CCE LTER Cruise: Day 1, I’m on a boat!
1: Click on the California Current Ecosystem link- read about about the research site. Why are
scientists particularly interested in this specific site? Why is it special?
+ The scientists are particularly interested in that specific site, because they want to look at how the climate change affects the ocean. She worked with a group of oceanographers, marine biologists, chemists and other scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Another thing that makes it special is that they will be studying everything from dissolved metals in the ocean to deep-sea fish.
2. What is the name of the research vessel that they are on?
+ Research Vessel (R/V) Melville.
3. How much does the ship weigh when it is fully loaded?
+ The ships weigh 3,026,000 pounds which is 2,516 tons when fully loaded.
4. On day #3. Read about zooplankton are captured by the MOCNESS, summarize the process below.
+ MOCNESS stands for Multiple Opening and Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System. It is ten nets that go out constantly but only one net is open with each net at a different depth. The nets depth range of where the nets are is from 0-1500 ft. Then the researchers look at the nets for different types, sizes, and amount of plankton from a certain depth. They drag the nets to the boat and the planktons get funneled. The ten nets are computer operated and the nets get straighten out. They count the planktons and classify what type they are like krill, copepods, and jellyfishes.
5. Explain the “vertical migration” of many zooplankton species. Why do they do this?
+ Many zooplankton species like krill do vertical migration where they go deep onto the water so that they can avoid predators because they is less sunlight. Then at night they back to the top to eat phytoplankton or smaller zooplankton.
6. What are phytoplankton?
+ Small marine organisms (tiny plants in the water) that are consisted of bacteria and some protists. They are primary food sources for other marine animals.
7. What information is collected by the Sea Soar? What are they trying to find specifically?
+ Sea Soar is connected to a computer in the lab that els the SeaSoar to go deep down at 900 ft water column to collect information and comes back up. The Sea Soar tugs through the water collecting salinity data.
8. What is CTD stand for?
+CTD (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) is a ocean tool used for determine the temperature and depth of the water.
9. What is the “E- Front”?
+ E- Front is the front where California Current comes to meet the inshore currents.
10. Why does the sampling need to be conducted at night?
+Sampling needs to be conducted at night, so that they are sure that the zooplanktons were there at the sampling depth (because they migrate up and down).
11. What is the epipelagic zone?
+After lowering Bongo net, the water would flow through the net leaving the zooplankton from the light zone so they can be caught in it.
12. These samples were taken along the E-Front- Can you tell where the actual front is located? Draw an arrow where you see the sample changes.
+I think the actual front is is the first sample. As the sample goes in a row down the samples are darker and looks like it is the sample of a deeper depth down the right.
13. Explain how the chlorophyll samples are preserved.
+The chlorophyll samples are preserved by pouring the water on to the filter paper in acetone and then they froze it.
14. Where is the mesopelagic zone? Why are the critters found here so special?
+The mesopelagic zone is where fishes live deep in the water like 1,500 ft below. The critters found there are special because they lack light and have little of oxygen
15. Explain why styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk when they were lowered to the depths.
+The styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk because there was less volume.
16. Why is iron so important to phytoplankton?
+Iron is important to phytoplankton because it is an important nutrient that they need.
17. What kind of precautions are taken by the scientists on board to make sure that the water samples are not contaminated by metals on or around the ship?
+The scientists' precautions about the water samples not being contaminated is that water that touched the ship isn't clan anymore. In the lab the bottles are strapped to the wall until it is taped.
17. How can scientists use “poop” to determine the biomass of an ecosystem? Explain.
+Because there is an amount of carbon found in the poop of zooplankton. So that they can find an amount of matter flowing through the ecosystem.
18. What is “marine snow”? Explain how it is collected.
+Marine snow is what scientists call fecal, other materials, or phytoplankton that fall through the water column.
19. Explain how long-lining is dangerous to marine birds.
+Long-lining is dangerous to marine birds, because the albatross will see a fish on line and eat. That leads to it getting stuck on bait and leaves it drowning.
20. Describe Fin Whales- what do they look like, what do they eat, why are they not hunted as much as other whales?
+Fin Whales have a unique color and their dorsal fin is by the blowhole. They eat zooplankton like krill and they are not hunted as much as other whales because they are farther off shore.
21. What are copepods? What are they related to?
+Copepods is a type of small zooplankton found in the Pacific Ocean. They are related to crabs and lobsters.
22. Explain the two ways that copepods are studied on this ship.
+Copepods are studied by bongo nets, and Underwater Visual Profiler that takes pictures every second of the plants and animals in the water.
23. What is the bow dome? Where is it located?
+The bow dome are the Melville first set sail which has windows in the bottom of the boat front.
24. Would you be interested in spending a month at sea? Does a career in oceanography seem interesting?
+It sure be interest to spending a month at sea. Well if i'm not going to have a career that i decide to have then i would choose to be a oceanography.
25. Which part of this blog was most interesting to you? Why?
+I found the bow dome really interesting, because of the view that you get to see the marine creatures and feel like your underwater with them is really astonishing. I would like to be in the ship and explore through the bow dome .
1: Click on the California Current Ecosystem link- read about about the research site. Why are
scientists particularly interested in this specific site? Why is it special?
+ The scientists are particularly interested in that specific site, because they want to look at how the climate change affects the ocean. She worked with a group of oceanographers, marine biologists, chemists and other scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Another thing that makes it special is that they will be studying everything from dissolved metals in the ocean to deep-sea fish.
2. What is the name of the research vessel that they are on?
+ Research Vessel (R/V) Melville.
3. How much does the ship weigh when it is fully loaded?
+ The ships weigh 3,026,000 pounds which is 2,516 tons when fully loaded.
4. On day #3. Read about zooplankton are captured by the MOCNESS, summarize the process below.
+ MOCNESS stands for Multiple Opening and Closing Net and Environmental Sensing System. It is ten nets that go out constantly but only one net is open with each net at a different depth. The nets depth range of where the nets are is from 0-1500 ft. Then the researchers look at the nets for different types, sizes, and amount of plankton from a certain depth. They drag the nets to the boat and the planktons get funneled. The ten nets are computer operated and the nets get straighten out. They count the planktons and classify what type they are like krill, copepods, and jellyfishes.
5. Explain the “vertical migration” of many zooplankton species. Why do they do this?
+ Many zooplankton species like krill do vertical migration where they go deep onto the water so that they can avoid predators because they is less sunlight. Then at night they back to the top to eat phytoplankton or smaller zooplankton.
6. What are phytoplankton?
+ Small marine organisms (tiny plants in the water) that are consisted of bacteria and some protists. They are primary food sources for other marine animals.
7. What information is collected by the Sea Soar? What are they trying to find specifically?
+ Sea Soar is connected to a computer in the lab that els the SeaSoar to go deep down at 900 ft water column to collect information and comes back up. The Sea Soar tugs through the water collecting salinity data.
8. What is CTD stand for?
+CTD (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) is a ocean tool used for determine the temperature and depth of the water.
9. What is the “E- Front”?
+ E- Front is the front where California Current comes to meet the inshore currents.
10. Why does the sampling need to be conducted at night?
+Sampling needs to be conducted at night, so that they are sure that the zooplanktons were there at the sampling depth (because they migrate up and down).
11. What is the epipelagic zone?
+After lowering Bongo net, the water would flow through the net leaving the zooplankton from the light zone so they can be caught in it.
12. These samples were taken along the E-Front- Can you tell where the actual front is located? Draw an arrow where you see the sample changes.
+I think the actual front is is the first sample. As the sample goes in a row down the samples are darker and looks like it is the sample of a deeper depth down the right.
13. Explain how the chlorophyll samples are preserved.
+The chlorophyll samples are preserved by pouring the water on to the filter paper in acetone and then they froze it.
14. Where is the mesopelagic zone? Why are the critters found here so special?
+The mesopelagic zone is where fishes live deep in the water like 1,500 ft below. The critters found there are special because they lack light and have little of oxygen
15. Explain why styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk when they were lowered to the depths.
+The styrofoam cups that were attached to the CTD shrunk because there was less volume.
16. Why is iron so important to phytoplankton?
+Iron is important to phytoplankton because it is an important nutrient that they need.
17. What kind of precautions are taken by the scientists on board to make sure that the water samples are not contaminated by metals on or around the ship?
+The scientists' precautions about the water samples not being contaminated is that water that touched the ship isn't clan anymore. In the lab the bottles are strapped to the wall until it is taped.
17. How can scientists use “poop” to determine the biomass of an ecosystem? Explain.
+Because there is an amount of carbon found in the poop of zooplankton. So that they can find an amount of matter flowing through the ecosystem.
18. What is “marine snow”? Explain how it is collected.
+Marine snow is what scientists call fecal, other materials, or phytoplankton that fall through the water column.
19. Explain how long-lining is dangerous to marine birds.
+Long-lining is dangerous to marine birds, because the albatross will see a fish on line and eat. That leads to it getting stuck on bait and leaves it drowning.
20. Describe Fin Whales- what do they look like, what do they eat, why are they not hunted as much as other whales?
+Fin Whales have a unique color and their dorsal fin is by the blowhole. They eat zooplankton like krill and they are not hunted as much as other whales because they are farther off shore.
21. What are copepods? What are they related to?
+Copepods is a type of small zooplankton found in the Pacific Ocean. They are related to crabs and lobsters.
22. Explain the two ways that copepods are studied on this ship.
+Copepods are studied by bongo nets, and Underwater Visual Profiler that takes pictures every second of the plants and animals in the water.
23. What is the bow dome? Where is it located?
+The bow dome are the Melville first set sail which has windows in the bottom of the boat front.
24. Would you be interested in spending a month at sea? Does a career in oceanography seem interesting?
+It sure be interest to spending a month at sea. Well if i'm not going to have a career that i decide to have then i would choose to be a oceanography.
25. Which part of this blog was most interesting to you? Why?
+I found the bow dome really interesting, because of the view that you get to see the marine creatures and feel like your underwater with them is really astonishing. I would like to be in the ship and explore through the bow dome .