Investigating Balance
Media slide presentation:
Scientists Exploring Balance in Bay Ecosystems
Images highlight the work of scientists exploring the Chesapeake Bay, collecting data and creating models to prove their hypothesis.
Scientists Exploring Balance in Bay Ecosystems
Images highlight the work of scientists exploring the Chesapeake Bay, collecting data and creating models to prove their hypothesis.
Indicator Species |
Survival |
Investigations |
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Overview:
To survive on earth, species must adapt to a position or ecological niche and maintain their connections to other species. If either relationship moves out of balance, populations of plants and animals can be impacted and the ecosystem can become stressed. Scientists want to know why and begin investigations driven by science questions. Their research helps us make smarter decisions that can help the Chesapeake Bay. 
Interactive 3. Exploring Balance Dr. Pierson studies plankton species in the Chesapeake Bay to better understand health of the region’s fisheries. Copepods are a group of “indicator species” at the center of the food web and a major source of food for most fish. By observing their populations and positions in the low oxygen areas of the Bay he can make predictions about how these “dead zones” impact life in the water. 
Activity: Scientific Research Diagram
Students interpret this scientific diagram from Dr. Pierson’s research on copepods. What do Oxygen levels, Copepods (Acartia) Rockfish (Stripped Bass) have to do with balance in the Chesapeake Bay. Teacher question: What are the connections between species (Acartia and Rockfish)? Teacher question: What happens to species in dead zones (Acartia’s position) of the central Chesapeake Bay? Students interpret that there is a direct correlation between the copepod’s reduced populations and oxygen levels in hypoxic waters or Dead Zones in the Bay. They identify that Dr. Pierson is proving that low populations of copepod Acartia is a result of low oxygen levels and not due to temperature, salinity or some other factor. In order to understand how oxygen levels impact copepod populations he must know everything about the species behavior and what they need to survive including: how they find food, reproduce and avoid predators. Indicator Species: Copepods Key takeaway: Analyzing and Interpreting Data (MS-LS1-5) Scientists sometimes focus their investigations on a few “indicator species” to assess the overall health of an ecosystem. Because all fish rely on plankton species for food directly or indirectly, studying them can reveal how to better sustain fisheries. Understanding the population and survival of copepod species, in the Chesapeake Bay, can help us better understand how to help Rockfish fisheries survive. Media slide presentation: Survival in an exposed low gravity fast changing underwater world. |
Interactive 5. The Survival Game
Activity: Copepod Research on Anatomy and Behavior Thirty students each begin with one part of a copepod anatomy puzzle (3 tiles per specimen) and a worksheet to fill out during a group research activity. After reviewing the science questions listed they fill in the worksheet Science questions about copepods: 1. How do copepods find food? 2. How do avoid predators 3. How do find a mate for reproduction 
- Step 1. “I think _______________________” Student makes observations of the illustration and takes notes about the species’ anatomy - Step 2. “We think _______________________” The student then finds two other students with matching tiles and shares and compares notes. Is there a change? - Step 3. Students note what scientists say and do. - Step 4. Students document new beliefs based on their research and understand that this collaborative process is how science is done. Students then look at how Dr. Pierson’s observations lead him to better understanding of copepod species and why their survival is important to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. How do dead zones (areas with hypoxia or low oxygen) impact copepods? Dr. Pierson Observes: •Hypoxia disrupts their daily migration to lower depths which helps them avoid predators. •Hypoxia disrupts their reproduction •Hypoxia kills some copepods 
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RESEARCH PROCESS
How does Dr. Pierson count the populations of copepods and measure oxygen in the dead zones? He collects samples from the Bay at different positions and based on those samples creates a mathematical model of the larger Bay to estimate the actual populations and oxygen levels 
Activity -students are presented with a 1’ x1’ x1’ clear cube filled with water and 10 floating copepods (real or models) -students then mark out a 20’ x 20’ grid on the classroom floor with 1’ x 1’ units using tape or by counting floor tiles. -students then mark 1’ x 1’ units 10’ up a wall. The contents of the 1’ x1’ x1’ tank represents the average population of copepods in a 1’x1’x1’ sample area of the Chesapeake Bay. How many copepods are in the larger gridded area? (10’ H. x 20’ W. x 20’ D.) Answer: 20 x 20 = 400 units on floor 400 x 10 units = 4000 cubic units total 4000 units x 10 copepods = 40,000 copepods Media presentation: Dr. Pierson’s actual process and methods for collecting data on the Chesapeake Bay. It illustrates how scientists do not accept things as they are or as they appear to be. They set out to prove and disprove ideas in order to reveal new knowledge to the world and build on previous scientific research. 
Acartia Tonsa, video of a copepod species found in the Chesapeake Bay under Dr. Pierson's microscope
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