A Lesson at Sea

WELCOME BACK STUDENTS AT PASCACK HILLS H.S.             
As school starts back in New Jersey, I am still collecting data along side the scientists aboard the Oscar Dyson currently in the Bering Sea.  For my new Global Environmental Studies course, you will be starting the year without me physically.  Since our year together will be one of exploration, questioning, debating and problem solving, I issue your first challenge from over 4,000 miles away.  The logistics about how each of you (and your teams) will approach this challenge will be presented to you by the substitute. 

   AN OCEAN DATA CHALLENGE                                                                                           

I have spent the past few weeks learning and blogging about various aspects of marine ecosystems in the Bering Sea during the 2010 BASIS Survey.  This challenge is one of data interpretation.  You may use my Blog entries or other resources to help you. Below is a podcast of a CTD cast from one of our stations these past weeks.  




Essential Question:  What can physical data sets reveal about an ecosystem?

Use the CTD data below, along with two acoustic readings from the same time to tell the story of the ecosystem at 55oN 165oW.  Continue below for some guiding questions to help you through...  Use my NOAA Logs #1-6 and the CTD Profile Page to help you with this task.  Remember, there is no correct answer for this, just a good solid interpretation using the information and data at hand.
CTD Dataset





Acoustic Dataset


Some Guiding Questions:
  1. Why did the oceanographer choose those specific depths to collect water samples?
  2. What is a pycnocline and how can it impact the biology of the ocean?
  3. What does the fluorescence of the water tell you?   Would you ever expect fluorescence at bottom samples?
  4. Sampling began at 6:30AM, almost one hour before sunrise.  How may the profiles change once the sun comes up?  How will the biology change?
  5. What evidence (if any) can you provide to show the presence of phytoplankton, zooplanton, jellyfish and/or fish in the water column?  (Look at each of these separately)
  6. How are the phytoplankton, zooplanton, jellyfish and fish ecologically connected?
  7. If you were to choose to trawl for fish, would you choose a surface, mid-water or bottom trawl?
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