In Hot In Hot WaterWaterIn Hot In Hot WaterWater

Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research ProgramMichele Kissinger

Remember that an Ecosystem is all the living and non-living things in an area working together.

Fish breathe Oxygen

Algae use Carbon Dioxide

Fish compete against one another for algae

Algae use Sunlight

(Algae is like a plant, it does photosynthesis)

Animals have to adapt to both the biotic and the abiotic influences in their ecosystem.

This fish is hiding from predators.

A Biotic influence

This fish is protected from waves.

An Abiotic influence

Can you see me?

Coral and Kelp are found in different areas around the world.

Can you guess why?

Do you see any patterns?

Because the sun’s ray are most intense near the equator…

…air near the equator is heated more than anywhere else.

Because the air near the equator is warm…

…air near the equator rises into Earth’s atmosphere.

…and warm air rises…

…and cooler air moves in to take it’s place.

This air rushing

toward the equator

cause a very interesting wind pattern over the Earth.

the Earth’s rotation

and

These wind patterns…

…push the ocean and

create gyres

…and how cool water from the

poles is carried toward

the equator.

Notice how warm water from the

equator is carried by currents up

towards the poles…

The kelp is near poles and coasts where currents carry cool water.

Equator

The cool and nutrient-rich water

off California is great for KELP!

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And what about the coral?

Notice that the coral is near the equator and coasts where currents carry warm water.

Equator

The warm, clear water off Moorea is great for coral!Moorea

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These abiotic factors (temperature, nutrients, sunlight)

impact coral and kelp,

and other animals that depend on them.

but it also changes throughout the year.

Temperature changes around the planet,

Let’s explore some of these yearly changes by graphing some of the data scientists collect.

You will each graph the water temperature for a year and then compare your year to others.

What kinds of patterns did you see?

Did you notice that the temperature in Mooreais coldest in the southern hemisphere’s winter (July)?

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The temperature in Moorea is warmest in the southern hemisphere’s summer (December).

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Can you see the difference in temperature between places with coral and kelp?

Kelp is found in cold water ~16°C

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Coral is found in warm water ~28°C

Do you think that coral could grow off the coast of California?

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Probably not, it’s too COLD!

Some animals survive better in certain abiotic conditions than others

This lesson covers California State Science Content Standards:

4th Grade Life Science• 3a

– Ecosystems can be characterized by their living and non-living components.

• 3b– In any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive

well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Investigation and Experimentation• 6a

– Scientists’ explanations come from what they observe and how they interpret their observations.

• 6c– Formulate and justify predictions based on cause-and-effect

relationships.• 6e

– Construct and interpret graphs from measurement.

Credits

This Lesson Was Developed By:

Michele Kissinger

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Moorea Coral Reef LTER

Funding By: