Create a Deep Sea Species
Background
With the oceans covering nearly 70% of the Earth's surface to an average depth of over 12,000 feet. The deep sea makes up over 95% of the Earth's inhabitable space. It is a thee dimensional universe that is dark, cold, under extreme pressure and has no hard surfaces. It is home to some of the most bizarre and least understood species on Earth. These species are truly "alien" to life at the surface, yet some scientists believe it may have even been the birth place for life on this planet. Yet it is so poorly understood. It's no exaggeration to say we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the life in the deep sea.
Task
In the deep ocean new species are discovered nearly every time a submarine goes down into the depths. Many of these species, although related to species closer to the surface, are completely different and unique. Its your job to describe a newly discovered species. You may research a newly discovered species, a real species. Or, if you are feeling a little more creative you may "create a species" that has just been newly discovered. Think like a good oceanographer. Use all of the knowledge that you have recently aquired about the deep sea. If you choose to create your own species it must make good biological sense and follow certain "un-written" rules of deep sea biology.
Product
- You will turn in a written description of your species. It will include each of the procedure steps below.
- You will also turn in an artistic representation of your species (two dimensional or three dimensional.) Artistic integrity is important, but what is more important is that you make sure what you have written comes out in your artistic image.
- Finally, you will provide an anontated bibliography. This will be a list of your sources (at least four), and for each a written description of what information or inspiration you got from this source.
Procedure
Habitat:
Select one of the following deep sea zones for your species to call home and describe what it is like. Because each of these zones all have very specific abiotic features, knowing what zone your species is in can tell you a lot about it.
I. Pelagic
1. Epipelagic (sunlight zone)
2. Mesopelagic (twilight zone)
3. Bathypelagic (midnight zone)
4. Abyssopelagic (abyssal zone)
II. Benthic Sediments
5. Littoral, Sub-littoral
6. Bathyal
7. Abyssal
8. Ultra-abyssal
Classification:
What type of organism is it? Is it a jellyfish (phylyn Cnidaria) or a comb jellie (phylum Ctenophora)? Is it a bony fish(class ostyichthes)? Is it a deep sea squid (class cephelepoda)? Even a newly discovered species will fit into a certain Phylum, Order, and Class. In this section, list the common names of two or three other species that belong to the same family or class as your species. These species may have been ones that you studied for inspiration.
Movement and Feeding :
In the deep sea more than any place on earth - the rule is eat or be eaten. Nearly all creatures in the deep sea are oportunistic feeders. That means they will eat what ever they can. No less important in the deep sea is the ability to save energy. Food does not come along to often. This creates a natural tension for which deep sea species have some interesting adaptations. Study lots of other species and then describe how your species adaptations for and styles of movement. Do the same for feeding.
Basic body form and color:
Think about body size, shape, and length. Review lots of other examples from similar species. Nature rarely creates something entirely new, but rather certain abiotic conditions favor new modifications of previously existing species (that is what we call natural selection.) What we mean by that is all octopi (no matter how specialized) have the basic characteristics that make them recognizable as octopi. When it comes to color, red is all the rage in the deep sea. Find out why. Species that are not red, may be transparent or black. In addition most deep sea species lack hard parts. Their flesh will either be "mushy" or jellatenous. Again find out why and be ready to explain it.
Sensory Adaptations:
The abyss is largely dark and cold with pressures that make life seem impossible. Yet life thrives in the deep sea. Like any other organism deep sea species must respond to their environment. To do so in the deep sea, requires some remarkable sensory adaptations. For this section consider how your species "reads its environment." Pay particular attention to they eyes (if it has them), bioluminesance (if it uses it), lateral lines (for fish), and antenea for arthropods.
Reproduction:
No matter how good a species is at eating while avoiding being eaten, it has zero biological worth if it can't reproduce. Finding a mate in the darkness of the deep sea can be a daunting task. What strategy does your species use to find a mate, and care for its young? Asexual reproduction may sound easy (and it is), but it comes with a lot of risks. Sex, although clearly better for the next generation, can be dangerous for individual organisms trying to make that generation. Many deep sea species are very inventive when it comes to the dilemma of sex. Do some research and above all else think biological.
Name:
Give your species a name.
Justifications:
Now that you have described your species, describe to me the process through which you made these decisions. In this section, be sure to describe why your species looks like it does, why it does what it does. Finally be sure to describe how your species is different or unique from some of the species you may have studied while looking for inspiration.
Resources
VA's Deep Sea Chapter
Monterey Bay Aquarium - Deep Sea Species
Seasky - Monsters of the Deep
Deep Sea Biology - Paul Yancey, Ph. D.
Image Quest - Deep Sea Images
Image Quest - Comb Jellies
The Deep Sea at Marinebio.org
Animal Diversity Web - help with classification
Tree of Life - help with classification
Explore the Abyss - Photo gallery
Harbor Branch Oceanographic - Deep Sea Photos
Assessment List
| Elements |
Points Possible |
Points Earned (peer) |
Points Earned (teacher) |
Student has included a sub-titled section for habitat, niche, body form and function, sensory adaptations, reproduction, and the species has a name. Each section gives a detailed description.
|
25 |
|
|
| Project pays attention to details, the organism created is believable and the organism described is well researched. The species may be creative, but it still follows the "un-written rules" of its niche and habitat. The project shows a clear effort in research and learning on the topic of structure-function connections. |
10 |
|
|
| Your justification is a written summary of the decisions you made about your species for each of the procedure steps. This section also describes how your species is unique. |
10 |
|
|
| Student has classified his or her species correctly to family. At least two other species that are closely related to your species are mentioned. |
10 |
|
|
| Any artistic portion has integrity (meaning that your art matches what your written section describes about your species) and is aesthetically attractive. |
15 |
|
|
| Student has included an annotated bibliography. This is a list of at least four sources (websites included) that also describes what information or inspiration you got from each of the sources you used. |
10 |
|
|
| Totals |
80 |
|
|
|