Plankton—The Drifters

[ABCDE]

Volume 7, Issue 2 Plankton—The Drifters

NASA/GSFC AND ORBIMAGE NOAA/DR. NEIL SULLIVAN Phytoplankton can be identified by satellite Marine diatoms are seen through their chlorophyll (light green). through a microscope.

INSIDE Crossword: Meet the Plankton World’s Biggest A Microscopic Energy Observation Fish is a 9 Aggregate 11 Correspondent 16 19 Delicate Feeder October 10, 2007 © 2007 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 7, Issue 2

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program A Word About Plankton — The Drifters Lesson: Plankton, at the bottom of the From the oxygen we breathe to the food that we consume, we food chain, has emerged as an important live on this planet at the courtesy of tiny drifting organisms component in scientific, technologic and called plankton. Fueled by the sun’s energy, microscopic floating economic efforts to slow climate change plants called phytoplankton convert inorganic compounds such and confront global warming. Through lab reports, research papers, editorials, as carbon dioxide into high-energy organic compounds that are displays and debates, students explore the consumed by drifting animals —the zooplankton. These in turn different modes of presenting their findings form the basis of the food chain from the smallest krill to the and perspectives to different audiences for largest whale. different purposes.

Whether it is the barnacle perched as sentinel on a rocky coast, Level: Middle to high the oyster cemented to a reef, millions of beautiful coral polyps, Subjects: Science, Economics or the commercially important tuna, these denizens of the water Related Activity: Art, Careers, Geography world spend a portion of their life cycle drifting as plankton before settling to the bottom or swimming freely through the ocean. These tiny organisms can be studied to learn more about the environment, global warming, greenhouse gases, and business NIE Online Guide ventures. Included in this guide is an article, written by Editor — Carol Lange Washington Post writer Steven Mufson, that focuses on a small Art Editor — Carol Porter California company that proposes a venture involving plankton, Contributing to this guide: Lisa Lyle Wu business, and carbon credits in the world of emissions trading. currently teaches marine biology and is the lab director for the oceanography/ The following activities are designed to address science as geophysical systems lab at the Thomas inquiry, as well as science in personal and social perspectives. Jefferson High School for Science and By encouraging students to conduct research on issues and pose Technology (Alexandria, Va.). As a problems, they communicate their discoveries in ways that suit freelance science writer, she has developed their purpose and audience. curricular materials for Discovery Channel and worked on exhibit development for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. She was a volunteer diver at the National Aquarium in Baltimore for ten years and served as Teacher at Sea for NOAA. Each year she takes students to study in, on, or under the sea surrounding Maryland’s eastern shore, the Bahamas, Florida Keys, Galapagos Islands or Bermuda. She lives in Arlington, Va., with her husband and son.

Send comments about this guide to: Margaret Kaplow, Educational Services Manager, [email protected]

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Plankton — The Drifters In the Know

Although the majority of activities Although the presentation can Bloom: A sudden increase in a plankton suggested in this guide are designed be used by itself, it can also be population for a science class, others are cross- followed by a lab using microscopes disciplinary approaches. Science to view preserved or live specimens Carbon footprint: The measure of and Economics classes are a natural of plankton. Preserved plankton can environmental impact you have on the blend. be ordered from biological supply world as a result of your actions such as catalogs. For example, a vial that driving a car or heating a home Observe Plankton would be sufficient for 30 students “Plankton — An Introduction (I have actually stretched this for Emissions trading: An approach to to the Drifters,” a PowerPoint all my classes) costs approximately controlling pollution by providing economic presentation is provided for use $12 and includes collections from incentives with students. Teachers may surface water with diatoms and download it from the Newspaper zooplankton. Fe: Chemical symbol of the element iron In Education site (http://www. Just using droppers, microscope used to stimulate plankton blooms washpost.com/nie/200710.ppt). slides, microscopes and references, After a brief students can Holoplankton: Organisms that remain as overview to sketch, estimate plankton throughout their life cycles plankton, students size, classify, and are presented varied identify specimens. Meroplankton: Organisms that spend a part examples to sketch. Prepared slides of their lives as plankton and then live as The third section of individual free-swimming or crawling organisms of the PowerPoint organisms can also presentation be purchased and Nutrients: Chemicals required for organisms provides information used. to live and grow, such as nitrogen and about each of the If your school is phosphorus examples. “Plankton near the water, you Observations,” may wish to use Ozone: Gas present in the upper a student activity sheet resources in this atmosphere which helps prevent harmful in this guide, may be guide that provide Ultraviolet radiation from reaching the used for the second information on Earth’s surface step of this activity. how to make your own plankton The sidebars of this guide provide net. Students can have a “hands- Photic: Sunlit zone of the ocean where additional resources to introduce on” “feet wet” experience as photosynthesis occurs students to plankton. they do their own field work to collect samples for your lab. The Planktivores: Animals that feed on plankton Teachers, Take Note experience doesn’t need to be A note from Lisa Wu, creator of limited to the marine environment. Trace elements: Those elements required in the PowerPoint presentation: Plankton can be collected in very small amounts; for example, iron “Plankton: An Introduction to the freshwater as well! Drifters” was created to supplement Upwelling: The rise of nutrient rich bottom Steven Mufson’s article and to help Prepare a Science Lab Report water to mix with surface water students visualize the world of Conduct a plankton lab. Preserved plankton. It provides a sample of plankton samples can be ordered common organisms from different from scientific supply companies. oceans and at different depths. Well or depression slides with The slide show can be used to help coverslips and microscopes are students make observations about the special adaptations of these organisms. continued on page

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page zooplankton and phytoplankton, Images on the Web meroplankton and holoplankton …). used to observe and identify mixed www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/ plankton specimens. Do a Crossword Puzzle Environmental Protection Agency Kids Site Draw the specimens (See Many of the terms in “ A Explore the Climate Change Kids Site and reproducible, “Plankton Microscopic Aggregate” crossword watch Climate Animations that bring to life Observations” for this activity.) to puzzle are related to plankton and the science and impact of climate change. scale. Record magnification and marine science. The answer grid is Provides games that help students, parents estimate the size of each organism. found at the end of this section of and teachers learn about both the science of Go to the Internet and classify the guide. climate change and what actions they can each based on its characteristics take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. as phytoplankton or zooplankton, Read About Marine Life holoplankton (organisms spending Two Washington Post news www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjTbPtv88sI their entire life cycle as plankton) articles written by Juliet Eilperin Cruise Cruise Baby or meroplankton (organisms that are provided in this guide to give A three-minute You Tube broadcast related become crawlers or swimmers). background before reading “Iron Note any special adaptations to Plankton To Carbon Credits: to plankton tows and research at sea — (transparency, projections, feeding Firm’s Emission Plans Have Critics complete with rap music. Students love it. appendages, small size). Aplenty.” They may also be read on Prior to making observations, their own to give students a sense www.imagequest3d.com/pages/plankton/ teachers may prepare a PowerPoint of the interdependency of marine plankton.htm slide show or print out pictures life and to illustrate the importance Image Quest 3-D and discuss the following of plankton in providing the Site director has had more than 30 years specimens concentrating on primary food source in the marine of experience observing, collecting, their adaptations and ecologic food chain. photographing and writing about plankton. importance. Include examples of “World’s Biggest Fish Is a Delicate Includes “Picture of the Week,” “3-D phytoplankton such as diatoms, Feeder” (Sept. 3, 2007) presents Plankton Imagery,” “Ctenophore Imagery” dinoflagellates, and cocolithophores, the whale shark. Questions to as well as articles and image catalogue. silicoflagellates and zooplankton consider after reading the article such as radiolarians, foraminiferans, include: oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/SeaWiFS/ copepods and krill. Pictures • What was the USF team TEACHERS/sanctuary_4.html of larval samples of barnacles, studying? Phytoplankton — All things great and small crabs and fish will emphasize the • What technology is being used in This is a Sea WiFS NASA education site differentiation of meroplankton and the study? with links to sites related to studying the holoplankton. Pictures can be found • Why was the whale shark ocean from space. An excellent resource. in the photogallery of the NOAA selected for study? Web site (http://www.photolib. • How does the whale shark’s www.nmnh.si.edu/botany/projects/algae/ noaa.gov/). filtering system work? Algae Research After completing the identification • What questions did the team The Smithsonian Institution’s National of examples, students should be hope to answer? Museum of Natural History botany/algae asked to complete a lab report. site Using their sketches for Data, In “Growing Acidity of Oceans students can add a Title, Purpose, May Kill Corals” (front page, July Materials/Methods and Conclusion. 5, 2006), scientists’ concern over http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/ The conclusion should include the threat of increasing ocean Phytoplankton Earth Observatory the restatement of their purpose acidification is reported. Questions NASA’s Earth Observatory mission is to and an elaboration of what they that may be considered after provide an accessible publication on the have learned concerning plankton reading this article include: Internet where the public can obtain new using specific examples from the satellite imagery and scientific information lab (adaptations, importance to about our home planet. Page is devoted to ecosystems, differences between continued on page phytoplankton.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page Give students “Iron to Plankton Emissions and Climate Change To Carbon Credits: Firm’s Emission • How do increasing levels of Plans Have Critics Aplenty.” This http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ carbon dioxide in the atmosphere July 2007 article from The Post’s individual.html affect the acidity of oceans? Business section clearly reflects Individual Emissions • The issue might have been the overlapping of environmental Using EPA’s Climate CHange Emission pushed to sell Lovejoy’s book, but concerns, business ventures, Calculator Kit, SafeClimate Calculator what other sources give credibility economics, and technology. and other resources on this site, students to the concern? Students may be given “Plankton can learn about climate change, estimate • In what ways do oceans mitigate to Carbon Credits” to focus on their school’s greenhouse gas emissions the effects of global warming? scientific and technological aspects, and conceptualize ways to mitigate climate • Why do scientists monitor the pH economic incentives and criticism impact at home and school. level for the world’s oceans? of the proposal. Answers to the • Why are legislators being briefed study questions are found at the www.cleanair-coolplanet.org/action/ on scientific concerns? end of this section of the guide. getinvolved.php This latter article was written The article discusses emissions Clean Air-Cool Planet in 2006. Students may be asked trading as an approach to control Encourages all levels of action that will to do research to find more recent pollution. What is meant by a cap- result in effective and lasting changes in the findings. Do more recent studies and-trade system? Visit the Planktos battle against global climate change: Reduce support the view of Prof. Loáiciga, Web site and investigate what type your own footprint, help organize in your the other scientists or provide new of projects they are funding. What community, workplace or school. perspectives? are voluntary credits? How do they differ from certified credits? www.climatecounts.org Use a Case Study Climate Counts A small California company Expand on the Post Article Learn the carbon footprint of your called Planktos is proposing to Explain the general patterns of purchases. The Climate Counts Company use science to chemically enrich a primary production in temperate, Scorecard rates 56 major corporations low nutrient area of the Pacific to polar, and tropical oceans. Limiting across eight sectors – from apparel increase plankton numbers. This factors such as light and nutrients to electronics to fast food – on their increase in the plankton population should be discussed as you compare commitment to reversing climate change. would not only improve energy the different areas. available in the food chain, but also Explain why the tropical www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/ help absorb greenhouse gases from equatorial region west of the ORWKit.htm the atmosphere. The proposed Galapagos was selected for Climate Change, Wildlife, environmental benefits would managing a plankton bloom. Why is and Wildlands Toolkit also provide economic benefits by the Atlantic Ocean between Africa Teach students about climate change and providing investors supporting this and South America an anamoly? ecosystems. Use the toolkit for teachers and venture with “carbon credits” in the Relate this to the article, the natural interpreters to learn about the science of world of emissions trading. source of iron in the ocean, and climate change and its potential effects on Prior to reading the reprinted African weather patterns. our nation’s wildlife and their habitats. Post article, prepare students. If you have not completed the plankton Meet a Post Reporter www.epa.gov/climatechange/downloads/ lab with students, you may wish to Provide students with a copy of ActivityKit.pdf give students a basic introduction “Meet the Energy Correspondent: Global Warming Wheel Card to plankton or ask students to pool Steven Mufson.” In this Q and A, Classroom Activity Kit their knowledge of plankton. Locate Mufson tells of his career path, Engage middle school students in estimating the Galapagos Islands and the the impact of societal concerns on emissions and enhance critical thinking Vatican on a map or globe. You may Post coverage and how he got the skills. Visit Educators’ Link for lesson plans, wish to cover the E.U.’s cap-and- story, “Iron to Plankton To Carbon videos, books and toolkits. trade system and carbon offsets. continued on page

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page the information they need to guide Plankton on the Web students in writing an editorial or Credits.” This handout can be letter to the editor. www.livingclassrooms.org/lbo/popest/ used as a companion with the Post Have students select an algae.html article in this guide, in a journalism environmental issue that they Population Estimation class or as part of a career unit. believe needs attention. Complete Here is a game and activity to learn how Mufson’s career path clearly research and interviews, then write plankton is counted under a microscope to illustrates the importance of a letter to the editor or submit estimate population size in a sample. curiosity and being a life-long a guest editorial to the student learner. Many journalists must newspaper or to a community www.mos.org/sln/sem/mic_life.html be prepared to report on diverse newspaper. Microscopic Life in Water subjects; few have the luxury of one A single page with information on building beat in their careers. Display the Drifters a plankton net, collecting samples from a Divide the class into small pond and making observations Debate the Issue groups to research topics related The scientific and economic to plankton. Create an exhibit that http://www.indiana.edu/~diatom/diatom. issues presented in Mufson’s article focuses on plankton. The exhibit html can be quite complicated and may take the form of a display or Diatom Home Page difficult for students to understand. a bulletin board. See “Museum Intended as a central Web resource for Teachers may wish to have students Musings” (found at washpost.com/ those interested in, or actively conducting do research on one aspect of the nie, September 2007) for display research on, diatoms and related algae. issue from the perspective of a and exhibition resources. Information of general interest to diatomists particular group. Either as a debate Possible topics to include in the and other phycologists along with links to or in a symposium setting, the exhibit would be sections on the other useful Internet resources. issues will be clarified through the • Commercial importance of information and points of view plankton (including products such www.biosci.ohiou.edu/faculty/currie/ presented. as chalk, toothpaste whitener, ocean/index.htm The following are some of the diatomaceous earth, filters); The Plankton Net groups that students might research • Ecologic importance of plankton Academics homepage for plankton ecology, and represent: (including production of oxygen, marine biology and biological oceanography. • Planktos impact on climate change, Includes how to make your own plankton • World Wildlife Fund or Friends of importance in food webs, net and links to journals. the Earth fisheries, harmful algal blooms or • International Maritime HABs); www.calacademy.org/research/diatoms/ Organization • Adaptations of plankton The CAS Diatom Collection • Environmental Protection Agency (transparency, small size, spines, An ongoing project to present taxonomic • E.U.’s cap-and-trade system oil droplets); information, images, records of collections, • Academic community (earth and • Technology and tools for and references pertaining to diatoms, environmental sciences) studying, observing, and including diatom identification resource collecting plankton (net tows such Take a Stand as bongo, and PairoVET tows, www.njmsc.org/Education/Lesson_Plans/ In addition to science reports, CUFES, satellites, microscopes, Plankton.pdf news articles and research sidescan SONAR). Plankton presentations, scientific issues The display should include From the Education Program at the New that impact a community can diagrams, photographs, labels, and Jersey Marine Science Museum a plankton be presented in the format of an wall text. Original artwork should lab for grades 6-12 editorial or letter to the editor. be encouraged. “Talk of the Town” (found at www. washpost.com/nie, January 28, 2003) provides teachers with all continued on page 7

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 6 Toles cartoon featuring a Cap ‘N By the Book Trade cereal box was published. Design a Planktonic Organism This editorial commentary could be Beakley, John and Others. Divide students into pairs or teams used with Steven Mufson’s article The Source Book of Marine Sciences. to design a planktonic organism. See or in an art, economics, government Florida Oceanographic Society, Inc.: “Design a Planktonic Organism” in this or journalism class. One of the Stuart Florida. 1980. guide. Teachers may wish to provide a free response questions on the AP box of materials from which the class English Language and Composition is to select materials to fashion their Examination requires a synthesis of Smith, Deboyd and organisms. Materials could include sources. Using the articles, graphics Others. straws, clay, toothpicks, aluminum and Toles cartoon in this guide, A Guide to Marine foil, pipecleaners, paper clips, twist teachers can give students practice in Coastal Plankton ties, coffee stirs, corks, biodegradable responding to such a prompt. and Marine packing pellets, metal washers or After students “read” the cartoon, Invertebrate pennies. questions for discussion might include: Larvae. Kendall/ Aquariums or buckets filled with • Why did Toles feature a cereal box? Hund. Second Ed. water should be used to test the To what does the name allude? 2003. designs. You will need a stop watch. • You may need to explain the This could be done as a competition cap-and-trade system. What is its between pairs or groups. purpose? Stevens, Betsy T. You may ask students to record their • Why is the seafaring “Cap’n” on the Sea Soup Teacher’s observations of the different designs box appropriate on several levels? Guide: Discovering of their classmates, to compare the • What is the news peg for the promo the Watery World different designs and to summarize the blurb on the box, “Sweetened of Phytoplankton results. Based on what they observed, Climate Change Legislation”? and Zooplankton. how might they modify their design? • What do the phrases “to sweeten” Tilbury House, and a “sweet deal” mean? [To Publishers. Gardiner, Write a Research Proposal make sweet or sweeter by adding Maine.1999. Doing scientific research requires sugar, honey, saccharin or another money. Students will be asked to write sweet substance. To enhance the a research proposal of their own to attractiveness or financial desirability Wohlers, Bob obtain the funding for studying the of. The American Heritage and Lesley effects of human activity on plankton Dictionary of the English Language] Alexander. Life communities. Teachers may find • The figure eating from the bowl on an Ocean articles related to plankton research of cereal is Toles’ caricature of Planet. or have students do all the securing of President George Bush. What does Current background research. his comment in the balloon reflect? Publishing See “Write a Research Proposal,” • What is indicated by the additional Corp.: Rancho a student handout in this guide. It comment of the smaller figure below Santa Margarita, provides guidelines for content to be the cereal box? In what way is California. 2006. included in a proposal. “substance” another word play by the During this time period, you may commentator? wish to invite a guest speaker from • What is Toles’ point of view of a local university or organization. current climate change legislation? The speaker would share his or her For more about the art of editorial experience in writing grants, why cartooning and Washington Post’s Herblock grants are needed and who supports and Tom Toles, download INSIDE scientific research through grants. Journalism: Editorial Cartoons (www. washpost.com/nie, 2/25/2003) Read the Cartoon On Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007, a Tom continued to page 8

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

continued from page 7 I formed the Copenhagen Consensus Have Standards in 2004 so that some of the world’s Another Outlook top economists could come together The activities in this guide address to ask not only where we can do many of the standards across the •An excerpt from a guest good, but at what cost, and to rank disciplines. See “Academic Content commentary originally the best things for the world to do Standards” for some of the local published October 7, 2007 first. The top priorities they’ve come standards that are relevant to activities up with are dealing with infectious featuring plankton. Specific standards We have to rediscover the middle diseases, malnutrition, agricultural will depend upon the activity and the ground, where we can have a sensible research and first-world access to extent to which you would like to conversation. We shouldn’t ignore third-world agriculture. For less than engage your students. For example, climate change or the policies that a fifth of Kyoto’s price tag, we could different standards would apply for could attack it. But we should be tackle all these issues. activities that involve collecting honest about the shortcomings and Obviously we should also work on a plankton from the ocean and a plankton costs of those policies, as well as long-term solution to climate change. lab that examines preserved slides. the benefits. …We must accept that Solving it will take the better part of Below are some of the national climate change is real and that we’ve a century and will require a political standards (National Research Council) helped cause it. There is no hoax. But will spanning political parties, that apply to the suggested activities in neither is there a looming apocalypse. continents and generations. … this guide: To some people, cutting carbon • Science as Inquiry (Content Standard emissions has become the answer, Bjorn Lomborg, an adjunct A): Abilities necessary to do scientific regardless of the question. Cutting professor at the Copenhagen inquiry (1) and Understanding about emissions is said to be our Business School, is the author scientific inquiry (2). “generational mission.” But don’t we of Cool It: The Skeptical • Life Science (Content Standard want to implement the most efficient Environmentalist’s Guide to Global C): An understanding of the policies first? … Warming. interdependence of organisms (1) and An understanding of matter, energy, and organization (2). Answers: Plankton to Carbon Credits gases; the use of international waters for • Science in Personal and Social profit; and unforeseen impacts of stimulating Perspectives (Content Standard F): 1. Iron is a nutrient for phytoplankton, blooms of plankton An understanding of environmental which absorb carbon dioxide from the air and 6. Answers will vary; get to the core of quality (1), An understanding of convert it to carbon and oxygen through the science as inquiry. natural, human-induced hazards (2), process of photosynthesis. Adding iron will 7. Answers will vary; look for a thoughtful and An understanding of science stimulate the growth of phytoplankton. explanation. and technology in local, national and 2. Traversing the ocean in a 62-mile square global challenges (3). grid pattern, water will be removed from the • History and Nature of Science ocean, enriched with iron, and pumped back Crossword Puzzle Answer Grid (Content Standard G): An into the ocean. Plankton blooms will occur A Microscopic Aggregate understanding of science as a human within days and last six months, increasing endeavor (1) and An understanding of the uptake of carbon dioxide from the air. historical perspectives (2). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3. In this area of the Pacific, there is T R A C E S P O W E R S 11 12 13 14 relatively little iron-rich dust as well as lower R I O R I F W H A T populations of marine life. A 15K R I L L 16L A T 17S 18 19 20 4. Increased uptake of carbon dioxide will P L A N K T O N L T M 21 22 reduce this greenhouse gas, impact global O T W E B A climate change and increase carbon available 23 24 25 26 27 O R G A N I S M I L for marine food webs. 28 29 30 31 32 H E R A N A M O R A L 5. Accuracy of measuring the presence and 33 34 35 36 A U S T E R E D E E storage of carbon; may reduce the incentive 37 38 Y for more reliable efforts to reduce greenhouse K E S T O N E S I R

Crossword Puzzle: A Microscopic Aggregate

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14

15 16 17

18 19 20

21 22

23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31 32

33 34 35 36

37 38

BY CAROL LANGE

Across Down 1. Visible marks or footprints left by persons, animals or 1. A net or means to collect specimen and sediment things 2. Robotics Institute (abbrev.) 6. Abilities to act or produce 3. Maize 11. Rhode Island (abbrev.) 4. Leif ______son is believed to be the first European to 12. Two words: We could do this ______that ______she land in North America would let us do either one. 5. About 90% of the ___ on the floor of the Indian Ocean 14. One of the 5 Ws of journalism consists of the remains of plankton that bloomed during 15. Small, shrimplike crustaceans eaten by baleen whales the summer monsoon. ______provides scientists with a 16. Latitude (abbrev.) Most plankton are found in the middle climatologic “archive.” and high latitudes in the northern hemisphere. 7. Symbol of wisdom 18. Microscopic or small plants and animals that drift in 8. Large marine mammal the currents (fresh and salt water, usually near or 9. Consume at the surface) 10. Right (abbrev.) 20. I am (contraction) 13. Masses or aggregations of suspended particles 21. Plankton are at the bottom of the food ______. 15. Kansas (postal code) 23. A body (plant, animal, bacterium) whose parts work 17. Opposite of “larger” together to maintain life processes 19. Accumulated facts, traditions and beliefs about a subject 28. Third person, objective, singular pronoun 20. First person, singular, nominative pronoun 29. Article 22. Warm-blooded, egg-laying feathered vertebrates 30. Neither moral or immoral 23. Ohio (postal code) 33. Somber, stern disposition 24. Shade of black 36. Alice in Through the Looking Glass saw two figures, one 25. Cartoonist who created the symbols of the Democrat and with “DUM” embroidered on his collar, and the other Republican parties with “______” on his. 26. A preposition 37. Central, supporting element. Plankton is a ______in the 27. Female horse food chain. 31. First person, singular, objective pronoun 38. Polite way to address a man 32. ______o u 34. First person, plural, objective pronoun 35. Prefix and suffix meaning “in” Volume 7, Issue 2

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Volume 7, Issue 2

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Meet the Energy Correspondent: Steven Mufson

1. What do you cover? at Harvard University, who sent me I cover energy for The Washington to a professor at Columbia University. Post. So I am in the financial section, I looked up the bios of these people not in the national staff’s science pod. on the Web and read some of what But science is an essential element of they have written or said. The one at many articles I write. For example, Columbia in particular seemed to be geology is useful for understanding how extremely well respected. long oil reserves might last. A bit of I also called someone at a big hedge chemistry can help you understand why fund which invests in carbon credits or BP pipelines in Alaska might spring carbon offsets. He wants these projects leaks, or the different ways companies to be real because if a lot of flimsy ideas go about making ethanol for motor fuel. are accepted, they can flood the market Engineering can help understand how (pun intended) and reduce the value of a coal plant works and how it might the more solid, real ones (which are become more efficient. the ones he says he’s buying). When I started covering energy in I interviewed a scientist at a April 2006, our focus was on political European firm that audits projects that stories about world tensions that were companies are eager to sell in the more driving the price of oil to new highs or THE WASHINGTON POST rigorous, mandatory emissions trading about the response of politicians here Steve Mufson scheme in Europe. I also contacted the in Washington. I still write about the Environmental Protection Agency and politics of energy. But our coverage some members of Congress who have has turned more and more toward the 4. You wrote “Iron to Plankton To taken an interest in this area. And I business of climate change, because Carbon Credits: Firm’s Emission Plans spoke with people from the company; the energy industries — coal-fired Have Critics Aplenty.” How did you hear they were very open and helpful. electric utilities, energy intensive about this story? manufacturing, and the oil and gas As I recall, I heard about Planktos 6. After interviewing experts and industries — are the businesses that and its idea of seeding the ocean with doing research to learn about the are emitting greenhouse gases. We’re iron from an environmental group. It different perspectives, what did you also writing more about wind, solar and isn’t unusual to get story ideas from decide was the main topic for the nuclear. individuals or groups with strong article? viewpoints; some of the ideas are The essence of this issue seemed 2. Do you have a background in worthwhile, some aren’t. I thought this to be: Yes, spreading iron on the science? one was worth pursuing. ocean will stimulate phytoplankton, I studied science in high school. First, it was an unusual idea. Second, which take carbon dioxide from the In college, I briefly considered going it illustrated the growing controversy atmosphere. There’s no disputing to medical school and took a year of about the worthiness of carbon offsets. that. But then what? How much of biology. Many companies are coming up with that carbon dioxide gets stored in the ways of generating carbon credits that ocean? Many marine biologists argue 3. Have your other journalism can be sold to companies trying to that the phytoplankton are eaten up by assignments been science oriented? offset their emissions. But many of fish or other organisms that just emit Not really. At The Post, I have those credits are of questionable value. the carbon dioxide back into the air. covered economic policy, China and Many experts estimated that as little foreign policy, and I was deputy editor 5. How do you decide whom to call? as one percent of the carbon dioxide of the weekly Outlook section. Earlier I called a friend who teaches at The Wall Street Journal, I covered environmental science at George Mason the oil industry, then I covered Africa. University. She sent me to a professor continued ON page 12

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 11 professor/teacher/expert you choose microbiologist spent most of a day to call. telling me about a microbe that she captured would be stored deeper down I have had the top executives and believes can break down cellulosic in the ocean. Measuring that would be engineers of utilities explain how coal material more efficiently than a tough task, at best. plants work and how they can be made genetically engineered enzymes. more efficient. 7. Does luck matter to a reporter? On my way to Alaska to write about 9. What role will science play in future Luck helps in journalism. Sometimes BP’s leaks, I had the good luck of articles? after you start reporting a story, it getting a seat next to a petroleum Assuming that the forecasts of gets better. In this case, Rep. Markey geologist who had just returned from climatologists are even partly correct, of Massachusetts held a hearing and Iraq and who was happy to talk about then climate change will be one of, if invited the chief executive of Planktos pipeline corrosion for a couple of hours. not the biggest, stories of our time. and some other people in the carbon The founder of an Israeli solar Figuring out which solutions are real offset business. Morever, after I started company went over his firm’s and which aren’t will be an important reporting the story, Planktos announced technology with me. Chief geologists part of journalism. For example, that it would offset the emissions from at major oil companies have delivered does ethanol reduce greenhouse gas the Vatican. So there was another news lectures (with slides) charting the emissions of cars that use gasoline with peg for the article, another promotional expected lives of Saudi oil fields and ethanol mixed in, or does the energy effort, and another project whose value what could be done to extend them. and fertilizer used to make the ethanol some people have questioned. Former members of the Nuclear offset the savings? (Answer: ethanol Regulatory Commission (and other from corn gives slight savings, ethanol 8. How do you learn what you need to nuclear experts) have spent hours from sugar or cellulosic materials could know? talking about radioactive isotopes, save more.) Journalism in general is a bit like cooling systems, and the structural a series of tutorials from whatever integrity of reactor buildings. A

About the Correspondent

My first real journalism job was covering Independent, and others. I also made my I joined The Post in May 1989 in the labor for The Yale Daily News. Summers Post debut with an article for the Outlook New York bureau to cover financial news. I worked at a weekly called The Cranford section. I ended up spending two years in In early 1990, I moved to D.C. to cover Citizen & Chronicle (mostly graduation South Africa altogether, and was there for the first Bush administration’s economic and wedding news), then at the Gannett- the 1985 and 1986 states of emergency. policy. One major bonus of coming to owned Bridgewater Courier News I was expelled in May 1987 otherwise I Washington for The Post was that I met (known by some in the Gannett chain as might have stayed a long time. a lawyer named Agnes Tabah. We’re now Bilgewater), and then at The Wall Street When I returned to the U.S., I wrote a married with two great kids. Journal. book about black politics in South Africa The Post gave me ten months off The Wall Street Journal hired me with support from the Council on Foreign starting mid-1993 to study Chinese and back after graduation in 1980 and I spent Relations, the Ford Foundation and a 1988 from mid-1994 until mid-1998 I was based six years there. I covered the oil and gas Alicia Patterson Foundation fellowship. in Beijing. It was a wonderful job. When I industry from New York then moved in The book, published by Beacon Press in came back I spent a few months working in early 1984 to cover Africa from London and 1990, was called Fighting Years: Black the financial section, then covered foreign later from Johannesburg. I left the Journal Resistance and the Struggle for a New policy for the national section, and then in mid-1986 to stay in South Africa longer. South Africa. During this time I also moved over to Outlook in January 2002 I worked for Business Week and a Dutch contributed pieces to Foreign Affairs, the first as assistant editor and then deputy newsweekly, Elseviers, and freelanced to Village Voice, Mother Jones and other editor. The New Republic, LA Times, London publications.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Iron to Plankton To Carbon Credits Firm’s Emission Plans Have Critics Aplenty

By Steven Mufson of carbon dioxide captured and sell it on this month it would offset the Vatican’s Washington Post Staff Writer the nascent carbon-trading markets. carbon emissions by donating credits The boat is still in Florida, but the from trees being planted in a Hungarian • Originally published July 20, 2007 plan has already stirred the waters in national forest. The company said it A small California company is planning Washington. Environmental groups would make the Holy See “the world’s to mix up to 80 tons of iron particles say the Planktos project could have first carbon-neutral sovereign state.” It into the Pacific Ocean 350 miles west of unforeseen side effects, and the released a video that panned across St. Environmental Protection Agency has the Galapagos Islands to see whether it Peter’s Square to music from Johann warned that the action may be subject can make a splash in the markets where Sebastian Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” to regulation under the Ocean Dumping and then cut to Cardinal Paul Poupard, people seek to offset their greenhouse Act. gas emissions. who thanked Planktos chief executive Disputes like the one over Planktos Russ George. Planktos — with 24 employees, a Web may be the wave of the future in the site and virtually no revenue — has Other groups have looked on the new carbon-conscious era. As countries company with less indulgence. The raised money to send a 115-foot boat and companies seek to slow climate called the Weatherbird II on a voyage Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study, change, taking carbon dioxide out an international research group, said last to stimulate the growth of plankton of the atmosphere can be financially that could boost the ocean’s ability to month that “ocean fertilization will be rewarding. ineffective and potentially deleterious, absorb carbon dioxide from the air. The In a bid for attention for another company plans to estimate the amount of its projects, Planktos said earlier continued ON page 14

A company called Planktos says it is possible to boost the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide by increasing the production of phytoplankton, tiny organisms that live in the sea and consume C02 through photosynthesis. Here’s how they say the process would work: 1 Iron dust, a nutrient 2 Plankton would grow 3 The restored plankton blooms would needed by plankton, and remove carbon generate food for sea life and some would be dropped dioxide from the of the plankton would sink and store into the ocean. atmosphere. carbon deep beneath the surface.

CO2 CO2 SOURCE: Planktos Iron dust

Plankton bloom

BY KAREN YOURISH AND LAURA STANTON — Plankton with CO2 THE WASHINGTON POST

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 13 enormous. He said that the annual credits are raising questions about drop in ocean plant life was like losing Planktos’s Hungarian forest project. and should not be used as a strategy all the rain forests every year. “If we Although the project is in Europe, for offsetting CO2 emissions.” The succeed, we’ll have created an industry,” it remains unclear whether any International Maritime Organization he told the House committee. “If we forest projects will meet the strict scientific group, the Friends of the don’t succeed, we’ll have created a lot of standards for credits that can be sold Earth and the World Wildlife Fund have great science.” in the European Union’s cap-and-trade condemned it. And a group called the But leading ocean and climate system, where credits currently sell for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said experts have poured cold water on $26.85 per ton of carbon dioxide. its own ship would monitor the Planktos the Planktos plan by saying that the “So how is Planktos going to offset vessel and possibly “intercept” it. company can’t accurately measure the Vatican’s emissions? The Vatican On Wednesday, George appeared before how much additional carbon would be doesn’t emit much — about as much as the House Select Committee on Energy stored in the ocean or for how long. 500 U.S. households, says David Kubiak Independence and Global Warming and One reason: Some organisms sink and of Planktos. To offset the Vatican’s lashed back at his critics. The EPA was store carbon deep below the surface. current emissions, Planktos is using working with “radical environmental But the overwhelming majority are credits that it expects to receive from groups,” he said. In written submissions, eaten by fish or other organisms that its Hungarian tree-planting venture he said his firm’s work had been “falsely convert the carbon back into carbon — in the future. Those new seedlings portrayed” to “generate public alarm.” dioxide. won’t produce carbon benefits for eight Planktos’s Web site boasts that it “offers “Actually knowing how much carbon years, Kubiak said. investors the single most powerful, stays down there is a really hard The Vatican isn’t part of the E.U. profitable, and planet-friendly tool in thing,” says Daniel Schrag, director of cap-and-trade system, so Planktos can the worldwide battle against global the Harvard University Center for the use the credits even if they do not warming.” Though its revenue amounts Environment. meet E.U. standards. These are called to a few thousand dollars, raised by Schrag said the Planktos project could voluntary credits because the buyers, selling “a few thousand tons” of credits to also generate new algae, which could like those in the United States, are individuals and small businesses largely reduce the amount of oxygen at depths not required to offset emissions. The through its online “store,” the Foster that would endanger other ocean voluntary credits trade at a fraction of City, Calif., company has a market value life. “Doing a large-scale ecological the price that E.U.-certified credits do. of $91.4 million. experiment before you understand the Many companies are calling for Serious science is involved in the system is a dangerous thing,” he said. Congress to set standards for voluntary company’s ocean concept. Planktos plans Others doubt the benefits. “I think credits if it does not establish a U.S. to suck water from the ocean, insert the iron fertilization in the ocean is not version of Europe’s more rigorous cap- equivalent of a teaspoon of iron into a going to make a significant difference and-trade rules. volume equal to an Olympic-size pool, to the CO2” problem, said Wally “The global market for voluntary and pump the water back into the ocean Broecker, a professor of earth and carbon offsets is currently unregulated,” as the ship makes a grid about 62 miles environmental sciences at Columbia said Derik Broekhoff, senior associate at by 62 miles — “like plowing a field,” one University. the World Resources Institute, “which Planktos official said. There are other issues. The area is has led to growing concerns about Iron is a nutrient for phytoplankton, in international waters, so some critics whether buyers are really getting what which absorb carbon dioxide from the ask why Planktos or any company they are paying for.” air and convert it to carbon and oxygen should be able to reap profits there. Many companies are calling for through photosynthesis. The plankton And if the company started selling Congress to set standards for voluntary blooms form within a day or two and large amounts of ocean-based carbon credits if it does not establish a U.S. last six months. The tropical Pacific credits, it could flood the market, version of Europe’s more rigorous cap- Ocean is widely regarded as a good spot reducing incentives for more reliable and-trade rules. to experiment because there is relatively and measurable projects aimed at “The global market for voluntary little iron-rich dust carried from land, reducing greenhouse gases in the carbon offsets is currently unregulated,” but there are other nutrients. George atmosphere. said Derik Broekhoff, senior associate at said “it’s the clearest ocean on Earth In addition, the benefits of the World Resources Institute, “which because it’s lifeless, and it’s not supposed reforestation projects are almost as has led to growing concerns about to be that way.” hard to measure as ocean plankton, whether buyers are really getting what George asserts that the potential is and people at funds that trade carbon they are paying for.”

Plankton to Carbon Credits

After reading the Washington Post Business article by energy correspondent Steven Mufson, answer the following questions.

1. A company called Planktos is preparing to mix iron into the Pacific Ocean. What is the scientific basis for this project?

2. Describe the method proposed for adding iron to the ocean. What is the expected outcome of this method?

3. Why has the equatorial Pacific Ocean been chosen as the location for the iron enrichment?

4. What is the global impact that Planktos expects to achieve by the increased uptake of carbon dioxide by a plankton bloom?

5. What criticisms have been launched by ocean scientists and climate change experts concerning managed plankton blooms?

6. What does Planktos chief executive Russ George mean when he says, “If we don’t succeed, we’ll have created a lot of great science.”

7. From what this article has presented about the issues and different points of view, with whom do you agree and why? Name ______Date ______

Plankton Observations

Specimen #

Characteristics: Description Body shape/Tail/flagella/appendages/eyes transparency/gills/other features

What is this specimen? Select one from each category: ❑ Phytoplankton or ❑ Zooplankton ❑ Holoplankton or ❑ Meroplankton

Specimen #

Characteristics: Description Body shape/Tail/flagella/appendages/eyes transparency/gills/other features

What is this specimen? Select one from each category: ❑ Phytoplankton or ❑ Zooplankton ❑ Holoplankton or ❑ Meroplankton

Specimen #

Characteristics: Description Body shape/Tail/flagella/appendages/eyes transparency/gills/other features

What is this specimen? Select one from each category: ❑ Phytoplankton or ❑ Zooplankton ❑ Holoplankton or ❑ Meroplankton Name ______Date ______Volume 7, Issue 2

Design a Planktonic Organism An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

SOURCE: PLANKTON IMAGES FROM SOURCE: EPA.GOV PLANKTON Cyclops Scenedesmusbijunga

Pediastrumsimplex Crucigenia

Phytoplankton must stay in the epipelagic zone to utilize the sun’s light for energy to photosynthesize. Adaptations that enable plankton to remain in the photic zone without sinking include small size (the rate of sinking is slowed by an increase in the surface to volume ratio increasing the frictional drag in the water column), a decrease in internal density through storage of oil droplets, and modified shape — long, thin, disk-shaped organisms will spiral as they sink. Zooplankton may remain deeper in the water column during the day and vertically migrate to the surface at night to feed on phytoplankton. For zooplankton, specialized appendages increase the surface area, droplets of oil or wax decrease their density, and treading water, jelly layers, and airfloats keep the organisms in the upper pelagic zone.

Your Assignment

•Design a planktonic organism that will remain neutrally buoyant in the water. The organism cannot float at the surface, but must remain for as long as possible under the surface without sinking to the “depths.”

•Using materials of your choice — straws, clay, toothpicks, aluminum foil, pipecleaners, paper clips, twist ties, coffee stirs, corks, biodegradable packing pellets, metal washers or pennies — design and build an organism.

•Your designs will be tested.

•Be ready to explain the adaptations of your specimen.

•Observe the designs of your classmates. How do they differ from your design? Volume 7, Issue 2

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Write a Research Proposal

Doing scientific research requires money. Most scientists are not independently wealthy and most universities are not endowed with unlimited funds for research. Scientists must be able to write grant proposals to support their projects. Write a research proposal of your own to obtain the funding for studying the effects of human activity on plankton communities. Before you begin your proposal, you need to know what has been studied. Find and read articles related to plankton research.

Write your proposal

Begin with an Introduction. Provide background information for the research you are proposing and establish the area that your research will address. This is known as providing the “framework” for the research. In the introduction you need to grab your readers’ interest — you want the persons who will fund your project to think you are addressing them while you are using the third person voice. Use the present tense throughout the proposal.

After an introductory statement, include the following in your proposal: 1. A clear, direct statement of the Problem. The reader easily recognizes the problem. You should be answering the unstated question “Why does this research need to be conducted?” You may need to define some of the technical terms for the reader.

2. Goals and Objectives

3. A statement of why your proposed project is a significant improvement over current practice. What are the broader impacts of the research?

4. Resources that you will need and why these are essential to the success of your research project. Why are they suitable? a. People (academic or field experience, paid or volunteer), b. Credentials of those needed to work on the project c. Time (number of months or years) d. Equipment, and e. Technical support (within the school and from outside institutions)

5. Evidence of preliminary work on the topic by others. Here is where the background reading you did will be included. Be sure to include the title of articles, papers and books as well as the authors’ names.

6. Since getting funding is the primary reason for writing the research proposal, this section should be itemized and include justification. a. Budget request for equipment and supplies b. Budget request for salaries, travel, food and housing as needed

7. Describe how the research project will be assessed.

8. Describe how the research will be communicated to others in the scientific community as well as to the general public. Volume 7, Issue 2

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program World’s Biggest Fish Is a Delicate Feeder By Juliet Eilperin on plankton carried to the surface by an “How do you go from an animal that Washington Post Staff Writer upwelling of water between the Gulf of sits on the bottom and eats fish and Mexico and the Caribbean. Scientists crustaceans to one that swims on the •Originally published September 3, 2007 began making annual pilgrimages to surface and consumes a large volume ISLA HOLBOX, Mexico — The whale this former pirates’ lair about 90 miles of water to eat some of the smallest shark — a massive, polka-dotted creature northwest of Cancun, where the fish are creatures of the sea?” asked Robert stretching about 23 feet long — slowly called domino sharks because of their Hueter, who directs Mote’s Center swam up alongside the scientists’ boat. spots. for Shark Research. “That’s a huge As it neared, they tossed a handful of Then, just this year, the deaths of two evolutionary step.” pre-soaked rice in front of its enormous whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium The still-unexplained deaths at the mouth. The rice rushed in along with gave scientists the opportunity to study aquarium have also contributed to the the seawater, and the whale shark made the anatomy of the sharks’ feeding research. The two males — imported a shuddering motion. systems. from Taiwan and dubbed Ralph and “There’s the cough!” exclaimed Philip Motta’s work, part of a research Norton by aquarium staff — died within Motta, a University of South Florida program directed by the Sarasota, Fla.- the past year, one as recently as June. biology professor, using the catchphrase based Mote Marine Laboratory and Motta and Hueter helped perform head he and his colleagues coined recently the Mexico-based conservation group dissections on the dead sharks, allowing to describe the shark’s abrupt way of Project Domino, is coming closer to them to examine the sharks’ filtering swallowing. answering a question that has eluded system up close. Cruising the waters off the Yucatan scientists for years: How did a fish The aquarium, which has given for hours in the broiling sun, Motta weighing thousands of pounds and scientists $250,000 to study whale and doctoral student Kyle Mara, along stretching the length of a school bus with several other researchers, repeated develop its unusual feeding apparatus? continued ON page 20 the ritual again and again. Hoping to figure out in detail the complex feeding mechanism of the biggest fish in the sea, the scientists trailed whale sharks of different ages, sizes and sexes, using a laser beam to measure each gigantic mouth and videotaping as the rice flowed in. Whale sharks are not mammals but got their name because of their immense size and whalelike tendency to filter-feed on the ocean surface. Most sharks are known for their intimidating teeth, but whale sharks fascinate scientists for the opposite reason: They have a unique, three-part filtering system that is more complex than those of whales and other filter-feeding sharks. The setup is so effective that modern bottling plants employ it. Until recently, it was difficult to study their filter feeding in detail, since whale sharks can be elusive. Then researchers discovered that hundreds of the animals come to Isla Holbox each summer to feast

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

plankton “slurry,” as Motta describes it, the whale shark swallows in the “cough” motion. It is only coincidence that beverage companies use a similar approach to reducing clogging in their commercial operations, Motta said, but the fact that engineers rely on cross-flow filtration testifies to its effectiveness. Other researchers are exploring whether some bony fishes, which share a distant common ancestor with whale sharks, have developed the same sort of filtration system. If they have, Motta said, it would demonstrate “convergent evolution,” whereby two radically different species of fishes that are only distantly related have independently developed a similar solution to filter feeding. Baleen whales separately

COURTESY GEORGIA AQUARIUM evolved their own form of filter feeding. A whale shark at the Georgia Aquarium. The slow-moving fish approach 40 feet in Some animal rights activists have length and inhabit the world’s warmer latitudes. challenged the use of the aquarium-held whale sharks for research. continued from page 19 the hundreds of whale sharks that gather “Whatever you learn by keeping in the wild each summer near Holbox these animals in captivity, whether it’s sharks off the tiny island of Holbox, allowed the scientists to discover that a marine mammal or a whale shark, still has two male and two female whale whale sharks apparently have what is of very limited value,” said Naomi sharks in its 6.3 million-gallon Ocean Motta calls a unique “cross-flow filtration Rose, a marine mammal scientist at the Voyager tank. system” that lets them consume massive Humane Society of the United States. Motta and his colleagues have observed amounts of plankton each day without The fact that two whale sharks died them from the top of the tank and by clogging their gills. at the aquarium, Rose added, is “a entering the water with them during The scientists found that the sharks pretty high price to pay for what they’ve routine veterinary exams. ingest about nine pounds of plankton an learned.” Aquarium officials are also planning hour while swimming through a dense But David Santucci, a spokesman for to test radio-tagging equipment on plankton bloom. The tiny sea creatures the two-year-old Georgia facility, said the captive whale sharks, to ensure and massive amounts of water flow into the Holbox project demonstrates that the that the technology scientists want a whale shark’s throat, where 20 filtering aquarium is contributing to science. The to use in the wild will work properly. pads with tiny holes lie. The pads take aquarium’s nutritionist, Mike Maslanka, Ray Davis, the aquarium’s senior vice up more than 6.5 square feet, but the journeyed to Holbox in August to help president of zoological operations, said pads’ pores are tiny, just 0.07 inches identify the types of plankton in the officials are talking with wildlife tagging across. The water hits the pads at an water so that he and other researchers manufacturers to develop devices that angle, which ensures that as it flows could get a better sense of what the will monitor whale sharks’ physiological through the pads and the shark’s gill whale sharks eat. changes as they dive and will transmit apparatus, the food particles are swept “A year ago people were asking, the data back. into the back of the throat, near the ‘What’s the Georgia Aquarium going to “We’re able to start ground-truthing opening to the stomach. do for science?’” Santucci said. “It was these things,” Davis said. “We’re able to As a result, the plankton does not clog a difficult question to answer. Science test out some of these techniques.” the filtering pads as the water moves takes a lot of time. We’re just starting to The marriage of research on the captive through and returns to the ocean. When reach that point where we’re starting to animals and real-time observations of the whale shark accumulates enough do science.”

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Growing Acidity of Oceans May Kill Corals

“It’s just been an absolute time bomb of ocean acidification. “It’s the single By Juliet Eilperin that’s gone off both in the scientific most profound environmental change Washington Post Staff Writer community and, ultimately, in our public I’ve learned about in my entire career,” policymaking,” said Rep. Jay Inslee he said last week. • Originally published July 5, 2006 (D-Wash.), who received a two-hour A coalition of federal and university The escalating level of carbon dioxide briefing on the subject in May with scientists is to issue a report today in the atmosphere is making the world’s five other House members. “It’s another describing how carbon dioxide emissions oceans more acidic, government and example of when you put gigatons of are, in the words of a press release from independent scientists say. They warn carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, you the National Center for Atmospheric that, by the end of the century, the trend have these results none of us would have Research and the National Oceanic could decimate coral reefs and creatures predicted.” and Atmospheric Administration, that underpin the sea’s food web. Thomas E. Lovejoy, president of the “dramatically altering ocean chemistry Although scientists and some H. John Heinz III Center for Science, and threatening corals and other politicians have just begun to focus on Economics and the Environment, has marine organisms that secrete skeletal the question of ocean acidification, they just rewritten the paperback edition structures.” describe it as one of the most pressing of Climate Change and Biodiversity, environmental threats facing Earth. his latest book, to highlight the threat continued to page 22

ASSOCIATED PRESS A new report says carbon dioxide emissions are affecting ocean chemistry and threatening corals and other organisms that secrete skeletal structures.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 21 Hugo A. Loáiciga, a geography it’s going to be stressing these organisms. professor at the University of California … These organisms probably don’t have For decades, scientists have viewed the at Santa Barbara, is one of the few the adaptive ability to respond to this oceans’ absorption of carbon dioxide as an academics to question the phenomenon. new onslaught.” environmental plus, because it mitigates A groundwater hydrologist, Loáiciga Stanford University marine biologist the effects of global warming. But by published a paper in the May edition Robert B. Dunbar has studied the effect taking up one-third of the atmosphere’s of the American Geophysical Union’s of increased carbon dioxide on coral reefs carbon dioxide — much of which stems journal that suggested the oceans may in Israel and Australia’s Great Barrier from exhaust from automobiles, power not become so acidic, because enough Reef. “What we found in Israel was the plants and other industrial sources — carbonate material will help restore community is dissolving,” Dunbar said. oceans are transforming their pH level. equilibrium to them. Caldeira has mapped out where corals The pH level, measured in “units,” is Loáiciga wrote that although seawater exist today and the pH levels of the a calculation of the balance of a liquid’s in certain regions may become more water in which they thrive; by the end acidity and its alkalinity. The lower a acidic over time, “on a global scale of the century, no seawater will be liquid’s pH number, the higher its acidity; and over the time scales considered as alkaline as where they live now. If the higher the number, the more alkaline (hundreds of years), there would not be carbon dioxide emissions continue at it is. The pH level for the world’s oceans accentuated changes in either seawater their current levels, he said, “It’s say was stable between 1000 and 1800, but salinity or acidity from the rising goodbye’ to coral reefs.” has dropped one-tenth of a unit since concentration of atmospheric CO2.” Although the fate of plankton and the Industrial Revolution, according to Two dozen scientists have written a marine snails may not seem as compelling Christopher Langdon, a University of response questioning this assumption, as vibrantly colored coral reefs, they are Miami marine biology professor. since it would take thousands of years critical to sustaining marine species Scientists expect ocean pH levels to for such material to reach the oceans such as salmon, redfish, mackerel and drop by another 0.3 units by 2100, from land. baleen whales. which could seriously damage marine “The paper by Loáiciga ignores decades “These are groups everyone depends creatures that need calcium carbonate of scholarship, presents inappropriate on, and if their numbers go down there to build their shells and skeletons. Once calculations and draws erroneous are going to be reverberations throughout absorbed in seawater, carbon dioxide conclusions that simply do not apply the food chain,” said John Guinotte, forms carbonic acid and lowers ocean to real ocean,” they wrote. They added a marine biologist at the Marine pH, making it harder for corals, plankton that, unless carbon dioxide levels in Conservation Biology Institute. “When I and tiny marine snails (called pteropods) the atmosphere stabilize soon, the seas see marine snails’ shells dissolving while to form their body parts. will soon exceed the Environmental they’re alive, that’s spooky to me.” Ken Caldeira, a chemical oceanographer Protection Agency’s recommended Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.), a scientist at Stanford University who briefed acidity limits. by training, attended the congressional lawmakers along with NCAR marine Scientists have conducted a few ocean briefing on ocean acidification. He said ecologist Joan Kleypas, said oceans are acidification experiments in recent these developments are “new to me, more acidic than they have has been for years. All have shown that adding carbon which was surprising because I usually “many millions of years.” dioxide to the water slows corals’ growth keep up with things.” “What we’re doing in the next decade rate and can dissolve pteropods’ shells. “The changes in our climate are severe will affect our oceans for millions of Langdon, who conducted an and urgent even if it weren’t for this, but years,” Caldeira said. “CO2 levels are experiment between 1996 and 2003 in this just adds impact and urgency to the going up extremely rapidly, and it’s Columbia University’s Biosphere 2 lab in situation,” Holt said. overwhelming our marine systems.” Tucson, concluded that corals grew half Some have questioned global- as fast in aquariums when exposed to warming predictions based on computer the level of carbon dioxide projected to models, but ocean acidification is less exist by 2050. Coupled with the higher controversial because it involves basic sea temperatures that climate change chemistry. “You can duplicate this produces, Langdon said, corals may phenomenon by blowing into a straw in not survive by the end of the century. a glass of water and changing the water’s “It’s going to be on a global scale pH level,” Lovejoy said. “It’s basically and it’s also chronic,” Langdon said of undeniable.” ocean acidification. “Twenty-four/seven,

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Academic Content Standards

This lesson addresses academic content standards of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Maryland Virginia Washington, D.C.

Science: The student will carry out Science: The student will plan and Science: Students understand and scientific investigations effectively and conduct investigation in which develop abilities to do scientific employ the instruments, systems of • observation of living things are inquiry by asking questions based measurement, and materials of science recorded in the lab and in the field on current knowledge, performing appropriately. (Grades 3-5, Skills and • hypotheses are formulated based investigations and devising logical Processes, Expectation 3) on observation explanations (1, Scientific Inquiry) • conclusions are drawn based Science: The student will use on recorded quantitative and Science: Students observe, science-appropriate methods of qualitative data (Biology 1) investigate, describe and classify communicating in writing and orally living things; explain life cycles, the processes and results of scientific Science: The student will investigate diversity, adaptations, structure investigation. (Grades 3-5, Skills and and understand the bases for modern and function of cells and Processes, Expectation 5) classification systems. Key concepts systems reproduction, heredity, include interdependence, behavior, flow of Science: The student will investigate • structural similarities in organisms energy and matter and changes over the interdependence of diverse living • examination of local flora and time (2, Life Science) organisms and their interactions with fauna where applicable (Biology 7) the components of the biosphere. Reading/English Language Arts: (Grades 5-6, Biology, Expectation 5) Science: The student will investigate Create multi-paragraph essays that and understand dynamic equilibria • present effective introductions and Science: The student will investigate within populations, communities, concluding paragraphs and a biological issue and develop an and ecosystems. Key concepts • guide and inform the reader’s action plan. (Grades 5-6, Biology, include: understanding of key ideas and Expectation 6) • interactions within and among evidence. (Grade 5, 5.W-E.3) populations including carrying capacities, limiting factors, and growth curves • the effects of natural events and human influences on ecosystems • analysis of local ecosystems (Biology 9)

Standards of Learning currently in effect for The Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum Virginia Public Schools can be found online at Learning Standards for DCPS are found Content Standards can be found online at www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Superintendent/ online at www.k12.dc.us/dcps/Standards/ http://mdk12.org/mspp/vsc/index.html. Sols/home.shtml. standardsHome.htm.