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11: The Rocky Intertidal- Organism Exploration

  • Page ID
    164669
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    Background

    The purpose of the lab is twofold. First, we will become acquainted with many of the algae and animals that we will learn more about in future lectures and labs. Seeing them in their natural habitat, with their usual neighbors, will allow us to get a much more realistic idea of the local rocky habitat and the community structure of the area. Secondly, we will try to begin using scientific methods to understand the distribution of creatures and how that might be related to the physical environment around them. Using our eyes and cameras, we will investigate the common organisms in the intertidal and start to look for patterns.

    Photographs and Photoquadrats

    Taking photographs of the creatures that you see out in the intertidal will be an important part of learning who is who, as well as collecting valuable data.

    Photographs

    Using your camera or smartphone, document at least 10 different types of creatures from your area. Try to have at least three of them be algae and the rest animals.

    Photoquadrats

    You will place quadrats out in the field and then take a photograph of each one directly over the top. These photoquadrats can then be the source of important data for future questions.

    The Write-up: (This will be done individually)

    1. Create a Google Slides presentation.
    2. Make a page each for your favorite 10-12 species of algae and animals.
      1. Include a few images of each creature that you took yourself and of others from the web if needed.
      2. One short paragraph listing:
        1. The name of the species (Scientific Name and Common Name.)
        2. A little bit about its natural history (where it lives, what it eats, who eats it, and other interesting facts).
        3. Use the intertidal guidebooks and other websites to help research these things.
    3. Include a few of the photoquadrats on their own slide pages.
      1. Explain where the quadrats were from in the intertidal and what question you were trying to answer.
      2. Count the total number (or % cover) of a few species in the quadrats. See if you can count the same things in the different quadrats and compare their numbers from one location to the next.
    4. What patterns did you notice among the species you observed in your different quadrats, and were you able to answer your question?

    Turn in your personal slideshow to Canvas next week.


    Thumbnail image: “tide pools” by Mookie Forcella, CC BY-NC 2.0


    This page titled 11: The Rocky Intertidal- Organism Exploration is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 1.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kevin Raskoff.