...BACKGROUND Both mangroves and salt marshes occur in the intertidal zone: the area between terrestrial land and open salt water. Areas above high water level are increasingly restrictive on growth, and although some mangroves persist they commonly diminish in size and are soon replaced by saltmarsh communities more tolerant of hypersalinity. PART 1: ABOITIC FACTORS The main abiotic factors that will determine the structure of the salt marsh community are the salinity of the soil, the water content in the soil and the substrate type. The impact these abiotic factors have on the structure is ultimately determined by the topography of the land. The unusual topography of the land determined the salinity concentrations in the soil: the land forms a shallow basin in the center and is surrounded by a slightly higher landform. When the salt marsh is rarely inundated, the water is drawn to the center of the ecosystem due to the abnormal topography of the land. During the process of evaporation, a majority of the water content is removed from the soil and transformed into water vapour, leaving behind highly concentrated salt sediment. Another key abiotic factor is the substrate type. According to the data collected, sites B and D have fairly low water content in the soil, while the remaining sites recorded a much high reading. The soil at sites B and D appeared dry, especially on the surface, and replicated fine grain sand – this particular substrate cannot retain a high water moisture...
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...Master Diver Diving Equipment Open circuit demand scuba is the most commonly used by recreational divers, but closed circuit and semi-closed rebreathers are now available. Test Pressure: the pressure to which the cylinder is subjected to during hydrostatic testing. For a 200 bar cylinder it is 300 bars, for a 232 bar cylinder it is 348 bars. If internal inspection reveals corrosion, it may have to be cleaned by tumbling. The tumbling process involves filling the cylinder approximately half full of an abrasive material such as carbide chips, or aluminum oxide chips, and rotating it for a number of hours. A dual valve for a single cylinder, known as a Y-valve, or an H-valve, allows a diver to mount 2 regulator systems on a single cylinder. The first stage reduces cylinder pressure to an intermediate pressure (or low pressure) of approximately 90-150 psi (6 to 10 bar). The second stage reduces the intermediate (low) pressure to ambient pressure. Because of their tendency to fail in a closed position, upstream valves are rare in modern scuba regulators. In a Balanced Valve regulator the operation of the regulator is independent of the cylinder or applied pressure. (Breathes the same at low tank pressure) The internal valves of scuba regulator first stages are available in 2 basic types, diaphragm and piston. The main valve of a Pilot Valve regulator is opened and closed with air pressure, rather than mechanical leverage. Some regulators may...
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...water, temperatures such as air and water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen in the water. According to the graph displaying the percentage of species on the entire Rocky Shore (found under Results), the most abundant keystone species found at the Rocky Shore was the Striped Periwinkle. Striped Periwinkles were most frequently found in intertidal zones and tide pools. Due to the species environment, periwinkles have had to overcome extreme conditions including extreme heat and wind exposure at low tide, severe wave action, and submergence at high tide. (Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea), 1998). Periwinkles consist of a single spiral shell that grows with their body and protects them from predators. The body includes a fleshy foot, a short tail, and two antennae on the head. (Common Periwinkle (Littorina littorea), 1998) The muscular foot ripples, allowing the periwinkle to move and hold securely onto rocks to withstand large waves. The two antennae are sensory organs, allowing periwinkles...
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...levels are reported in the animation relative to the MLLW in feet and are color coded in the animation with the lowest water levels (indicating low tide) most likely represented by [ (green to red) (blues and purples) ]. 3. The animation shows the tides moving through the estuary [ ( towards) ( away from) ] the mouth of the bay. Figure 2 shows water level changes during one tide’s journey through the Bay. 4. The times shown below the maps, indicate it probably took about [ (3) (6) (12) ] hours for the low tide to travel the entire length of the Bay. 5. In figure 2, mark the location of Kiptopeke ( Beach), VA, on the map to the left at 37.1 degrees N, 76.0 degree W (or you can find the location on the CBOFS website map). It is [ (northwest) (northeast) ]. 6. The comparison of the 0600 25 April Water level now-cast map in figure 2 with the predicted and observed water levels in figure 3 for the same time are consistent on showing the presence of a [ (low) (high) ] tide in the mouth of the bay. 7. Knowing the direction of movement of tides in Chesapeake Bay as seen in the water levels Now-cast animation, figure 2 reveals that this tide (identified in item 6) progressed about [ (half) (the entire length) ] of the bay in the subsequent five hours. 8. [ (low) (high) ]. 9. [ (low) (high) ]. 10. [ (diurnal) (semi-diurnal) ] tides. 11. [ (only into) (only out of) (into and out of) ] the bay. 12. [ (left) (right) ] as it advances. 13. [ (1) (11) (21) (31) ]. ...
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...Imagine a place where you can sit on the beach as the waves roll in; the smell of the sea and fresh fish cooking in the distance at a nearby restaurant. A place where you can experience a thrill of blasting over the sand dunes at high speeds in a buggy, visit aquariums, and see wildlife up close. Imagine a place of relaxation, watching the whales migrate across the ocean. A place like this can only be one of a kind, the Oregon coast. The Oregon coast would be a great place to spend a vacation, it’s inexpensive and relaxing. So how much would it cost to go to the Oregon coast? What kinds of attractions would one be able to see? Is there stuff for the kids to do as well as adults? What kind of food do you get to eat when you go to the cost? These are all great questions that you ask yourself before planning a trip anywhere. When planning a trip you will want to figure out what the area has to offer. This will give you a sense of where you what to go and when. I enjoy the thrill of adventure and enjoy traveling to places. I have never been to the Oregon coast, so I decided to plan a trip there and find out what attractions they have to offer me. By googling “the Oregon Coast” the first website that I came across was the “Oregon Coast Visitors Association” link (Oregon Coast Visitors Association, 2008). This website’s home page displayed a slide show of pictures of the coast and a map that you are able to click on different areas to find out more information. I clicked...
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...would have a hard time in the Arctic (though a herd of camels pulling a sled over the ice is an amusing image). The underlying idea is that in order to be adapted to one environment, you necessarily give up the ability to live in other environments. But is this true for most species? Do species live where they do primarily because of their adaptations to the physical environment, or might the other species in the environment also be important? The intertidal zone of rocky coastlines makes an interesting natural laboratory in which to explore these questions. First, the physical environment itself is challenging. The intertidal zone is that portion of the shore that is covered during high tide and exposed to air during low tide. If you think about how rocks would be covered and exposed as tides come in and out (twice a day on average), you can see that, the higher an organism lives on the rocks, the more time it will...
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...This archive file includes SCI 209 Week 1 NOAA Activity Part One Ocean Exploration Geography - General Geography SCI 209 Week 4 SCI 209 Week 4 Individual Assignment Natural Ocean Disasters Paper Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word paper in which you explain the relationship between the ocean and the shoreline. Select and describe a naturally occurring ocean disaster that results from the relationship between weather and climate. Include the following in your paper: A minimum of one reference is required. What caused the natural event? Would the effects of this event be any different if it occurred at a high or low tide? If so how? How does this event change the wave action of the ocean? Which ocean currents (deep and surface) pass near or through the disaster impact area? Is the disaster affected by surface or deep ocean currents? If so, how? SCI 209 Week 4 Learning Team Assignment Outline Begin working on the final Week Five assignment, NOAA Activity Final Section: Marine Adaptations. Create an outline of your presentation topics. This may be completed in Microsoft Word or in the Outline view inside of PowerPoint. Waves which are mainly caused by wind travel in little circles or orbs. Waves decrease in velocity as they enter the shore. The top of the wave is called a crest and the bottom is called a trough. The wave crest which will break as it enters the shore. You will view that in this week's animation. Surface waves should...
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...Tides and the Moon Name AST/101 Date Teacher Tides and the Moon I was recently tasked with examining the relationship between the Earth’s moon and the Earth’s tides. I took that to mean literally: how are the tide levels of Earth’s bodies of water affected by the Moon? When approaching this question I want to do so with the scientific method in mind. The scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge (Goldhaber & Nieto, 2010). The scientific method is a way to ask and answer scientific questions by making observations and doing experiments. It is also a good tool when we are searching for cause and effect relationships in nature. We already know the primary question being asked: How are the bodies of water on Earth affected by the Moon? To begin to answer our primary question we next ask: what causes tides? There are several kinds of tides. The ones that break upon a beach every 10 seconds to a minute are caused by sea level disturbances out in the ocean produced by such things as storms. Also the various circulation currents of sea water can have velocity components directed toward the land which will bring water up onto the beach. As this water travels toward the beach from deep water to shallow water, its amplitude will increase until it finally “breaks” as a full-fledged breaker, suitable for surfing, etc. Underlying this minute to minute activity is a slower...
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...The Birds “… The vast quantity of birds flocking above towns, villages, and outlying districts, causing obstruction and damage and even attacking individuals”(du Maurier 68). The above statement is the plot which is presented in both the story and the film. The main plot is the same in both the story and the film. In the story and the film the birds attack with the tides. They rest on low tide and attack on high tide. Abnormal flocking patterns are also a common detail. This means that birds of prey are flocking with the birds that they are hunted by. In both the idea that women cannot handle stressful situations is presented. In the story Mrs.Hockens said to her husband “You’re no to go, you’re not to go and leave me with the children. I cant stand it” (du Maurier 85). “Her voice rose hysterically. He hushed her, calmed her“ (du Maurier85). In both the main characters go into their house to protect themselves but before they do that they board their houses for extra protection. Unfortunately in both the story and the film they did not do a good enough job boarding up their houses because the birds get into an upstairs room. The main character takes precautions like boarding up his house while many other characters don’t take the attacks seriously. “She’s another… Se doesn’t care” (du Maurier 75). While the story and the film have similarities there are more differences that present them self. One of the main differences would be that there is a completely different cast....
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...to physical causes. A depression can produce low pressure conditions which pull water particles up, giving to a rise in sea level. Similarly strong winds can occur due to change in meteorological conditions which can also rise the sea level. At this point the sea level is much higher than a normal spring tide, and this is called a storm surge. However many human causes, particularly the lack of preparation and costal defences, can lead to lead to any storm surge having a much larger impact on local communities near the coastline. The North Sea storm surge occurred in 1953 and had a huge impact on many communities in places including Britain and the Netherlands. In the Netherlands 1,835 people were killed and 47,000 buildings damaged. While in Britain 307 people died but over 30,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes. This initial storm surge was inevitable. A deep Atlantic depression moved across Scotland, meaning the central pressure had dropped to 970 mb by the coast of Denmark. This reduction is pressure is responsible for the rise in the surface of the sea level by 0.5m. Strong winds also drove the waves ahead of the storm. This was combined with high spring tides when the Sun and Earth and Moon are all in line. So the result was 6m waves approaching both Britain and the Netherlands. Additionally Canvey (one of the areas most affected in Britain) is 1 metre below sea level. Whilst 50% of the land in the Netherlands is no higher than 1m above sea level. So physical...
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...COASTAL SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS, GEOMORPHOLOGICAL PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, THEIR EVOLUTION AND THE ECONOMEIC ASPECTS INTRODUCTION: The coastal zone contains the near-shore area together with the entire continental shelf and the resources of the overlying waters as delimited by existing international agreements. Both play a vital role in the coastal environment – offshore and onshore. Coastal zone is the transition area between the land and the ocean and is an area of complex, dynamic and delicate environment. External factors influencing the coastal zone are the sediment supply by the rivers and the coastal processes. Shoreline is one of the most rapidly changing landforms of the coastal zones, geomorphic processes such as erosion, deposition, sedimentation, periodic storms, flooding and also sea level changes are continuously modifying the shoreline. The accurate mapping of the shoreline is therefore very important for planning conservation measures such as protection of human life, property, and natural environments. The coastal zone is receiving an increasing attention because of the pressures of increasing population and industrial developments. Also erosion is caused by shifting of river mouths and spits. Protection of natural resources, the loss of habitats, severe coastal erosion, sedimentation in ports and harbours, and municipal and industrial pollution are major concerns of the coastal zone managers. Conservation and management of the coastal features requires...
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...University of Phoenix Material Earth’s Dynamic Ocean and Atmosphere I Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. Part 1 Sections 12.1 and 12.2 of the text discuss the origin and composition of the world ocean’s seawater. 1. What is the current theory on the evolution of the world ocean?the theory of the earth’s ocean, is possibly the earth was formed between 4 and 4.56 billion years ago. The most ancient grain discovered was a mineral grain of zircon in the middle of west austraillia. That element shows to have made contact with water, but the origin of the water is still unkown. 2. Discuss the origin of the salinity of seawater and how the ocean maintains salinity. The salinity of the ocean is created after the seawater evaporates. At that point three quarters of dissolved matter becomes sodium chloride. (table salt). The ocean maintains its salinity because it constantly receives fresh water from parcipitation and river flow. Often times other elements parcipitate out of mineral form and settle to the seafloor. As a result the composition of the seawater does not change. Part 2 Surface currents obtain their energy from the wind blowing over the surface waters. The currents do not exactly follow the wind direction because of an apparent force known as the Coriolis force. Using Figure 12.11 from the text, briefly explain surface currents of...
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...Tides The Earth’s waters move back and forth every-day, causing currents and tides. Tides are the daily or twice daily rise and fall of the oceans. Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the ocean. The rise and fall of tides causes water to move in and out of estuaries, bays and harbors. This movement is called a tidal current. When the tide is rising, water flows from the ocean into the bay creating a flood current. When the tide falls, water flows from the bay back into the ocean creating an ebb current. The highest tides, called spring tides, are formed when the earth, sun and moon are lined up in a row. This happens every two weeks during a new moon or full moon. Smaller tides, called neap tides, are formed when the earth, sun and moon form a right angle. This causes the sun and moon to pull the water in two different directions. Neap tides happen during a quarter or three-quarter moon. I once went fishing with my dad at the beach and the tides were really low. We had to wait until the next morning to get a nice high tide to be able to catch any fish. The low tide waves were so far away that the fishing line barely went out. This is my personal connection because tides make a big impact on people who love to fish. Normally, fish like to be away from shore so if the tide is low, there wouldn’t be any fishes. My life does not depend on tides, however; but the fishes...
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...years the world population has been increasing exponentially, and our earth sources have been depleting sharply. For this reason, scientists have been trying to find new kinds of resources that can protect earth sources and serve for long term. These renewable resources are important for our plant and our life as humans. There are different kinds of renewable resources that used to generate electric power such as solar and wind power. Recently, scientists created a new kind of renewable power which is tidal power. Tidal power is “the generation of electricity from the hydraulic energy that is produced by tidal currents of the ocean”(Culture&Morris,2006,p.449). This power depends on the gravitational tug from the moon which can produce a swift tide (Roach, 2003), and it basically works as an underwater windmills. There are many projects in different countries such as Norway, Scotland, United Kingdom, and United States. Most of these projects are under development, and still not ready for commercial uses. However, this power can be enormous, but we should think about the effects of this power in the marine environment, the costs, and the possibility to make it work. There are many projects in different countries. In United States, there are two companies which are trying to develop this power. The first one, Verdant Power, which made three experiments in New York City’s East River, found the success in providing a power enough to light a supermarket. The second company, Ocean Power...
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...The L.scobina live in the MTZ when the tide is out so they do not have deal with as harsh abiotic factors as the C.brunnea have to deal with in the HTZ. Also, our data indicated that very small numbers of L.scobina could be found seeking refuge in or near the LTZ when the tide was out. However, they are exposed to the air for approximately 8 hours each day (4 hours per tide cycle) when in the MTZ and hence they need to be able to endure this length of exposure. One important physiological adaptation of the L.scobina to help withstand desiccation from exposure is that they can produce a mucus layer around the opening (operculum) of their shell to seal it for a period of time. However, due to their siphon canal- a long tube used to find prey...
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