Major Questions about Oceanography - Essay Example

Lessons 17-20 Lesson 17 Question What is dredging? Why does it need to be done in the Ventura Marina? Dredging refers to the removal of sediments and debris that settle at the bottom of lakes, rivers, and seas. Ventura Marina is a commercial and recreational harbor and, therefore, dredging creates more space and provides an easy docking for vessels especially the squid fleet. Question 2: Like Malibu, we have our own problem on Hwy 1 in San Mateo County. Do some research on Devils Slide. Tell me the problems and solutions found on this part of the Pacific Coast Highway. Devil’s slide refers to a stretch of Highway 1, previously considered that would crumble into the Pacific every 10 years or so during a big storm. Some of the problems associated with the devil’s slide include the constant court cases associated with opposition of the building of the highway. The best solution involves building of more lanes to cater for the high demand of use in the highway. Question 3: The problem at Point Mugu was a Naval Air Station was built on top of a Military’s development and testing center. Question 4: Aliso Creek is far from home. Name 5 creeks found near the college. What types of contaminants pollute them? And if we could follow the water from those creeks, where does it all end up? The five creeks are Wood Canyon Creek, Sulphur Creek, English Canyon Creek, Diary fork, and Alison creek. The major contaminants of the creeks include bacterial pollution as well as chlorine. Most of the creeks empty their water at mouth of Laguna Beach basins. Lesson 18 Question 1: If someone asked you to give the definition of life in your words, what would you say now that you have watched this video? Life is the aspect that distinguishes living things such as animals and plants from the non-living. Question 2: What are translation and transcription? Write a paragraph about them Translation refers to the process by which protein is synthesized from the messenger RNA through the reading of the mRNA sequence by a genetic code. Transcription on its part refers to the transfer of genetic information from a DNA to an RNA, which is then used to form proteins. Question 3: Charles Darwins paper titled On the Origin of Species was about the theory of nature as the agent of decent. Question 4: Describe the theory of how life began in the RNA World. Use your own wording. The theory of how life began in the RNA world describes that self-replicating ribonucleic acid molecules (RNA) are the originators of the life lived today. The theory bases RNA in terms of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Despite the fact that the current life originates from RNA, it is evident that the theory has it that RNA world was never the first life to come into existence. Lesson 19 Question 1: If you were to scuba dive in Jamaica, 50 feet under the surface of the water, how would the temperature, pressure, light and salinity change when you are 50 feet deep? What kinds of animals would you see at that depth? About 50 feet into the ocean in Jamaica, the temperatures are slightly warm at about 25°-28°C. The area is also highly saline being an area with high levels of coral reefs. The watercolor at this point is blue-green to green, thereby allowing fair light to penetrate and high pressure. Some of the animals found in this area are the green sea turtles and manatee. Question 2: The Chinook salmon live in both freshwater and saltwater in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle). Tell me about their life cycle and any new information you learned in your research. Chinook salmon life cycle involves the laying of eggs by the females, who then guard the eggs for between four to twenty-five days before their death. The eggs then hatch approximately 90-150 days after deposition depending on water temperatures from which fry emerge. The fry then stay in fresh water for 12 to 18 months before travelling downstream into deeper waters. New information about the life cycle is that the females that lay the eggs usually die after guarding the eggs. Question 3: Lots of photosynthesis causes ocean pH to reduce to become more acidic. Question 4: Explain how each of these animals survives the turbulence of crashing waves in the intertidal zone: a) mussel survives the turbulence of crashing waves of the intertidal zone by sticking itself to rocks. b) Hermit crab, because it lacks a crab itself, it uses other crabs to hide itself and go to the floor of the ocean. c) Sea stars cling to hard surfaces by means of suction from their tube feet as a means of protecting themselves from the turbulence of crashing waves in the intertidal zone. d) Anemone survives from the turbulence of crashing waves by attaching themselves to firm objects in the seas, usually the sea floor, rock, or coral. Lesson 20 Question 1: Find a picture on the internet of a dinoflagellate that you find pretty. Draw it or paste the picture here. Give its name and if you can, where it was found This is Pyrodinium. It is found in the ocean near the shoreline. Question 2: Pretend it is your job to teach a 12 year old about photosynthesis of phytoplankton. Write 1-2 paragraphs explaining it and why it is important for our Earth. Consider finding a diagram to help teach this topic Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make up their food using sunlight. Phytoplankton are the oceanic plants, usually found at the base of the ocean and commonly referred to as oceanic biological productivity by the scientists who study them. Photosynthesis of phytoplankton is very important to the earth as a whole as it uses up the carbon dioxide in the water and produce food for a majority of the oceanic animals such as fish and other wildlife. Additionally, photosynthesis of phytoplankton is important to the earth as it contributes to the production of approximately half of the earth’s oxygen as the byproduct of the process. Question 3: Instead of a food chain, we now use the term Food Matrix Question 4: When I went to the smoothie store at the mall I opted to add the spirulina supplement to my drink. What is sprirulina? Why is it added to smoothies and what are the health benefits? Sprirulina is a bacterium, found in pristine freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers; however, most people misplace it as a herb. Sprirulina is of great benefit health wise as it helps in the modulation of the immune system as well as keeping of the eyes healthy. Work Cited Garrison, Tom. Essentials of oceanography. Belmont: Wadsworth Pub. Co., 6th Edition, 2011. Print. Read More