Ask a question from expert

Ask now

Predicting the Most Intriguing Marine Animal Diversity and Feeding Strategies

11 Pages2776 Words230 Views
   

Added on  2021-08-10

About This Document

PRACTICAL 1 Marine Animal Diversity & Feeding Strategies – Online Version 3 Aug 2020 OBJECTIVES • View and appreciate the vast diversity of marine animals through “reef cams” or other live streamed underwater cameras recording marine ecosystems in real time. ReefCam, Georgia Aquarium, USA • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9bQQ_sQQ&feature=youtu.be ReefCam, California Aquarium, USA • https://www.youtube.com/

Predicting the Most Intriguing Marine Animal Diversity and Feeding Strategies

   Added on 2021-08-10

BookmarkShareRelated Documents
PRACTICAL 1Marine Animal Diversity & Feeding
Strategies Online Version
3 Aug 2020
OBJECTIVES
View and appreciate the vast diversity ofmarine animals through “reef
cams” or other live streamed underwater cameras recording marine
ecosystems in real time.
Examine the adaptive feeding strategies marine animals have used to
persist in the marine environment.
Scientifically draw the most intriguing marine animal, incorporating
notes from the practical and your own research.
Predicting the Most Intriguing Marine Animal Diversity and Feeding Strategies_1
2
Background Information
Marine ecosystems are vastly complex with extraordinary animal diversity. Ofthese animals,
invertebrates (animals lacking a backbone) are a major component ofocean life and represent
more than 97% of described animals. The first vertebrates (animals with a backbone) were
fishes, comprising more than halfthe total number ofvertebrate species. Fishes are an extremely
diverse group as they have evolved a wide range ofcharacteristicsand abilities allowing them
to survive in nearly all marine environments. The evolution oflobe---finned fishesresulted in
marine reptiles, mammals and sea birds; after first evolving to live terrestrially, they again
evolved to return to the ocean. While it is not possible to have representatives ofALL marine
animals in this practical session, our intention is to bring a wide variety of animals and
information for you to examine and to see how these marine organisms have found some truly
unique ways ofadapting and surviving in some truly wondrous marine environments.
As diverse as the marine animals are, so are their adapted feeding strategies and diets. There are
deposit feedersthat pass mud, sand or other sediment into their mouthsto feed on detritus
a fine layer ofbacteria and organicremains ofother animals and plants. Many depositfeeders
have special adaptations for eating in this manner, such as special feeding appendages shaped
as spoons to shovel sediment to their mouth. Another common feeding strategy issuspension
feeding, in which animals have developed a wide array ofmechanisms for catchingplankton
and organic matter from the water, such as trapping it in mucous or developing brush---like
combs. Filter feeders actively filter suspended organic material from the water by pumping
water through filtration structures. In addition, there are numerouspredators. Some predators
can camouflage and wait for prey to come to them, have adapted to move quickly or have special
venom or body parts (tentacles, teeth, hooks, stingers etc.) to incapacitate their prey. There are
also marineherbivores that feed on plants, such as the dugongwhich eat sea grassesand other
aquatic plants.
Please use the following links to view a variety of marine life from a variety of marine
ecosystems. Some will be in aquaria, and some are underwater cameras ‘live streaming’ from
the ocean. Be mindful some cameras only operate during their local daylight times and may
requireyou to check back in the early morning or late in the evening ifyou’re here in Australia.
Other cameras show highlight footage during ‘offscreen’ time. Many ofthem also have online
field guides to help you identify the animals observed in the footage:
1. The Nature Conservancy Australia ReefCam in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia
https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/what-we-do/our-priorities/oceans/ocean-
stories/reef-cam-underwater/
2. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Coral ReefCam, California, USA
https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams/coral-reef-cam
3. California Academy ofScience ReefLagoon Cam and Field Guide, California, USA
https://www.calacademy.org/explore-science/reef-lagoon-field-guide
Predicting the Most Intriguing Marine Animal Diversity and Feeding Strategies_2
3
4. The National Aquarium Live Streams, Baltimore, Maryland USA
https://aqua.org/explore/livestreams
*Note: you can zoom in on these live cams!
5. Coral Morphologic - Coral City Camera, Florida, USA
http://www.coralcitycamera.com/
*Note: follow them on Instagram for great highlight videos: @coralcitycamera
6. Georgia Aquarium Indo-Pacific Barrier ReefWebcam, Georgia, USA
https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/indo-pacific-barrier-reef/
*Note: view the Gallery link below the cam for more details on marine animals
on display
7. Cayman ReefCam powered by EXPLORE.org
https://explore.org/livecams/oceans/cayman-reef-cam
*Note: footage may not be live, but highlight footage has GREAT clarity and the
camera is positioned at a cleaning station
Feel free to find additional live reefcams from other marine ecosystems or aquariums and add
them to the list!
Here are a list ofsome ofthe organisms you may encounter:
Sponges (phylum Porifera)
Jellyfish, Siphonophoresand corals (phylum Cnidaria)
Bivalves, snails, nudibranchs, sea slugs, octopus, squid, nautilus, cuttlefish
(phylum Mollusca)
Sea stars, sea lilies, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sand dollars,brittle starts
(phylum Echinodermata)
Crustaceans (phylum Arthropoda)
Ray---finned Fishes (phylum Chordata, infraclass Teleostei)
Sharks and rays (phylum Chordata, subclass Elasmobranchii)
Sea snakes (Chordata, class Reptilia)
Predicting the Most Intriguing Marine Animal Diversity and Feeding Strategies_3
4
Your Task
1. This practical is designed for students to peruse footageofvariousmarine animal groups
at your own pace. There is no set order, time or day in which you must visit each site, but
check back frequently. Be sure to watch any highlight footageoffered for special critter
appearances on the live ocean cams.

2. At each website, there may be guides and information sheets, videos, pictures, and hints
& tips ofthings to look at or do. Make sure you go through everything and enjoy exploring!

3. Be sure to have this practical guide with you while viewing the underwater camera
streams. Ifyou complete the question sheets by hand, they will need to be scanned and
uploaded for credit towards your practical report.If you don’t have access to a scanner,
many smart phones can take clear imagesand convert them into .pdfs with the use
of (free) apps.
4. After visiting all the underwater camera streams (and any others of your choosing),
select one ofthe animals that intrigues you most and draw it scientifically on a separate
piece ofpaper (see guide for how to do a scientific drawing below).You will need this to
complete Questions 2 and 3 below.
Assessment: Practical Report (5%)
You must submit a practical report through SafeAssign by midnight Monday August 10.
Your report should consistthe following:
1. A digital copy ofyour question sheets (9 marks).
2. Scientific drawing with observations (3 marks) ofthe animal that intrigues you. Write a
paragraph about what you found most interesting about the animal (3-4 sentences ; 3
marks).
3. Research into the specificfeeding mechanisms ofthe animal you chose to draw for
question 2 (8-10 sentences with proper referencing and APA formatting: 10 marks).
Note: Plagiarism is not accepted. Please cite your statements using primary literature,
including scholarly books and journal articles, and when possible avoid websites completely.
Predicting the Most Intriguing Marine Animal Diversity and Feeding Strategies_4

End of preview

Want to access all the pages? Upload your documents or become a member.