LessonPlan–LifeintheTwilightZone:Adaptationsforlivingatdifferentdepthsoftheocean

SummaryThislessonwillexplorehowscientistdividetheoceanintozonesbasedonphysicalcharacteristics(e.g.light,depth,temperature).Lightisextremelyimportanttooceanlifeforavarietyoflifefunctions(photosynthesis,predator/preyinteractions,heat).Thislessonwillexplainhowandwhycertainfish(andotherorganisms)producelightinthedeepocean.Thislessonalsoexplainstheimportanceoflight(sun/moon)atthesurfacetoplanktonandadaptationsbasedonavailablelight.ContentAreaMarineBiologyGradeLevel1-3KeyConcept(s)•  Theoceanisdividedintozonesbasedonphysicalcharacteristicssuchassunlight,

temperature,anddepth.

KeyConcept(s)•  Oceanorganismshavedifferentadaptationstoliveateverydepthoftheocean

fromthesurfaceofwarmtropicalwaterstothedeep,dark,frigidoceandepths.•  Lightisveryimportanttomostoceanorganismsforavarietyoflifefunctions.•  Plankton(zooplanktonandphytoplankton)haveadaptationstomaintainormove

upanddownwatercolumnbasedonlightlevels.•  Somedeep-waterfishandotherorganismcansynthesizelighttoassistinlife

functions.ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto:•  Explainatleastthreedifferentverticalzonesintheoceananddescribethe

amountofavailablelightandrelativetemperatureineach.•  Understandthatthereareavarietyofdeep-waterfishthatcanproducelightto

assistindifferentlifefunctions(i.e.communication,attractingprey,escapingpredators,mating).

LessonPlan–LifeintheTwilightZone:Adaptationsforlivinginatdifferentdepthsoftheocean

ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto:•  Explainonereasonwhyphytoplanktonneedtomaintainapositioninthesunlit

zone.•  Explainwhyzooplanktonmoveupanddowninthewatercolumneachdayand

night.

ResourcesSmithsonianNationalMuseumofNaturalHistoryOceanPortal:Bioluminescencehttp://ocean.si.edu/bioluminescenceMarinebiopage:Zooplanktonhttp://marinebio.org/oceans/zooplankton/index.aspxGCOOSBathymetrypage.AccesstotopographicalmapsshowingtheGulfofMexicobasin(shapeandfeatures).StudentscanvisualizehowmuchareaoftheGulfofMexicoisverydeepwater.https://geo.gcoos.org/data/topography/Introduction.html

LessonPlan–LifeintheTwilightZone:Adaptationsforlivinginatdifferentdepthsoftheocean

NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple

LearningGoals

UnifyingConceptsandProcesses1.Systems,order,andorganization

Typesandlevelsoforganizationprovideusefulwaysofthinkingabouttheworld.Thecomplexityandnumberoffundamentalunitschangeinextendedhierarchiesoforganization.Withinthesesystems,interactionsbetweencomponentsoccur.

UnifyingConceptsandProcesses5.Formandfunction

Formandfunctionarecomplementaryaspectsofobjects,organisms,andsystemsinthenaturalanddesignedworld.Theformorshapeofanobjectorsystemisfrequentlyrelatedtouse,operation,orfunction.Functionfrequentlyreliesonform.

ScienceasinquiryA.1:Abilitiesnecessarytodoscientificinquiry

Askaquestionaboutobjects,organisms,andeventsintheenvironment.Thisaspectofthestandardemphasizesstudentsaskingquestionsthattheycananswerwithscientificknowledge,combinedwiththeirownobservations.

LessonPlan–LifeintheTwilightZone:Adaptationsforlivinginatdifferentdepthsoftheocean

NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple

LearningGoals

LifeScienceC.1.Characteristicsoforganisms

Organismshavebasicneeds.Organismscansurviveonlyinenvironmentsinwhichtheirneedscanbemet.Theworldhasmanydifferentenvironments,anddistinctenvironmentssupportthelifeofdifferenttypesoforganisms.

LifeScienceC.1.Characteristicsoforganisms

Eachplantoranimalhasdifferentstructuresthatservedifferentfunctionsingrowth,survival,andreproduction.Forexample,humanshavedistinctbodystructuresforwalking,holding,seeing,andtalking.

LifeScienceC.3.Organismsandtheirenvironments

Anorganism’spatternsofbehaviorarerelatedtothenatureofthatorganism’senvironment,includingthekindsandnumbersofotherorganismspresent,theavailabilityoffoodandresources,andthephysicalcharacteristicsoftheenvironment.

LessonPlan–LifeintheTwilightZone:Adaptationsforlivinginatdifferentdepthsoftheocean

NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple

LearningGoals

Principle5(K-2:A.,A.4.)DiversityofLifeTheoceansupportsagreatdiversityoflifeandecosystems.

A.Thereisagreatdiversityoforganismsintheocean.A.4.Oceanorganismshaveavarietyofdifferentstructuresandbehaviorsthathelpthemsurviveintheocean.

Principle5(K-2:B.,B.1.,B.2.)DiversityofecosystemsTheoceansupportsagreatdiversityoflifeandecosystems.

B.Theoceanholdsagreatdiversityofuniqueenvironmentsandhabitatswhereorganismslive.B.1.Therearedistinctanduniqueoceanhabitatsthroughouttheoceanandonthecoast,offshore,inthedeepoceanandatthesurface.B.2.Organismslivingindifferentkindsofplacesintheoceanhavedifferentadaptationsinstructureandbehavior,whichhelpthemtosurviveintheirhabitat(e.g.findandcaptureprey).

LessonPlan–LifeintheTwilightZone:Adaptationsforlivinginatdifferentdepthsoftheocean

Chris Simoniello, Ph.D. USF College of Marine Science

All living things do not live in the same place.

•  Scientistssorttheoceanintodifferentparts.•  Therearedifferentwaystosortthelayersoftheocean.

– Amountofsunlight– Waterdepth– Watertemperature

Light and Color in the Ocean

Dinoflagellate Diatom Diatom

Dinoflagellate Blue green algae

Ciliate

Copepod Copepod barnacle

Heteropod Pteropod

DAY NIGHTDAY

Sunset Sunrise

Some fish make their own light!

•  A photophore is a light-emitting organ. •  It can be simple. •  It can be fancy (shutters, color filters). •  The light can be produced from

1) Digesting certain foods 2) Special cells called photocytes 3) Light-producing bacteria that are grown in the fish (symbiotic)

Why bother making light? It takes energy!

•  Lightproducingorgansonfisharemainlyusedto:–  Attractfood–  Confusepredators

ThekindofphotophorehelpsIDfishes.

Myctophids (lanternfishes)

ActivityColorandlabelthedifferentpartsofthelanternfish.Feelfreetocolorandlabelanyofthepartsofthelanternfishthatyoulearnedaboutinthislesson.Also,youmayaddphotophoresorotherbodystructurestothisfishandbeabletoexplainhowthosestructureshelpyourfishadapttolifeinthedeep,darkocean.

AcknowledgementsLessondevelopedbyDr.ChrisSimonielloforBayPointElementary.Standards-cross-referencingandformattingbyGrantCraig.Questions,comments,edits?ContactDr.Chris:chris.Simoniello@gcoos.org