Yr 10-12 - AQWA€¦ · Describe two adaptations that contribute to this camouflage: 1. _____ ......

Yr 1

0-12 excursion

activity packUpper Secondary: 10-12

1great southern coastleafy seadragons

pineapplefish

old wives

Sea Creature Science: there is a branch of science called biomimicry, where scientists investigate how nature performs impressive feats and then applies that knowledge to human technologies. Explore the great southern and describe how these marine species have inspired science:

Mussels: ___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Kelp: ______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

There are at least 3 distinct habitats on display in the great southern region. For each, investigate them and describe some unique features that animals have that help them survive in those habitats:

Shadowy shallows (Busselton Jetty): _____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Coral caves (Augusta and Albany): _______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

Seagrass (Esperance): _________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

What resource is in short supply in a jetty environment?________________________________________

Describe one way animals can gain or maintain this resource? ___________________________________

Describe the unique ways each of following animals find and/or catch their food:

Cobbler: ____________________________________________________________________________

Redlipped Morwong: __________________________________________________________________

Stripeys: ___________________________________________________________________________

Pineapplefish: _______________________________________________________________________

1great southern coastleafy seadragons

pineapplefish

old wives

Shark Model: label each fin and the key features that have been left blank on the shark diagram below to get a better understanding of shark anatomy. Then, describe the role of each feature below:

Caudal Fin: _______________________________________________________________________

Dorsal Fin: _______________________________________________________________________

Pectoral Fin: _______________________________________________________________________

Anal Fin: _______________________________________________________________________

Pelvic Fin: _______________________________________________________________________

Lateral Line: _______________________________________________________________________

Electroreceptors:______________________________________________________________________

Seadragons have excellent camouflage. Describe two adaptations that contribute to this camouflage:

1. ________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________

What do seadragons have instead of scales and why do you think this is?___________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

2shipwreck coast

stingraysturtlesharks

open-ocean fish

Shipwreck Sharks Field Guide: Match each description and species name below with the correct shark diagram on the next page. By doing so, you will be creating a visual guide for identifying sharks in the field. Then use your field guide to find each shark in the shipwreck coast. Record the number of individuals of each species you find within 1 minute and record an observation about each species (e.g. found on the bottom):

A. Distinct markings alike a harness over body = Port Jackson Shark

Located in Shipwreck Coast Observation:________________________________________

B. Large, distinct first dorsal fin, rounded snout = Sandbar Whaler


C. Dark margins found on caudal, dorsal and pectoral fins (not on anterior fins) = Nervous Whaler


D. Faint, thick bands repeating along body = Bamboo Shark


E. Pointed teeth that overhang jaw, mouth visibly open = Grey Nurse Shark


F. Tassels that hang from the mouth, deeply flattened body = Wobbegong Shark


Sea Creature Science: sharks have become the inspiration for many modern designs. Working with a partner, be inspired by our sharks and brainstorm man-made products and technologies that have or could benefit from mimicking a shark’s natural feats:

Natural Feat: a shape that allows for incredible speed:

Products that mimic:__________________________________________________________

Natural Feat: balance and stability:


Natural Feat: completely non-stick skin (due to the dermal denticles):


2 shipwreck coast

Species:

Species:

Species:

Species:

Species:

Species:

2 shipwreck coastAQWA’s 6 shark species fall into 4 scientific families. Use your observations and field guide to compare each shark’s features with the classification guides below and place each of AQWA’s sharks in their correct Family:

Kingdom: Animalia (multicellular, eukaryotic animals)Phylum: Chordata (Latin “characterised by chord”)Subphylum: Vertebrata (Latin “backboned”)Class: Chondricthyes (Greek “Cartilage fish”) - Skeleton of cartilage - Teeth not fused to jaw - No swim bladderSub Class: Elasmobranchii - 5-7 gill slitsOrder: Carcharhiniformes - 2 dorsal fins - 5 gill slits - anal fin present - nictitating membrane over the eyes presentFamily: Carcharhinidae (requium sharks) - pectoral fins sit behind the gill slits - first dorsal fin sits in front of pelvic fin - torpedo shaped body, widest in the middle and tapered at head and tail - head rounded and smooth - first dorsal fin is larger than second - has precaudal pits (small indentation on the top and below the tail fin) - relatively large, bulbous eyes

Shark/s in this family: _____________________________________________________________

Kingdom: Animalia (multicellular, eukaryotic animals)Phylum: Chordata (Latin “characterised by chord”)Subphylum: Vertebrata (Latin “backboned”)Class: Chondricthyes (Greek “Cartilage fish”) - Skeleton of cartilage - Teeth not fused to jaw - No swim bladderSub Class: Elasmobranchii - 5-7 gill slitsOrder: Lamniformes - 2 dorsal fins - 5 long gill slits - anal fin present - no nictitating membrane over the eyes - wide mouth that extends behind the eyesFamily: Odontaspididae (ragged-tooth sharks) - pectoral fins sit behind the gill slits - first dorsal fin sits closely in front of pelvic fin - wide body with a short snout/head that comes to a point - needle-like teeth that over-hang jaw, jaw remains slightly open - two medium equal-sized dorsal fins - relatively small eyes


2 shipwreck coastKingdom: Animalia (multicellular, eukaryotic animals)Phylum: Chordata (Latin “characterised by chord”)Subphylum: Vertebrata (Latin “backboned”)Class: Chondricthyes (Greek “Cartilage fish”) - Skeleton of cartilage - Teeth not fused to jaw - No swim bladderSub Class: Elasmobranchii - 5-7 gill slitsOrder: Heterodontiformes - 2 dorsal fins, each with a spine - 5 gill slits - anal fin present - no nictitating membrane over the eyes - small spiracles present (holes behind the eyes) - nares (nostrils) connected to mouth by deep grooves - snout very short and bluntly rounded, mouth does not extend beyond the eyesFamily: Heterodontidae (horn sharks) - pectoral fins begin at front of gill slits - first dorsal fin sits nearer the pectoral fin, second dorsal fin sits nearer the anal fin - small, bull like body with intricate colouration - head box-like and topped with bony crests or ridges above the eyes - female lays spiral-shaped egg cases


Kingdom: Animalia (multicellular, eukaryotic animals)Phylum: Chordata (Latin “characterised by chord”)Subphylum: Vertebrata (Latin “backboned”)Class: Chondricthyes (Greek “Cartilage fish”) - Skeleton of cartilage - Teeth not fused to jaw - No swim bladderSub Class: Elasmobranchii - 5-7 gill slitsOrder: Orectolobiformes (carpet sharks) - 2 dorsal fins - 5 long gill slits - anal fin present - no nictitating membrane over the eye - large spiracles present (holes near the eyes) - short, flat snout with mouth that does not extend beyond the eyes - nairs (nostrils) specialized with nasal grooves and barbels (“whiskers”)Family: Hemiscylliidae (long-tailed carpet sharks) - fourth and fifth gill slits sit behind the pectoral fin - first and second dorsal fins sit between the pelvic and anal fins - pectoral fins are paddle-shaped - long, thin body with the tail making up 2/3 of the body length, banded patterns - female lays oval egg cases with tendrils that help it stick to the rocks


2 shipwreck coastKingdom: Animalia (multicellular, eukaryotic animals)Phylum: Chordata (Latin “characterised by chord”)Subphylum: Vertebrata (Latin “backboned”)Class: Chondricthyes (Greek “Cartilage fish”) - Skeleton of cartilage - Teeth not fused to jaw - No swim bladderSub Class: Elasmobranchii - 5-7 gill slitsOrder: Orectolobiformes (carpet sharks) - 2 dorsal fins - 5 long gill slits - anal fin present - no nictitating membrane over the eye - large spiracles present (holes near the eyes) - short, flat snout with mouth that does not extend beyond the eyes - nairs (nostrils) specialized with nasoral grooves and barbels (“whiskers”)Family: Orectolobidae (wobbegong sharks) - fourth and fifth gill slits sit behind the pectoral fin - first and second dorsal fins sit closely together between the pelvic and anal fins - extremily wide, flattened body and head with intricate patterning - whisker-like sensory organs around the mouth which add to its camouflage


Choose 1 of the 6 shark species above to complete the following questions and activities:

If someone did not have a field guide and did not understand shark anatomy, what feature/s would you describe to them to help them identify your shark?

______________________________________________________________________________

Label the feature/s you just described onto your field guide. Draw in extra detail if required.

Name one unique feature of your shark that helps it to survive and explain why:_______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Fact: Sharks are fish! As you now know, sharks are classified as Chondrichthyes called “cartilaginous fish” as they have a skeleton of cartilage. Traditional ‘fish’ are classified as Osteichthyes called “bony fish”.

Sharks and fish have the same types of fins. Consider what you know about shark fins. Which fins would play a role in making a fish a fast swimmer?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Find a ‘fast’ fish in the Shipwreck coast. What shape and size are the fin/s you listed above?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Bony fish use a swim bladder to assist in staying afloat. What two features help sharks float?

_____________________________________________________________________________

lobstersjellyfish

octopus3Perth coast

footballer sweeps

seahorsesstripeys

Sandy shores: Sand is made up of ancient corals, old shells, eroded rocks, and much more! On your journey through the sandy beaches of Perth, search for how animals interact with sand and describe them below:

Sea Squirt: _________________________________________________________________________

Feather Duster Worm: _________________________________________________________________

Tube Anemone: _____________________________________________________________________

Moon Wrasse: _______________________________________________________________________

Striped Catfish and Sea Mullet: __________________________________________________________

Many traditions of the Nyoongar people show great interaction between the coast, ocean and its marine life. Journey through the Perth coast and look out for our indigenous information to answer the below:

Describe one traditional fishing technique used by Indigenous Australians:__________________________________________________________________________________

What is a traditional method for cooking fish, such as salmon?__________________________________________________________________________________

How did Birak affect the lives of Nyoongar people?__________________________________________________________________________________

How would Nyoongar people soothe stings from marine life, such as catfish?__________________________________________________________________________________

Ocean Lights: light acts differently in water to in air. Investigate the following:

What colours are difficult to see in water and why?__________________________________________________________________________________

Why does the ocean look blue?__________________________________________________________________________________

How do corals glow?__________________________________________________________________________________

What is a benefit of having fluorescent or glowing scales for a fish?__________________________________________________________________________________

lobstersjellyfish

octopus3Perth coast

footballer sweeps

seahorsesstripeys

Simple Cells:Jellyfish are very simple animals. They have no brain, heart, eyes, central nervous system or bones, but are still living animals made up of cells and cell structures. Because they are see-through, we can observe many of the unique cellular structures that work together to keep the jellyfish alive.

Looking at our moon jellyfish, draw a diagram of a jellyfish in the box below. Include all of the features that you can see:

Label your diagram with the organs and specialised cells listed below:

1. Outer tentacles with stinging cells: stores the nematocyst cells used for catching food and defence

2. Oral arms with stinging cells: hangs from the centre of the bell and transfers caught food to the mouth. Also has nematocysts cells.

3. Stomachs: jellyfish have 4 stomach sacs to digest food

4. Reproductive organs (within stomachs): crescent -moon shaped gonads found within or below stomachs

5. Mesoglea: the “jelly” part of the jellyfish that gives it form and strength

6. Canals: the water vascular system that pumps nutrients through the jellyfish

Jellyfish are closely related to corals and to anemones, both of which you can also find in the Perth coast. Investigate them closely and identify features that all 3 animals share in common:___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the motility (ability and style of movement) each animal has:

Anemone:____________________________________________________________________________

Coral: ______________________________________________________________________________

Jellyfish____________________________________________________________________________

clownfish (Nemo)tropical fish & corals

baby crocodiles4far north coast

blue tang (Dory)Creatures Up Close exhibit

What kind of animals are corals?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What do they “build” together to make themselves strong?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What affects the shape and style of their “building”?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What lives inside corals and why is it important to them?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Why do they (usually) need to live in sunlight?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What is the key difference between Pocillopora and Leather coral?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Species VS Morphology: it is difficult to identify coral species just by looking at them. So instead corals are often referred to based on their morphology, which means the shape they grow in. The shape tells us about the conditions the coral faces; such as the amount of light, wave motion and clarity of the water. Investigate our Coral Lagoon (in the middle of the Far North). Tally the number of occurrences of each morphology:

Which morphology was the most common?___________________________________________________

Which morphology seemed to grow the largest?_______________________________________________

Were some more common near the top? The bottom?___________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Mound: Branching: Plate or Vase: Encrusting: Column:

clownfish (Nemo)tropical fish & corals

baby crocodiles4far north coast

blue tang (Dory)Creatures Up Close exhibit

Plants and animals have features and develop behaviours that help them to survive in their own habitat. These behaviours and structures are called adaptations.

There are two main adaptations that you will be able to observe: 1. Structural: those things about the animals body that help it to survive. 2. Behavioural: those things about an animal’s behaviour that help it to survive.

A third type of adaptation may also be occurring, although this may not be visible. 3. Physiological: the functions of structures within the animal which help it survive, like a venom.

As you journey through AQWA’s Far North Region look at all the marine life on display. Based upon our signage and your observations, write down an adaptation which helps the following animals defend themselves. Then classify these adaptations as structural, physiological or behavioural.

Clownfish: __________________________________________________________________________

This adaptation is: ____________________________________________________________________

Dartfish: ___________________________________________________________________________

This adaptation is:____________________________________________________________________

Crocodiles: _________________________________________________________________________


Tube Anemone:_______________________________________________________________________


Blue spotted stingray:_________________________________________________________________


Butterfly fish:_______________________________________________________________________


blue ringed octopus (seasonal)

stonefishsea snakeDANGERzone5lionfish

Theatrette

Enter AQWA’s DANGERzone to discover more adaptations sea creatures have to survive: some of which are deadly to us!

Why are venomous sea snakes not found around Perth?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Is a sea snake’s venom used for defence?

__________________________________________________________________________________

What structural adaptation is shared by sea snakes and eels?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Lionfish have a unique kind of camouflage. They do not necessarily “blend in” to their environment like their cousins the stonefish. Suggest how their camouflage might work:

__________________________________________________________________________________

The lionfish has the structural adaptation of very large side fins. What behavioural adaptation has it developed to utilise these fins?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Are pufferfish always dangerous to eat, why or why not?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Is pufferfish toxin a structural, behavioural or physiological adaptation?

_________________________________________________________________________________

Describe another adaptation of pufferfish:

__________________________________________________________________________________

blue ringed octopus (seasonal)

stonefishsea snakeDANGERzone5lionfish

Theatrette

Sea Creature Science: animals posses a vast variety of venoms that effect the human body differently. What are some benefits of studying the venoms of animals?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What have scientists discovered about cone shell venom?

___________________________________________________________________________________

What are some differences between the poison found in pufferfish and the poison in cone shells?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

The venomous bite of the blue ringed octopus is strong enough to kill 10 people. However they rarely bite to defend, preferring to avoid danger or warn other animals to stay away. What do they use as a warning signal?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Is this defence mechanism structural, behavioural, physiological or a combination ? Why do you think that?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

List a structural, behavioural and physiological adaptation of the stonefish.

Structural : _____________________________________________________________________

Behavioural : ____________________________________________________________________

Physiological : ___________________________________________________________________

Which of these adaptations makes them dangerous to humans?______________________________

What is the survival advantage of ambushing prey rather than chasing it?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Marmion Marine ParkDiscovery PoolCoral ReefAdventure Bay6 Playground & Picnic Areas

Not all sea creatures breathe through gills, eat with teeth or move using fins. Explore the animals in the Discovery Pool and the unique cell structures they use:

Starfish don’t have fins. What do they use to move and how does it work?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Seacucumbers don’t have gills. How do they breathe?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Starfish have no teeth and a small mouth. How can they eat large food?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Seacucumbers have no teeth and no bones. How do they stay strong and how do they grab food?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Visit AQWA’s Coral Reef Underwater Gallery and find a spot in front of the large windows. You are about to become a Reef Biologist. You have been provided with a field guide and a data sheet and are going to:

1. Choose a species of coral from the field guide to study. Become familiar with the features of your coral.

2. Choose a survey space within the coral reef that is approximately 1m2. Everything in that 1x1m box is your survey space, from the sandy bottom right up to the water’s surface.

3. Within your survey space, see if you can find your coral and mark on your data sheet any occurrences

4. Take notes on: how deep your coral is found, the amount of light, what shape and colour it is growing in, how abundant it is in your space and what percentage of the whole space is taken up by your coral.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 twice more, so that you end up with 3 survey spaces from which you have collected data.

Once you have completed your 3 survey spaces, use your data to answer the following:

Was the species of coral you selected found in each of the study areas?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Were each of the coral colonies the same colour or shape?

___________________________________________________________________________________

Do the variations correlate with any changes in depth or light?

___________________________________________________________________________________

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Marmion Marine ParkDiscovery PoolCoral ReefAdventure Bay6 Playground & Picnic Areas

Food chains show the flow of food (energy) from one living thing to the next in a habitat or ecosystem. Below is a basic model of the groups of animals included in a food chain and what they eat:

1. Name two primary producers you might find in a coral reef:

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Name two primary consumers you might find in a coral reef:

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Name two secondary consumers you might find in a coral reef:

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Name two tertiary consumers you might find in a coral reef:

___________________________________________________________________________________

Can a secondary consumers also be a tertiary consumer? Can a tertiary consumer also be a primary consumer? Justify your answer: __________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

A food web shows a more complex view of the way energy flows through an ecosystem. Using the animals you mentioned in parts 1-4 above, create a food web by drawing lines to show energy flow between them:

Producers• Makes its own

food• EG: plants and

phytoplankton

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only eat plants• EG: some small

fish, zooplankton

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animals• Carnivore eats animals • Detritivore eats dead matter• EG: medium fish, seals

Tertiary consumers• eats secondary

consumers • Usually carnivore but

can be an omnivore• Top of the food chain• EG: sharks, orcas

Yr 10-12 - AQWA€¦ · Describe two adaptations that contribute to this camouflage: 1. _____ ......

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Transcript of Yr 10-12 - AQWA€¦ · Describe two adaptations that contribute to this camouflage: 1. _____ ......