Introduction
HELLO.
Welcome to our webquest about global warming!
Global warming can affect sea levels, ocean currents, seawater, sea surface temperatures, tides, weather; all of these affect the underwater ecosystem. These ecosystems that are being affected range from Coral bleaching, Fish migration, Drowning wetlands and Ocean acidification.
Oceans have enormous capacity to hold heat. So ocean temperatures, unlike temperatures on land, are slow to fluctuate from natural forces, such as El Niño/La Niña patterns or volcanic eruptions. Ocean temperatures have been rising about .12 degrees celsius per decade on average for the last 50 years
Task
TASK SECTION
How comfortable are you when it’s too hot, or freezing outside? If you’re standing outside in the heat of the day in August with the sun directly above does that make you want to continue to stand there? What if the temperature increased one degree every week? There seems to be a direct correlation with Global Warming and the effects it is having on our marine ecosystem.
This Web Quest directs you through the deepest parts of the ocean to see where we are headed:
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Knowledge on the history of the increase in ocean temperature
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The range in current water temperature including the deepest parts of the ocean
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Information on the effects on underwater environment
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Effects on fisheries
Theocean has absorbed about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide humans have sent into the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution – some 150 billion tons. The trend in ocean acidification is about 30 times greater than natural variation, and average surface ocean pH, the standard measure of acidity, has dropped by 0.1 unit - a highly significant increase in acidity. This is damaging many ocean species that use calcium carbonate to form their skeletons and shells.
A study found that a major underwater current in the Atlantic Ocean, one that brings warm water from the equator up into the North Atlantic, is the slowest it's been in at least 1,000 years.
Continued slowing of the circulation could make for more extreme weather across the Northern Hemisphere, especially Europe, and could increase sea-level rise along the U.S. East Coast.
Process
WELCOME TO THE PROCESS SECTION!
Here you will be watching videos and completing activities!
Global Warming Demonstration Video/Activity
Click on the link below to watch a video and then as a class you can do the activity.
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/global-warming-demonstration/
According to the picture above, global warming is over 90% going into the ocean. This has a huge effect on the marine life. It affects the marine life's shelter and food supply. Global warming is also affecting the coral reefs. The images below is how over the years global warming is affecting the ocean and everything in in like the coral reefs and marine life.
CORAL BLEACHING
Coral bleaching is one of the ecosystems being affected by global warming.
Watch the YouTube video then do the activity.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA6mpexcyN4
Activity: https://climatekids.nasa.gov/coral-bleaching/
The ocean has absorbed about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide humans have sent into the atmosphere since the start of the Industrial Revolution – some 150 billion tons. The trend in ocean acidification is about 30 times greater than natural variation, and average surface ocean pH, the standard measure of acidity, has dropped by 0.1 unit - a highly significant increase in acidity. This is damaging many ocean species that use calcium carbonate to form their skeletons and shells.
Evaluation
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Excellent (25 pts) |
Good (20 pts) |
Fair (10 pts) |
Poor (5 pts) |
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Communication Skills |
Students have effectively communicated with each other to create a really good webquest. |
Students have mostly communicated well in order to create a successful webquest. |
Some students have not communicated with each other as well as they should. |
Communication between students was very poorly executed and the webquest is not good. |
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Critical Thinking |
The webquest was methodically thought out and very well executed. Each component is intact and complete. Clean. |
Many sections are very well done but some sections are lacking content and/or value. |
Most sections were not well thought-out and are of a poor design. |
The webquest is really too simplistic and absolutely no planning was done with its completion. |
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Empirical/Quantitative |
There are sections where numbers and calculations were used in determining goals and objectives. |
Some numbers were used in a few sections but not for “data gathering” purposes. |
Only a couple of numbers were listed or mentioned in the webquest. |
There are absolutely no numbers of any kind used in any parts of the webquest. |
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Teamwork Skills |
All members of the group worked together as a whole to accomplish the completion of the webquest. |
Even though many members worked well, some members did not. Teamwork not as complete as it could be. |
Only a few members of the group worked together; the rest did not do substantial work to complete the objectives. |
All members worked individually and independent of one another; no communication between members. |
Conclusion
You should now have a better understanding of how global warming has affected our oceans and marine ecosystems.
Keep in mind that if this pattern continues we can expect to see:
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permanent changes in ecosystem structure and function,
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extinction of certain species,
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the expansion of oligotrophic gyres,
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more sea level rise from Greenland & West Antarctic ice caps,
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ocean acidification,
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and the impact of climate changes on natural disasters, such as hurricanes.
By being educated on this matter, you can help to reduce our carbon footprint for future generations! Remember, knowledge is power!