Why so much fog off Newfoundland?

1. Why so much fog off Newfoundland? • When the warm, moist air above the Gulf Stream blows over the colder water of the Labrador Current, it cools and condenses, producing fog!

2. Why does the weather change so rapidly? • Temperature fluctuations occur rapidly due to our location between warm, tropical winds moving north and cold, arctic winds moving south. • Local atmospheric conditions determine which one wins!

3. Read pp. 90-93

4. Freshwater environments Fill in table with examples of organisms found in every environment.

5. Freshwater Environments • Scientists classify freshwater environmentsby how the water moves. • {rivers (fast moving)  lakes/ponds  marshes/wetlands (slow moving)}. • The variety and productivity of organisms found in freshwater environments depends on certain factors. • How deep sunlight reaches, the nutrient content of the water, the depth of the water, the speed the water is moving, and the oxygen level in the water. • Some organisms need very specific conditions, and others (like stickleback) can adapt to many different environments. Stickleback fish http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gasterosteus_aculeatus.jpg

6. Life in Lakes and Ponds • Life in lakes and ponds is often found near the shallow shore, where there are nutrients for plants and animals • Plankton can live in the deeper, sunlit water • Plankton are the beginning of many food chains. • Lakes and ponds store run-off as a part of the water cycle, provide habitat for plants and animals, and allow rooted plants to grow and filter water through natural processes. • Phytoplankton are plants that produce food by photosynthesis (energy from the sun). • Zooplankton are tiny animals that eat other plankton for food.

7. Wetlands • Wetlands are found alongside other bodies of water. • 1/4 of all wetlands in the world are in Canada. • Many wetlands have been destroyed because it was thought they only harboured pests. • Wetlands are very important: • The vegetation removes pollutants from the water • They act as a reservoir to prevent flooding. • They act as a resting point for migratory birds. • Thick vegetation helps stabilize surrounding soils minimizing erosion. • Many endangered species live parts of their lives there. • Wetlands are the habitat of the Pitcher Plant (provincial flower.

8. Rivers, Streams and Estuaries • There are many plants and animals living in these moving waters. • What can live in these moving waters depends on: • The temperature of the water • The speed the water is moving • The turbidity of the water • Changes in variety or productivity of species in waterways can reveal potential problems. • Estuaries are nutrient-rich, brackish water.

9. Read pp. 93-94 • Do questions 1-5, p. 94

10. Saltwater environments Fill in table with examples of organisms found in every environment.

11. Saltwater Environments • Ocean water can be divided into two environments, the pelagic zone and the benthic zone: • Almost 10% of sea creatures live in the dark, often using bioluminescence to survive. Food is plentiful and sunlight warms the water, providing a”buffet” for almost 90% of the ocean’s life. Much cooler water, much less sunlight (and therefore much less photosynthesis), food sources do not include plants.

12. Saltwater Life Forms • Oceans hold life from largest (blue whale) to smallest (single-celled organisms). • Life can be found in all parts of the oceans, with far greater numbers and diversity in warm, shallow waters.