Show:
Yep it's a horseshoe crab
Where the locals hang
So you're secretly an oceanographer
Who knew
What you didn't see while you were swimming
100
How many eyes do horseshoe crabs have? Where are they located?
What is 10 eyes. 2 large compound eyes; 8 light sensing eyes. 5 on top of the shell, two underneath by mouth, some on top of telson.
100
What body of water did we visit on each of our field trips? Be specific.
What is Long Island Sound and New Haven Harbor.
100
What is the name for an environment where fresh and saltwater mix?
What is an estuary! Very productive ecosystem.
100
What types of organisms live in the benthic zone? Give specific examples of 5 types we saw on our field trip.
What are oysters, mussels, sand fleas, sand worms, soft shell and hard shell clams, spartina (marsh grass) etc.
100
What dominant factor controls phytoplankton growth?
What is sunlight and nutrients.
200
How long does it take a horseshoe crab to reach sexual maturity?
What is 9-11 years.
200
Why is it important not to pick up horseshoe crabs by their tail? What is the tail called?
What is the telson. It can break off; they use it to navigate and flip themselves back over.
200
What percent of the Earth's biosphere is marine? In other words, of all living organisms what percent are found in the oceans compared with on land?
What is 80%
200
What is the zone of the ocean called that at the water's surface? Name two types of organisms we saw on our trips that live in this ocean zone.
What is the pelagic zone. Different species of fish, plankton.
200
What nutrients are important for plankton that are transported by rivers? What are sources of these nutrients?
What is calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen, silica, magnesium, iron, etc. Sources are rock (rock weathering) and human (anthropogenic) fertilizer.
300
Describe the importance of horseshoe crabs to the ecological food web. Bonus: what is the name of the bird that migrates up the east coast and stops in Delaware area, that depends on horseshoe crabs?
Shorebirds feed on horseshoe crab eggs on beach; what is the red knot.
300
Describe the role of blue crabs in the food chain. What do they eat and what eats them? Why is Tim interested in studying them?
What is eaten by people and striped bass; eat oysters among other things. Important for fishing and shelfishing industry in Long Island Sound.
300
What do baby oysters need to grow? How do aquaculturists encourage their growth?
What is shell (catch) or hard substrate to grow on. Will put down other oyster shells or scallop shells.
300
Name at least two invasive species we saw on our field trips thus far.
What is black mud snails (littorina), green crabs, asian shore crabs.
300
What type of phytoplankton is mainly responsible for the light teal colored plankton blooms that can be seen from space?
What is phytoplankton- photosynthesizing near the surface.
400
Horseshoe crabs are an important source of bait for fishing what type of species?
What is eels and welks.
400
Describe the effect of hurricanes on the benthic habitat of Long Island Sound.
What is 'mixing up the mud', stirring the substrate, 'resetting' the ecosystem like a forest fire.
400
How do tidal forces affect the earth? Act out the difference between spring and neap tides.
What is bulge the water and crustal rocks due to gravity. Spring = monthly high tide; neap = monthly low tide.
400
How did Long Island Sound form 15,000 years ago?
What is by glaciers!
400
Remembering the global map of phytoplankton distribution, where are most phytoplankton concentrated?
What is along the coasts! specifically western coasts of South America, Africa and polar waters.
500
Horseshoe crabs are most closely related to what species? Under what phylum are they classified?
What is arthopods! Spiders.
500
Why do we see increased clam populations underneath oyster shells and oyster beds?
What is the shells change the pH of the water, making it more basic. Much like fertilizing a lawn with lime.
500
Find two examples of rocks in this room that were made by compressing tiny marine organisms. Bonus points if you remember the names of these rocks.
What is limestone and chert!
500
What is the name of the green algae that Tim described releases toxic hydrogen sulfide, killing 20 students in France? Why is this harmful for the ecosystem?
What is sea lettuce; nothing eats it because it is toxic! suffocates some species.
500
How many quarts of algae does one oyster consumer per day?
What is 4 quarts!