Summary:
global warming is heating up and acidifying our oceans. a new study from australia shows that sea urchins can create their exoskeletons in warm or acidifyed water. in the experiment scientists raised sea urchins from birth in varying degrees of ocean temperature and acid levels. if the water raised even 2 degrees celcius it presented problems for the urchins. if it rose to 4 degrees the urchins died. other sea forms like coral are having problems growing due to global warming.
Reflection:
it suprised me about how much of an effect global warming can have on a creature like the sea urchin. it also suprised me how little the temperature needed to change for it to have an effect on the urchins. i didnt know that water temperature could stop an animal from growing, or that globall warming could change acid levels in the water/
Questions:
1. how long will it take for the urchins to die off?
2. if urchin population decreased how would this effect the ecyosystem?
3. can the urchins evolve to become tolerant of warmer waters?
4. can the urchin population move to cooler waters?
5. what else is effected by this?
answer to question 2) if urchin population decreased how would this effect the ecosystem?
ReplyDeletei looked under (http://tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouse_id=4881) and found that with a decrease to population that there would be a mass decrease in the specices that feed off the urchins. Such as sea otters humans and star fish. As well as the fact that urchins help greatly with coral erisons and that coral mass would be much greater. Thus killing out many other species and expanding coral reefs. If the urchin population went down a great deal.
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ReplyDeleteIt is surprising that sea urchins cannot withstand raising water temperautures. Matt asked,
ReplyDeletecan the urchins evolve to become tolerant of warmer waters?
I looked this up and found an article, "Sea Urchins Tolerate Acid Water." They believed over time they will be able to tolerate increasing acidic temperatures.In the study they tested sea urchins over a period of time, gradually increasing the acidic levels. At the end of the experiment they adapted to withinstand higher acidic levels. Therefore concluding overtime they will adapt to increasing acidic levels.
This section surprised me.I thought only land creatures had to suffer from Global Warming, but I never knew underwater creatures had the same problem too.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I now realize that some underwater creatures, like the sea urchins, are used to the same water temperature. So when the sudden change came, the urchins had extreme difficulty adapting to the new condition.
I would also like to know who else is affected by the acid level and water temperature.
I agree with Matt that it was surprising to see how little a change in temperature can effect the enviorment. It shows what global warming can do to the enviorment.
ReplyDeleteI also asked 5 questions:
1. How long will they live for if the temperature is raised?
2. How much trouble would it cause the sea urchin if it did stop growing?
3. Once they are put in warm water then they are taken out and put in cold water, will they ever grow again?
4. Why does two degrees make a difference?