Thursday, February 4, 2010
Marine Mammals
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Reptiles and Birds
Shorebirds or waders have long legs for wading and thin sharp bills for finding food in the shallow water and sand.
"Sea" you real soon!!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Fishes
Hagfish
The shape of the fish's body is primarily determined by the characteristics of its environment.
Many fishes exhibit coloration and color patterns that help them blend in with their envionrment .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSPptPhbFVc This video shows examples how fish use camoflauge to their advantage.
Bony fishes exploit virtually every food resource available in the marine enviornment.
Most bony fishes have a swim bladder that helps them maintain neutal buoyancy in the water column.
"Sea" you real soon!!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Molluscs
Cephalopods can communicate with each other through movements of their arms and bodies and by color changes. Here is a video about how cuttlefish are masters of camouflage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW4PbW893ik
Cephalopods are carnivores . Their prey is located with highly developed eyes and captured by the tentacles. They have a powerful pair of beak-like jaws in their oral cavity.
This video is called Shark vs. Octopus. Can you guess who wins? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9A-oxUMAy8
"Sea" you real soon!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sponges and Cnidarians
A Sponges body is unique in that it is built around a system of water canals because of the sponged sessile lifestyle. Their bodies are full of tiny holes, or pores called ostia through which large amounts of water circulate.
Because sponges feed on material that is suspended in seawater, they are called suspension feeders or filter feeders because they filter their food from the water.
Sponges can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Asexual reproduction can either be budding or fragmentation.
Although they are simple sessile animals, sponges interact with other marine organisms in several ways. They compete for space. They are links in some marine food chains. Sponges form many symbiotic relationships and they provide habitat for other animals.
Cnidarians are a group of animals that consist of hydroids, corals, sea anemones and jellyfish.
Cnidarians have bodies that exhibit radial symmetry . This means that many planes can be drawn through the central axis that will divide the animal into two equivalent halves.
Cnidarians can reproduce both sexually and asexually.
One of the most important features of cnidarians is their stinging cells(cnidocytes). The stinging cell contains a stinging organelle called cnida.
Many species of cnidarian such as the Portugese man-of-war can cause painful stings.
The stings of a box jellyfish can be fatal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyCigZ_bsTM Here is video from National Geographic called Jellyfish Invasion!
"Sea" you real soon!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Multicellular Primary Producers
The life cycle of most brown algae consists of an alteration of generations between a sporophyte and a gametophyte.
Free floating clumps of sargassum weed forma complex three dimensional habitat that is home to a variety of unique organisms like this sargassum fish!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grh6cYcPfBk Here is an awesome video about a Sargassum Fish and how it utilizes the seaweed as its habitat!
"Sea" you real soon!!Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Marine Microbes
Monday, January 25, 2010
Basics of Life
Friday, January 22, 2010
Science and Marine Biology
Marine Biology is the study of the sea's diverse inhabitants and their relationships to each other and their environment.
The history of marine biology is one of changing perspectives that have shaped the modern science and its applications.
Oceans are the principal physical feature of our planet. They cover nearly 71% of the earth's surface and represent the last great expanse on this planet to be charted and explored. The physical characteristics of these great bodies of water directly and indirectly affect our everyday lives, and the living organisms that inhabit them are an important source of food and natural products.
Marine laboratories play an important role in education, conservation and biological research.
Human interest in the sea probably dates back to the time we first set eyes on it, fished its waters, and sailed across it. The great expanse of water with its variety of strange and wonderful creatures has inspired awe, wonder and curiosity, myth and at times fear. This interest in the sea and its creatures was the beginning of the sciences of oceanography and marine biology.
Here is a video from the documentary Blue Planet. Please click on the link below and enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8rBYNP0UKM
Thursday, January 21, 2010
For the love of all things in the ocean...
For the next two weeks our class will be focusing on Marine Biology. The discussions will take place by using a blog to share your thoughts about the subject. I will be posting some interesting facts,pictures and videos that relate to a topic for that day. The following topics will be discussed in our blogs:
Science and Marine Biology: Importance of the Oceans and Marine Organisms
Marine Organisms: Each of these topics will be covered in separate blogs:
- Basics of Life: Molecules, Cells, Evolution and Biological Classification
- Marine Microbes
- Multi cellular Primary Producers
- Sponges, Cnidarians, Comb Jellies and Marine Worms
- Molluscs, Arthropods, Echinoderms and Invertebrate Chordates
- Fishes
- Reptiles and Birds
- Marine Mammals
Marine Ecosystems
Humans and the Sea
"SEA" YA REAL SOON!!!