Coral Reefs - COSEE Florida

Water as Habitat
Coral Reefs
Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce
A Message
from the
Smithsonian
Marine
Station
The Smithsonian Marine
Ecosystems Exhibit is located in
the St. Lucie County Marine Center
on South Hutchinson Island.
Hours:
Tues - Sat: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Admission:
Adults: $3.00
Seniors (55+): $2.00
Children: $2.00
Children (0-4): FREE
The First Tuesday of each month
is FREE!
Location:
420 Seaway Drive
Fort Pierce, FL 34949
772.462.FISH
www.sms.si.edu/SMEE
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The Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort
Pierce has been advancing our understanding of
our watery world here on the Treasure Coast for
almost 40 years. Hundreds of researchers from
around the world have contributed over 850
publications on biodiversity, life histories, and the
ecology of the Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic
Ocean. Sharing what we have learned with the
community is an important part of our mission. We
hope that you will enjoy this colorful introduction to
our world’s greatest resource - the ocean - and will
join us in celebrating it at our World Ocean Day
event on June 4, 2011 at the Smithsonian Marine
Ecosystems Exhibit, located in the St. Lucie County
Marine Center on South Hutchinson Island. For more
information on this and other ocean related events,
or to further increase your knowledge of marine ecosystems, visit our website at www.sms.si.edu/SMEE
or stop in and see us today!
Best Fishes,
The Staff of the Smithsonian Marine Station and
Ecosystems Exhibit
Celebrate World
Ocean Day !
Join us on JUNE 4, 2011 from
10:00-3:00 PM!
Free Gift Bags for the first 200 children!
Face Painting ~ Touchtank Demonstrations
Guided Tours~Discounted Boat Rides on IRL
Chalk Art Contest ~ Hands-on Activities &
Crafts And MUCH MORE!
Call 772.465.3271 for more information!
What
a watery
World!
Our word “ocean” comes from a Greek word. Ancient Greeks saw how big the
ocean was, and how fast the water moved, and they called it “okeanos”— a river
that circles around the world. Today, we know that the ocean is the body of water
that makes up almost 75 percent of the surface of the globe and contains about
97 percent of all the water on the planet.
All life on Earth depends on the ocean — and we’re not just talking about fish. The
water in the ocean evaporates into the atmosphere, producing precipitation
that allows us to farm and grow food. The ocean provides us with seafood and
food additives that make up a large part of our diet. Our climate is affected by
the ocean’s current — the movement of water, which shifts warm air, cold air, and
rains onto land. We use the ocean for transportation. We extract oil, gas, and
important minerals from it. We even use the ocean for recreation (ever been swimming, surfing, or sailing?) and turn ocean products like pearls into jewelry.
It’s hard to say exactly how the Earth’s oceans first formed since it happened long
before there were any people. Many scientists think that the oceans were created
by a combination of activity from volcanoes and comets.
Billions of years ago, when the Earth first formed, it was burning hot. Over time,
as the crust began to cool enough so that water on it would not immediately boil,
volcanoes released water vapor and gases up into clouds. Water formed in the
clouds and rain began to fall, filling up hollows in the Earth’s surface and producing the oceans. Around the same time, comets containing chunks of frozen water
hit the Earth and released their water into the developing oceans.
Quick
Quiz
The east
coast of
Florida is
bordered by
which ocean?
A. Indian
B. Atlantic
C. Pacific
D. Arctic
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How humans affect
the ocean
The ocean is so large that many people
don’t realize the negative effects an act
like dumping a little garbage can
have. It just spreads out and
“disappears” into the water,
right? Wrong. When people
pollute, we harm the water
and everything living in it.
The more pollution there
is, the farther the negative
effects will spread, until the
entire ocean is damaged.
We may rely on the ocean, but we
haven’t been taking very good care
of it. It’s more than just oil spilled from
a tanker or trash littered on a beach.
Drilling and mining erodes beaches
and hurts water quality. Overfishing
depletes whole species of fish, and
harms whatever else gets in the way
of the fishing nets and lines. Coastal
development
threatens
coastal
ecosystems. Global climate change
melts glaciers and raises the oceanwater level and the water temperature.
Major oil spills — from ships transporting
oil, like the Exxon Valdez, and from
accidents at oil-drilling sites — get all
the attention, but did you know that
hundreds of millions of gallons of oil
end up in the ocean every year from
non-accidental sources, like improperly
disposed engine oil from cars and
trucks?
When garbage and
trash make their way
into the ocean, animals
can get tangled up and
drown. Plastic, like the bag
floating in the picture at left,
poses a threat because it does
not break down easily and is often
mistaken for food. If it is eaten it can
make animals very sick. When it does
break down, it turns into tiny pieces
that get ingested.
Toxic substances like chemicals from
landfills, dumps, mines, farms, and
factories can get into ocean water
and create all types of problems. For
example, fertilizer from farms can
flow into the ocean from rivers and
cause algae to grow faster than usual.
The algae can block sunlight shining
into the water, making it difficult or
impossible for plants to carry
out photosynthesis. When
that happens, plants can’t live
and grow, or give off oxygen for
the animals to breath.
Quick
Quiz
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TRUE or FALSE?
People that live far away from the ocean cannot
have any affect on the ocean.
Ocean Word Find
Search this sea of letters to find some important ocean-related words. Words
are forward, down and diagonal.
Word List
AQUIFER
BIOLUMINESCENCE
CONSERVATION
CONSUMER
CORAL REEF
ECOSYSTEM
ENDANGERED
EUPHOTIC ZONE
EVAPORATION
EXOSKELETON
FOOD WEB
GULF STREAM
MANGROVE
OCEANOGRAPHER
POLAR
POLLUTION
PRECIPITATION
PRODUCER
SALINITY
SCAVENGER
SEAGRASS
TEMPERATE
TROPICAL
WATERSHED
ZOOXANTHELLAE
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Florida’s Coral Reefs
Tiny animals, some smaller than a button are
responsible for creating some of the ocean’s most
important and impressive habitats – coral reefs. An
individual coral animal is called a polyp. Thousands
of polyps together create stone-like structures that
they live in. When the polyps die, new ones settle on
top and keep building. Coral reefs are built slowly
over thousands, sometimes millions, of years. The
Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest living
structure on the planet at about 93 miles wide and
1,240 miles long!
Most reef building corals need sunlight and warm
clear water to grow, so they are found in tropical
waters. Corals have algae called zooxanthellae
(zo – zan – thel – ee) that live inside their bodies.
The zooxanthellae use the sunlight in a process
called photosynthesis to create food. A great
example of a symbiotic relationship where both
organisms benefit, the coral uses some of the
food and the algae has a protected place to live.
The algae is also the source of the beautiful and
bright colors of coral.
Scientists believe that one-third of all life in
the ocean depends on coral reefs for survival.
A coral reef habitat serves as a nursery for all
kinds of young creatures that may move out to
the open sea in their adult years. It acts as a
hiding place or temporary shelter for some and
is a permanent home to many others. Coral
reefs are also a great hunting ground and source
of food for large predators such as sharks.
Living in a coral reef are brightly colored fish,
moray eels, lobsters, clams, urchins, sea stars,
and snails. Cruising by might be sharks, giant
manta rays, or large schools of barracuda.
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Dangers to Coral
Many things threaten the world’s coral reefs.
Pollution from sewage and farm runoff triggers
deadly coral diseases. A big problem in the
Florida Keys is that agricultural runoff from the
Everglades wetland system flows into Florida
Bay and down to the Keys. The nitrogen and
phosphorous in this runoff creates algae blooms
— excessive amounts of algae that smother the
coral and suck up all the oxygen until there isn’t
enough left for the plants and animals of the
coral reef ecosystem to survive.
Sediment from construction, drilling, and
mining projects makes the water cloudy,
blocking sunlight the coral need to live. A rise
in coastal development has made the problem
worse and developers sometimes erect piers or
other structures right on top of fragile reefs.
Trash can float over a reef and get stuck,
blocking needed sunlight. Animals can mistake
the trash for food and eat it, which can poison
or choke them.
Overfishing upsets the reef’s delicately balanced
ecosystem. Even when they’re not removing
an excessive amount, commercial fisheries
frequently catch fish in ways that destroy the
coral, which means the fish that weren’t caught
no longer have a home.
Careless destruction is also a problem. A diver
might crumble a reef by standing on it, a tourist
could take a piece as a souvenir, or a boat captain
could drop a heavy anchor on the coral.
“Corals are alive, but many people don’t realize
that,” explains Laura Diederick, Education
Specialist at the Smithsonian Marine Station.
“It’s important that everyone understand that we
all have a responsibility to keep them healthy.”
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Exploring the Ocean
with the Smithsonian
Tom Smoyer
Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit - Fort Pierce, Florida
Here on the east coast of Florida we are fortunate to live along the shores of the most
diverse estuary in North America - the 156-mile long Indian River Lagoon - and the
Atlantic Ocean. The Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit provides a
window into these underwater worlds.
Make no mistake, we are not a typical public aquarium. Our focus is on displaying
marine ecosystems as complex communities of organisms interacting in their environments. At the Marine Ecosystems
Exhibit, visitors can explore six different Florida marine habitats and learn about the complexity and importance
of these ecosystems. Visitors can explore the 3000-gallon Caribbean coral reef, as well as living models of seagrass,
mangrove and nearshore habitats. There are also a number of smaller displays and a touch tank where you can
meet some of our local sea creatures.
Smithsonian Institution
You can also visit us “virtually” by visiting our underwater
webcams! Click on the “virtual tour” link at
www.sms.si.edu/SMEE to view our seagrass and
coral reef ecosystems!
Bill Hoffman
Exhibit Manager,
Smithsonian Marine
Ecosystems Exhibit
Sant Ocean Hall - Washington, DC
In September 2008, the Smithsonian’s National
Museum of Natural History opened the Sant Ocean
Hall. The Smithsonian has the largest collection of
marine organisms in the world - over 80 million
specimens - ranging from tiny algae to titanic whale
skeletons. Yet less than 1% of this collection is on
display! That may not seem like a whole lot, but there
are still enough on display to fill a 23,000-squarefoot exhibit hall! But if you can’t get up to
Washington to see the museum, don’t worry!
Visit http://ocean.si.edu for an ocean of
information and on-line activities.
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Why did you want
to get into marine
science?
I’ve always liked
nature and spent a lot
of time outside. I think it came from my father and all the trips
we took to Florida as a kid.
Where did you go to school and what did you study?
As an undergrad I studied Biology. I went on to College of
Charleston to get my Masters degree in Marine Science.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Observing nature firsthand everyday and watching the
specialized ways that the animals have of communicating with
one another.
Careers in Marine Science
Raphael Ritson-Williams
Research Assistant,
Smithsonian Marine
Station
What are your responsibilities
as a Research Assistant?
I work for the Director of the Smithsonian
Marine Station at Fort Pierce, Dr.
Valerie Paul. We research marine
chemical ecology, which involves doing
chemistry in the laboratory, collecting
marine organisms from the field, and
setting up, maintaining, and completing
experiments. I also write scientific papers
and train students and other scientists
how to use the instruments in our lab.
Where did you go to school?
What did you study?
I earned an undergraduate degree in Biology from
The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.
I received my Master’s degree in Biology from The
University of Guam. Guam is in an island chain in the
middle of the Pacific Ocean.
What is the coolest thing about your job?
Much of my research focuses on coral reefs, which
means that I get to go to the tropics and scuba dive in
some of the most beautiful places in the world.
Cristin Ryan
Marine Educator,
What
do
Smithsonian Marine
you do as an
Ecosystems Exhibit
educator?
I educate! A lot
of my job involves
interpreting
to
visitors that come to the Exhibit, which also means spending
time at our touch tank, making sure no one crushes a sea
cucumber. I also work with school groups, public programs,
summer camps and coordinate our volunteer program. Oh,
and I write temporary signage and create displays. You may
notice this is a pretty diverse list…that’s one of my favorite
things about my job - no two days are the same!
Tell us about your schooling.
I took a lot of upper-level science classes in high school (definitely
take advantage of getting those AP credits!), then got my
degree from the University of Arizona with a double-major in
German Studies and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Any words of wisdom for young ocean enthusiasts?
There are countless ways to work in marine-related
careers without being a “marine biologist”. If you love
science and research, go for it, but if not, consider other
opportunities (working as crew on a ship, being an
engineer who designs equipment for marine biologists or
even working as a SCUBA instructor).
Making a Difference
13
The future of our
oceans starts
with your help…
se Plate
eefs Licen
R
r
u
O
t
c
The Prote
Raising more than $6.5million for
Coral Reef restoration, research &
education since 2004. Support the
future of our oceans…Buy your
“Protect Our Reefs” plate today!
14
www.mote.org/4reef \ www.4reef.org
OCE an s cram ble
Looks like some ocean waves scrambled the letters in the words below!
Use the word list from the Ocean Word Find (page 5) to help you put these
ten terms back in order.
1. S M S E O T C S Y E 2. E N O O K L E S T X E 3. O D O F
EWB
4. O E I T A O N R V A P 5. I L U O O L N T P 6. Y I N I A T S L 7. A R O C L
RFEE
8. H E W S A T R E D 9. S A A G S E R S 10. M G N E R O A V Try This!
Can you define all these
ocean-related terms? Use
a dictionary, this activity
booklet, the internet and
other resources and write
out the definitions. After you
know what they mean, see
if you can find them in the
real world!
Search the newspaper
for stories that contain
these words. Write a short
summary of what the
articles are about.
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15
THANK YOU:
La
ur
a
Di
ede
a
Di
ed
erick
Ho
w e at
lly S
ric k
Thank you to the following
without whose help this
program would not have been
possible.
La
ur
R E S O U RC E S :
For more information on the research of the
Smithsonian Marine Station:
http://www.sms.si.edu
For more information on the education programs
at the Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit:
http://www.sms.si.edu/SMEE
ACTIVITY ANSWER KEYS:
Quick Quiz:
Page 3: B. Atlantic / Page 4: False
Ocean Scramble (page 15)
1. Ecosystem 2. Exoskeleton 3. Food Web 4. Evaporation 5. Pollution 6. Salinity 7. Coral Reef
8. Watershed 9. Seagrass 10. Mangrove
Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce
CREDITS:
This educational supplement was created
by the Wyland Foundation. Copyright ©
2006 the Wyland Foundation. All rights
reserved.
Extensive alterations in textual
and graphic content were made
by Laura Diederick, Education
Specialist at the Smithsonian
Marine Station. All rights reserved.
Except where otherwise noted,
all photographs are courtesy of
Raphael
Ritson-Williams,
Research Assistant at the
Smithsonian Marine Station.
Original program architect and
creative director Wyland, design and
development by Sue Ann Balogh
of the Wyland Foundation. Written
by Rachel Vigoda of Hollister Kids,
Wynnewood, PA with Sue Ann
Balogh. Edited by Peter Landry of
Hollister Kids, Art Direction by Tracy
Potter, Graphic Design by: Tina
Wu, Linda Walker, Natalie Rim,
Gregg Hamby, and Jennifer Martin
of the Wyland Foundation.