Lab11_2

Lab Activity 11.2
Phytoplankton Productivity

Study the instructional material below. Be sure to click on each of the photographs for an enlarged view in a separate window. The larger version is necessary to complete the assignment. It opens in a separate window which can be resized by grabbing the bottom right corner and dragging it. It can also be moved by grabbing the top heading bar and dragging it. Be sure to close the extra window by using the X in IBM, or the close box in MAC when you are finished using them.

Introduction

Phytoplankton lies at the base of many marine food webs and it's often the only producer of food in epipelagic food webs. Phytoplankton makes food for animals by producing organic molecules from carbon dioxide and water by a process called photosynthesis. The amount of food production in an area will determine the amount of animal life the area can support. This key ecological role makes the study of phytoplankton and its productivity of great interest to marine biologists and oceanographers. In this lab activity you will learn how modern technology is being used to measure and map oceanic productivity.

Instruction

Answer the following questions about space imaging of phytoplankton productivity by visiting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's SEAWIF's web site and searching for the answers. You will find the links you need with the questions below. Prepare an answer for each of the questions. You can print out the charts and fill them in or create similar charts in your notebook.

Be sure to write about what you are learning in the lab section of your notebook. You will be expected to answer questions about the lab activity during the lab self test and lab quiz. It helps to have your text and coloring books open beside you for support.

Supporting Information

Refer to the Assigned Readings Below:
Marine Biology Textbook	Chapter 15, pages 343 to 351
Marine Biology Coloring Book	none

Studying Ocean Color
Answer the fill-in the blank questions below by visiting the Studying ocean color from space website.
Questions	Answers
1. Satellites circling the Earth can measure the sea's _____.
2. Using instruments that are more sensitive than the human eye, we can measure carefully the fantastic array of colors of the ocean. The different colors may reveal the presence and concentration of _____.
3. Phytoplankton, as revealed by ocean color, frequently show scientists where _____ provide nutrients for plant growth.
4. During photosynthesis phytoplankton remove carbon dioxide from sea water, and release oxygen as a by-product. This allows the oceans to absorb additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. If fewer phytoplankton existed, _____.
5. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has changed in the past hundred years. _____ provides one of the many tools scientists use to try to find what changes are occurring, and how they may affect us.

The SeaWiFS Project
Answer fill-in-the-blank questions below by visiting the Background on the SeaWiFS project website.
Questions	Answers
1. The purpose of the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) Project is to provide quantitative data on global ocean _____ to the Earth science community.
2. The concentration of microscopic marine plants, called phytoplankton, can be derived from satellite observation and quantification of ocean color. This is due to the fact that the more phytoplankton present, the greater the concentration of plant pigments and the _____ .
3. Ocean color data have been deemed critical by the oceanographic community for the study of ocean _____ and global biogeochemistry.

Phytoplankton Concentrations

Answer the questions below by exploring the world map displaying phytoplankton concentrations in all of the worlds oceans.

Use the legend below the map for an explaination of the map colors.

Questions	Answers
1. Identify the regions of the oceans which have high concentrations of phytoplankton.
2. Why do you think that these regions are located where they are?
3. What might you be able to say about where the most productive areas of the ocean are?

Lab Activity 11.3 Planktonic Animals