Science Education at SeaScience Education at SeaSEASSEAS

Secondary Teacher WorkshopSecondary Teacher WorkshopThe Florida AquariumThe Florida Aquarium

November 15, 2008November 15, 2008

Luisella De Angelis, Teacher Programs Luisella De Angelis, Teacher Programs CoordinatorCoordinator

Make Your Own WatershedMake Your Own Watershed

• Customize to your watershedCustomize to your watershed

• Map of immediate areaMap of immediate area

• What are other branching patterns in What are other branching patterns in nature? nature?

Recharging the AquiferRecharging the Aquifer

• Rainfall replenishes groundwaterRainfall replenishes groundwater

• What materials below are most likely What materials below are most likely to allow for recharge? Least likely? to allow for recharge? Least likely? Why?Why?

Soil Sand Clay Concrete Gravel Soil Sand Clay Concrete Gravel

Limestone Mulch Tar CarbonLimestone Mulch Tar Carbon

GroundwaterGroundwater

• Water stored in Florida’s 3 aquifersWater stored in Florida’s 3 aquifers

• Surficial, Intermediate, Floridan Surficial, Intermediate, Floridan

St. Johns River Water Management District

Watersheds and Surface Watersheds and Surface WaterWater• Rainfall and Rainfall and

groundwater enter groundwater enter surface waterssurface waters

• Wildlife habitatWildlife habitat• Storage and Storage and

protection of fresh protection of fresh waterwater

• WetlandsWetlands• Retain waterRetain water• Improve water Improve water

qualityquality• Avoid floodingAvoid flooding

• Raise your hand if Raise your hand if you live in a you live in a watershed.watershed.

What are What are Wetlands?Wetlands?

Wetlands MetaphorsWetlands Metaphors

• Select an item from the Mystery Select an item from the Mystery Metaphors boxMetaphors box

• With a partner, come up with a With a partner, come up with a wetland function that the item wetland function that the item represents.represents.

• Be prepared to share your metaphor.Be prepared to share your metaphor.

Transition areas between Transition areas between aquatic and terrestrial aquatic and terrestrial systems:systems:

1)1) Saturated by water or covered by Saturated by water or covered by water at some time each year water at some time each year (e.g., flooding)(e.g., flooding)

2) Hydric Soil2) Hydric Soil

3) Specialized plants adapted to 3) Specialized plants adapted to wetland conditionswetland conditions

There are a variety of definitions! For simplicity…

MarsMarshh

SwamSwampp

BogBog

The Groundwater The Groundwater ConnectionConnection• Floridan Aquifer is Floridan Aquifer is

a confined aquifera confined aquifer

• Groundwater Groundwater (below) and (below) and Surface Water Surface Water (above) connected(above) connected

• Springs, Recharge Springs, Recharge AreasAreas

• SinkholesSinkholes

• Features Features collectively known collectively known as Karstas Karst

• Karstic Karstic Landscapes- on the Landscapes- on the surfacesurface

Florida has more springs and available groundwater than any other state in the country!

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Old Shoe Woman on Flickr

Dirty Water Stinks InquiryDirty Water Stinks Inquiry

What you might encounter What you might encounter in a in a wetlands habitat…wetlands habitat…

Pitcher plant

Cattails

Pickerelweed

Plants:Plants:

Cypress Trees

MammalsMammals

North American River Otter

West Indian Manatee

Raccoon

ReptilesReptiles

Box Turtle

Red bellied TurtlesFlorida Banded Water snake

Diamondback Terrapin

Black Mangrove Snake

American AlligatorAmerican Alligator

BirdsBirds

Reddish Egret

Tricolored Heron

Night Heron

Spoonbill

Ibis

InvertebratesInvertebrates

Blue Crab

Clam Lobster

Horseshoe Crab

FishFish

Pipefish

Snook

Mangrove Snapper

Southern Stingray

EstuariesEstuaries

• Coastal areasCoastal areas• Fresh and salt water meet and mixFresh and salt water meet and mix• BrackishBrackish• Lower salinity than oceanLower salinity than ocean

Mangrove Mangrove SwampsSwamps

Nurseries of the SeaNurseries of the Sea

• Breeding and Nursing Areas for Shorebirds Breeding and Nursing Areas for Shorebirds and many other animalsand many other animals

• About 80% of commercially and About 80% of commercially and recreationally harvested marine speciesrecreationally harvested marine species

• Economically importantEconomically important

mikezarrilli14

coolgates

Why are estuaries so Why are estuaries so productive?productive?

• River water carries nutrients (and River water carries nutrients (and pollutants)pollutants)

• Wetlands filter out pollutants and Wetlands filter out pollutants and stabilize soilsstabilize soils

• Shallow estuaries allow for Shallow estuaries allow for phytoplankton, sea grass and algae phytoplankton, sea grass and algae growthgrowth

• Mangroves create a sheltered, nutrient Mangroves create a sheltered, nutrient rich environment for young organismsrich environment for young organisms

SalinitySalinity

• Varies with rainfall, Varies with rainfall, tides, freshwater inflow, tides, freshwater inflow, seasonsseasons

• A layer of freshwater A layer of freshwater can form on top of can form on top of saltwater. How is this saltwater. How is this possible?possible?

• Creates unique Creates unique

environment- both fresh environment- both fresh and saltwater fishand saltwater fish

• Remarkable Remarkable biodiversity- biodiversity- organisms adapted organisms adapted to changing salinityto changing salinity

Animal AdaptationsAnimal Adaptations

Body ShapesBody Shapes

• Fusiform- fast swimmersFusiform- fast swimmers

in open waterin open water

• Compressiform- quick burstsCompressiform- quick bursts

of speed, short distancesof speed, short distances

• Depresiform- bird’s wingsDepresiform- bird’s wings

• Filiform- undulates, snake likeFiliform- undulates, snake like

FiShapesFiShapes

• Eyes on top, Flat on Eyes on top, Flat on bottom- bottom bottom- bottom dwellers or feedersdwellers or feeders

• Eyes on sides, Eyes on sides, Streamlined fish- Streamlined fish- found swimming found swimming through water, through water, fastest swimmersfastest swimmers

• Eel shaped- found in Eel shaped- found in crevices, under crevices, under rocksrocks

• Tiny mouths eat Tiny mouths eat tiny things- tiny things- plankton, plantsplankton, plants

• Beaklike- biting Beaklike- biting hard objectshard objects

• Suction tubes- Suction tubes- slurpslurp

Dig burrowsfor shelter

Strong, slender beak to pry open oysters

Grass shrimp-transparent

Blend in among cordgrass

Nictitating membraneover eyes to

see under water

Food ChainsFood Chains

• Mangrove swamps, salt marshes and Mangrove swamps, salt marshes and sea grass beds are some of the most sea grass beds are some of the most productive habitats.productive habitats.

• ProducersProducers

• DecomposersDecomposers

• ConsumersConsumers

www.seafriend.org.nz

Food WebsFood Webs

Where Does it Live and Where Does it Live and What Does it Eat?What Does it Eat?

FisheriesFisheries

• Commercially Commercially harvested marine harvested marine animals animals

• Employ over 15 Employ over 15 million people million people worldwideworldwide

• Accounts for 4% of Accounts for 4% of protein intakeprotein intake

• Signs of overfishing Signs of overfishing includeinclude

• Decrease in number Decrease in number • Decrease in sizeDecrease in size• Decrease of ageDecrease of age

• Remove top Remove top predators, predators, decreases decreases biodiversitybiodiversity

Understanding By-catchUnderstanding By-catch

• Shrimp- most economically viable Shrimp- most economically viable fishery in Gulf of Mexicofishery in Gulf of Mexico

• Harvested by trawling of fine mesh Harvested by trawling of fine mesh netsnets

• By-catch 5:1By-catch 5:1

Understanding By-catchUnderstanding By-catch

• Sea turtles- All 8 federally Sea turtles- All 8 federally endangered or threatenedendangered or threatened

• Feed on jellyfish, insects, snails, Feed on jellyfish, insects, snails, small fish, macroalgae (seaweed) small fish, macroalgae (seaweed) and/or seagrassesand/or seagrasses

What’s Upstream Must What’s Upstream Must Come Downstream!Come Downstream!

What YOU Can Do for the What YOU Can Do for the EstuaryEstuary• At HomeAt Home• Reduce or eliminate Reduce or eliminate

synthetic household synthetic household chemicals.chemicals.

• Fertilize sparingly and Fertilize sparingly and only when necessary.only when necessary.

• Plant natives-require Plant natives-require less water, fertilizers less water, fertilizers or chemicalsor chemicals

• Scoop that poop.Scoop that poop.• Don’t litter and pick Don’t litter and pick

up what you can.up what you can.

• At SchoolAt School• Encourage school Encourage school

personnel to follow the personnel to follow the “at home” rules“at home” rules

• Talk to your principal Talk to your principal about adopting efficient about adopting efficient water, chemical and water, chemical and energy measures.energy measures.

• Teach your kids, fellow Teach your kids, fellow teachers and the teachers and the administration about administration about estuaries.estuaries.

• Organize fieldtrips to Organize fieldtrips to natural areas like natural areas like estuaries.estuaries.

Even small changes add up to huge benefits for estuary and human health.

Start something and see where

that takes you.

YOU’VE ALREADY STARTED TODAY!

Questions or Comments?Questions or Comments?

Thank you for attending!Thank you for attending!