Wednesday, October 15, 2008
A Changing Ecosystem
Our study of creatures on the bottom of the sea has been done every year for 45 years. In fact, it is the longest series of data for fish, in the world. Why is this important? I asked Dr. Michael Fogarty, head of the Ecosystems Assessment Program, at the Northeast Fisheries Sciences Center in Woods Hole, MA.Mr. T: This is the longest uninterrupted time series of a trawl survey anywhere in the world. Is that important?
Dr. Fogarty: Really important because the changes that we are observing occur over long periods of time due to fishing and climate and other factors, so we need to track these changes to see how individual fish species are doing and to see how the ecosystem itself is responding to these changes.
Mr. T: What have you found?
We have found overall in the 45 years that we have been doing this survey, the number of fish has remained the same, but the types of fish have changed. In Georges bank, we would have mostly cod, flounder in the past, now we have small sharks, skates, which are relative of the rays.
Mr. T: What does that mean in terms of the ecosystem?
Dr. Fogarty: It has changed the entire food web because, for example, these small sharks we are seeing are ferocious predators. Because these dog-fish prey on other species, they keep the fish we usually like to eat down in number
Mr. T: Why is that happening?
Dr. Fogarty: Our hypotheseis is that because the some fish have been hurt by too much fishing, the other fish have come in to take their place.
I thought about that for a while. It means this ecosystem has been effected by something called Overfishing and something called climate change. I started wondering about all the different factors that might have effected the environment we are studying. There are so many! Let's look at some of the may things that human beings have done that have changed this ecosystem in the 45 years we have been doing this study. Dr. Fogarty and I talked about this and then we created talked about this mini website for you. Click each problem area to learn more.
- Overfishing
- Destructive Fishing Practices
- Climate Change
- Ocean Acidification
- Plastic Trash in the Water
- Runoff Pollution
Remember the other day when I tried to use a sextant to fix our position? I could not even get close, so today, I took a lesson with one of the NOAA Corps officers on board, Lieutenant Junior Grade Andrew Seaman. Click here to come along.
Elsewhere on the ship, Snuggy and Zee paid a visit to the dive locker on the ship. This is the area on the ship where SCUBA gear is stored. We are not using SCUBA on this trip, but it was fun to visit the locker and see all the gear. Snuggy and Zee learned that the crew can actually fill up the air bottles they need right on the ship. They have all the equipment they need to do work underwater right here on the ship.
We had a fire drill yesterday. I know you are all familiar with fire drills, because we have them at school. When we do them at school, we often practice evacuating the building and calling the fire department. Well, at sea, things work a little differently. We have to get away from danger, but then, we have to practice putting out the fire as well. After all, there is no fire department to call way out here! Click here for a video.
Finally, so many of you asked about dangerous creatures that we have caught. This torpedo ray does have an electrical charge to it. The ray can zap you if you are not careful. I used rubber gloves to keep from getting hurt. The hardest part was holding the thing while we took the picture. I kept dropping it becuase it was so slimy!--------------------------
AT: I have not been frightened by anything on the ship or in the sea that we have seen. The hag-fish did seem gross. Very gross. Other than that, no.
Hi SP, I enjoy Korean food very much and have eaten lots of crab roe. It does not gross me out at all. Thanks for writing.
NV, Zee and Snuggy are just fine. Thanks for asking.
Mrs. B's Class: I'm glad you liked the blog. We found the dead whale 100 miles or so off of Cape Cod. There are no sea snakes here. The water is too cold. I'm kind of glad about that!
Hello Mrs. Graham's Class. I am staying nice and warm. Even working on deck, it is not too cold. We could stay out for several more weeks without a problem. Do you know what we use to make electricity? See if you can figure that out. We have to go back to port before we run out of that.
Mrs. Christie Blick's Class: Very interesting. Our chief Scientists says that they can tell the whales don't like barnicles because whales without them don't behave in quite the same way.
This particular fish, which we call a monk fish or a goose fish has all the adaptations you mentioned. You did very well thinking those up. The Chief Scientist, Phil Politis and I are both impressed. He says that the fish hides in the mud (that is why it is brown), which keeps it hidden from predators. It has another adaptation, the illicium which we are calling a fishing rod. This adaptation lures smaller fish to the monkfish. Since it does not move around as much as many other fish, it can stay safer from predators.
Hello to Mrs. Coughlin's Class, Mrs. Berubi's Class. I'm glad you like the blog.
NN, I'll be back next week. Because the crew and I, as well as a few birds are the only land-creatures we have seen out this far! Thanks for writing.
Hi Jennnifer. Thanks for your kind words and thanks for checking in on the blog.
# posted by Jacob Tanenbaum @ 5:19 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
Dear Mr. Tanenbaum,
The quick video about the sextant was cool.
The torpedo ray is really big. IT is more than half the size as you!!!!
JC (Ms.C-B)
The quick video about the sextant was cool.
The torpedo ray is really big. IT is more than half the size as you!!!!
JC (Ms.C-B)
# posted by 
: October 15, 2008 5:38 PM
: October 15, 2008 5:38 PM
I would like to know if you are happy or sad to be leaving the Henry A. Begelow on Friday. I would be upset if I were you because you are seeing such cool creatures! If the sea creatures are cool in pictures they must look cooler when your actually there! My favorite fish that you caught so far is the skate. It was cool how you helped it give birth. Ihope you, Snuggy and Zee are not getting sick. From C.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 12:32 AM
: October 16, 2008 12:32 AM
When you tested the cups, I predicted that it will crush them. It was wrong. It shrank. From V.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 12:32 AM
: October 16, 2008 12:32 AM
Dear Mr. T,
What was the biggest sea creature that you caught so far? Do you miss teaching computers at the school?
From,
CF
What was the biggest sea creature that you caught so far? Do you miss teaching computers at the school?
From,
CF
# posted by : October 16, 2008 4:54 AM
: October 16, 2008 4:54 AM
Mr. Tanenbaum!
Hello from Ms. Narcisco's class.
How are you? We noticed on the NOAA Ship tracker that your on your way home. Hurrah!
Mr. T, the students are so concerned about the safety of our precious sea friends. We're so proud that we have teachers such as yourself who are dedicated to finding answers to some of the problems facing them. M. thinks that people need to become more concerned about our environmnet. S. said that she wishes that when she has children, whales and dolphins, (her favorites) will still be here for her children to see. We all hope so.
Hello from Ms. Narcisco's class.
How are you? We noticed on the NOAA Ship tracker that your on your way home. Hurrah!
Mr. T, the students are so concerned about the safety of our precious sea friends. We're so proud that we have teachers such as yourself who are dedicated to finding answers to some of the problems facing them. M. thinks that people need to become more concerned about our environmnet. S. said that she wishes that when she has children, whales and dolphins, (her favorites) will still be here for her children to see. We all hope so.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 9:56 AM
: October 16, 2008 9:56 AM
Do the scientists on the ship think that some day all the fish in the ocean will die off? What about coral's future? What about polar bears?
AS (Ms. C-B's Class)
AS (Ms. C-B's Class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:46 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:46 AM
I am worried about all the air pollution you showed in the video. I hope we can invent something that will help clean our air.
JC (Ms. C-B's Class)
JC (Ms. C-B's Class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:48 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:48 AM
How are we flooding the earth and losing water? If the glaciers are melting don't we have more water?
CM (Ms. C-B's class)
CM (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:49 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:49 AM
Does carbon dioxide do anything good for our earth? What is there was NO carbon dioxide in our air?
KD (Ms. C-B's class)
KD (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:50 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:50 AM
I feel bad for the ocean ecosystem now that I've read your blog. What can I do to help?
TD (Ms. C-B's class)
TD (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:51 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:51 AM
Why does everyone say, "Let's stop Global Warming," but then they don't do anything about it?
KM (Ms. C-B's class)
KM (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:53 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:53 AM
I would like to help! How? What can I do to slow down Global Warming?
SP (Ms. C-B's class)
SP (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:55 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:55 AM
You got me wondering about Global Warming. I wonder if people could make cars run on water. Then they wouldn't put carbon dioxide in the air.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:57 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:57 AM
Watching your video I learned that factories use coal. How does coal create global warming?
MM (Ms. C-B's class)
MM (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 10:59 AM
: October 16, 2008 10:59 AM
Mr. Tanenbaum,
We read your blog and watched your videos. Now we think maybe the acid rain is making the lobsters' shells softer. How could we test this hypothesis?
Would you please bring back a lobster shell? How could we make "acid rain"? We want to put it on the shell and see how it reacts.
Ms. Christie-Blick's Class
We read your blog and watched your videos. Now we think maybe the acid rain is making the lobsters' shells softer. How could we test this hypothesis?
Would you please bring back a lobster shell? How could we make "acid rain"? We want to put it on the shell and see how it reacts.
Ms. Christie-Blick's Class
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:04 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:04 AM
I am worried about the frogs. I didn't know that some are being changed by global warming.
JN (Ms. C-B's class)
JN (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:05 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:05 AM
That's crazy how much our climate has warmed up in the last few hundred years!
JS (Ms. C-B's class)
JS (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:06 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:06 AM
I was interested to see how much the line went up on your chart to show how much warmer our climate is getting. Wow!
AJ (Ms. C-B's class)
AJ (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:08 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:08 AM
I was surprised to learn that air pollution can kill frogs and polar bears.
CP (Ms. C-B's class)
CP (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:09 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:09 AM
I think global warming is terrible. I wish there was something we could do about it.
CD (Ms. C-B's class)
CD (Ms. C-B's class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:10 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:10 AM
Dear Mr. Tanenbaun,
are you haveing a great time? We all miss you have good time.What do you eat on the ship? Ok bye good luky.
are you haveing a great time? We all miss you have good time.What do you eat on the ship? Ok bye good luky.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:11 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:11 AM
I never knew that people create 2 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide a year! No wonder we have global warming!
SQ (Ms. C-B's Class)
SQ (Ms. C-B's Class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:12 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:12 AM
Dear Mr Tanumbaum,
What is the creapeast fish you ever found?Was it on this trip? The creapeast fish I evert saw was ether a clown fish or a mini shark at the pet stare.
From E.M.M.
What is the creapeast fish you ever found?Was it on this trip? The creapeast fish I evert saw was ether a clown fish or a mini shark at the pet stare.
From E.M.M.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:14 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:14 AM
dear Mr Taumambaum,
what was the coolest and freekeest fish you found on this trip was it the rag fish or the sting ray?
from E.M.M.
what was the coolest and freekeest fish you found on this trip was it the rag fish or the sting ray?
from E.M.M.
# posted by : October 16, 2008 11:16 AM
: October 16, 2008 11:16 AM
Dear Mr.Tanenbaum,
We think that we discovered why the lobster shells are getting softer.My teacher (Ms.Christie-Blick)asked me to ask you if you could bring back a lobster shell, and we could test it and see if our hypthsis came true.If you get this message please e-mail me at [email protected]
Good Luck on your way home,
CD (student fron Ms.Christie-Blick's Class)
We think that we discovered why the lobster shells are getting softer.My teacher (Ms.Christie-Blick)asked me to ask you if you could bring back a lobster shell, and we could test it and see if our hypthsis came true.If you get this message please e-mail me at [email protected]
Good Luck on your way home,
CD (student fron Ms.Christie-Blick's Class)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 2:43 PM
: October 16, 2008 2:43 PM
Dear,mr.t
How A skat get its elicetrile shok ? any way is it cooled ? and are you sad that you are going to go soon ? and do you miss youer famiely ? are you comeing back next year if you are I wish you the best of luck!!!
your unney bue
How A skat get its elicetrile shok ? any way is it cooled ? and are you sad that you are going to go soon ? and do you miss youer famiely ? are you comeing back next year if you are I wish you the best of luck!!!
your unney bue
# posted by : October 16, 2008 3:54 PM
: October 16, 2008 3:54 PM
Dear Mr.Tanenbaum,
That video about how to do the fire drill was awsome!! i never knew that you have to do it by your self! that could be scary. Anyway i hope you catch more different types of fish before the end of the trip! As JC said (my buddy) that torpedo ray was huge!!! I would never be able to hold that with out someone's help. See you I'll see you next Thursday!!! I think... or just day 3
From,
SP (Ms.C-B)
That video about how to do the fire drill was awsome!! i never knew that you have to do it by your self! that could be scary. Anyway i hope you catch more different types of fish before the end of the trip! As JC said (my buddy) that torpedo ray was huge!!! I would never be able to hold that with out someone's help. See you I'll see you next Thursday!!! I think... or just day 3
From,
SP (Ms.C-B)
# posted by : October 16, 2008 5:48 PM
: October 16, 2008 5:48 PM
Mr. T,
Could you get us a water sample so we could test its PH?
Also, would you ask the scientist what a lobster shell is made out of?
Thanks,
Ms. Christie-Blick's Class
Could you get us a water sample so we could test its PH?
Also, would you ask the scientist what a lobster shell is made out of?
Thanks,
Ms. Christie-Blick's Class
# posted by : October 16, 2008 6:35 PM
: October 16, 2008 6:35 PM
Mr. T, Captain & Scientist Meg,
Thank you very much for taking the time to video conference with the students at Tappan Zee School. Technology is amazing!
Together you were able to answer many of our questions. All the teachers and students found the work you are doing on the Henry A. Bigelow fascinating, exciting and very cool!
We hope to hear more stories about life at sea when you are back home. Wait...aren't they writing and illustrating a book about that?
Will you autograph a copies for the students? I love books and can't wait to read this one!
Thanks again,
-p
Thank you very much for taking the time to video conference with the students at Tappan Zee School. Technology is amazing!
Together you were able to answer many of our questions. All the teachers and students found the work you are doing on the Henry A. Bigelow fascinating, exciting and very cool!
We hope to hear more stories about life at sea when you are back home. Wait...aren't they writing and illustrating a book about that?
Will you autograph a copies for the students? I love books and can't wait to read this one!
Thanks again,
-p
# posted by : October 16, 2008 6:46 PM
: October 16, 2008 6:46 PM
Dear Mr.T
I wonder why the cups got smaller and not bigger.
E.M.
I wonder why the cups got smaller and not bigger.
E.M.
# posted by : October 17, 2008 8:15 AM
: October 17, 2008 8:15 AM
Hi Mr.T
Today in computer class we learned that water pressure could crush a styrofoam cup! And that the quadrant is so different then a G.P.S!
Today in computer class we learned that water pressure could crush a styrofoam cup! And that the quadrant is so different then a G.P.S!
# posted by : October 17, 2008 8:17 AM
: October 17, 2008 8:17 AM
dear Mr. T I think the thing o the shrimp is a egg sack I also get to see these things upclose because i always go to cape may and once when i was fishing i caught a sea anenamoe does it sting humans to?
sz
sz
# posted by : October 17, 2008 9:47 AM
: October 17, 2008 9:47 AM
dear mr.t
I'e watched most of your vidos and experments. I'v always wonderd how strong water presure was.
bv
I'e watched most of your vidos and experments. I'v always wonderd how strong water presure was.
bv
# posted by : October 17, 2008 9:50 AM
: October 17, 2008 9:50 AM
Dear Mr. T i saw your pictures that the coputer teatcher showed us. i thawt the swrmy sea snakes were so cool.The teeth were cool how they curve they were verey interesting to me. m.s
# posted by : October 17, 2008 10:34 AM
: October 17, 2008 10:34 AM
Hi Mr. T
How is it out at sea?
I would much rather be out there than here on land. I feel so bad for thet lobster you found! he\she must really be hurt. And the picture of the shrimp, i think the black stuff are eggs. I can easwily see that columbuses journey would have been much easier if he had all the technology that you have! you find sooooooo many cool bottom dwellers! I think some of the fish you find are a little gross but then i feel bad for them. BYE!
nt
How is it out at sea?
I would much rather be out there than here on land. I feel so bad for thet lobster you found! he\she must really be hurt. And the picture of the shrimp, i think the black stuff are eggs. I can easwily see that columbuses journey would have been much easier if he had all the technology that you have! you find sooooooo many cool bottom dwellers! I think some of the fish you find are a little gross but then i feel bad for them. BYE!
nt
# posted by : October 17, 2008 11:13 AM
: October 17, 2008 11:13 AM
Dear.T Have you goten sick.What do you were when it is cold and rainy.
# posted by : October 17, 2008 4:39 PM
: October 17, 2008 4:39 PM
Dear, Mr.T
how are snugey and zee doing? Hope you have a safe trip home.
LG-tze
how are snugey and zee doing? Hope you have a safe trip home.
LG-tze
# posted by : October 17, 2008 7:02 PM
: October 17, 2008 7:02 PM
Dear Mr. Tanenbaum,
Are you sad you have to leave the Henry B Bieglow? I think that the blue mass on the shrimp was her eggs! See you soon!
-TJF
Post a Comment
Are you sad you have to leave the Henry B Bieglow? I think that the blue mass on the shrimp was her eggs! See you soon!
-TJF
# posted by : October 19, 2008 5:44 AM
: October 19, 2008 5:44 AM << Home
