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LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
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Unit 4 Analyze and Interpret: Data Analysis Activities for the Classroom
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Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
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LiMPETS Curriculum The LiMPETS curriculum was created by the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association and updated by the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in partnership with many generous individuals and organizations. We would like to thank everyone for their countless and valuable contributions to this project.
Funders California Sea Grant College funding supported the establishment of the LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program with Dr. John Pearse and the Seymour Marine Discovery Center of UC Santa Cruz. NOAA B-WET (Bay Watershed Education and Training Program) provided full support for the development, design, and update of this curriculum (2009–2011, 2014).
Curriculum Development and Editing Gillian Ashenfelter, Lick-Wilmerding High School Cynthia Cudaback, Ocean Consulting Amy Dean (editor), Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association Dr. Jennifer Saltzman, Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association Tammie Visintainer, University of California, Berkeley Alison Young, Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association
Ann Wasser, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Emily Gottlieb, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Maps, Illustrations and Design Illustrations: Jamie Hall, Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association Maps: Tim Reed, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Design: Annabelle Ison, Ison Design
ii • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit 4 | Analyze and Interpret: Data Analysis Activities for the Classroom Using the LiMPETS Curriculum
2
Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core Standards, and Ocean Literacy Principles 3
ACTIVITY: Using Vertical Transect Data to Visualize Zonation at the Rocky Intertidal
6
Part 1: Summarizing Your Data...............................................................................................................................................9 Part 2: Graphing Your Data ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Part 3: Compare Your Data to Intertidal Research.................................................................................................... 11
ACTIVITY: Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time
13
Worksheet: Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time............................................................................................... 15
ACTIVITY: Global Climate Change Exploration: Impact on Intertidal Species
16
Part 1: Climate Change – Can Long-term Data Provide Solutions?................................................................ 18 Part 2: Increasing Ocean Temperatures.......................................................................................................................... 19 Part 3: Sea Level Rise................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Using the LiMPETS Curriculum The LiMPETS curriculum was designed for a broad range of participants; middle school and high school students, college undergraduates, environmental education organizations, and community groups. We encourage you to adapt and customize this curriculum to suit the needs of your unique class or group. However, there are some essential elements that are required in order to participate. At minimum, teachers or group leaders should set aside three days to conduct the essential elements of the program: one day for classroom preparation, one day for monitoring, and one day for data entry and assessment. The following outlines both the required and optional elements of this curriculum: Unit 1: Getting Started (required reading for teachers and group leaders) Unit 2: Engage and Prepare: In-class Introductory Activities for Rocky Intertidal Monitoring ACTIVITY: The Essentials of LiMPETS In-class Preparation (required) ACTIVITY: Monitoring with Life-Sized Photo Quadrats (suggested) ACTIVITY: Monitoring Sea Stars Using the Total Count Method (optional) ACTIVITY: LiMPETS Claymation Identification Game (optional) ASSESSMENT: Student Pre- and Post-Monitoring Reflection (optional)
Unit 3: Investigate and Archive: LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring and Data Entry ACTIVITY: LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring (required) ACTIVITY: Data Entry (required)
Unit 4: Analyze and Interpret: Data Analysis Activities for the Classroom (optional) ACTIVITY: Using Vertical Transect Data to Visualize Zonation at the Rocky Intertidal ACTIVITY: Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time ACTIVITY: Global Climate Change Exploration – Impact on Intertidal Species
Unit 5: Communicate: Effectively communicating science and taking action in your community (optional) ACTIVITY: Student Pre- and Post-Monitoring Reflection ACTIVITY: Communicating Science Through Posters, Scientific Papers, and Oral Presentations ACTIVITY: Taking Personal Action to Protect the Ocean — Us Vs Them
The LiMPETS curriculum is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core Standards for grades 6–12. It is also aligned with the Ocean Literacy Principles and Concepts, which identifies the content knowledge that an ocean literate person should know by the end of 12th grade, www.oceanliteracy.org.
2 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
Middle School Curriculum Alignment Activity Using Vertical Transect Data to Visualize Zonation at the Rocky Shore
Next Generation Science Standards Practices analyzing and interpreting data Core Ideas LS2.A: interdependent relationships in ecosystems LS2.C: ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience ESS3.C: human impacts on earth systems ESS3.D: global climate change Crosscutting Concepts patterns
Common Core Standards
Ocean Literacy Principle
RST 7: integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually
5.D: ocean biology provides unique examples of adaptations and relationships among organisms
RST 9: compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic Math 6: SP 1-3: develop understanding of statistical variability
5.F: ocean habitats are defined by environmental factors 5.H: tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution and diversity of organisms
SP 4-5: summarize and describe distributions Math 7: SP 1-2: use random samples to draw inferences about a population SP 3-4: draw informal comparative inferences about two populations Math 8: SP 1-4: investigate patterns of association in bivariate data
Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time
Practices analyzing and interpreting data Core Ideas LS2.A: interdependent relationships in ecosystems Crosscutting Concepts stability and change
W 1: write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence RST 7: integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually Math 6: SP 1-3: develop understanding of statistical variability
5.D: ocean biology provides unique examples of adaptations and relationships among organisms 5.H: tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution and diversity of organisms
SP 4-5: summarize and describe distributions Math 7: SP 1-2: use random samples to draw inferences about a population SP 3-4: draw informal comparative inferences about two populations Math 8: SP 1-4: investigate patterns of association in bivariate data
Global Climate Change Exploration
Practices analyzing and interpreting data Core Ideas ESS3.C: human impacts on earth systems, ESS3.D: global climate change Crosscutting Concepts cause and effect
W 1: write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence RST 7: integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually Math 6: SP 1-3: develop understanding of statistical variability
5.H: tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution and diversity of organisms 6.D: humans affect the oceans in a variety of ways 6.F: coastal regions are susceptible to natural hazards
SP 4-5: summarize and describe distributions Math 7: SP 1-2: use random samples to draw inferences about a population SP 3-4: draw informal comparative inferences about two populations Math 8: SP 1-4: investigate patterns of association in bivariate data
LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 3
High School Curriculum Alignment Activity Using Vertical Transect Data to Visualize Zonation at the Rocky Shore
Next Generation Science Standards Practices analyzing and interpreting data Core Ideas LS2.A: interdependent relationships in ecosystems LS2.C: ecosystem dynamics, functioning, and resilience ESS3.C: human impacts on earth systems ESS3.D: global climate change Crosscutting Concepts patterns
Common Core Standards
Ocean Literacy Principle
RST 7 and 9: (grades 9-10) translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form and translate information expressed visually or mathematically; compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources (including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous explanations or accounts
5.D: ocean biology provides unique examples of adaptations and relationships among organisms
(grades 11-12) integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to address a question or solve a problem; synthesize information from a range of sources into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible
5.H: tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution and diversity of organisms
5.F: ocean habitats are defined by environmental factors
Alg 1: S-ID 1-3: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-ID 5-6: summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables Alg 2: S-ID 4: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-IC 1-2: understand and evaluate random processes underlying statistical experiments S-IC 3-6: make inferences and justify conclusions from sample surveys, experiments, and observational studies Math 1: S-ID 1-3: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-ID 5-6: summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time
Practices analyzing and interpreting data Core Ideas LS2.C: ecosystem dynamics, functioning and resilience Crosscutting Concepts stability and change
4 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
W 1: write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence RST.7 (grades 9-10) translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form and translate information expressed visually or mathematically; (grades 11-12) integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to address a question or solve a problem
5.D: ocean biology provides unique examples of adaptations and relationships among organisms 5.H: tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution and diversity of organisms
High School Curriculum Alignment (continued) Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time (continued)
S-ID 5-6: summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables Alg 2: S-ID 4: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-IC 1-2: understand and evaluate random processes underlying statistical experiments S-IC 3-6: make inferences and justify conclusions from sample surveys, experiments, and observational studies Math 1: S-ID 1-3: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-ID 5-6: summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables
Global Climate Change Exploration
Practices analyzing and interpreting data Core Ideas ESS3.C: human impacts on earth systems ESS3.D: global climate change Crosscutting Concepts cause and effect
W 1: write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence RST.7 (grades 9-10) translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form and translate information expressed visually or mathematically; (grades 11-12) integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to address a question or solve a problem
5.H: tides, waves and predation cause vertical zonation patterns along the shore, influencing the distribution and diversity of organisms 6.D: humans affect the oceans in a variety of ways 6.F: coastal regions are susceptible to natural hazards
Alg 1: S-ID 1-3: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-ID 5-6: summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables Alg 2: S-ID 4: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-IC 1-2: understand and evaluate random processes underlying statistical experiments S-IC 3-6: make inferences and justify conclusions from sample surveys, experiments, and observational studies Math 1: S-ID 1-3: summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable S-ID 5-6: summarize, represent, and interpret data on two categorical and quantitative variables
LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 5
ACTIVITY
Using Vertical Transect Data to Visualize Zonation at the Rocky Intertidal Author: Tammie Visintainer OBJECTIVES: • Students will be able to construct appropriate graphs
from their data. • Students will understand classic vertical zonation
patterns in the rocky intertidal. • Students will use critical thinking skills to determine
whether their data are consistent with published scientific findings. Students will determine if their data support or refute the claims of the studies. ACTIVITY TIME: 50–60 minutes AMY DEAN
GRADE LEVEL: 6–12 LIMPETS WEB RESOURCES: • Rocky Intertidal Results Pages,
http://limpets.org/ri_results.php MATERIALS: • Worksheet Part 1 – Summarizing Your Data • Worksheet Part 2 – Graphing Your Data • Worksheet Part 3 – Compare Your Data to Scientific
Evidence • Access to the LiMPETS website (optional). • Photocopies of vertical transect datasheets (one copy
for each student group) if completing Part 2. BACKGROUND: By conducting some or all of the parts of this activity, students can learn to understand and manipulate data, create and interpret graphs, and can begin to understand the larger meaning of their monitoring efforts…. the “so what?”, “who cares?”, and “what does it all mean?” in a broader context. You may choose to adapt or customize this activity to suit the needs of your class.
This activity can also help you, as a teacher, familiarize yourself with the online data and graphing tools on the LiMPETS website. It can provide you with ideas and options 6 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
for what kinds of questions can be asked of the data. Note: You must have completed a vertical transect on your monitoring day in order to complete this activity. If students did not find many of the species listed in Table 1 (along the vertical transect), you may want to skip this activity. When a species is rare, it will be difficult for students to identify zonation patterns and draw conclusions. PROCEDURE – TEACHER PREP FOR PARTS 1 AND 2: • Option #1 – Summarizing student data: If you have
internet access and have already entered your data into the LiMPETS database, you can access a data table online that summarizes your data. Go to the Data Entry and Results page of the LiMPETS website > click on Rocky Intertidal Results and follow instructions to generate a ‘data table’ for your vertical transect on the date you monitored. • Option #2 – Summarizing student data: If you do not
have internet access, you may simply photocopy all of the vertical transect data sheets. Each student group should have a full set.
PROCEDURE: • If necessary, review basic graph types with your
students: bar graphs (histograms), line graphs, scatter plots, etc. • If necessary, review basic intertidal ecology and
zonation. Use Rocky Intertidal Fact Sheet from Unit 2. • If you choose to conduct Parts 1 and 2 of the activity
with your students, review with students how to calculate abundance of species as instructed on the worksheets. Explain that organizing and standardizing data enables you (and others) to make sense of your data. By reporting data in a standard format, like #/m2, you’ll be able to compare data with the work of other scientists. • NOTE: You may optionally skip Parts 1 and 2 of this
activity and print the graphs needed for Part 3 from the LiMPETS website. Go to the Data Entry and Results page of the LiMPETS website > click on Rocky Intertidal Results > click on Graph > select your monitoring site and Vertical Transect > select View monthly zonation pattern from high to low intertidal > select the four species from Table 1, Part 1 and the month that you conducted your monitoring. • Have students complete all (or part) of the student
worksheets during class or for homework. EXTENSION: • Students can generate various different types of
graphs from the LiMPETS website. You may choose to have students interpret their data using one or all of these graphs ASSESSMENT: • After students complete their worksheets and data
analyses, discuss as a whole class. • If students will be required to write up a lab report for
their LiMPETS investigations, you may ask students to complete the “Results” and “Discussion” portion of the report after completing this activity. • Looking for ways for your students to communicate
their findings? Options for poster and oral presentations are described in Unit 5.
ANSWER KEY – PART 3:
1a. The answer depends on the class data. Half-tide should be located at approximately the middle of your transect. Some conditions of the extreme low tide zone may include heavy wave action, competition for space and food, and almost constant submersion by water. 1b. The answer will depend on your class data. Some of the transects at LiMPETS monitoring sites cross over a mussel bed while others do not. While your site may not have a distinct mussel bed in the mid tide zone, your data may still show that mussel cover is higher in the mid and low tide zones. 1c. Mussels can only eat when submerged in water. They open their shells only slightly and use ciliary currents to move water through their gills. Detritus and plankton are filtered out and transported to their mouth. Mussels that live lower in the intertidal zone are submerged for longer periods of time and can therefore eat more. 2a. Depends on your class data. The sharpness of zonation patterns may depend on species abundance; therefore you may be unable to determine a pattern if you did not find very many limpets. Also, there are many different species of limpets. Many inhabit the high intertidal, while others inhabit the mid and low intertidal. 2b. Depends on your site and your class data. Your site may have an abundance of limpet species that inhabit the high zone, the mid or low intertidal zone. 2c. Two general predications exist regarding climate change impacts to intertidal zonation. First, sea level is rising by approximately 3 mm per year. Intertidal zones, as well as the animals and algae within these zones, are predicted to shift shoreward in response to this rising sea level. Second, rising temperatures could compress the entire intertidal zone, making it more narrow. As temperatures rise, heat-sensitive intertidal organisms will not be able to spend as much time out of water: it’ll be too hot for them to survive. Therefore, they will be forced to live lower on the shore and deeper in the water. 3a. Dessication stress is the stress an intertidal organism experiences by drying out from exposure to air and LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 7
wind. Adaptations to prevent dessication include hard skeletons or shells, mucus covering, and the ability to seal tightly to rocks or move underneath a rock or other moist area. Coralline algae is very susceptible to drying out. Some species are highly branched and resist dessication by retaining water between their fronds at low tide, like paint between the bristles of a paintbrush. 3b. Coralline algae are common in the mid and low intertidal zones. Therefore, if your data show this type of zonation, your graph should show more algae cover in the middle and lower portions of your transect.
could be a few explanations. Because urchins are most common in the low intertidal, many transects at our various sites do not reach low enough in the intertidal to reach suitable urchin habitat. 4b. Urchin survive so well in wave swept low intertidal areas because they commonly inhabit rounded burrows or depressions in rocks that protect them from the pounding surf. Urchins create these burrows themselves using their spines and grinding teeth.
3c. A crust-like calcium carbonate ‘shell’ covers the bodies of coralline algae and makes them largely inedible to most herbivores. Though it seems plausible that calcified algae may be less susceptible to dessication because of their hard exterior, some upright corallines hold little water inside their bodies compared to fleshy seaweeds and can therefore dry out quickly when exposed to air. 4a. If you found sea urchins along your transect, the urchins were most likely located in the low intertidal zone. If your class did not find many urchins along the transect, there
REFERENCES • Denny, M.W., and Gaines, S.D. eds. Encyclopedia of tidepools and rocky shores. Berkeley, California: University of
California Press, 2007. • Rickets, E.F. 1985. Between Pacific Tides. Standford, CA: Stanford University Press.
8 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Part 1: Summarizing Your Data Name
Have you ever heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” In science, the same is true of graphs. Complex ideas in science can be described with just one graph. Creating a graph of your class data is the best and easiest way to see (and show others) what you found at the rocky intertidal. Before you can create a graph however, you must organize your data and represent all data in a standard, consistent way.
INSTRUCTIONS (PART 1): Use your class data to complete Table 1 below. • Fill in the location of each quadrat along your transect in the top row titled ‘METER
LOCATION.’ Example: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, etc. • For mussels, limpets and upright coralline algae, record the number of squares where these
species were counted within each quadrat along the transect. Data will be represented as: squares/0.25m2. Note: the quadrat size is 0.25 m2. • Scientists typically report abundance as #/m2. Record abundance of purple sea urchins below in this way
by making a simple calculation. Our quadrats are 0.25 m2, therefore you multiply by 4 to get #/m2. For example, if 4 urchins were found in a quadrat, you would report the number in the table below as 16 urchins/m2.
Table 1. Abundance of Species Along Vertical Transect METER LOCATION (M)
0
Sea mussels (squares/0.25m2) Limpets (squares/0.25m2) Upright coralline algae (squares/0.25m2) Purple sea urchin (#/m2)
INSTRUCTIONS (PART 2): Using Table 1, make a line graph that shows the vertical zonation patterns of four intertidal species.
Make one graph for mussels, limpets and/or coralline algae using a separate line for each species. Include a legend. Make a second graph for purple sea urchins. The x-axis = quadrat location along transect (m). The y-axis = abundance of species (#/ m2) for urchins or (squares/0.25m2) for all other species. Create a title for your graphs and label your axes.
LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 9
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Part 2: Graphing Your Data Name
10 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Part 3: Compare Your Data To Scientific Evidence Name
INSTRUCTIONS: • You will be presented with a piece of evidence taken from scientific books or journals. This evidence appears in
quotations. Compare the line graphs you made from Part 2 to the evidence from the scientific literature that applies to the appropriate species. • Answer the questions that follow each piece of scientific evidence below.
1. SEA MUSSELS:
2. LIMPETS:
Scientific evidence:
Scientific evidence:
“The mussel (Mytilus californianus) forms great beds that extend, in favorable localities, from above the half-tide line to well below extreme low water. Here is another animal that is distinctly at home in crashing waves.” (Ricketts, 1985)
Questions: a. Assuming that the transect at your monitoring site stretches from the high to low intertidal, at what quadrat location (m) is the location of half-tide (mid tide zone)? At what location is extreme low water? What are the conditions like at extreme low water?
b. At what location do mussels cover the most area along your transect? At what location do they cover the least area? Do your data agree with the statement above? Why or why not?
c. How do mussels feed? Explain how the way they feed might influence where they live.
“Herbivorous snails and limpets are often extremely abundant in the high intertidal zone.” (Denny, 2007)
Questions: a. At what zone or location do limpets cover the most area along your transect? Describe the zonation pattern. Is there a clear, distinct pattern, a subtle pattern, or are limpets located in patchy distributions throughout the intertidal?
b. Do your data agree with the scientific evidence above? Why or why not?
c. Consider the effects that climate change might have on animals in the intertidal. How might zonation patterns of limpets and other species change at your site in 50 years, if impacted by climate change and rising sea levels?
LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 11
FLORIDA CENTER FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
4. PURPLE SEA URCHIN:
Scientific evidence:
“Here (in the low intertidal) the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) is distinctly at home, having made one of the most interesting adaptations of all to the pounding surf.” (Ricketts, 1985)
Questions: a. Did your class find any urchins within your transect? If so, where along the transect were they located?
3. UPRIGHT CORALLINE ALGAE:
Scientific evidence:
“Coralline algae which are prone to desiccation stress and thus less common at higher shore levels, often form extensive stands (in the low intertidal zone)” (Denny, 2007)
Questions: a. What is desiccation stress? What types of adaptations would an organism need to survive desiccation stress?
b. Assuming that the transect at your monitoring site stretches from the high to the low intertidal, in which zone did you find the most upright coralline algae? Does your data agree with the scientific evidence above?
c. What types of adaptations do coralline algae need in order to survive in the rocky intertidal?
12 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
c. What is the interesting adaptation that the author is referring to above? Why is this an important adaptation for where this animals lives?
ACTIVITY
Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time Author: Tammie Visintainer OBJECTIVES: • Students will be able to read and interpret graphs. • Students will understand the role that “keystone
species” play in an ecological community, specifically how ochre sea stars impact other organisms in the rocky intertidal. • Students will be able to describe why long-term data
are important. ACTIVITY TIME: 20–30 minutes
ALISON YOUNG
GRADE LEVEL: 6–12 LIMPETS WEB RESOURCES: • Rocky Intertidal Results Pages,
http://limpets.org/ri_results.php MATERIALS: • Student Worksheet: Tracking a Keystone Species
Over Time • Access to the LiMPETS website (optional) BACKGROUND: In the intertidal, not all species are created
equally. Keystone species play a major role in maintaining the structure and function of an ecological community, and they have a disproportionately large effect on the system in which they live (relative to their abundance). Their presence impacts many other members of the ecosystem and the decline of a keystone species can lead to declines in biodiversity in the entire area. Ochre sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) are considered keystone species in the rocky intertidal ecosystem because they control the trophic interactions in their habitat. Trophic interactions involve predation between species and different trophic levels, or levels in a food web. For example, the ochre sea star controls populations of mussels – one of their favorite prey. If the sea stars are removed from a rocky intertidal environment, mussels take over and populate any
free space they can find on rocks and in crevices. Without the sea star to keep their populations in check, the mussels will eventually outcompete most other species for space. This type of trophic interaction drastically decreases the diversity of the rocky intertidal in this region. There are other organisms that have gained keystone species status in their marine habitats such as sea otters and sharks. However, the term keystone species was introduced by Robert Paine, a professor at the University of Washington in 1969, who used it to explain the relationship between ochre sea stars and mussels. Dr. Paine found that this sea star played a key role in its habitat by maintaining the balance of all other species in the rocky intertidal region. Marine ecologists that study intertidal organisms take repeated samples in the same locations over time in order to establish baseline data about the life history patterns (e.g. reproduction, growth) and population dynamics of the organisms. If scientists understand the life history patterns and population dynamics of intertidal organisms under natural conditions they have developed a baseline.
LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 13
In the LiMPETS program, by counting ochre sea stars in a large, permanent area, we can detect long-term changes in their abundance that may result in changes throughout the entire rocky intertidal community. PROCEDURE: • If necessary, review basic graph types with your
students: bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, etc. • Introduce the term “keystone species” and discuss
how ochre sea stars illustrate this concept in the rocky intertidal. • Introduce the term “trophic interactions” and discuss
the interactions between mussels and sea stars. • Have students complete all (or part) of the student
worksheet during class or for homework. ASSESSMENT: • After students complete their worksheets and data
analyses, discuss as a whole class. • Looking for ways for your students to communicate
their findings? Options for poster and oral presentations are described in Unit 5.
ANSWER KEY:
1. 2007 = 3.7 /10 m2; 2010 = 4.4/10 m2 2. Lowest = 2006, 2.3/10 m2; Highest = 2009, 4.5/10 m2 3. Generally, sea stars are increasing. With data from 0506 only, a decrease in abundance would be reported. Long-term data is important in order to understand the natural variability and long-term trends in a natural population. 4. Because the population of sea stars has increased slightly at Pt. Bonita, their prey (mussels) may decrease slightly in abundance. Changes in the size of a mussel bed may impact many other members of the community.
14 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
REFERENCES: • Harley, C.D.G, Pankey, M.S., Wares, J.P., Grosberg,
R.K., Wonham, M.J. 2006. Color polymorphism and genetic structure in the sea star, Pisaster ochraceous. Biological Bulletin 211: 248-262. • Paine, R.T. 1974. Intertidal community structure:
experimental studies on the relationship between a dominant competitor and its principal predator. Oecologia 15: 93-120.
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Tracking a Keystone Species Over Time Name
In the intertidal, not all species are created equally. Keystone species are species that play a major role in maintaining the structure and function of an ecological community, and they have disproportionately large effects on the systems in which they live (relative to their abundance). Their presence impacts many other members of the ecosystem and the decline of a keystone species can lead to declines in biodiversity in the entire area. Ochre sea stars, beavers, and sea otters are all examples of keystone species.
INSTRUCTIONS: Examine the trends in sea star abundance at Pillar Point, California. Answer the questions below.
1. What was the average abundance of ochre sea stars at Pillar poing in 2010? In 2014? 2. Between 2010 and 2014, when was the abundance of ochre sea stars the lowest at Pillar Point? The highest? Record abundance for each along with the year. 3. Did the number of sea stars increase, decrease, or remain stable over time (from 2010-2014) at Pillar Point? How your answer change if you had data for 2011 and 2012 only? Why is long-term data important? 4. How might mussels and other members of the ecosystem be impacted by the changes in sea star abundance (from 20102014)? Explain your answer.
Average # per 10 suqare meters
OCHRE SEA STAR ABUNDANCE AT PILLAR POINT, SAN MATEO COUNTY : 2010-2014
LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 15
ACTIVITY
Global Climate Change Exploration: Impact on Intertidal Species Author: Tammie Visintainer OBJECTIVES: • Students will be able to read and interpret graphs. • Students will be able to predict and explain how
changes in climate may impact intertidal species. • Students will be able to describe why long-term data
are important. ACTIVITY TIME: 30–60 minutes
ANTHONY FISHER
GRADE LEVEL: 9–12 LIMPETS WEB RESOURCES: • Rocky Intertidal Results Pages,
http://limpetsmonitoring.org/sb_results.php MATERIALS: • Handout Part 1 – Climate Change: Can Long-Term
Data Provide Solutions? • Worksheet Part 2 – Increasing Ocean Temperatures • Worksheet Part 3 – Rising Sea Levels • Internet access (optional) BACKGROUND: It is clear that climate has had, and will continue to have, large impacts on the rocky intertidal. In response to rising air and sea temperatures, the distribution and abundance of species along our coast is changing. Indeed, that was what was seen when species abundance was compared between the early 1930s and the mid 1990s at one site in Monterey Bay: several common southern California species that were rare or absent in the 1930s are now abundant in the Monterey Bay area.
Species ‘range’ is the furthest north and south a species has been recorded. For example, the range of the giant green anemone currently extends from Alaska to northern Baja, Mexico. It is considered a cold-water species. As a result of global warming, this species (and other cold-water species)
16 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
may disappear or decrease in abundance at sites within its range. The sunburst anemone extends from north-central California to central Baja, California. It is considered a warmwater species. In California, it has both extended its range northward and is increasing in abundance at sites within its range. Long-term monitoring shows that some rocky intertidal invertebrates have shifted poleward by as much as 50 km per decade. In California, examples of species that are shifting northward include snails, anemones, and barnacles. Range shifts can not only be caused by global warming, but by changes in oceanographic patterns, El Niño, and climate variations that occur on a scale of decades (Pacific Decadal Oscillation, PDO). Moreover, climate change will likely cause a rise in sea level. As sea levels rise along the rocky intertidal, the different zones may begin to shift higher onto the shore. It is important to understand how climate change impacts the rocky intertidal. Our understanding is limited and we need
to know more in order to accurately predict what species and which areas will be most affected by climate change. Without this knowledge, we cannot protect these valued and important resources. PROCEDURE: • You may opt to complete part or all of this activity with
your students, as best suits your needs and the needs of your students. • If necessary, review how to read and interpret graphs
with students. • If desired, assign reading in Part 1 of this activity
in-class or for homework. As a class, discuss the potential impacts of global climate change on rocky intertidal organisms. • Have students complete all (or part) of the student
worksheet(s) during class or for homework. ASSESSMENT: • After students complete their worksheets and interpret
data, discuss as a whole class.
ANSWER KEY – PART 2:
1. Southern species. 2. Less than 0.5 per square meter 3. Northern central California to central Baja California. There may be differences in reported range limits for a variety of reasons. Primarily, either a reported range limit is questionable/unreliable in nature OR there are real changes in the range of the species over time caused by climate change, El Niño, etc. 4. Northern. 5. Predictions (and evidence) show the sunburst anemone is both expanding its range northward and, as water temperatures increase, is increasing in abundance in the northern part of its range. At Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, data suggest an increase in abundance; however, longterm data over many more years is needed to in order to show trends that may result from climate change. 6. Answers will vary for each site. ANSWER KEY – PART 3:
1. 10%, 25% 2. 0 and 15. 3. Turban snails have shifted higher in the intertidal between 2006 and 2014 3. Changes in climate occur over a large temporal scale (30 years or more). Given that these data span only 9 years, we cannot say that global climate change is the cause of this trend. El Niño and climate variations that occur on a scale of decades (Pacific Decadal Oscillation, PDO) could play a role.
REFERENCES
• “CeNCOOS - Sea Level Changes.” Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System. Web. July 2011. http://www.cencoos.org/sections/news/sea_level.shtml
• “National Climate Assessment - Sea Level Rise” U.S. Global Change Research Program. Web. June 2015. http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/our-changing-climate/sea-level-rise
• Helmuth, B, Mieszkowska, N, Moore, P and Hawkins, S.J. 2006. Changing Worlds: Forecasting the Responses of Rocky Intertidal Ecosystems to Climate Change. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 37:373–404. LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 17
STUDENT HANDOUT
Sea Level Change in Feet
Part 1: Climate Change – Can Long-Term Data Provide Solutions?
Past and Projected Changes in Global Sea Level Rise from the National Climate Assessment 2014
How do we know if and how intertidal organisms are affected by climate change? How can we predict the impacts of climate change in the future? These can be difficult, complex questions to answer. Scientists have already discovered changes in the distribution, abundance,and range limits of some intertidal species due to climate change. In fact, as sea surface temperatures rise, some species have shifted their range limits poleward by as much as 50 km per decade. Climate change may also impact intertidal zonation. Would the location of a large mussel bed change as sea levels rise? Barnalces? Sea urchins? Currently, the long-term datasets needed to demonstrate climate impacts on zonation are rare or absent. However, two general predications exist. First, 18 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
sea level is rising by approximately 3 mm per year. Intertidal zones, as well as the animals and algae within these zones, are predicted to shift shoreward in response to this rising sea level. Second, rising temperatures could compress the entire intertidal zone, making it more narrow. As temperatures rise, heat-sensitive intertidal organisms will not be able to spend as much time out of water. It’ll be too hot for them to survive. Therefore, they will be forced to live lower on the shore and deeper in the water. It is important to understand how climate change impacts the rocky intertidal. Our understanding is limited and we need to know more in order to accurately predict what species and which areas will be most affected by climate change. Without this knowledge, we cannot protect these valued and important resources.
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Part 2: Increasing Ocean Temperatures Name Ocean temperatures are increasing as a result of global climate change. How will
Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
species respond? Rocky intertidal organisms could respond in a variety of ways, including by shifting their range northward to where better environmental conditions exist. In this activity, you will examine real student-collected data from the LiMPETS program to determine if one species, the sunburst anemone, is responding to climate
Deer Creek (southernmost site)
change.
INSTRUCTIONS: Examine the graph below and answer the questions that follow.
1. Using data from the graph below, would you describe the sunburst anemone as a ‘northern’ or a ‘southern’ species? Use the data to support your answer.
2. What is the abundance of sunburst anemones at the location that is farthest north?
3. What is the range of the sunburst anemone? Use the data below and at least 2 online sources to find out. If sources report different ranges, predict why you think answers may vary.
AVERAGE ABUNDANCE OF SUNBURST ANEMONES
South
North
AT CALIFORNIA LOCATIONS, 2009-2014.
average # per square meter LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 19
QUESTIONS CONTINUED: Use the graph below to answer the following questions.
4. The graph at the bottom of this page shows data from Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, located just south of the San Francisco Bay. Currently, is this site located near the northern, central or southern limit of the sunburst anemone’s range?
5. Would you predict a southern species, like the sunburst anemone, to increase or decrease in abundance as a result of climate change (at this location)? Why? Does the data below support your prediction? What other factors may affect annual populations? What additional information would you need to make your prediction?
6. OPTIONAL– If you have internet access (and if you conduct “total counts” of sunburst anemones at your site), go to the LiMPETS website and create a graph, like the one below, of sunburst anemones at your site. Go to the Data Entry and Results page of the LiMPETS website > click on Rocky Intertidal Results > click on Graph > select your monitoring site and Total Organism Count > select All Schools and Sunburst anemone > create graph. Notice the 95% confidence intervals on the graph. These show that we are 95% confident that the mean lies within the interval. Generally, it tells us how much variability is present in the data. Big, long bars mean that the data collected, in a given year, were highly variable. Shorter bars mean that the anemone counts in a given year were not as highly variable. Print your graph and answer the questions that follow. How would you predict that sunburst anemones respond to increasing ocean temperatures at your site? Does the data support your prediction? If not, propose explanations for why yor data shows something different. AVERAGE SUNBURST ANEMONES COUNTS AT FITZGERALD MARINE RESERVE, 2007-2013:
average # per square meter
includes 95% confidence intervals
20 • LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide
STUDENT WORKSHEET
Part 3: Sea Level Rise Name
Currently, global sea level is rising at a rate of 3 mm per year. We don’t know exactly how fast and how high sea level will continue to rise in the future, however the State of California estimates that sea level will rise 1.4 meters by 2100. How will intertidal species respond to the rising seas? In this activity, you will examine real student-collected data from the LiMPETS program to determine if one species, the turban snail, is responding to sea level rise.
INSTRUCTIONS: Examine the graph below and answer the following questions.
Reading a graph like this can be tricky at first. Each line along the graph shows WHERE most turban snails are found along the vertical transect at Natural Bridges, by cumulative percentage. For any point on a line, you can read the percentage of turban snails that were found at that location and higher on the transect. If the line goes up steeply between one point and previous point, this means that a large percentage of snails were found at that location (e.g. steep line between location 6 and 9 means large percentage of snails at location 9). If the line is flat, between one point and the previous point, no snails were found at that location. QUESTIONS:
1. In 2006-2008, of all the turban snails found along the transect, what percentage was found at meter 0? What percentage were fount at meter 0 in 2012-2014? CUMULATIVE PERCENTAGE OF TURBAN SNAILS ALONG VERTICAL TRANSECT AT NATURAL BRIDGES
3. Between 2006 and 2014, describe how turban snails have changed (or shifted) their location at Natural Bridges.
Cumulative Percentage
2. Fill in the blanks. Along the transect at Natural Bridges, almost all turban snails are found between meter___ and meter ___.
4. Could sea level rise be causing this shift? Consider the time range presented in the graph and the current rate of sea level rise.
Location (m) Along Vertical Transect High Intertidal
Low Intertidal LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program: Curriculum Guide • 21
