research writing ASSIGNMENT #2
– WAVES, SHOELEINES, Marine Life, resources, and pollution
Due date: Sunday May 13th @ 11:55 pm
A. Introduction: This writing
assignment involves examining three interesting topics: 1) Ocean waves (Chapter
10 and 11), and Shorelines (Chapter 12).
2) Marine life (Chapter 13 through 16), Resources (Chapter 18), and
Environmental Concerns (Chapter 18).
Virtually all of the information necessary to complete this assignment
is found in your textbook. However, there is also a comprehensive set of the professor’s lecture
outlines and PowerPoint presentations that are designed to help you supplement
the information found in the text.
Additional supplemental Internet sources are also listed as a good
measure – Many of those Internet sources gives you very handy info with the
click of your mouse!
Chapter 10 covers ocean waves.
The general classification, origin, characteristics, and behavior of
ocean waves are examined, with a focus on wind waves and tsunami.
Supplementary Online Resources:
1) http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/waves/swf/wave_wind.html
2) http://www.answers.com/topic/ocean-surface-wave
3) http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/waves/index.html
4) http://www.geo.ua.edu/intro03/Shore.html
Chapter 11 covers ocean tides.
The origin, characteristics, and behavior of ocean tides are
investigated. Two theories on tides are
explained – the Equilibrium and Dynamic Theories of Tides. Means of measuring and predicting tides are
examined, tides affect on marine life, and finally the potential for extracting
commercial-scale energy from tides.
Supplementary
Online Resources: 1) http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/tides.html
2) http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/645fall2003_web.dir/Ellie_Boyce/intro.htm
3) http://w3.salemstate.edu/~lhanson/gls214/gls214_tides.html
Chapter 12 covers shorelines.
The various types of features and processes occurring along shorelines
are described and explained. Features
found along coastlines are described and illustrated, such as beaches, rocky
shorelines, sea bluffs, estuaries and coral reefs. Numerous important coastal processes are also
examined – they include breaking waves, wave refraction, tides, longshore and
rip currents, coastal erosion and deposition, river input, biological
activities, and sea level changes.
Finally, a new force that is presently at work changing shorelines – for
better or worse - is humans
Supplementary Online Resources:
1) http://www.geo.ua.edu/intro03/Shore.html
2) http://php.auburn.edu/~wolflor/CourseNotes/GL1100/shorelines_05.htm
3) http://www.uwsp.edu/geO/faculty/ozsvath/lectures/Shorelines.htm
Chapter 13 is an overview of life in the ocean. The general classification, origin, and
characteristics of marine life are examined, including the controlling physical
factors and marine environments.
Supplementary Online Resources:
1) http://www.mnstate.edu/leonard/G305life.html
Chapter 14 covers the plankton and primary productivity. The characteristics and behavior of plankton
- both the phytoplankton and zooplankton - are investigated. Primary productivity is examined – how it
occurs by which organisms, how it is measured, what the limiting factors are,
and its central role in the support and sustenance of the marine food web. The Ocean Biological Pump is explained as the
vital “heart” of the ocean’s life food web.
Supplementary
Online Resources: 1) http://www.chesapeakebay.net/info/plankton.cfm
2) http://maritime.haifa.ac.il/departm/lessons/ocean/lect26.htm
3) http://www.agu.org/revgeophys/chisho00/node2.html
Chapter 15 explores the various phyla of marine animals, including
the invertebrates and vertebrates. The
characteristics and behavior of the organisms in each phylum are examined, and
their evolution is traced, and comparisons are made, based on the evolutionary
histories of the various groups.
Supplementary Online Resources:
1) http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/oceanlife.htm
2) http://www.cyhaus.com/marine/marine.htm
3) http://marinebio.org/Oceans/Creatures.asp
Chapter 16 covers the various marine communities. The characteristics and make-up of the major
types of marine communities and their associated habitats are examined. Relationships between species populations
within each community are also explored.
Chapter 17 examines the various types of marine resources. The origin, location, characteristics,
extraction, processing, and economic value of the major types of marine
resource is explored. Additionally, the environmental
impact of extracting resources from the ocean is looked at, including the laws
governing resource extraction.
Supplementary Online Resources 1) http://oceansjsu.com/105d/exped_circulation/23.html
2) http://www.biosbcc.net/ocean/marinesci/06future/olres.htm
3) http://marinebio.org/Oceans/OceanResources.asp
Chapter 18 looks at the various types of marine environmental
concerns that impact the ocean, its life, and the ramifications to humans and
the global biosphere. The origin,
location, characteristics, negative impacts and costs, and potential solutions
of the major types of marine pollution are examined. Finally, the issue of
global warming is addressed.
Supplementary Online Resources
1) http://www.learningdemo.com/noaa/lesson13.html
2) http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/CITE/oceanpollution.htm
3) http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/peril_pollution1.html
4) http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OCEAN_PLANET/HTML/peril_pollution2.html
5) http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/marine/problems/pollution/index.cfm
This writing assignment has
six (6) components (topic reflections) that you must complete:
1) Origin,
Characteristics, and Behavior of Ocean Waves
2) Characteristics, Origin and Dynamics of a Beach
3). Physical
and Biological Factors Affecting Marine Life and Marine Habitats
4) Marine
Plankton and Primary Productivity and the Ocean's Biological Pump
5) Research and Document a Specific Marine Organism that You Find the Most
Interesting or Important
6) Research
and Document a Specific Marine Pollutant that You Find the Most Interesting or
Important
B. Ten-Point Instructions:
1) Review the six assignment
#2 topics, including the set of questions (a-e) listed for each
topic. Keep these questions in mind when you begin
your assigned study for this theme.
2) Carefully read and study Chapters
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 in your textbook.
Also study the professor’s lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations
(found on his website) that corresponds to chapters 3 through 9. Finally check the listed internet links for
additional information. Use all these
sources to help you gather and organize the necessary information asked for in
the assignment topic list.
3) When you have finished your study,
begin composing a statement of your thoughts concerning the list of questions
a) though e) for each of the six topics (a detailed explanation of the topics
is found in Part C below).
4) Make sure to organize your paper
into the SIX SEPARATE TOPIC responses – each topic divided into each lettered
subsection, e.g. Topic #1: parts a), b), c), d) and e). - Please include the stated questions as listed below at the
beginning of each response. For an
excellent example of a properly formatted and completed assignment, go to the
professor’s website at
http://www.oceansci.com/miramar_online_assign_example.htm
5) MAKE SURE to include references to ALL your
responses for each topic, including specific headings, page numbers,
illustrations, and diagrams in the text.
At the end of your set of a) through e) topic responses, list the
references that you used to gather your included information. Here are some examples: 1) if you used the textbook, then list your
reference as “Course textbook, pages
xx-xxx”; 2) if you used information
from the professor’s website material, then an example listing would be “www.oceansci.com, Plate Tectonics Lecture
Outline”; 3) if you used information that I directly gave you via email or
a fieldtrip then reference that as “Rector,
personal communication”; and 4) Finally, if you use information from an
Internet site, then list the URL, such as: “http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html”
6) I am looking for well-written,
thoughtful, thorough, yet concise responses that adequately address each noted
topic. Your written response should be roughly 5 to 7 pages in length (1 ½
spacing; roughly 1600-2400 words) for the entire assignment - including my topic
titles and posed questions. Note that I am more concerned
with a too-short of paper than I am of a paper that is over-length – if it’s
longer than the above listed max – don’t worry about it. It’s probably best to draft your response in your word
processing program (saving it frequently). That
way, you can check the spelling and grammar, and make sure that you express
yourself clearly. Please take note: I will take off points for
sloppy, inadequately researched, and poorly written assignments, including
spelling and grammar.
7) Once you've written and edited
your research assignment, then you can save it as ASSIGN_2_YOUR NAME.
Note that it helps me greatly in grading your response if you include
your name in the title of your assignment document file.
I prefer that you save it as a WORD .doc file, but, .wps or .rtf files are “OK” too if you do not use MS
WORD. Also note that using symbols such
as “/”, “#” or “\” in your file name will cause uploading problems. Thank you!
8) Upload
your completed research assignment as an ATTACHMENT with the
above file name. To submit your assignment, go to
clink on the “Assignment #2”
link. Once on that page, scroll down to beneath
the “Submission:” text
box. There you will see a button labeled "Add
Attachments". Click on that button
and wait for an upload window to appear, titled “Get Files”. Then click on the icon with the name “My
Computer”. There you will be able to
access your computer folders and files for your assignment file. Find the file, click the “Open” button, and
your assignment file will automatically upload onto Blackboard. You will know if the upload was successful
because you will see your file name link appended above the “Add Attachments”
button. DO NOT submit your file by
pasting your assignment as a block of text into the “Submissions:” text box
found directly above the “Add Attachments” button – pasted-in assignments will
not be accepted. As a final note, please make sure to include
your name in the title of your assignment word-doc file.
9) You must do your own work, AND your
responses must be in your own
words.
– NO plagiarism will be
tolerated, either from the textbook or online sources, nor sharing
work with
classmates. It is OK to point your
fellow student in the right direction on where
to get
information, but is NOT OK to share your actual response information. My plagiarism
policy is
found in the Class Start Info folder -
read and understand it very carefully.
Note that
I use plagiarism detection software
like “Turnitin.com” and “Eve2” on the assignments that you
turn in to
me. Any evidence that you plagiarized
will result in a big, fat ZERO on your
assignment. I suggest that you GREATLY limit your use of
using referenced quoted
statements.
An infrequent short quote here and there is OK, but if your responses are
riddled
with many
and/or long blocks of quoted text, then you will receive little to no credit
for it. I will state it once again
here: you MUST
write your research assignments in YOUR OWN WORDS. First, DO NOT copy or
paraphrase, word-for-word, out of the textbook or off a web site. DO NOT use massive quoting of information
from other sources; and DO NOT use word-for-word information shared with your
fellow students. Any one of the above
instances will get you zero earned points for your effort, or lack of.
10) This assignment is worth
120 points (20 points for each topic). Below are
the SIX
topics and the mandatory information that you must include for full credit:
C. The Six Topics
You Must Write Responses to are as Follows:
Topic #1 - Describe
and Explain the Origin, Characteristics, and Behavior of Ocean Waves (20 points total)
a) Define the following five
features of an ocean wave.
1) Wavelength
2) Wave height
3) Wave period
4) Wave base
5) The relationship between wavelength and wave speed? Hint: the longer the wavelength, the ________
the wave speed?
b) Provide a brief yet concise explanation of how a wind
wave forms, starting with the formation of capillary waves and ending with the
formation of ocean swell. BE SURE to
ü How do capillary waves develop?
ü How do capillary waves graduate
into wind chop?
ü How does ocean surface beneath a
storm become a fully developed sea?
ü List the three key factors that
control the generation of a wind wave (size and period) in the region where the
wave is being generated.
ü How do swell form from a fully
developed sea?
ü Compare and contrast these two
types of wind waves: “Seas” and “Swell”
c) Provide a brief yet concise
explanation of how a tsunami forms, and behaves in both deep
ocean and on approach
to a shore. BE SURE to:
ü
List
at least four (4) different triggering mechanisms that could potentially
generate a tsunami.
ü Describe the characteristics of a
typical tsunami wave in the open deep. Be sure
to include the
following points:
1) Wavelength
2) Wave height
3) Wave period
4) Wave speed
ü Describe the characteristics of a
typical tsunami wave as it encounters shallow coastal waters (shoaling effect)
and finally into the shoreline (wave surge).
Be sure to include how the following parameters change from open ocean
conditions:
1) Wavelength
2) Wave height
3) Wave period
4) Wave speed
ü Describe the classic danger signs
along a shoreline that indicates an impending
tsunami strike.
1) Ground motion
2) Shoreline water behavior
d) Provide a brief
yet concise generalized explanation of how the tides are generated.
ü
List
the two major celestial forces acting on the ocean and how they create tractive
forces.
ü
Discuss
the relationship between the tractive forces, the tidal bulges, and the spinning
Earth.
ü
Note
why the difference between “spring tides” versus “neap tides”.
e)
Compare and contrast the Equilibrium and Dynamic Theories of Tides?
ü Give a brief description of each
theory
ü Note how and why the Dynamic Theory
does a better job at describing and predicting tides.
ü List and briefly describe the THREE
TYPES of tidal patterns found worldwide, including the type of tidal pattern we
have here in
Topic #2 - Briefly Define, Describe, and Explain the
Characteristics, Origin and Dynamics of a Beach (20 points total)
a) What is a beach?
Briefly define and describe the characteristics of a typical beach.
Include the following terms in your definition and
description:
ü
Material
make-up - list the most abundant grain sizes and types of minerals that make up
beach sand.
ü
Spatial
extent – where it starts and ends
ü
Define
backshore, berm, foreshore, and nearshore
ü List at least two significant
sources of beach sediment.
ü List at least one place where beach
sediment permanently leaves the beach system.
ü Principal processes at work that
move beach sediment
b) Discuss the effects of refracting waves that break along
irregular shorelines in terms of coastal erosion and deposition. BE SURE to:
ü Note where most of the wave erosion
occurs and where most of the deposition occurs in terms of headlands versus
bays.
ü State what physically happens to
both, the headlands and the adjacent bays over time.
ü Describe how wave refraction along
an irregular shoreline will change the shorelines profile with time.
c) What is a longshore current? What is longshore drift? What is a rip
current? BE SURE to:
ü Briefly define both, longshore
current and longshore drift.
ü Explain what causes a longshore
current and its associated longshore drift.
ü Explain how the longshore current
and its drift affect the beach system.
ü Briefly define a rip current and
longshore drift.
ü Explain what causes a rip current
and how to swim out of one.
d) List and briefly describe some common EROSIONAL and
DEPOSITIONAL features found along either an Erosion- or Deposition--dominated
shoreline. BE SURE to:
ü List at least three (3) features found at each of the two
shoreline types
ü Briefly describe the listed
features found at each of the two shoreline types
ü Briefly explain how each feature
forms
e) List and briefly describe and explain the major types of
artificial structures erected by
humans along
shorelines and their effects. BE SURE to
ü Include at least four (4) general
types of structures.
ü Explain the basic intentional
function of each of the four shoreline structures
ü Include at least one negative
outcome for each of the above four (4) structures.
ü Offer some thoughts or ideas how
those negative impacts might be minimized or eliminated.
Topic #3 - List, Describe, Explain, and Discuss the Physical and
Biological Factors Affecting Marine Life and Marine Habitats. (20 points total)
a) Define “limiting factor” in the context of marine organisms living in the
ocean.
b) List and describe the major
types of physical factors.
ü Be sure to define the term
“physical factor”
ü Note how each listed factor affects
marine life
c) List and describe the major
types of biological factors.
ü Be sure to define the term
“biological factor”
ü Note how each listed factor affects
marine life
d) List and describe what you
consider the top four major limiting factors
ü
Note
how each listed factor affects marine life
e) List and briefly describe the
major types of marine environments
ü Classify into zones according to
water column versus sea bottom
ü Classify into zones according to
amount of sunlight
ü Classify into zones according to
distance form land
ü Classify into zones according to
bottom depth
Topic
#4 – List, Describe, Explain,
and Discuss Marine Plankton and Primary Productivity and the Ocean's Biological
Pump (20 points total)
a) Define and briefly discuss the
term “plankton”.
ü What are they?
ü Where do they live?
ü What do they do?
b) What are the major types of phytoplankton?
ü Define Primary Productivity?
ü What are the two principle
controlling factors to their abundance?
ü List the major types
ü Give a brief description of each
type
ü Their global distribution in the
ocean in terms of latitude
c) What are the major types of zooplankton?
ü
How
do they make a living?
ü
List
the major types
ü
Give
a brief description of each type
ü
Their
global distribution in the ocean
ü
Their
relationship to the phytoplankton
d) How are
plankton collected?
ü List and briefly describe the
collection devices
ü Explain the difficulties and
challenges of collecting plankton
ü What types of data are usually
collected along with the plankton?
e) Define the term “Ocean Biological Pump”.
ü
What
is it exactly?
ü
Which
organisms are involved?
ü
Where
does it occur?
ü
How
is it important to marine food web?
ü
How
is it important to the availability of nutrients?
Topic #5 – Research and Document a Specific Marine Organism that
You Find the Most Interesting or Important (20 points total)
a) Classify the organism based on the natural system of
classification.
ü Note the organism’s position in the
hierarchy from kingdom down to species.
ü List the organism’s scientific
name, including genus and species
ü Note the time period that this
species (at least the order) first made its appearance in the ocean.
b) Describe the physical character of the organism.
ü Describe the organism’s size,
shape, length, weight, appendages, etc.
ü Note how its physical character is
well-adapted to suite its environment
ü Describe its physical means of
movement, eating, and reproduction.
c) Describe the physical environment or habitat where the organism
lives.
ü Classify the environment in terms
of a zone, or specific habitat type.
ü Describe the general physical and
chemical conditions of the environment
ü Describe the specific niche that
the organism fills in its environment.
ü Define where this habitat is found
geographically in the ocean.
d) Describe and explain the behavioral patterns of the
organism.
ü Describe the organism’s general
lifestyle.
ü Explain how its behaviors are
perfectly suited to its environment
ü Describe its eating habits – how it
gets its prey
ü Describe how it avoids being eaten
– how it avoids it’s enemies
ü Describe its mating practices.
e) Briefly describe explain how this organism fits into its
own particular marine community
ü Name the type of marine community
it is a part of.
ü Describe the organism’s position in
the food web
ü Name the organisms that it eats –
its prey
ü Name the organisms that eat it –
what preys on it
ü Note any forms of symbiotic
relationships between the organism and others
Topic #6 - Research and Document a Specific Marine Pollutant that You
Find the Most Interesting or Important
(20 points total)
a) What is the pollutant or pollution? Include the following terms in your
definition and description:
ü Which pollutant/pollution
classification type is it under?
ü Material make-up – its composition
ü Spatial distribution – where is it
found in or around the ocean?
ü How much of this pollutant is
getting in the ocean?
b) What are the harmful
characteristics of the pollutant?
ü List the primary negative effects
it has on the environment and life
ü List its general benefits and
commercial value
ü Note if the demand is increasing or
decreasing
c) Describe how the pollutant
originates, and then makes it way into the ocean
ü Processes(s) by which the pollutant
is initially generated
ü Methods or processes by which the
pollutant is transported to ocean
ü BE SURE to mention whether this
pollutant is form a point source or a non-point source, or both
d) List and describe ALL the REAL
or POTENTIAL NEGATIVE impacts on the environment or marine life by the
pollutant
ü
Note
any physical or biological effects by the direct contact of the pollutant.
ü
Note
any indirect physical or biological effects of the pollutant on the environment
or life forms.
ü
How
serious is the problem with type of ocean pollution?
e) List and briefly describe the ways in which
the pollutant could be reduced or eliminated
ü
Note
at least two possible (realistic) suggestions.
ü
BE
SURE to mention how this will make the ocean healthier.