Abiotic Characteristics at Race Rocks

Focus

By the end of this activity you will be able to:

  • Understand how tides and geology affect the flow of water over Race Rocks
  • Graph the changes in salinity and temperature at Race Rocks since 1932 annually and monthly
  • Discuss reasons for fluctuations in salinity, temperature and tides.
First of all, come and meet the virtual crew you will be working with at Race Rocks. These are Lester B. Pearson Students who will be staying at the Marine Science Centre with you. /

Find and Filter/Work with Information

Over the next while you will be asked to read over and answer the questions on the Tidal Research Page and the Temperature and Salinity Research Pages.

After you have completed your information gathering, you will get together with the rest of your group answer the following questions and present your information to the rest of the class.

  1. From your work on tides, temperature and salinity, discuss in general how the environment differs at Race Rocks over the course of a year.
  2. Looking at the average annual surface temperature chart, can you theorize why the surface water temperature would increase slightly every four or five years?
  3. Why would the average surface temperature increase throughout the summer months?
  4. What factors do you think would cause the salinity to vary throughout the year?
  5. How do you think that these changes in temperature, salinity and tides affect the birds, seals and sea lions and other creatures that congregate at Race Rocks throughout the year?

Communicate

Your group will put together a presentation on your findings. You will need the following information on your presentation.

  • Title
  • Graphs of tides, temperature and salinity
  • Answers to the questions above.
  • Any other information you consider interesting or important to the rest of the class.

Reflection

When El Nino occurs, the temperature of the water at Race Rocks increases. Discuss what you think this increase in temperature would have on the organisms at Race Rocks.

Assessment

Go to the assessment page where your teacher will lead you through a discussion about expectations for this assignment.