Resources by Subject: Ocean Research
Resources, links, and subject pages for research topics and teacher's projects
Oceans:
Oceans, ocean pollution, waves and tides, biomes
Books:
Analyzing Threats to Water Resources by
Access to clean, fresh water is vital for all humans, but in many parts of the world, getting water is not as simple as turning on the tap. Contaminated water, especially in impoverished areas, kills millions of people a year, while warming oceans, Arctic melt, and disappearing rainforests are a threat to the environment. This book shows how humans use water and how we can help preserve it in the wake of these threats. Statistics and fact boxes help readers understand various issues related to water, from drought and flooding to desalination and pollution.
Call Number: 333.91 STEISBN: 9781502639325Publication Date: 2018-07-15
The Drop in My Drink by
Water is a part of your everyday life. But when you fill a glass with water, did you ever stop to wonder where it comes from? Water was present during the Earth's dramatic formation billions of years ago. It has carved out canyons and worn away coastlines. It has spent thousands of years at the bottom of an ancient sea, and traveled for just a few hours as vapor in a cloud. It has been part of millions of organisms over time. including a worm, a Tyrannosaurus rex, even an Egyptian princess. In this engaging science picture book, water takes on fascinating new significance as readers discover the amazing complexity of a substance so familiar that it's often taken for granted. Includes a detailed depiction of water cycles, amazing facts about water, plus important environmental information.
Call Number: 551.35 HOOISBN: 0670876186Publication Date: 1998-10-01
Endangered Oceans by Call Number: 333.95 ENDISBN: 9780737742107Publication Date: 2008-12-19
Freshwater Resources by
Water is one the most vital resources on the planet. Humans can live for weeks without food but only a few days without water. We cook with it, swim in it, and fish in it. Yet we humans often abuse water. We taint it with chemicals and human sewage. Water is more precious to us than gold, and yet we often waste it. As our population grows, there may not be enough freshwater to go around. The countries of North America have always had plentiful natural resources. But the exploitation of these resources comes at a cost, and in certain cases, some have wondered if that cost is too high. North American Natural Resources explores all facets of this vital aspect of our economy. Readers will investigate the natural history, human use, technology, environmental impact, and economic significance of the most significant resources on the continent. Each title in this series contains color photos, a full-page map, and back matter including: an index, further reading lists for books and internet resources, and a series glossary. Mason Crest's editorial team has placed Key Icons to Look for throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are then used in the prose throughout that chapter, and are emboldened, so that the reader is able to reference back to the definitions- building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. A Series Glossary is included in the back matter contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader's knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.
Call Number: 333.91 PERISBN: 1422233812Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Garbage and Recycling by
As consumers on this earth, all of us, contribute daily to the mountainous tonnage of waste. The essays and articles represent divergent (opposing) views, so that readers benefit from more than one intelligent opinion. Readers will evaluate whether garbage is a serious problem, whether recycling is effective, whether toxic waste disposal is a problem, the Pacific Garbage Patch, and which strategies will reduce waste and save money. Essay sources include the Union of Concerned Scientists, GreenMuze.com, The Economist, Jane Chastain, and Graham Land.
Call Number: 363.72 GARISBN: 9780737754285Publication Date: 2011-11-08
Investigating the Water Cycle by
Water is essential to life on our planet. Water is constantly moving between Earth's surface, the air, and the ground. But did you know that water cannot be created or destroyed? Or that water is not only a liquid but also a solid and a gas? See the water cycle in action in this fascinating book.
Call Number: 551.48 RANISBN: 9781467780551Publication Date: 2015-08-01
Overfishing by
In 1992, Canada had to stop the profitable northern cod fishing industry in Newfoundland. The fish were being harvested into extinction, and previous efforts to save the cod weren't enough. Today, more than 20 years later, the ban on cod fishing remains! Readers will learn that overfishing is a real, tangible problem all around the world. Overfishing effects habitats and animals of all kinds, from the desirable bluefin tuna to the endangered sea turtles accidentally caught in nets. Detailed content introduces readers to a controversial conservation issue while sidebars add lots of fascinating social studies and science facts.
Call Number: eBook (check out with your Google login credentials)ISBN: 9781482465396Publication Date: 2013-12-30
Polluting the Sea by
Examines the benefits we reap from the oceans and the damage that oil spills, metal poisoning, and sewage dumping cause.
Call Number: 363.73 HARISBN: 9780531172902Publication Date: 1991-01-01
Tracking Trash by
A fascinating look at a scientist who follows trash to help protect our environment. Aided by an army of beachcombers, oceanographer Dr. Curtis Ebbesmeyer tracks trash in the name of science.
Call Number: 551.46 BURISBN: 9780618581313Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Water Is Precious by
Though 70 percent of the Earth is covered by water, only 3 percent is drinkable freshwater. This book explores the many ways we use water and the changes we can make each day to save this precious resource. Clear and easy-to-understand text is accompanied by colorful photographs and informative graphic organizers aid in comprehension.
Call Number: 553.7 MCAISBN: 9781448878932Publication Date: 2012-08-15
Water Supplies in Crisis by
Your students will discover a thirsty world where safe drinking water is rarely available, lakes are disappearing, polluted water brings disease, and see what we are trying to do to help our planet.
Call Number: 363.6 PARISBN: 9781435852501Publication Date: 2009-01-01
We Are Water Protectors by
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America,We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption--a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade. Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all . . . When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth And poison her people's water, one young water protector Takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource.
Call Number: E LINISBN: 1250203554Publication Date: 2020-03-17
World Without Fish by
Almost fifty years ago, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring awakened the consciousness of an entire generation by bringing to light the harmful effects of DDT and other toxic chemicals; she forever changed the way people view the natural world. In World Without Fish, bestselling author Mark Kurlansky creates a similar eye-opening moment for kids ages 10 and up--the next generation to inherit the earth--by outlining what will happen within the next fifty years if the ill effects of overfishing, pollution, and climate change aren't addressed soon. In clear language that kids will understand, Kurlansky gives a step-by-step account of what would happen if fish became extinct--and then describes the measures kids need to take now to stop this from happening. As an extra bonus, the book includes a 12-page graphic novel (each page is a chapter opener) that tells the fictional story of the daughter of a marine biologist who witnesses the slow extinction of the world's fish in her lifetime.
Call Number: 338.3 KURISBN: 9780761185000Publication Date: 2014-11-04
Great Pacific Garbage Patch Isn’t What You Think it Is
Definition: The Great Pacific garbage patch (also Pacific trash vortex) is a garbage patch, a gyre of marine debris particles, in the central North Pacific Ocean.
Bycatch:
Definition: the incidental catch of unwanted fish (non-target species) and other marine creatures (dolphins, sea turtles, seabirds) caught during commercial fishing.
- Reducing Bycatch: Ocean Today Grades 4-12. Video. Sometimes, fishermen catch more in their nets than they intend to. Fish and other ocean animals that get unintentionally caught in fishing gear are called bycatch. In this video, see how scientists, gear specialists, and fishermen are working together and using what they know about fish behavior to design fishing nets, or trawls, that are selective in what they catch.
- Bycatch Reduction Devices - NOAA In the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic they are employing bycatch reduction devices. A bycatch reduction device (BRD) is any gear or trawl modification designed to allow finfish to escape from a shrimp traw
- Make Your Own BRDs (Bycatch Reduction Device) Make a hatch that allows terrapins to escape from crab pots
- Impacts of Bycatch on Ocean Life Grades 6-12. Audio. Rebecca Lewison studies what happens when long-lived marine populations such as sea turtles, sea birds and seals, get snared in fishing gear.
Corals: Coral bleaching, coral health, restoring coral reefs, etc.
Definition: When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white
Coral Bleaching
- Coral Reefs and Climate Change | Healthy Oceans Grades 6-10. Video. How does carpooling relate to coral reefs? Around the world, many coral reefs are in hot water, and it’s getting even hotter. What can we do to preserve these important and diverse ecosystems? This video is part of a larger unit in the California Academy of Sciences' Flipside Science series: Healthy Oceans
- Palau's Healthy Coral Reefs (Why Do Corals Bleach?) Grades 6-12.. Document. Learn about research into how some coral reefs survive ocean acidification in this NOVA Next article. Environmental changes, such as rising temperatures and ocean acidification, threaten coral reefs around the world. However, some reefs are thriving despite extreme conditions. Some areas of coral reefs, such as those found off the coast of Palau's Rock Islands, seem to be natural refugia and may be less vulnerable to climate change. Researchers and conservationists are interested in learning about how these reefs are surviving seemingly hostile conditions. Explore the focus on Palau's refugia with the "Seeking Refugia" and "Picking Winners" sections (pps. 7-13) of the article. This resource is part of the NOVA Next Collection.
- The Coral Reef Ecosystem Grades: 5-8, 13+. Lesson Plan. Students examine a coral reef ecosystem to learn about its living and non-living parts and how they interact. They apply what they have learned to explore the world's biomes, including how the animals in each are adapted to their environment.
- Rising ocean temperatures threaten world’s coral reefs Grades 6+, Adult. Video. Rising ocean temperatures resulting from climate change are killing coral reefs across the planet. Scientists say over 70 percent of the world’s coral reefs have been exposed to the high temperatures that cause bleaching. Coral reefs are home to the widest array of fish and plant species in the ocean, but pollution from sewage and agricultural runoff is already causing them stress. Scientists say the world needs to actively reduce its reliance on fossil fuels if it hopes to stop the threat of climate change and save them.
- Why Do Corals Bleach? Grades 5-12.. Video. Shallow reefs are particularly sensitive to increasing temperatures. Warming water can cause coral bleaching, when an entire colony of coral polyps loses its color. In this clip, you'll visit the interior of an individual polyp to see how this happens. Bleached corals are sick, but not dead. Bleached reefs can recover, which is why it's imperative we slow the pace of rising ocean temperatures. More Information About This Resource Shallow reefs are particularly sensitive to increasing temperatures. Warming water can cause coral bleaching, when an entire colony of coral polyps loses its color. In this clip, you'll visit the interior of an individual polyp to see how this happens. Bleached corals are sick, but not dead. Bleached reefs can recover, which is why it's imperative we slow the pace of rising ocean temperatures.
Reef Restoration
- Micronesia's Changing Climate | Sustaining Healthy Coral Reefs in Micronesia Grades 6-12. Media Gallery. Learn about coral reefs and how changing environments impact them, in these two videos adapted from the Micronesia Conservation Trust. The first video explores how disturbance events (such as coral bleaching, typhoons, and starfish infestation) and land-based pollution affect the coral reefs of Micronesia. Marine biologist Peter Houk explains his research on increasing the resiliency of reefs through ecosystem-based adaptation. The second video looks at the relationship between climate change and reef health. Scientists and community leaders in Ngarchelong, in northern Palau, describe local efforts to protect their marine resources.
- NOVA Next | Palau's Improbably Healthy Coral Reefs Grades 6-12. Document. Learn about research into how some coral reefs survive ocean acidification in this NOVA Next article. Environmental changes, such as rising temperatures and ocean acidification, threaten coral reefs around the world. However, some reefs are thriving despite extreme conditions. Some areas of coral reefs, such as those found off the coast of Palau's Rock Islands, seem to be natural refugia and may be less vulnerable to climate change. Researchers and conservationists are interested in learning about how these reefs are surviving seemingly hostile conditions. Explore the focus on Palau's refugia with the "Seeking Refugia" and "Picking Winners" sections (pps. 7-13) of the article. This resource is part of the NOVA Next Collection.
- Coral Reef Rescue K-8 | Schoolyard Films Grades K-8. Video. “Coral Reef Rescue” takes an upbeat look at a downbeat topic: coral reefs. Home to 25% of all marine species, coral reefs protect the coastlines of more than 100 countries and provide 500 million people with jobs. They are also taking a huge hit from climate change, ocean acidification, and other pressures, but there IS hope! Join us as we team up with Mote Tropical Research Lab and the Coral Restoration Foundation, both in the Florida Keys. Their groundbreaking work with accelerating coral growth in the lab, creating nurseries in the ocean, and replanting back to the reefs is nothing less than fantastic. Their efforts create hope for the future of sustainable coral reefs around the globe.
- Restoring Coral Reefs | NOAA Fisheries The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program leads the agency’s coral research, conservation, and restoration efforts.
- Coral Reef Rescue for High School | Schoolyard Films Grades 912. Video. “Coral Reef Rescue” takes an upbeat look at a downbeat topic: coral reefs. Home to 25% of all marine species, coral reefs protect the coastlines of more than 100 countries and provide 500 million people with jobs. They are also taking a huge hit from climate change, ocean acidification, and other pressures, but there IS hope! Join us as we team up with Mote Tropical Research Lab and the Coral Restoration Foundation, both in the Florida Keys. Their groundbreaking work with accelerating coral growth in the lab, creating nurseries in the ocean, and replanting back to the reefs is nothing less than fantastic. Their efforts create hope for the future of sustainable coral reefs around the globe.
Ecosystem and Ecology
Difference Between Ecology and Ecosystem
Ecology: Ecology is a branch of biology which deals with the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical environment.
Ecosystem: Ecosystem is a community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
- How vital is the ocean ecosystem ScienceABC: The ocean ecosystem regulates global climate temperatures, plays an important role in the carbon cycle, supplies living and non-living resources, and assists in transportation.
- Marine Ecosystems (National Geographic) Marine ecosystems are aquatic environments with high levels of dissolved salt. These include the open ocean, the deep-sea ocean, and coastal marine ecosystems, each of which have different physical and biological characteristics. GRADES: 5 - 8 ; SUBJECTS: Biology, Ecology, Conservation, Earth Science, Oceanography
- Great Pacific Garbage Patch -National Geographic Grades 4-12. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean. Marine debris is litter that ends up in the ocean, seas, and other large bodies of water.
- Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures | Lesson Plan: Debris Dilemma Grades 5-8. Webpage. Students discover what causes huge quantities of garbage to end up on the most remote islands in the world and how this garbage affects wildlife. Accompanies the Web video “Trash on the Spin Cycle”.
- Plastic in the Ocean Grades 6-12. Video. Students examine the problem with the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch," in this QUEST video produced by KQED. Only about seven percent of the plastic used in the United States is recycled. Much of the rest ends up in landfills, or worse, oceans. This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.
- Plastics in Ocean Biodegrade Slowly Grades 6-12. Audio. This Utah Education Network podcast features biomolecular engineer Dr. Anthony Andrady, who discusses how, in the 100 years since plastic was invented, no microorganic group capable of biodegrading it has evolved.
- Sea of Plastic Grades 6-12. Audio. Learn about the North Pacific Gyre, an expanse of garbage in the Pacific Ocean. Find out why some California cities and counties are looking to limit the amount of plastic waste they produce, in this audio report from QUEST produced by KQED. This audio is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.
- Trash on the Spin Cycle Grades 6-12. Video. Discover what causes huge quantities of garbage to end up on the most remote islands in the world and how this garbage affects wildlife. This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.
- Water Pollution Investigation Grades 4-12. Media Gallery. Water pollution is the contamination of water resources by harmful wastes or toxins. This type of pollution can be dangerous to animals and plant populations in and around lakes, rivers, polluted groundwater areas or oceans, and can pose major problems for humans as well. Explore the detrimental effects of plastic waste pollution on the San Francisco Bay—specifically, mercury contamination, with this resource group from QUEST.
Invasive Species:
and their impact on ocean pollution, ocean health and on flora and fauna
Definition: an "alien species" whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
- Fighting an Invasive Species By Adding It to the Menu Grades 6-12. Audio. Lionfish—a black and orange tropical fish with spiky venomous fins—are generally native to the Indo-Pacific. Thanks in part to human involvement, though, a population along the southern U.S coast and into the Caribbean has exploded over the past decade. Without any natural predators in this new environment, the lionfish are free to consume everything from smaller fish to competing fish’s young, devastating native populations.
- Human Activities That Threaten Biodiversity | Biodiversity Course Grades 5-12. Video. Human activities and population growth threaten biodiversity in almost every corner of our planet. Local threats to species richness include land-use changes, pollution, resource exploitation, and invasive species.
- Lesson plan - Invent your own device to battle invasive species | PBS NewsHour Grades 9+. Stunning fish who were once kept as pets are destroying Florida’s coral reef ecosystem. In this PBS NewsHour lesson plan, students will learn how scientists are using a new invention, a lionfish zapping robot, to combat this harmful invasive species. Students will learn about the invention process and design their own invention to help deal with invasive species in their communities.
- San Francisco Bay Invaders | QUEST Grades 6-1. Video. Invasive species of mussels and fish are choking out native species in and around San Francisco Bay. Learn about experts from California who are working to change the human behaviors that encourage the spread of invasive species.
Overfishing
Definition: the capture of unwanted sea life while fishing for a different species (Overfishing is closely tied to bycatch)
- City in the Sea: Secrets of the Ocean Realm Grades 6-12. Webpage. Coral reefs are being damaged at an alarming rate due to overfishing and destructive fishing methods, pollution, coastal development, erosion, siltation, boat anchors, divers, storms, global warming, and, most of all, rising human populations.
- Collapse of Sharks Grades 6-12. Video. The demand for shark fins in the Far East has lead to the death of millions of sharks each year. Fishermen wishing to capitalize on what Asians consider a delicacy and a medicinal food will slice off the shark's fins and discard the carcass in a process called finning. As a direct result of this practice, shark populations are decreasing around the world. In this video segment from Nature, fishermen net and remove the fins of sharks in order to sell them in the global fish market. This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.
- Fishing Over the Decades Grades 6-12. Video. By looking at the record of Florida fishermen and their hauls over the decades, scientists see a clear trend that indicates the harmful impact of overfishing. Research into overfishing shows an immediate impact in the size and quantity of available fish, but also many hidden effects that often go unnoticed, like oxygen levels in the water or the abundance of bacteria. Use this resource to illustrate the impacts of overfishing on marine ecology.
- Global Interconnectivity | Life on the Reef Grades 6-12. Video. Learn about interconnectivity through sailfish and seabird consumption of schools of fish called bait balls, in this clip from Life on the Reef. Seabirds consume the bait balls that the sailfish push towards the surface after they hunt. The decline in seabird populations in recent years have prompted concerns about overfishing of fish such as sailfish and the impact it has on the seabirds of the Great Barrier Reef.
- How Your Seafood Choices Affect Ocean Life | Nature: Oceans in Glass - Behind the Scenes of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Grades 6-12. Webpage. With nearly three quarters of the world's fish and seafood stocks now fully exploited or overfished, it's increasingly important for consumers to understand how their seafood dinner can contribute to the health -- or degradation -- of the ocean.
- Marine Fisheries & Aquaculture | Fishing for the Future: Fishery Facts Handout 1 Grades 6-10. Webpage. Most marine scientists agree that overfishing and other unsustainable fishing practices are the greatest threat to the health of the oceans. Students will learn about the global marine crisis and the environmental impact of overfishing with this handout, included as part of the lesson plan "Fishing for the Future."
- World Wildlife Organization An overview of fishing including: capacity and overfishing, fishing industry, heroes in fishing, and ways you can get involved.