The Need for Speed Exploring Adaptations for Migration

Transcription

1 The Need for Speed Exploring Adaptations for Migration What adaptations make animals suited for long distance ocean travel? Swim along with elephant seals, bluefin tuna, Laysan albatrosses, and white sharks to find out who travels fastest, farthest, and deepest. Research the adaptations that make these animals suited for long distance ocean travel and how their migration tracks relate to known behaviors.

2 Engage SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Imagine if you could squirt blood out of your eyes to stave off a predator or had to blow a giant nostril balloon to attract a mate. These are just a couple of the strangest (but real!) adaptations some animals have developed to survive. Adaptation is a profound process. It means you figure out how to thrive in the world. ~ John Laroche, Adaptation Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of plant and animal species inhabit the oceans, each with its own unique set of adaptations for survival. Check out Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History s Ocean Portal page on adaptations ( to learn about some amazing marine animal adaptations. ENGAGE QUESTION Answer this question in your notebook. 1. What was the most interesting or bizarre adaptation you discovered? Describe the adaptation and its purpose. Image Credit: Mike" Michael L. Baird Image credit: Bovlb, Wikimedia Commons

3 Explore Some marine animals travel thousands of miles each year in search of food, breeding grounds, and safety. What adaptations are responsible for these animals speed and stamina, enabling them to travel faster, farther, and deeper in these pursuits? Let s use Ocean Tracks to find out! Go to oceantracks.org/map In the Tools tab, explore Speed and Depth data for the entire track of Elephant Seal 302 (aka, the default track when you open the Ocean Tracks interface). Learning Objectives Identify which species/ animal(s) traveled farthest, fastest, deepest over different time intervals Describe adaptations for speed and long- distance ocean travel Relate migration track patterns to known behaviors Set the range to cover the entire track. EXPLORE QUESTIONS Answer these questions in your notebook. 1. During what time period(s) did Elephant Seal 302 have the: a. slowest average speed? b. fastest average speed? 2. What was Elephant Seal 302 most likely doing during those two time periods? Explain.

4 Explore In your notebook or favorite spreadsheet program (e.g., Excel), start a table like the one below to record speed, depth, and distance data. Fill in the remaining data for Elephant Seal 302. Speed, Depth, & Distance Data TIP: Find total distance traveled and track duration by clicking on any individual track point on the map and viewing the Track Summary. Animal species/id Avg. speed (km/h) Fastest speed (km/h) Avg. depth (m) Deepest dive (m) Total distance (km) Track duration (days) Avg. distance (km/day) Elephant Seal km/h -881 m km km/day

5 Explore Add three more tracks 1 white shark, 1 Laysan albatross, and 1 bluefin tuna so that the map shows tracks for 1 animal from each of the 4 species listed in the Tracks tab. Save a screenshot of your map. Graph each track and record speed, depth, and distance data for each animal in your data table you ll need it later! TIP: When exploring more than one animal of a single species, you may find it helpful to Use Unique Colors for the tracks Choose one species to explore further. Turn off tracks for all other species. In your data table, record speed, depth, and distance data for tracks of 3 more animals of that species. Select tracks from as many different years as possible. Save a screenshot of your map.

6 Explore Using the Ocean Tracks Library ( the Additional References below, and/or the internet, research adaptations of the species you chose to investigate further. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES Friends of the Elephant Seal: The Albatross-The Master of Dynamic Soaring: Graham, J. B., & Dickson, K. A. (2004). Tuna comparative physiology. Journal of experimental biology, 207(23), : Del Raye, G., Jorgensen, S. J., Krumhansl, K., Ezcurra, J. M., & Block, B. A. (2013). Travelling light: white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) rely on body lipid stores to power ocean-basin scale migration. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 280(1766), : EXPLORE QUESTIONS Answer these questions in your notebook. 3. What species did you choose to explore further? 4. What adaptations does this species have for: a. Long distance travel? b. Speed? c. Deep diving? Image credit: Abhi Sharma, Flickr

7 Synthesize AND THE WINNER IS Using the guidelines below, prepare a poster, infographic, short (2 pages or less) report, or PowerPoint slideshow (maximum 6 slides) to demonstrate what you ve learned about marine animals and the adaptations that make them well-suited for speed and long-distance ocean travel. GUIDELINES Present your winners. Which species would you crown the: o speed champion? o distance champion? o diving champion? Which individual animal(s) won these titles for the species you chose to investigate further? Include data tables and map screenshots as appropriate. Interpret the data Part 1. What criteria/data did you use to determine the winners? What additional data, if any, would you need to be more confident about your decisions? CONTINUED

8 Synthesize GUIDELINES (continued) Interpret the data Part 2. What adaptations do the winning species have that help them go: o faster? o farther? o deeper? For the species you explored in more detail: o Describe where these animals went. Where and when were they traveling fastest, diving deepest? o What were these animals most likely doing at each stage of their journey? Use Ocean Tracks data to support your answer.