Oceanography Field Trip to the MontereyBay Aquarium
The Aquarium field trip is sort of like a scavenger hunt. Look at the exhibits and the explanations on the walls next to them for the answers. The section headings give a clue as to where the answers to the questions will be found.
Work with other students if you wish; share and discuss your answers and observations.
Focus a lot of your attention on marine habitats and how marine life adapts to the various habitats. On our ocean cruise we will be doing some seafloor mapping that will lead to a lab on habitat classification in order to develop Marine Protected Areas. In the aquarium you will see many of the fish that we will deal with in that upcoming lab.
1. The KelpForest – First Floor
Note the contrasting behavior of the rock fish and the leopard shark in this tank. How does the behavior of the leopard shark differ from the behavior of the rock fish?
The Leopard shark swims around a whole lot more than the rock fish do. The leopard shark is more of a hunter for food, while the rock fish hang around in protected areas so that other fish will not attack them.
Note the back wall of the kelp tank. How do the rock fish “use” the wall?
By hanging out along and around it, using its nooks and crannies for protection.
How do the rock fish “use” the kelp?
For protection and/or camouflage. Being still near and around the kelp will help them avoid predators finding them.
Note that in this tank there is an absence of predators. Therefore, the fish are not always in the exact ecologic niche that they might occupy in the wild ocean with many predators. If we could observe the wild ocean, how do you think the behavior of the rock fish would differ from what we see here in this tank?
I believe they would hide around the rocks more.
The Octopus is near the Kelp Tank. It is very cool. Hopefully, the octopus will be out and about when you visit. How does the octopus kill its food?
The octopus kills its prey (crabs are a favorite food) with venom secreted from its salivary glands
2. The Rock Fish Tank and Associated Video
What are the reasons the size and number of rock fishes have declined?
The number of rock fishes have declined is that they have been over-fished. There are simply less rock fish around now than previously. The size of rock fish has declined because they live for a long time and it takes a very long time for the rock fish to grow large. Because so many have been caught, it is rare for a rock fish to live for a long time, and grow big, before getting caught.
Why will it be a long time before this fishery recovers?
Because of the long time it takes for rock fish to achieve sexual maturity in order to reproduce. Many of the old, big, sexually mature rock fish have already been caught. It will take a long time for many of the other rock fish to grow, mature, and then have baby rock fish.
How long do some rock fishes live?
Some up to hundreds of years.
Under what name or names are rock fishes sold in the supermarket and/or restaurants?
Pacific snapper, rock cod,
3. The Deep Reef/Shale Reef
Note the “Deep Reef” and the “Shale Reef” are actually the same, connected, tank. It just depends where you look at them.
Look up towards the surface and see the fish swimming above. Why do many fish have lighter-colored underbellies?
Camouflage against the light color of the sea surface above them.
Look for the halibut, flounder, and bat rays. Where do all of these fish dwell when resting or otherwise not moving around?
In or on the sand. They are all flat fish.
How does their body shape help them with this behavior?
They are all flat fish, so their flat body shape helps them settle down against or in the sand.
4. The Shale Reef
In this part of the tank, the rock is constructed to look like shale. What kind of sedimentary rock is shale?
A fine grained lithogenic sedimentary rock. Yes, I know that I’m probably the only teacher who sends students to an Aquarium and proceeds to ask them about rocks.
What characteristics of sedimentary rock can you see here?
The layered nature is clearly visible, and clearly helps provide nooks and crannies for the rock fish to hide. Some layers are more resistant than other layers. These resistant layers tend to produce ledges with protected areas underneath them.
How do the rock fish exploit this aspect of the sedimentary rock for their habitat?
The rock fish exploit the protected areas underneath the ledges for hiding and protection.
5. The Sandy Seafloor
Note the shape and characteristics of the sole, flounder, halibut, and skate. What is the over-riding characteristic of the fish shown in the Sandy seafloor exhibit?
These four types of fish are all flat fish.
It’s a mean ocean out there, full of predators. What is these fishes main tactic for survival?
Camouflage and hiding.
6. The Wharf
What kind of fish populate the wharf pilings?
Perch.
What do they eat?
Organisms that live on the pier pilings.
What factors influence the order in which organisms arrange themselves on the wharf pilings?
The tide: how much time each organism must spend in or out of the water due to high or low tide.
7. The Real Cost Café
Spend a while at the Real Cost Café (but don’t steal any silverware).
Based on the viginettes shown here, what are at least two good choices for seafood dining?
There are many choices here; we talked about wild-caught salmon and farmed shell fish in class.
Why are these two choices better than some other similar choices?
Wild caught salmon is a more sustainable and environmental fishery than farmed salmon. Farmed shell fish do not have many of the same problems as farmed salmon; they are sustainable and pesticides and antibiotics are not used to curb the spread of disease.
Based on the viginettes shown here, what are least two poor choicesfor seafood dining?
Again, many choices here: farmed salmon and rock fish are two choices we’ve discussed in class.
Why are these two choices worse than some other similar choices?
Farmed salmon: pesticide use, possible genetic contamination of wild species, concentration of feces and fish waste, use of dyes to make the salmon a pink color, etc…
Rock fish: over fishing and habitat destruction due to fishing methods (trawling). It will take a long time for the rock fish stock to recover due to length of time that rock fish lie and take to reach sexual maturity.
Note the captions on the TV. What sport is being played in the background on the TV?
Soccer.
Why do you suppose this sport was chosen to play on the TV in the background?
This was sort of just a fun question, but I think it is to attract the attention of men who might not otherwise be so interested in what’s going on here. Stereotypically, men of many different cultures are interested in sports, particularly soccer, so the action on the screen might attract them.
From the Real Cost Café, please find your way upstairs to the second floor.
8. 2nd Floor Kelp Display
What aspects of nearshore life do the Giant Kelp influence?
Wave protection, habitat, nutrients, etc…
Why can’t kelp grow on the sandy seafloor?
Their holdfasts must have rock to take hold of.
Look at the kelp in the tank. Is it moving or still?
Moving.
Go up the stairs to the 3rd floor and go out the door to the roof.
9. 3rd Floor/Roof Display
Why is moving water important to the health of the kelp?
The moving brings in fresh nutrients to help the kelp grow.
How does the Monterey Bay Aquarium keep the water moving continuously inside the kelp tank?
With big mechanical “arms” that you can see from the third floor.
What are some of the other things the Aquarium must do to maintain the kelp exhibit?
Keep birds and other animals from landing in it. Make sure the tank is open to sunlight on top so that enough sunlight gets on the kelp to help it grow.
10. Outer Bay Entrance/Jellies
Why do some fish, like anchovies, swim in schools? (Note: it is NOT so they can learn new and interesting things.)
It is a defense mechanism; as the fish go all different ways it is harder for predator fish to follow and catch them.
How do jellies travel? Is it effective? Are these animals drifters or swimmers?
The drift and “pulsate”. It is not particularly effective. The jellies go more where the currents take them more than where they might “want” to go.
11. Tiny Drifters
What is the scientific name we discussed for the Tiny Drifters? (Hint: it starts with a “P”.) Plankton.
What is an example of these organisms that are plants?
Diatoms, dinoflagelates, phytoplankton
What is an example of these organisms that are in the larval stage of development?
Larval crabs
What is an example of these organisms that are full grown animals?
cioeoids
How big are these organisms?
They are microscopic
If humans were plankton what would they do, or how would they behave?
Swirl around in groups, drifting about with no real direction or ambition. I’ve met some humans like this.
12. Tuna Tank
How does this environment differ from the reefs and near shore environments emphasized in the opposite wing of the museum?
There is nowhere to hide. The animals here are built for speed. They are much faster swimmers and much more predatory.
How are these animals built to take advantage of the outer bay / open ocean environment? (Big hints around the corner to the left of the big tuna tank.)
Streamlined and torpedo shaped. They are strong and can swim very fast.
Look at the Tuna. They are magnificent animals. Why are they so prized by the fishing industry?
They are big and full of good meat. Catch one and you get a lot of meet. They can feed a lot of people from one catch.
13. Under a Lens
What organisms form the base of the food web in the outer bay?
phytoplankton
Look into the microscope or onto the big screen. What kind of organisms are being shown under the microscope?
This varies. You might have seen copepods and their eggs, water fleas, mysid, arrow worms.
Ask the attendant to examine a penny under tha microscope. Where is Lincoln sitting at the Lincoln Memorial? Seriously, this is a great way to get a feeling for how high the magnification is on the microscope.
It’s in the center. I hope you got a chance to see this; I thought it was pretty impressive.
14 Out to Sea
How does wind influence the color of the water?
Wind prompts upwelling, which brings up cold, nutrient rich water from deep levels. This cold, nutrient rich water supports lots of plankton, which turn the water green.
How does the color, and temperature, of the water change by season?
Winds are strongest in the spring and early summer. Thus, upwelling is strongest during these seasons and the water is thus greenest during these times.
What does the water color tell us about the amount of microscopic plants (phytoplankton) in the water?
Green means lots of plankton, and associated chlorophyll in the water.
When do Tuna visit MontereyBay?
Fall and early winter when the warmer water from farther offshore enters the bay.
15.Ocean Travelers and Vanishing Wildlife
In the Ocean Travelers section several problems facing the Ocean today are mentioned. Which are you most concerned about?
This will obviously vary, but you might choose pollution, over fishing, problems associated with fishing such as bycatch and habitat destruction, etc…
What are some of the solutions to these types of problems?
Consumer activism.
Go Downstairs to the Vanishing Wildlife Section
What are the problems facing Tuna, Turtles, and Sharks today?
Overfishing and bycatch.
What are some of the possible solutions?
Consumer education. Don’t buy or eat tuna caught by methods that harm turtles and sharks, or are unsustainable methods for catching tuna.
In class we discussed the Pew Report’s summary of issues threatening the oceans and its inhabitants. Each of these threats is listed below. Next to each threat, please list an organism that you saw at the aquarium that is being affected by that specific threat. Please explain the manner in which your specific aquarium organism is being threatened. Or, explain how this threat relates to something you saw at the Aquarium.
You can do this part at home, and/or use the internet to help you if you want.
Threat / Aquarium Organism / Manner it is being threatenedOr how the threat relates to something you saw here
Pollution / Hopefully coming soon….
Coastal Development
Climate Change
Aquaculture
Overfishing
Bycatch
Habitat
Destruction