tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58004695769213027462024-03-08T11:24:08.708-08:00Gerick's Outreach BlogThoughts and notes from the field.Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-32496197304155441542010-11-09T16:47:00.000-08:002011-09-10T18:21:27.353-07:00Hanging with the guys.<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span></blockquote>
<span class="field-content"></span><br />
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<img alt="A Raft of Kayaks" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Kayak%20Raft_0.preview.JPG" style="margin: 10px; vertical-align: top;" width="640" /></div>
Paddling in Elkhorn Slough was so much fun! We got a bit of a
workout going against the tide at first, but it was worth it to see the
wetlands. Elkhorn Slough is a remarkable place, and I'm always amazed
by the incredible wildlife I see whenever I visit. Our kayak trip was
no exception; we saw jellyfish, pelicans, bat rays, seals, sea lions and
of course all the adorable sea otters. Scroll to the bottom of this
post to see photos from our trip.<br />
<br />
Elkhorn Slough is great sea otter habitat, and it’s one of the best
places to see otters up close. The large group of otters we saw right
off the beach where we launched our kayaks is particularly conspicuous,
and consists only of males. This is remarkable because male otters tend
to be territorial; they will establish territories in areas with lots
of food and females, and chase away any other males that wander by.
While hanging out in the male groups, however, they cease to be
territorial and all get along. You'll frequently see males in the group
napping and playing together. The groups also tend to be very
dynamic. Otters will continually join and leave the group as they go to
feed or travel to different areas, but there are regularly over forty
otters present at one time. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="A Raft of Otters" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Otter%20Raft.preview.JPG" style="margin: 10px; vertical-align: middle;" width="640" /></div>
Scientists used to think that the all the individuals gathered at
Elkhorn Slough and similar male-only groups were the otters that weren't
able to establish their own territories. Male groups tend to occur
near the ends of the Southern Sea Otter's range (Elkhorn Slough is near
the northern limit of the Southern Sea Otter's range), and they believed
that otters continually chased out of other otters' territories would
eventually wind up pushed to the edge of the range where they were
forced to gather together.<br />
<br />
That view has changed, however, after scientists realized that many
territorial males spend part of the year defending their territories,
and then spend part of the year with the male groups. Some have been
known to swim over one hundred miles just to hang out with the guys!
Scientists aren't really sure exactly why the males all hang out
together, but it seems to serve an important social function. There are
usually older and younger otters present together, and it may be an
important way for young otters to learn about otter social structures
and how to interact with other males. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Swimming Sea Otter" height="160" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Otter1.preview.JPG" style="margin: 10px; vertical-align: middle;" width="640" /></div>
Otters are fascinating creatures, and we are still learning a lot
about them. The aquarium's Sea Otter Research and Conservation program
(SORAC) actively monitors the local otter population, researches otter
behavior, and rehabilitates injured and abandoned young otters (raised
with the exhibit otters as surrogate mothers). In fact, Elkhorn Slough
is such good habitat that SORAC reintroduces its rehabilitated otters to
the wild there. Many of the aquarium’s graduates have gone on to live
very productive lives, and researchers regularly head out to the slough
to see how they are doing.<br />
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
For more fascinating otter facts, check out the following sites:<br />
SORAC: <a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/sorac.aspx">http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/sorac.aspx</a><br />
Sea Otter Project: <a href="http://www.otterproject.org/">http://www.otterproject.org/</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Sleeping Sea Otter" height="160" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Otter2.preview.JPG" style="margin: 10px; vertical-align: middle;" width="640" /></div>
Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-6638349495140322192010-10-05T16:46:00.000-07:002011-09-10T18:20:58.283-07:00How many albatrosses did you save today?<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span></blockquote>
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<br />
<img alt="Plastic Bag on Beach" height="350" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Chip%20Bag.JPG" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px;" /><br />
<img alt="An urchin carries a plastic fork." height="250" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Urchin%20Fork.JPG" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px;" />For
our first field experience we all participated in the beach clean-up,
which was a great way to start off SOC. I was pleasantly surprised by
how little trash we found, and pleased to keep what trash we did find
from entering the ocean. For photos of some of you keeping trash out of
our oceans (and enjoying the barbecue afterwards), scroll down to the
bottom of this post.<br />
<br />
We rarely think about the impact that trash has on the oceans – too
often out of site means out of mind – but our garbage is a serious
problem for life in the sea. Trash, and plastics in particular,
entering the environment can have numerous negative impacts on ocean
life. Discarded fishing line and six-pack rings can tangle and strangle
birds, mammals, fish and other creatures. Leatherback turtles may
mistake grocery bags for jellyfish and slowly starve to death as they
fill up on indigestible plastic. <br />
<br />
<img alt="Plastics in the stomach of a dead Laysan Albatross Chick" height="250" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Laysan%20Chick.jpg" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 5px;" /><br />
Laysan Albatrosses, too, confuse plastic for food. Flying fish
frequently lay their eggs on floating bits of plastic, and the
albatrosses swallow the items to ingest the eggs. This isn’t too big of
a problem for the adults, since they can regurgitate large items that
they can’t digest. Their young, however, lack the ability to
regurgitate large items. Like the leatherbacks, they may starve to
death while their parents slowly fill them up with plastic. Each piece
of plastic you picked up might have saved and albatrosses life!<br />
<br />
Even more insidious is the plastic that slowly breaks down. We tend
to imagine that plastics do not degrade. That is certainly true of
plastics sitting on our shelves or moldering in a landfill, but in the
dynamic ocean, exposed to wind, waves and sun, many plastics break-down
and degrade. For most types of plastic that means that they are ground
down into tiny particles no larger than the smallest plankton. For
other plastics, that means degrading into chemicals that dissolve in the
water and may be toxic. Either way, it is potentially detrimental for
organisms living in the water or feeding on plankton.<br />
<br />
<img alt="Map of North Pacific Gyre" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/North_Pacific_Gyre.jpg" style="float: left; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" width="300" />Because
many types of plastic float, they are easily carried by the currents,
and remain in the environment for a long time. For trash in the North
Pacific, this means that they are slowly but surely carried around by
the North Pacific Gyre. The gyre is a large-scale clockwise circulation
pattern that moves water west along the equator, swings north along the
eastern coast of Asia, loops back east about part-way between Hawaii
and Alaska, and finally turns back south along our coast. Because of
currents like these, trash from all over the world can end up on our
beaches (and likewise, our trash can spread around the world). In the
center of the gyre lies a large area with relatively little current.
Trash that makes its way here tends to stay put, and large amounts of
trash have aggregated there over time. This is commonly known as the
Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and recent studies indicate that millions
of tons of trash have concentrated in an area roughly twice the size of
Texas!<br />
<br />
Ironically, floating trash has also helped us better understand ocean
currents. In 1990, a shipping container filled with Nike shoes fell
off of a freighter, releasing 80,000 sneakers into the North Pacific.
Shoes began periodically washing ashore along the West Coast of North
America, and an enterprising oceanographer named Curtis Ebbesmeyer
realized that by tracking shoes and other floating items lost from ships
(collectively known as flotsam) we could learn about ocean circulation.
Following the Nike shoe spill, Dr. Ebbesmeyer continued tracking
flotsam, including a large spill of bath toys that have spread across
the Pacific, passed through the Arctic Ocean, and finally into the
Atlantic Ocean. If you ever visit the Atlantic coast and find a wayward
rubber ducky washed ashore, check it out. It may have travelled
half-way around the world over the past two decades:<br />
<br />
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<td><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-464768/Thousands-rubber-ducks-land-British-shores-15-year-journey.html"><img alt="Dr. Ebbesmeyer displays some of the bath toys he has tracked as they drift around the world." height="150" src="http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06_02/EbbesSWNS2706_468x368.jpg" style="float: left;" /></a></td>
<td><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Thousands of rubber ducks to land on British shores after 15 year journey</b></span><br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-464768/Thousands-rubber-ducks-land-British-shores-15-year-journey.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-464768/Thousands-rubber-ducks-land-British-shores-15-year-journey.html</a>
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<br />
You can learn more about plastics in the ocean and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by visiting some of the links below:<br />
<a href="http://www.projectkaisei.org/" title="http://www.projectkaisei.org/">http://www.projectkaisei.org/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/" title="http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/">http://www.greatgarbagepatch.org/</a>Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-14483803646047746472010-08-13T23:26:00.000-07:002011-12-14T22:26:52.072-08:00Sunflower Sea Star and Anemones<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7379"> <p>A sunflower sea star among plumose anemones. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A sunflower sea star (<em>Pycnopodia helianthoides</em>) explores a rock covered in giant plumed anemones (<em>Metridium farcimen</em>) along the California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>8/9/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=42">Photo Contest 2010</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7379" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7379">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7379</a> <p> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-31172613694602991322010-08-13T22:46:00.000-07:002011-12-13T21:47:28.854-08:00Longnose Hawkfish<h5><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php"><font size="1">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</font></a></h5> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7380"> <p>A longnose hawkfish. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A longnose hawkfish (<em>Oxycirrhites typus</em>) perches atop a plating coral (<em>Montipora</em> sp.). <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>2/18/2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=42">Photo Contest 2010</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7380" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7380">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7380</a> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-22273983312769165292010-06-05T16:40:00.000-07:002011-09-10T18:20:36.503-07:00Snorkel Safari<blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span></blockquote>
For our last field experience, we went snorkeling in Monterey Bay and
had a blast. We enjoyed great weather and explored the kelp forest and
the rocky bottom areas near San Carlos beach. My favorite part of
snorkeling is seeing all the incredible creatures that live near our
coast. Here are just a few of my favorites that we encountered during
our swim.<br />
<br />
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<td><img alt="Brown Turban Snail" height="240" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Turban%20Snail.preview.JPG" width="320" /></td>
<td><b>Brown Turban Snail:</b> These little guys live in a
world of algae. We found them cruising along in the kelp (giant brown
algae) where they eat microscopic algae growing on the kelp’s surface.
As though that weren’t already enough algae in its life, the color of
the snail in this photo comes from red algae that cover its shell.
Learn more about them at:<br />
<a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?id=781029" title="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?id=781029">http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?id=781029</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><img alt="Bat Star" height="240" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Bat%20Star.preview.JPG" width="320" /></td>
<td><b>Bat Star: </b> Bat stars come in a lot of different
colors, and are always fun to spot. We saw lots of them cruising the
sandy bottom, where they act as nature’s vacuum cleaners, scavenging
algae and dead animals it finds along the way. Learn more about them
at:<br />
<a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=n3f4wmcSJaNnnX8nSkDntQ" title="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=n3f4wmcSJaNnnX8nSkDntQ">http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=n3f4wm...</a></td>
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<td><img alt="Sheep Crab" height="240" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Sheep%20Crab.preview.JPG" width="320" /></td>
<td><b>Sheep Crab: </b> Sheep crabs are in the spider crab
family, and can grow quite large. We found this sizable fellow ambling
over rocks not far from shore. Crabs this size can inflict a serious
pinch, so I was sure to keep my fingers clear while I snapped this
photo. Learn more about them at:<br />
<a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7QbPjK5wps7GfA" title="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7QbPjK5wps7GfA">http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+L...</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><img alt="Sunflower Star" height="240" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Sunflower%20Star.preview.JPG" width="320" /></td>
<td><b>Sunflower Star: </b>The giant sunflower star is one of
the kelp forest’s top predators, and the hordes of tube feet under its
many arms allow it to move quickly, often sending its prey scrambling
for cover. We found this one in the open on the side of a large rock,
but within minutes it had squeezed itself into a crevice where it was
barely visible. Learn more about them at:<br />
<a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7Qa9XNcH2SuI6Q" title="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7Qa9XNcH2SuI6Q">http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+L...</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><img alt="Opalescent Nudibranch" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Opalescent%20Sea%20Slug.preview.JPG" width="320" /></td>
<td><b>Opalescent Nudibranch:</b> I found this beautiful sea
slug crawling among the algae-covered rocks, where it was undoubtedly
looking for hydroids or small anemones to eat. The opalescent
nudibranch is capable of transferring the stinging cells of its pretty
to its own skin – a formidable defense that it advertises with is bright
colors. Learn more about them at: <br />
<a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7QbqrXyWrKMlUA" title="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails.aspx?enc=VsGX+Lst7QbqrXyWrKMlUA">http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/AnimalDetails</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-76068238303583141802010-05-11T16:39:00.000-07:002011-09-10T18:20:26.742-07:00Octopus steals camera.<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span></blockquote>
I found this and had to post it - octopuses are just incredible. Read the captions if you want to know what is going on.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/10966874">octopus steals my video camera and swims off with it (while it's Recording)</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2510731">Victor Huang</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-85513398976249519582010-04-06T16:35:00.000-07:002011-09-10T18:20:02.687-07:00Marine Protected Areas<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span></blockquote>
<span class="field-content"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="" height="174" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Drain%20Stencil.preview.JPG" style="vertical-align: top;" width="640" /></div>
<br />
The last few months we have talked a lot about watersheds, culminating in our March field experience stenciling storm drains. We now all know
exactly why we should care about watersheds and waste water – because it
FLOWS TO BAY! Every little bit we do helps to guard the incredibly
productive and diverse ecosystems within the bay, and adds to the
protections already in place.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" height="180" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Oil%20Rig.preview.JPG" style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" width="240" />The
federal government has designated the entire coastline from the San
Francisco Bay to Cambria, including the entire Monterey Bay, as a
National Marine Sanctuary. This designation prevents mining, drilling,
dumping waste, introducing non-native species, and other activities that
might destroy or harm the habitats and wildlife present within the
sanctuary. <br />
<br />
Read more about the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: <a href="http://montereybay.noaa.gov/intro/welcome.html">http://montereybay.noaa.gov/intro/welcome.html</a><br />
<br />
The areas around the Monterey Penninsula and Elkhorn Slough are
further protected by the California Marine Life Protection Act, which
created a number of marine protected areas along the California coast.
State marine protected areas provide protections beyond those designated
by the national marine sanctuary, and come in a number of flavors.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" height="240" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Snappers.preview.JPG" style="float: right; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" width="180" /><br />
• California State Marine Reserves, like Asilomar and the area
between the Aquarium and Lover’s Point, prohibit all forms of habitat
destruction and resource extraction. Because this bars all fishing
these reserves are often referred to as “no take” reserves, and provide
the greatest protection from human activities.<br />
<br />
• State Marine Conservation Areas, like the water along Cannery
Row and the area between Lover’s Point and Asilomar, allow certain uses,
but restrict others. Often this means that certain species or habitats
are protected while fishing or extraction of other resources is
allowed.<br />
<br />
• State Marine Parks, like Elkhorn Slough, are designated for
recreational purposes (including fishing) but protect the area from
commercial use.<br />
<br />
Read more about the California Marine Life Protection Act: <a href="http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/ccmpas_guide.pdf">http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/pdfs/ccmpas_guide.pdf</a><br />
<br />
So what are the benefits of all these protections? Well, it turns
out there are lots. For one, excluding industrial uses such as mining
and drilling protects our coastline from oil spills and other forms of
industrial pollution. Protections from fishing allow harvested fish
numbers to increase, keeping the ecosystem intact. There is also
growing evidence that the effects of marine reserves extend beyond their
boundaries. Fish protected from fishing grow larger and have more
young, which spillover into surrounding waters, and may enhance fishing
outside the reserves.<br />
<br />
Read more about the benefits of reserves: <a href="http://www.piscoweb.org/files/images/pdf/SMR_US_LowRes.pdf">http://www.piscoweb.org/files/images/pdf/SMR_US_LowRes.pdf</a><br />
<br />
These protections will help ensure that the natural resources we enjoy today will not be forgotten in the future:<br />
<br />
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<br />Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-71001454354224961822010-03-20T16:32:00.000-07:002011-09-10T18:19:16.040-07:00Planting trees for the ocean?<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Carmel River Estuary" height="137" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/carmelestuary.preview.JPG" width="640" /></div>
<br />
For two of our field activities, the Student Oceanography club has
planted trees and removed invasive plants on a former artichoke farm
that is now growing strawberries. Huh? What does weeding have to do
with oceanography? How do willows next to a berry patch help conserve
the oceans? Well it turns out that our efforts can help the ocean in a
number of ways:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/ladybeetle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="210" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/ladybeetle.JPG" width="280" /></a></div>
<ol>
<li>Trees and other native plants produce habitat and foraging space
for birds and insects. Many of these, such as the ladybugs that we saw during our visit, eat crop pests. When pest predators are abundant, farmers use fewer pesticides, reducing the amount of chemicals washed
into the sea. Even though Serendipity Farms is an organic farm, the insectivore-friendly practices they are putting in place will have positive effects on surrounding farms, too. </li>
<li>Trees and other plants absorb lots of nutrients in ground water,
leading to cleaner water reaching rivers and the ocean. While nutrients may sound like a good thing, excess nutrients in the ocean can lead to harmful algal blooms (see my post about dinoflagellates below). This is
especially important in agricultural areas where farmers add nutrients to the soil with fertilizers.</li>
<li>By slowing down water running over the ground and protecting the
ground from wind and rain, trees and plants also reduce erosion. Less erosion means less sediment is transported to the ocean, where it can smother marine life. Less erosion also means that rich topsoil is
preserved, reducing farmers’ reliance on fertilizers.</li>
<li>Trees create shade that keeps water in streams and marshes cooler. Cool water increases dissolved oxygen levels and is crucial for the health of fish, such as steelhead that live in the Carmel River. Fallen trees also create hiding spaces and slow currents, making better habitat for young steelhead. After growing up in streams and estuaries, steelhead become an important part of the marine food chain, feasting on plankton and small fish while providing food for larger fish and marine mammals.</li>
<li>Finally, trees reduce atmospheric carbon through photosynthesis and sequester carbon in their wood. Planting trees may be one of the most effective methods of taking CO2 out of the atmosphere in order to reduce the effects of global climate change and ocean acidification.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/steelhead.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="210" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/steelhead.JPG" width="280" /></a></div>
<br />Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-48892310918363634262010-03-19T23:35:00.000-07:002011-12-14T22:35:20.056-08:00Halibut Catch<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7617"> <p>Freshly caught halibut ready for market. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>California Halibut (<em>Paralichthys californicus</em>) unloaded from bottom trawlers in Monterey, California, await shipment to markets. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>3/17.2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=14">Fish Markets</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7617" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7617">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7617</a> <p> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-44299626741568069262010-03-19T23:30:00.000-07:002011-12-14T22:31:00.210-08:00Rockfish in Bin<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7615"> <p>Rockfish shipment <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Rockfish (<em>Sebastes</em> spp.) unloaded from bottom trawlers in Monterey, California, are loaded in bins for shipment to markets where they will be sold as Pacific Red Snapper. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>3.17.2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a>, <a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=14">Fish Markets</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7615" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7615">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7615</a> <p> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-62516209405485511702010-03-19T23:11:00.000-07:002011-12-14T22:11:30.242-08:00Rockfish on Ice, close-up<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7616"> <p>Gazing into the eye of a freshly caught rockfish. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Rockfish (<em>Sebastes</em> spp.) unloaded from bottom trawlers in Monterey, California, await shipment to markets where they will be sold as Pacific Red Snapper. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>3.17.2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a>, <a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=14">Fish Markets</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7616" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7616">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7616</a> <p> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-6813971406842203122010-03-19T22:56:00.000-07:002011-12-14T21:56:40.924-08:00Rockfish on Ice to be Shipped<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7376"> <p>Freshly caught rockfish wait to be shipped. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Rockfish (<em>Sebastes</em> spp.) unloaded from bottom trawlers in Monterey, California, await shipment to markets where they will be sold as Pacific Red Snapper. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>3/17/2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=42">Photo Contest 2010</a>, <a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a>, <a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=14">Fish Markets</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7376" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7376">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7376</a> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-76862841262625324612010-03-08T22:15:00.000-08:002011-12-14T22:15:50.424-08:00Brandt's Cormorant<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7105"> <p>A Brandt's Cormorant breeding colony. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Brandt's cormorants (<em>Phalacrocorax penicillatus</em>) nesting along the Central California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>7/10/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7105" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7105">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7105</a> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird, nest Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-88027319171554059242010-03-08T22:03:00.000-08:002011-12-14T22:03:53.435-08:00Common Murre<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7104"> <p>A common murre. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A common murre (<em>Uria aalge</em>) along the Central California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>10/15/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7104" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7104">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7104</a> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird, auk, guillemot Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-65201545346358269292010-03-08T22:01:00.000-08:002011-12-14T22:01:26.679-08:00Surf Scoters<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7109"> <p>Surf Scoters. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Surf scoters (<em>Melanitta perspicillata</em>) along the California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>11/04/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7109" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7109">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7109</a> <p> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird, seaduck, duck Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-83642653068271162802010-03-08T21:55:00.000-08:002011-12-13T21:55:56.391-08:00Marbled Godwit, California<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7106"> <p>A marbled godwit. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A marbled godwit (<em>Limosa fedoa</em>) along the California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>1/16/2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7106" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7106">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7106</a> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird, Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-16925843142225008092010-03-08T14:27:00.000-08:002011-12-10T14:39:50.623-08:00A Willet, California<h3>
<a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</span></a></h3>
<img height="356" src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7108" width="500" /> <br />
A willet. <br />
<hr />
<strong>Description:</strong><br />A willet (<em>Tringa semipalmata</em>) along the California coast. <br />
<strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br />11/04/2009 <br />
<strong>Gallery:</strong><br /><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <br />
<strong>City/Region:</strong><br />Monterey <br />
<strong>State/Province:</strong><br />California <br />
<strong>Country:</strong><br />United States <br />
<hr />
<strong>Download:</strong><br /><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7108">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7108</a> <br />
<strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br />Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <br />
<strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br />shorebird, seabird, bird, sandpiper, shankGerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-81834741043003178532010-03-02T16:27:00.000-08:002011-09-10T18:18:51.456-07:00Zooxanthellae and Coral<span class="field-content"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span> </blockquote>
Zooxanthellae featured heavily in Dr.
Webster’s talk during February's meeting, and the mutualism between
corals and zooxanthellae deserves special attention. In the
sunlight-rich but nutrient-poor tropical waters where they occur, reef
forming corals and zooxanthellae need one another to survive. Corals
provide zooxanthellae with a comfortable environment, protection from
predators, and access to concentrated nutrients (especially carbon and
nitrogen that the corals get by eating other organisms). In exchange,
the zooxanthellae photosynthesize, and share the sugars and
carbohydrates they produce with their hosts. Many corals derive as much
as 90% of their energy needs from the zooxanthellae and would die
without them. Zooxanthellae are therefore critically important for
coral reef health.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, we know very little about zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae all belong to the genus <i>Symbodinium</i>, but there is debate as to whether <i>Symbodinium</i>
represents a single diverse species or several closely related
species. What is known is that there are several different types of <i>Symbodinium</i>
called clades. Some clades are closely associated with corals and are
rarely found outside of them. Others are usually free living and only
rarely found in corals. Clades also vary in how useful they are to the
corals; some give lots of energy to the corals, whereas others give
relatively little. Scientists speculate that different forms perform
best in different environments, and that different clades will maximize
the benefits realized by corals depending on the environmental
conditions.<br />
<br />
For their part, the corals seem to have some ability to choose which
clades they harbor. Corals in different environments may house
different types of <i>Symbodinium</i>, and interestingly, large corals
often host different types within the same colony. For example, many
colonies will have one clade on their top surface, while having another
clade along their sides. <br />
<br />
Promoting the growth of clades specialized to your environment works
remarkably well for corals – that is until the environment changes. If
conditions change, a particular clade of <i>Symbodinium</i> may no
longer be beneficial, and the coral must seek a new partner. Corals
stressed by high temperatures, for example, may expel all of their
zooxanthellae, a process known as bleaching (so named because the corals
often appear white without their symbionts; the first image below is an
example of a healthy coral, while the second image shows a stressed
coral that appears to be losing its color). Scientists believe that
this may be a coral’s emergency effort to be recolonized by
heat-tolerant symbionts. Sometimes corals are able to find new
zooxanthellae and survive (there is some evidence that corals
acclimatized to warm waters do not bleach, giving support to the idea
that the proper symbiont may make all the difference). Often, however,
bleaching results in death. Many scientists consider increased
bleaching due to climate change a major threat to the world’s coral
reefs.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/healthy-coral"><img alt="Healthy Coral" height="270" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Acropora-healthy.JPG" width="360" /></a> <a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/stressed-coral"><img alt="" height="270" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Acropora-stressed.JPG" width="360" /></a>Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-65101523864329655662010-03-01T16:25:00.000-08:002011-09-10T18:18:37.964-07:00Tiny creatures with outsized influence<span class="field-content"></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Originally posted to MBA Student Oceanography Club (SOC)]</span> </blockquote>
In our February meeting, we
talked a little bit about some often overlooked, but really important
creatures, including foraminifera, coccolithophores and zooxanthellae.
These tiny organisms, along with a few others, have an outsized
influence on the biology and the geology of our planet, so I thought I
would share a little more about them. To appreciate the magnitude of
their effects you have to remember that these organisms are major
constituents of the plankton, and as such fill the surface waters
covering over 70% of the earth’s surface. This means that in aggregate,
these tiny organisms play an important role in capturing sunlight,
cycling nutrients, driving the make-up of the atmosphere and creating
geological formations. For example, phytoplankton, a mix of
photosynthesizing algae and bacteria, account for as much as 50% of the
world’s primary productivity, more than rainforests, grasslands, marshes
or coral reefs. Small shell-forming organisms are also a major force
in the earth’s carbon cycle, where atmospheric carbon, such as the
greenhouse gas CO<sub>2</sub>, is absorbed by the oceans and ultimately
locked up in marine sediment and rock. I’ll focus on a few major groups
of single celled algae and animal-like protists that help make this
planet a comfortable place for us to live.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Animal-like Marine Protists</span></b><br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></b><br />
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/foraminifera"><img alt="Foraminifera" height="255" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Foraminiferans.preview.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Foraminifera</b> (often called forams for short) are
single celled protists that form shells, and can be found living on the
bottom of the sea or drifting in the plankton. Planktonic forams almost
all form calcium carbonate shells by pulling carbon out of the water.
When the forams die, these shells fall out of the water and accumulate
in huge numbers on the ocean floor where, along with coccoliths (see
below), they contribute to the formation of carbonate rocks (i.e.
limestone and chalk). This is an important process driving the earth’s
carbon cycle, and leads to the long-term storage of carbon in the
earth’s crust.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/radiolarians"><img alt="Radiolarians" height="302" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Radiolarians.preview.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Radiolarians</b> are similar to forams, but most form
their beautiful shells from silica. Radiolarians can be very common in
the tropics where their fallen shells cover the bottom in what is
commonly called radiolarian ooze, which can harden into siliceous rocks
(i.e. chert and flint).<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Plant-like Marine Protists</span></b><br />
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/coccolithophore"><img alt="Coccolithophore" height="284" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Coccolithophore.jpg" width="284" /></a><a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/coccolithophore-bloom"><img alt="Coccolithophore Bloom" height="284" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/Coccolithophore_bloom.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Coccolithophores</b> create calcium carbonate plates
(coccoliths) that form an armored surface, they therefore store carbon
in a manner similar to foraminifera. However, because they are able to
photosynthesize, they have an even greater effect on atmospheric carbon
by directly consuming CO<sub>2</sub>. Coccolithophores can form huge
blooms that are easily visible from space (the milky green water in the
photo shows such a bloom off the coast of Alaska), and help drive the
exchange of gases between the ocean’s surface and the atmosphere.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/diatoms"><img alt="Diatoms" height="217" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/diatoms.preview.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Diatoms</b> form silica shells, and are probably the
most common component of the phytoplankton. As a result, diatoms are
one of the most important sources of photosynthesis on the planet; it
has been estimated that 20-30% of atmospheric oxygen is produced by
diatoms, as much as the world’s<br />
combined tropical rainforests. This photosynthesis also takes up lots of CO<sub>2</sub>, and the heavy silica shells quickly drag this carbon to the bottom of the ocean.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/dinoflagellates"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/dinoflagellate.jpg" width="284" /></a><a href="http://soc.mbayaq.org/index.php?q=content/red-tide"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://soc.mbayaq.org/sites/soc.mbayaq.org/files/images/La-Jolla-Red-Tide.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<b>Dinoflagellates</b> are a diverse group of marine
protists, that unlike the others, do not form hard mineral shells
(though some have hard, cellulose coverings). Their inclusion among the
plant-like protists is a bit arbitrary, as about half of the
dinoflagellates do not photosynthesize, but many of the best-known
examples do. These include species that give rise to red tides and
other harmful algal blooms (like the red tide off the coast of
California pictured above), species that create the glow in
bioluminescent water, and the zooxanthellae that live symbiotically
within the tissues of a number of other organisms, including corals,
jellyfish, clams, sea slugs and even foraminifera and radiolarians.Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-91361521677000999432010-02-25T22:13:00.000-08:002011-12-14T22:13:49.943-08:00Canary Rockfish<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7098"> <p>Canary rockfish on a rocky reef. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Rockfish of the genus <em>Sebastes</em> are commercially harvested along the North American Pacific coast, and are the basis for several important fisheries. Their low reproductive rates and slow growth make them vulnerable to overfishing. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>12/28/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Seattle <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>Washington <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7098" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7098">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7098</a> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-6150222548026070752010-02-25T22:03:00.000-08:002011-12-13T22:03:59.614-08:00Rockfish in California<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7097"> <p>A rockfish resting on a ledge. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Rockfish of the genus <em>Sebastes </em>are commercially harvested along the North American Pacific coast, and are the basis for several important fisheries. Their low reproductive rates and slow growth make them vulnerable to overfishing. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>8/9/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7097" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7097">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7097</a> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-6039456937188832052010-02-23T22:05:00.000-08:002011-12-14T22:05:57.967-08:00Common Loon<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7102"> <p>A common loon. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A common loon (<em>Gavia immer</em>) overwintering on the California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>11/04/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7102" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7102">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7102</a> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird, Great Northern Diver Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-69845297310213259162010-02-23T21:53:00.000-08:002011-12-14T21:54:01.968-08:00Black Oystercatcher<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7101"> <p>A Black Oystercatcher. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A Black Oystercatcher (<em>Haematopus bachmani</em>) from the coast of Central California. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>11/04/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7101" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7101">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7101</a> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-11634206709425546062010-02-23T21:48:00.000-08:002011-12-14T21:48:14.503-08:00Western Grebe<h6><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</a></h6> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7103"> <p>A Western Grebe. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>A Western Grebe (<em>Aechmophorus occidentalis</em>) along the Central California coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>2/13/2010 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7103" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7103">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7103</a> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." <p><strong>Additional Comments:</strong><br>shorebird, seabird, bird Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5800469576921302746.post-53818564520152464332010-02-23T21:41:00.000-08:002011-12-13T21:41:17.337-08:00Halibut in California<h3><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/home.php"><font size="1">[Originally posted to the Marine Photobank]</font></a></h3> <p><img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo-grab-med.php?photo_id=7100"> <p>A halibut on the sandy bottom. <p> <hr> <p><strong>Description:</strong><br>Halibut are an important commercial and recreational harvested species along the North American Pacific coast. <p><strong>Exposure Date:</strong><br>11/11/2009 <p><strong>Gallery:</strong><br><a href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery.php?gallery_id=10">Marine Species of Concern</a> <p><strong>City/Region:</strong><br>Monterey <p><strong>State/Province:</strong><br>California <p><strong>Country:</strong><br>United States <p> <hr> <img src="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/images/spacer.gif" width="1" height="1"> <p><strong>Download:</strong><br><a title="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7100" href="http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7100">http://www.marinephotobank.org/secure/gallery-photo.php?photo_id=7100</a> <p><strong>Copyright Statement :</strong><br>Image may be used for non-commercial and media purposes only. Credit should state, "Gerick Bergsma 2010/Marine Photobank." Gerick:http://www.blogger.com/profile/16833322069908031645noreply@blogger.com0