Sea Floor

What is sea floor spreading?

The process by which new sea floor is formed as it moves away from spreading centers in mid-ocean ridges.

What are some of the major land forms that are created from plate movement?

Mountains, volcanoes, trenches, and the 7 continents were all formed from plate movement.

How were the Mariana Islands formed?

The Marianas were formed by volcanoes. Nowadays they are most dormant, but occasionally one will erupt, spreading sulfur up into the atmosphere and over the other islands.

What evidence exists today that the plates are still moving and that the islands are ancient volcanoes?

As I mentioned earlier, there are still active volcanoes in Micronesia, and which the continous earthquakes, we know that the plates are still in motion.

What is an atoll?

A product of a reef; often islands or sand cays surrounding a central lagoon.

Why are atolls mainly found on the Pacific?

Atolls grow on coral reefs, which are found mainly in the Pacific Ocean because of the warm climate.

Fishes of the CNMI

biology and adaptation

Reptilia
The saltwater crocodile has adapted to live in fresh water, salt water, or both (brackish or mixed water). Kidneys are crucial to help this remarkable feat, but they aren't the only way the croc accomplishes this; saltwater crocodile tongues have special glands that excrete salt. Another adaptation of saltwater crocodiles is that their eyes and nose are high on its head so that it can remain mostly underwater, hiding from its prey. Their broad tails and specially webbed feet help them swim and maneuver quickly. Like all crocodiles, saltwater crocs eat a variety of meat, anything they can get their hands on. Their powerful jaws are built to close quickly and tightly. With amazing jaw muscles, crocodiles hang on to their prey and perform the "death roll" to kill their victims. Like Steve Irwin always said, "Crikey!"

Alligator, large aquatic reptile of the genus Alligator,

in the same order as the crocodile. There are two

species–a large type found in the United States

and a small type found in China. Alligators differ

from crocodiles in several ways. They have broader,

blunter snouts, which give their heads a triangular

appearance; also, the lower fourth tooth does not

protrude when the mouth is closed, as it does in

the crocodile.

The American alligator, Alligator mississipiensis, is

found in swamps and sluggish streams from North

Carolina to Florida and along the Gulf Coast. When

young, it is dark brown or black with yellow transverse bands. The bands fade as the animal grows, and the adult is black. Males commonly reach a length of 9 ft (2.7 m) and a weight of 250 lbs (110 kg); females are smaller. Males 18 ft (5.4 m) long were once fairly common, but intensive hunting for alligator leather eliminated larger individuals (a specimen over 10 ft/3 m long is now unusual) and threatened the species as a whole. The wild American alligator is now protected by law, but it is also raised on farms for commercial uses.

Alligators spend the day floating just below the surface of the water or resting on the bank, lying in holes in hot weather. They hunt by night, in the water and on the bank. Young alligators feed on water insects, crustaceans, frogs, and fish; as they grow they catch proportionally larger animals. Large alligators may occasionally capture deer and cows as they come to drink; they do not commonly attack humans. Alligators hibernate from October to March. In summer the female builds a nest of rotting vegetation on the bank and deposits in it 20 to 70 eggs, which she guards for 9 to 10 weeks until they hatch.

The Chinese alligator, A. sinensis, which grows to about 6 ft (1.8 m) long, is found in the Chang (Yangtze) River valley near Shanghai. This species is nearly extinct. Caimans are similar, but distinct members of the Alligatoridae family found in Central and South America. There are several species, classified in three genera. The largest grow up to 15 ft (4.8 m) long. Unlike alligators, caimans have bony overlapping scales on their bellies. Baby caimans are often sold in the United States as baby alligators.

Alligators and caimans are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Reptilia, order Crocodilia, family Alligatoridae.

Coral Reefs

Saipan is surrounded by irregular fringing reefs and a barrier reef off the lagoon. The fringing reefs are pink and the barrier reef isn't on the map, but it does exist in real life.

SIMILARITIES:

-all types of coral reefs
-need hard surface to grow
-all have reef slopes and reef flats
-variety of coral grow on reef slopes
-fish live in all the reefs

DIFFERENCES:
-barrier reefs and atolls have spur and grooves
-fringing reefs grow close to shore
-barrier reefs are separate by a lagoon and atolls surround lagoons
-fringing reefs can extend all the way to shore
-atolls are built on sunked volcanic islands

Critical Thinking Questions:

Chapter 1 Critical thinking

2.) In Chapter 1 it was expalined that the statement "There are mermaids in the ocean" is not a valid scientific hypothesis. Can the same be said of the statment "There are no mermaids in the ocean"? Why?

-->The statement, "There are no mermaids in the ocean", is not a valid scientific hypothesis, because it is not testable. This statement cannot be potentially proven to be false. Even if an army of marine biologists were to spend their entire career looking for a mermaid, the ocean is far too large for such a study. There may be some comments on individuals seeing a mermaid...then again people say things to noticed or known...proof would be the first step to proving the statement, "There are no mermaids in the ocean" or "there are mermaids in the ocean". As for now no hard core evidence to prove both these statements.

Chapter 3 Critcal Thinking

4.) Most tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean, as indicated by the map in the "Waves that Kill" boxed reading. How would you explain this?-->Tsunamis are caused from earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, and other seismic disturbances of the sea floor. Unfortunately, 85% of all tsunamis occured in the Pacific Ocean. Around the rim of the Pacific Ocean are many volcanoes. This is known as the Pacific Rim of Fire. These eruptions are one of the main causes of the seismic activity in the Pacific Ocean.

Chapter 5 Critical Thinking

1.) Scientists use the particular structure of nucleic acids and other chemical differences to separate the archaea from the bacteria. Can you think of other characteristics that could be used to distinguish not only between these two domains but also between them and Protists?
Ancestral Organism
1)Prokaryotes
a. Archae
b. Bacteria
2)Eukaryotes
a. Fungi
b. plants
c. animals
The two prokaryotic domains, Bacteria and Archaea, have important differences, including the chemistry of their cell walls and plasma membranes, and the cellular machinery that manufactures proteins. They are the simpliest and most primitive form of life that we know. Protists are mostly aquatic primary producers that lack the specialized tissues of plants. They range in size and compllexity from single cells to large multicellular seaweeds.

Chapter 6 Critical Thinking

2.) Only very few flowering plants have invaded the oceans, but those that have are very successful. What are some possible reasons for the small number of marine flowering plants? How do those that have taken the step manage to thrive in some environments?
-An example is the Seagrass flowers, whose closest relatives seem to be members of the lily family, which shows that seagrasses evolved from land plants. But they have very well adapted to life in the marine environment. Instead of attracting insect for pollination, the pollen is carried by the water currents. Tiny seeds result from successful fertilization. These seeds are dispersed by water currents and perhaps in the feces of the fish and other animals that browse on the plants.

Chapter 9 Critical Thinking

Sea turtles have disappeared from many regions, and one way of trying to save them is to reintroduce them to areas where they have been wiped out. This is done by reburying eggs or by releasing newborn baby turtles on beaches. Why are eggs reburied or baby turtles released instead of fully grown individuals?

Maybe because new born and/or eggs would be more effective to reproduce again...the old turtles may be more relaxed and unable to reproduce. The only thing about reburying eggs is that other species may eat the egg which leads to no baby turtles.

Chapter 14 Critical Thinking

1)What factors might account for the fact that the vast majority of atolls occur in the INdian and Pacific oceans and that atolls are rare in the Atlantic?
-Atolls are strongly influenced by these winds called the trade winds blow from latitudes of about 30 degrees toward the equator. And there are more warm surface currents in the Indian and Pacific Ocean than in the Atlantic Ocean.

Genetic/Cell Cycles

1. What is DNA?
- (blue print of life) deoxyribonucleic acid.
2. What are the 4 bases?
- T- Thymine, C- Cytosine, G- guanine, A- adenine.
3. What 2 peices of information did the scientists need to solve the elusive structure of DNA?
- Phosphate backbone, double helix.
4. What are the specific base pairs?
- (adenine,thynine) (guanine,cytosine)
5. How does the pairing rule effect the shape and structure of DNA?
- Each rung of the twisted ladder in the Helix would be of equal size, and the sugar-phosphate backbone would be smooth.
6. What does the DNA do during cell division?
- It is able to unzip into two pairs.
7. How many base pairs does E. Coli have? How long does it take to replicate? How is the DNA packaged in the cell?
- It makes 4 million pairs in once every 20 minutes and it is curled up in a condensed fashion.
8. How many base pairs does Human DNA have? How long does it take to replicate? How is the DNA packaged in the cell?
- It makes 3 billion pairs in about 12 - 24 hours and is packaged into 23 distinct chromosome pairs.
1. What is RNA? How different is it from DNA?
- RNA is an abbreviated form of a chemical name which in the case of RNA is ribonucleic Acid. It is only made up of one strand.
2. How are the RNA messages formed?
- In RNA the non coding parts are removed processed then transported outside of the nucleus.
3. How are the RNA messages interpreted?
- On the outside of the nucleus, the proteins are built based upon the code in the RNA.
1. Describe cell cycle.
- It is the orderly sequence of events that occurs from the time a cell divides to form two daughter cells to the time those daughter cells divide again.
2. What is nuclear division.
- During the process known as karyokinesis, the nucleus divides. Nuclear division includes Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase.
3. What is interphase.
- It is when the cell grows and metabolic activity is very high.
4. Cytokinesis.
- It is when the Cytoplasm divides and two identical daughter cells are formed.
5. Homologous chromosomes.
- a pair of chromosomes containing the same linear gene sequences, each derived from one parent. The chromosomes tend to pair or synapse during meiosis. They have the same genes, in the same location, but the genes have different versions (not like in sister chromatids that are exact replicas)
6. Phases of mitosis (5 of them).
-Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase
7. Phases of meiosis and how it is different from mitosis.
- Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase. Meiosis makes twice as much as Mitosis.
8. Describe the process and purpose of crossing over.
- Each parent cell has pairs of homologous chromosomes, one homolog from the father and one from the mother. In meiosis, the maternal and paternal chromosomes can be shuffled into the daughter cells in many different combinations. This ensures genetic variation in sexually reproducing organisms. Further genetic variation comes from crossing over, which may occur during prophase I of meiosis.

pictures were found on google image.

























Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and water to make glucose which its energy source comes from the sunlight; whereas Cellular Respiration aside from being the oppostie of photosynthesis. Cell respiration breaks down glucose, using oxygen which creates carbon dioxide and water.

nucleoid
DNA in the bacterial cell is generally confined to this central region. Though it isn't bounded by a membrane, it is visibly distinct (by transmission microscopy) from the rest of the cell interior.

Ribosomes
Ribosomes give the cytoplasm of bacteria a granular appearance in electron micrographs. Though smaller than the ribosomes in eukaryotic cells, these inclusions have a similar function in translating the genetic message in messenger RNA into the production of peptide sequences (proteins).

capsule
This layer of polysaccharide (sometimes proteins) protects the bacterial cell and is often associated with pathogenic bacteria because it serves as a barrier against phagocytosis by white blood cells.

cell wall
Composed of peptidoglycan (polysaccharides + protein), the cell wall maintains the overall shape of a bacterial cell. The three primary shapes in bacteria are coccus (spherical), bacillus (rod-shaped) and spirillum (spiral). Mycoplasma are bacteria that have no cell wall and therefore have no definite shape.

plasma membrane
ra This is a lipid bilayer much like the cytoplasmic (plasma) membrane of other cells. There are numerous proteins moving within or upon this layer that are primarily responsible for transport of ions, nutrients and waste across the membrane.


Flagella
The purpose of flagella (sing., flagellum) is motility. Flagella are long appendages which rotate by means of a "motor" located just under the cytoplasmic membrane. Bacteria may have one, a few, or many flagella in different positions on the cell.

cytoplasm
This contains many of the protiens, molecules, and important substances that the cell needs, as well as keeping the organelles seperate. It is similar to air for us; it has many essential ingredients for continued existence; it provides a medium in which the organelles can exist (living in a vacum is not very easy), and pretty much fills up space.

Mesosome
One structure not shown in our prokaryotic cell is called a mesosome. Not all prokaryotic cells have these. The mesosome is an elaboration of the plasma membrane--a sort of rosette of ruffled membrane intruding into the cell.

Questions

1. What Is the purpose of the Bacterial Flagellum?

2. What is the name of a part of the cell that is rare to find in Prokaryote?

3. What is a cell wall?

1. Explain how currents contribute to the distribution of marine organisms around the planet.

The role of surface currents in transporting heat is reflected in the temperature of the sea surface. Surface temperature is higher on the western sides of the ocean currents carry warm water away from the equator, than on the eastern sides, where cold currents flow toward the equator. Because of this, tropical organisms like corals tend to extend into high latitudes on the west sides of the ocean. Cold loving organisms like kelps, on the other hand, occur closest to the equator on the eastern shores of the oceans.



2. The primary factor influencing ocean currents is temperature regulation. What might happen to the ocean currents (and has happened in the past) as global warming increases?

The flow of some major ocean currents may change, affecting many marine ecosystems. Mangrove forests and estuaries will be flooded; coral reefs may not grow fast enough to keep up with the rising sea levels. A change in the Gulf Stream, for instance, will make northwestern Europe colder.


3. Explain how density changes cause currents.

The book describes it to be, if the surface layer is less dense than the layer below it requires less energy to mix the water; but when the surface layer is a lot more dense than the bottom layer it is harder to mix.

THE SHAPE OF LIFE

What organism is thought to be the first multi-cellular animal?
* The ancient Sponge.

How is it the same and different from animals today (3 examples)?
* Same-cells, molecule, and animal cells
Difference- Feed themselves, reproduce, and does not move

How do Scientists know its an animal?
* The build of their cells and molecules, Collagen a protein held by all living organsims.

What evidence do Scientists have to prove that other animals evolved from this organisms?
*Genetice sequencing w/ sponge and other animals

What more do you want to know?
*Are they self produced and how coul we distinguish between male or female?

tides

Marine Biology Assignment


What is tidal range?
- The difference in water level between successive high and low tides.

What causes high and low tides?
- High and low tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun and by the rotations of the Earth, Moon, and Sun.

What causes spring and Neap tides?
- Spring tides are caused when the sun and the moon are in line with each other. Spring tides seem to surge up like a spring of water. Neap tides on the other hand occur when the moon is in the first and third quarters.

How does tidal range affect the types of organisms and the shape and size of the organisms?
- Tidal range can affect organisms like coral. For example: the coral reef could only produce and grow to where the water level goes on its lowest tide. That’s why coral reefs are flat because the during low tide the coral can’t produce above water level.