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In Hot In Hot WaterWaterIn Hot In Hot WaterWater
Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research ProgramMichele Kissinger
Remember that an Ecosystem is all the living and non-living things in an area working together.
Fish breathe Oxygen
Algae use Carbon Dioxide
Fish compete against one another for algae
Algae use Sunlight
(Algae is like a plant, it does photosynthesis)
Animals have to adapt to both the biotic and the abiotic influences in their ecosystem.
This fish is hiding from predators.
A Biotic influence
This fish is protected from waves.
An Abiotic influence
Can you see me?
Coral and Kelp are found in different areas around the world.
Can you guess why?
Do you see any patterns?
Because the sun’s ray are most intense near the equator…
…air near the equator is heated more than anywhere else.
Because the air near the equator is warm…
…air near the equator rises into Earth’s atmosphere.
…and warm air rises…
…and cooler air moves in to take it’s place.
This air rushing
toward the equator
cause a very interesting wind pattern over the Earth.
the Earth’s rotation
and
These wind patterns…
…push the ocean and
create gyres
…and how cool water from the
poles is carried toward
the equator.
Notice how warm water from the
equator is carried by currents up
towards the poles…
The kelp is near poles and coasts where currents carry cool water.
Equator
The cool and nutrient-rich water
off California is great for KELP!
Los Angeles
And what about the coral?
Notice that the coral is near the equator and coasts where currents carry warm water.
Equator
The warm, clear water off Moorea is great for coral!Moorea
Los Angeles
These abiotic factors (temperature, nutrients, sunlight)
impact coral and kelp,
and other animals that depend on them.
but it also changes throughout the year.
Temperature changes around the planet,
Let’s explore some of these yearly changes by graphing some of the data scientists collect.
You will each graph the water temperature for a year and then compare your year to others.
What kinds of patterns did you see?
Did you notice that the temperature in Mooreais coldest in the southern hemisphere’s winter (July)?
Moorea
Los Angeles
The temperature in Moorea is warmest in the southern hemisphere’s summer (December).
Moorea
Los Angeles
Can you see the difference in temperature between places with coral and kelp?
Kelp is found in cold water ~16°C
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Los Angeles
Coral is found in warm water ~28°C
Do you think that coral could grow off the coast of California?
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Los Angeles
Probably not, it’s too COLD!
Some animals survive better in certain abiotic conditions than others
This lesson covers California State Science Content Standards:
4th Grade Life Science• 3a
– Ecosystems can be characterized by their living and non-living components.
• 3b– In any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive
well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Investigation and Experimentation• 6a
– Scientists’ explanations come from what they observe and how they interpret their observations.
• 6c– Formulate and justify predictions based on cause-and-effect
relationships.• 6e
– Construct and interpret graphs from measurement.
Credits
This Lesson Was Developed By:
Michele Kissinger
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Moorea Coral Reef LTER
Funding By: