the ability to
choose its relationship with the environment.
Essential Questions* How do researchers collect, analyze and observe plankton?* What are humans doing to better understand plankton and those organisms that depend on it?
MA Content Standards:Science and Technology: Grades 6 – 8 and 9 - 10 Physical Science:
6 – 8 * 2.13 Give examples of ways in which organisms interact and have different functions within an
ecosystem that enables the ecosystem to survive.
9 – 10* 2.6.4 Analyze changes in an ecosystem resulting from natural causes, changes in climate,
human activity, or introduction of non-native species.* 2.6.5 Explain how symbiotic behavior produces interactions within ecosystems.
OverviewStudents will construct a plankton net..
Materials* Material (panty hose, fabric, old shirts)* Duck Tape or thread* String* Cups or plastic bottles* Coat hangers or copper tubing* Rocks or weights* Hand out below* Evaluation* A soundly constructed plankton net, description of construction, and an evaluation of its use
ActivityStudents should have previous knowledge of a plankton net from learning experience three. Discuss with the class the components that construct a plankton net. A diagram below describes the major components.
(Activity - cont on page 17)
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(Activity - cont from page 16)
Student will then construct a plankton net with the materials provided. It is suggested that one allows for constructive creativity in the project. Students will need to justify their choice of materials. This can be recorded in the handout.When construction is completed student should test their net in local water or pools.
Notes to Teachers* Do not feel limited to the items listed under materials.
(Activity - cont on page 18)
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Handout One(Activity - cont from page 17)
Name____________________________________ Date ____________________________________
Plankton Net Construction and Evaluation
Construction* Using the materials provided, construct a plankton net. Describe the materials, how and why
you chose them below.
1. Net:
2. Cod End:
3. Net Ring:
4. Bridle:
5. Tow line:
6. Addition components:
Evaluation* How did your plankton net do?* Did any components fall apart? If yes, what components? * If you had to construct a new plankton net, what changes would you make to your original
design?* Did you catch anything? If yes, what? If no, what explanation may you have for not catching
something?
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Sea Perch: Connecting students, scientists and oceans around the world through underwater robotics
By Brandy Wilbur, Sarah Olivo and Mike SorokaMIT Sea Grant College Program
The Sea Perch Program is an innovative underwater robotics program that trains teachers across the United States and around the world to build an ROV, or remotely operated vehicle. Teachers then work with students to build their own Sea Perches and deploy them on research missions in nearby bodies of water. The program is aimed at igniting children's enthusiasm for science, technology, and engineering. This hands-on experience is a gateway to further study and careers in robotics, engineering, marine sciences and more. With the program starting locally in 2003 with four Massachusetts teachers, we have expanded not only nationally, but internationally. We have reach over 300 teachers in 16 states and two countries (Cyprus and France) over the last 6 years. The Sea Perch program has much to offer not only in engineering but also in biology and chemistry. To put it simply, the vehicle itself is a lesson in design, engineering and electronics. Once it is complete, it becomes a platform to study underwater. By adding sensors, water sampler, underwater cameras, a hydrophone or a grabber arm, you are able to provide students a means to investigate underwater. The beauty of the program is that it is a starting block that builds the foundation to explore and learning how to solve science questions with technology. Teachers receive training on how to use these concepts and technologies in the classroom during the workshop. Aiming at the virtual community, the Sea Perch website (http://seaperch.mit.edu) offers three means in which our Sea Perch users around the world can share their work and scientific data. The HACK page is where students can post the newest creation they have developed for their vehicle – anything from painting, frame redesign, homemade sensors and more thrusters. Mapping your data is a GIS based online water quality database that serves as an online community for our fellow Sea Perch teachers and students. This site will allow teachers to input data that was collected by a sensor pack made for Sea Perch and contribute to our program’s Digital Ocean initiative. This data can then be compared to other data sets submitted by other teachers around the world as well as visualized for classroom analysis. The Sea Perch program grows each year not in just number of teachers trained and students reached, but in technological advances as well. We not only provide instructions on how to build the ROV, but also how to create your own tools to put on board. The Sea Perch team has worked hard to develop low cost manipulators and sensors that enhance the Sea Perch experience. All how to’s are posted on the website for all to use. Our engineers are always working to developed low cost and function items for Sea Perch – so if you have ideas, post them on the HACK page or challenge our engineers!! To learn how to get involved in the Sea Perch program, please visit http://seaperch.mit.edu or email: [email protected].
Preparing for sea trials of the Sea Perch Testing the Sea Perch underwater
Marine Science in the News
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2009 Art Contest WinnersSee complete list of winners and their
artwork on Stellwagon's web site.
Marine Science in the NewsNorth Atlantic Right Whales
North Atlantic right whales, among the most endangered in the world, had a record-birthing season. The whales, which live off the New England and Canadian coast but give birth in the warmer waters off Florida and Georgia added 39 babies to their population this year. That compares to just a single right whale calf born in 2000. A right whale calf weighs about 2400 pounds at birth and measures about 13 feet long. There are currently fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales in existence. “Everything points to the fact that the whales are in good condition physically,” said New England Aquarium whale expert Philip Hamilton. “Many mothers are giving birth every three years which is ideal, and many young females are growing fast enough to become first time mothers at younger ages.” Scientists credit an abundance of the whales’ preferred food, a plankton called copepods. The aquarium has dubbed a whale named ’Baldy’ their Mother of the Year. She gave birth to her eighth calf this year. One of her daughters and a granddaughter also gave birth this year. Baldy and her offspring have brought nearly five percent of the current right whale population into the world according to aquarium experts.
A mother right whale and her calf in the calvinggrounds off Florida and Georgia.
NEAq/NMFS/NOAA
Two mother right whales and their calves in the calvinggrounds off Florida and Georgia.
NEAq/NMFS/NOAA
Above: Elementary SchoolBelow: High School
Above: Middle SchoolBelow: Scientific Illustration
Left: Special Art, Right: Computer Graphics
See page 4 for the names of the artists of these pictures
Boston Harbor
Educators Conference
SaturdayOctober 3
2009
Fee $40
Name ____________________________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________________
City ___________________________________________ State ______ Zip __________________
Telephone _____________________________ E-Mail ____________________________________
[ ] send more information (circle) email mail [ ] I want to preregister, my payment is enclosed.
SAVE THIS DATE: OCTOBER 3, 2009
“Celebrating the Beauty of a Resource Long Forgotten”This promises to be a splendid day of learning and adventure on the water and on land as we cruise through
the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area to Thompson Island where a full suite of workshops will be offered. Learn about the islands, their history, the biodiversity of the
region, and ways you can incorporate these invaluable local sites into your lesson plans.
LOCATION: UMass Boston/Fox Point Pavilion for registration at 8am, Boston Harbor Islands cruise to Thompson Island for workshops and keynote presentation
-- boat departure at 9am, return to UMass at 5pm
Program fee covers boat tour and transit to and from Thompson Island, all workshops, keynote presentation and lunch.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- For more information or to register-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - Mail to: Gail Brookings, 184 Highland St., Taunton, MA 02780 or visit the MME Web site at: www.massmarine educators.org
Sponsors: Massachusetts Marine Educators, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, UMass Boston/Marine Operations, Ocean River Institute, and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Visit the MME Web site at: www.massmarineeducators.org
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1926 PHOTOGRAPH Fishermen Display a 1200-pound Ocean Sunfish, N C Museum of Natural Sciences
The Ocean Sunfish: Mola molaBill Andrake, MME President Elect
One of the strangest looking fish in our oceans is the Ocean Sunfish, Mola mola. “Mola” is Latin for millstone, a round flat stone used for grinding wheat. This large flat fish is often seen at the surface lying on its side basking under the sun, hence their common name “Sunfish”. Molas appear to be missing the rear half of their body, which seems to end abruptly with a scalloped tail that is not used for swimming. Instead the mola’s large dorsal and anal fins work like wings to propel the fish through the water when its body is in an upright position. Although the Sunfish is a strong swimmer, they often lie near the surface going wherever the current will take them. Ocean Sunfish may reach up to 12 feet in length and 14 feet from fin to fin. Some records show Molas weighing over 4,000 pounds making them the largest of the bony fishes. Ocean Sunfishes belong to the Order Tetraodontiformes which Include triggerfishes, puffers, filefishes, and porcupine fishes. Four fused teeth within their jaws distinguish the members of this order. Their mouth is like a small snout, which is used for sifting and filtering its food, which consists mainly of jellyfishes, ctenophores (comb jellies), as well as other zooplankters and benthic crustaceans. When searching for bottom dwellers these fish have the ability to blow strong jets of water to flush out food from sediment and crevices in rock or coral. When basking near the surface, Sunfish are protected from predators by their skin, which is composed of a dense network of collagen fibers up to 6 inches thick! Protection is further aided by copius amounts of mucous coating this thick tough skin. Molas are normally found offshore in the sunlit epipelagic zone of the ocean but they can extend their depth to over 300 meters. Their body is actually a habitat for thousands of parasites that may be a reason why Ocean Sunfish do not have much demand in the food market. Another factor is that the flesh of the Mola has been rumored to be toxic as it is a close relative of the poisonous puffer fish, but tests have shown this to be false. The Mola mola has been sighted in the ocean near every continent with the exception of Antarctica. Although it is uncommon to find this fish in the colder oceans, it has been found swimming near Alaska and British Columbia and is fairly common in the cold Canary and California currents. In New England waters these large fish are most frequently sighted in Cape Cod Bay and Massachusetts Bay during mid to late summer.
The 2009 T-Shirt for the Massachusetts Marine Educatorsis the Ocean Sunfish: Mola mola.
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The 2009 T-Shirt for the Massachusetts Marine Educatorsis the Ocean Sunfish: Mola mola.
Colors: Yellow with blue print with MME logo on sleeve (pictured here)
We also have light salmon colored T-Shirts with black print
Sizes: small, medium, large, XL, and 2XLShirts are $19 which includes shipping.
To order: email Bill Andrake at [email protected]
Checks made payable to “Massachusetts Marine Educators”
Send Bill an e-mail for information on availability of sizes and where to send your
check.
Other MME T-Shirts (limited sizes)
Bowhead Whale T- shirt 2008In recognition of the International Polar Year 2007-2008.
Light blue shirt with dark blue illustration. IPY logo on sleeve.
"Yeti Crab" from 30th Annual Woods Hole Conference 2006
Navy Blue with MME logo on sleeve
Lobster T-shirt 2007Lobster and printing in dark green on light green shirt with
MME logo on sleeve
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To get a membership application, please go tohttp://www.massmarineeducators.org/membership.shtml
2009 MME AWARDS
MME ANNUAL AWARD OF DISTINCTION This very special award is given in recognition of outstanding contributions and
dedication to Massachusetts Marine Educators as an organization and to the field of marine education which is evidenced by accomplishments in his/her community, school, business or region.
Pat Harcourt, K-12 Education specialist, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *MME Educator of the Year For outstanding effort and distinguished performance in teaching Marine science
Kim Hudon, Grade 5 Teacher, Taylor School, New Bedford* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nap Buonaparte Service Award For tireless work in leadership in organizing the High school Marine Science Symposium
Margaret Brumsted, Dartmouth High School
For unflagging support of and participation in the High School Marine science SymposiumGeorge Hampson, Oceanographer Emeritus, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *MME Certificates of Appreciation For service to MME and outstanding contributions to marine science education
Russ Bowles, Assistant Director of Marine Operations, UMASS BostonGeoffrey and Karilon Grainger, Grainger Pottery, Marion
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *John Patrick Crowley Scholarships
Teacher: Abbey Spargo, Fairhaven High SchoolStudent: Erin Feeney, New Bedford High School
Bob Rocha presents Award of Distinctionto Pat Harcourt
Geoffrey and Karilon Grainger
Kim Hudon (c) receives Educator of the year fromArthur Dutra and Simone Bourgeois
Margaret Brumstead George Hampson
All pictures by Susan Wieber Nourse