This project delves into a sandy beach ecosystem, especially in regards to the intertidal zone, otherwise known as the “swash zone”. Although the intertidal is a very unstable habitat it is home to a variety of organisms which play a key role in the ecosystem. Mole crabs for examples thrive in this habitat between land and sea. Because many animals, including fish, and birds eat Mole crabs, they can serve as a major indicator species and can help to determine the health of the environment. During this project our goal is to prove whether or not it is true that the commonly larger female mole crabs are located lower in the swash zone than the generally smaller male mole crabs, and why this may or may not be. This goal brings us to our scientific question. Is there a significant difference between the position and size of male and female mole crabs located in the swash zone? and why?
Because of the constantly shifting sand which is in a consistent state of change due to factors such as waves, tides, wind, seasons, and storms, “sandy beaches are some of the most demanding habitats of the marine world” (Anderson Genevieve, 2003 Sandy Beaches). However, despite the extreme conditions, a variety of organisms unique to sandy beaches are found in hefty numbers. Because of the rough environment, the inhabitants have evolved some interesting adaptations.
Sandy beaches have a variety of organisms which inhabit the shifting environment. “High tide waves tend to pile up drifting seaweed along the berm crest” (Anderson Genevieve, 2003 Sandy Beach Life). Beached seaweed attracts the attention of many beach critters. Kelp flies often swarm around the irresistible rotting piles of seaweed. Some other species that enjoy the kelp are tiny red mit...
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...lude various shorebirds such as Willets, Sanderlings, and Gulls, Blue Crabs, Ghost Crabs, and some fish"(Patricia B. Mitchell, 2008). The orange eggs on the bellies of female mole crabs make them especially delectable to fish. "The barred surfperch is a very common fish in the surf zone, and sand crabs have been found to make up 90% of its diet"(Farallones, The Pacific Mole Crab).
"The intertidal habitats along the West Coast of the United States are among the most diverse and productive of any region in the world" (LiMPETS, "Why Monitor?"). The environmental and education program known as LiMPETS(Long-term Monitoring Program and Experimental Training for Students) is a hands on program for students, educators and volunteer groups. In order to properly evaluate the health of California's intertidal systems, long-term monitoring is required to carry out this agenda.
T. californicus is found from Alaska to Baja in small, shallow tidepools and tidal flats in the upper spray zone where they cannot avoid the full effect of visible and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Individuals assemble in areas of lower radiation at midday, yet have no preference to the intensity of light at dawn and dusk (Hartline and Macmillan 1995). These tiny arthropods inhabit all types of marine sediments from sand to fine mud and ooze. Along with plankton, T. californicus eats microscopic algae, protists, bacteria, diatoms, algae and microbes (McGroarty 1958). When the concentrations of the species in their habitats are high, T. californicus will turn to cannibalism for a food source. The nautilus eye present in the species is rich with fatty acids and provides a good food source for the animal.
In the beginning of the book Melinda was very shy and self conscious. Since everyone thought she called the police they didn’t want to be friends with her so she was going into high school with no friends." I have entered high school with the wrong hair , wrong clothes , the wrong attitude . And I don't have anyone to sit with . I am an Outcast.” (4 Anderson) This made her very shy and she just minded her own business. On the first day of school Melinda was getting on the bus and she didn’t know where to sit. She thought if she sat in the back she would get made fun of but if she sat in the front she would look like a little kid. She chose the front because she doesn’t want to walk down the bus aisle past her friends because they were mad at her. She was being shy and didn’t want to make up with her friends. This also happens at lunch because her old friends didn’t want to sit with her so she was going to sit with another new girl Heather but she didn't get the chance to. She thought, “I am Outcast” (Anderson 4). She didn’t want people to judge her on where she sat so she was debating. At lunch she was walking back from buying her lunch and a ...
First, home shaped Melinda’s identity. They noticed. “A sketch pad with charcoal pencils. They say they have noticed her drawing” (Anderson 72). This shapes Melinda’s identity, because it shows her that even when she thinks no one cares about her, her parents are always there. In the end that experience showed her if she ever wanted to talk about what happened her
That summer, we realize that she has been raped and has not yet come to terms with what had happened. For multiple times, Melinda has tried to talk until she gave up and stopped trying. Soon enough, her grades started to drop and she started cutting as a whimper for help. This resulted into an overwhelming amount of feelings that she still was not willing to share. Furthermore into the novel, she stumbles upon her art teacher, Mr.Freeman. She complained how her trees suck because she doesn’t know anything. Mr. Freeman explains that that is because she refuses to express her emotions. He says, ”When people don’t express themselves, they die one piece at a time” (122). This refers to when Melinda’s father called to prune the tree just outside their house. Melinda thought the guy was chopping it down when they were actually doing just the opposite. Her dad explained, “He’s not chopping it down. He’s saving it. Those branches were long dead from disease. All plants are like that. By cutting off the damage, you make it possible for the tree to grow again…” (187). Moments later, Melinda comes into a realization that she is like the tree. Both bruised, messed up, and slowly dying, but deep inside you can find a small, clean part of them waiting to burst through the surface. At this
Sabellaria cementarium belongs to the phylum Annelids and is an invertebrate polychaete species. They are found in small clumps at the rocky bottoms of the sea floor where they use the rich source of natural phytoplankton as their primary diet (Qian and Chia, 1990). The tube-like worms can behave social and form extensive reefs or independently build hollow tubes in to the sandstone (pawlik and Chia, 1991). Embryos form a polar lobe that is absorbed in to the blastomeres at the end of division. Larval development and movement follows shortly after the 14-15 hour fertilization period where spiral cleaving of the fertilized oocytes appears (Render, 1983). Much is still not known about the invertebrate worm in their natural niche.
The Long Island Sound is an estuary, and is in fact one of the largest in the world. An estuary is a place where salt water from the ocean mixes with fresh water from the rivers that drain from the land. Moreover, like other estuaries, the Long Island Sound has an abundance of fish and other waterfowl that add to the natural balance of the island, as well as one of the most important economic factors (Tedesco). Like other estuaries around the world, the Sound provides breeding, feeding, nesting, and nursery areas for many species that will spend most of their adult lives in the oceans (Long Island Sound Study). Despite these similarities to other estuaries, the Long Island Sound is unique from anywhere else in the world. Unlike other estuaries, the Long Island Sound does not just have one connection to the sea but it has two. It has two major sources of fresh water flowing into the bay that empty into the ocean. It combines this two-...
Freshman year already started out ruff for Melinda. She had traumatic summer. Which caused her to go quiet and shut out from the world and all her friends she used to have. She found an empty storage closet and made it her own so she wouldn’t have to go to class or lunch. Also, to skip other events like meetings with the guidance consular. Even if she wanted to talk to her best friend about what happened. She was no longer her best friend. She ends up meeting a girl she had never met in her one of her classes. They did not have much in common but she just wanted someone she could talk. She told Heather most of all her secrets.
Melinda has a very different character. She had many friends and was very happy until a specific tragedy. After that her friends dumped her, and she became depressed. Her behavior changed along with her whole attitude.
This makes me think that the author was trying to give Melinda the “i dont care” alot attitude or she was trying to be funny. Most of the time though we only see Melinda's thoughts and she really doesn't talk to a lot of people
Throughout the novel, Melinda wants to deflect attention from herself and conceal her thoughts. It thus makes sense that her safe haven would be an abandoned closet where she can shut herself away and see nobody. While she is in the closet, she has not opened up about her secret and not crossed a socially-charged line. It is only after she decides to leave her closet behind, and effectively come out, that she is willing to confess, and can show her inner voice to her peers.
She finds it increasingly difficult to speak to anyone at all. When trying to speak, “[her] throat is always sore... [Her] jaws are clenched… Every time [she] [tries] to talk to [her] parents or a teacher, [she] sputter[s] or freeze[s]” (Anderson 50-51). The beginning of the year is when Melinda finds it hardest to speak. She implies that every time she attempts to talk to anyone about anything, she freezes and can not seem to get the words out. Finally, Melinda builds up the courage to open up to her ex-best friend – Rachel. Melinda shows great character development by speaking to Rachel about the incident, as she is one of the most – if not the most – difficult person to tell. Although Melinda is nervous to tell Rachel, as she and Rachel converse, she writes a note explaining that “[she] didn’t call the cops to break up the party, [she] called – [she] put[s] the pencil down. [She] pick[s] it up again – them because some guy raped [her] under the trees. [She] didn’t know what to do…” (Anderson 183). Rachel asks “why [she didn’t] tell [her]”, and Melinda explains that “[she] could not tell anybody” (Anderson 183). Although Melinda was not ready to speak before, she is now ready to speak and that is what matters the most; she has grown significantly since the rape occurred. In autumn, Melinda’s character is selectively mute and has a lack of communication skills. Yet, by the end of the year,
In the middle of the novel, Melinda is not only staying quite, but is also cutting class. She does this as a deflection from those around her who want her to speak what’s on her mind so they can help. Though, as before mentioned, the raping in Melinda’s mind, is viewed as her fault. Signaling to her believing that she does not deserve help and that she can solve the problem on her own. Greatly, this revelation is best seen when Melinda cuts class, while still being in school. This set-up is done in the form of a “old janitors closet that smells like sour sponges” (25). The janitors closet is a way for Melinda to express the “beast in [her] gut” which harbors her “[guilt, mistakes, and anger]” (51). Another way to show that Melinda thinks she does not deserve help and can solve her problem on her own is when she completely just does not go to school. She does not go to school as even her closet cannot help her, as the vein of her problem is at her school. Resulting in her question to herself: “why go to school?” as alone time somewhere else should clean out her mind
In the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda, the main character, goes through a series of events that affect her in the long run and shape her identity. Melinda goes through an eventful evening at a party and keeps it to herself for a long period of time. This is just one of the things that affects her. Some other turning points in Melinda’s life is when she finally tells someone about what happened at that party, as well as losing her friend Heather. These are all things that
Natural has its own world in St. Martin. The island is about two kilometres long and the deep blue water all around it is outstanding to watch. Rocks of different sizes and types are all around the beach, some of which are with razor sharp spikes that can cut your foot into pieces if you step on them. Moreover, different coloured sea weeds and live corals can be seen on the rocks which are submerged in the water. St. Martin is the only Island in the world with live corals. There are more than thousands of different types of coral in this island. Scientists say that this island actually grew from this coral by the metamorphosis of different c...
Seagrass is not just a food source for micro species, but also macro species such as manatees, turtles, dolphins and dugongs (Yamada and Kumagai 2012). These marine organisms are all supported directly and indirectly by seagrasses, with some entirely dependent on it. Seagrass is often underestimated in its significance as the vast role that it plays in the oceans ecosystem is not fully understood. ...