Ocean Systems and the Changing Carbon Cycle Claudia Ludwig, M.Ed., NBCT – Education Program Manager Monica Orellana, Ph.D. – Senior Research Scientist.

Ocean Systems and the Changing Carbon Cycle

Claudia Ludwig, M.Ed., NBCT – Education Program ManagerMonica Orellana, Ph.D. – Senior Research Scientist

Mari Knutson Herbert – Teacher, Lynden High SchoolEric Muhs – Teacher, Ballard High School

[email protected]

WSTA, Poulsbo, WA, March 19, 2011

Institute for Systems BiologyAll biological phenomena, whether it's digestion of a sugar molecule, beating of the human heart, or neutralizing an invading virus, are the result of complex systems. Thus our approach at ISB is to focus research on biological systems as a whole, rather than pursue the traditional approach of focusing on individual genes, proteins, or parts of an organism.

Vision

To teach science as an engaging interdisciplinary subject using research-based education and current scientific practices

To educate students in the concepts of systems biology by using a common problem that brings together biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, statistics and computer science

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Classroom Pilots

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Professional Development Institutes

Kit Development

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Curriculum Development

An integrative approach to knowledge transfer

Funded by NSF with leveraged dissemination through a Center NIH/NIGMS grant.

Possible Agenda

• Introduction to the problem and debrief of current ocean systems science

• Module overview• Hands on activities

– Introduction to Networks: Cell phone activity– Counting and analyzing cells

• Using a hemocytometer• Using chromatography• Using visual observation and spectrophotometry• Using network modeling and visualization

• Survey and discussion of – What you learned– Action items for altering and/or implementing lessons

Making sure your needs are met• KWL – Please spend ~3-5 minutes writing down your…

– K: • what you know about algal blooms, nutrient cycles and the

interdependence of them, ocean systems, systems biology, ocean acidification, AND/OR inquiry and pedagogical tools to teach these things and anything else that comes to mind when I say these words.

• What your students know about the above.– W:

• what you WANT to know. • What you want your students to know.

• Share and Adapt

The Changing Carbon Cycle: A Scientific and Societal Problem

• Crucial for today's students to fully understand– scientific problem • with largely anthropogenic roots• with serious biological and societal consequences

• Inquiry based learning and experimentation that closely models what is occurring in laboratories across the world.

• Interdisciplinary• Students act as both scientists and delegates.

The Impacts of the Changing Carbon Cycle on Ocean Systems

Analyze the effect CO2 has on ocean chemistry, ecosystems and human societies

Prior Knowledge Needed: Understand basics of networks. Step 1: Learn the basics of the changing carbon cycle and ocean acidification.

Student groups represent key “Interest Groups”

• Delegates to the “International Convention on the Impacts of the Changing Carbon Cycle on Ocean Systems.” – Developed nations which pollute CO2 – Marine calcifying organisms which are predicted to suffer

dramatically– Marine photosynthesizing organisms, specifically diatoms,

which may play a role in CO2 sequestering and will likely increase growth in a high CO2 environment

– Developing island nations which largely depend on ecosystem services that will be threatened by ocean acidification

Further exploration of the effects of changing nutrient cycles

– Experiment, analyze public data, and prepare for a mock summit to address concerns.

– Two experimental investigations1. Demonstrate the effect of CO2 on the pH of seawater,

the effect of excess CO2 on diatom growth, and the effect of a lowered pH on shell dissolution. – design an experiment in order to determine the correct edges

within the network

2. Understanding nutrient cycles and algal blooms.

Photos: genome.jgi-psf.org/Thaps3, ww.pnas.org/content/105/5/1391/F1.expansion.html

Atmospheric CO2 Level

Ecosystem Services

CO2 Absorbed by Ocean

Nutrients Higher Trophic Level Fish Dependent on Marine Calcifiers

Fisheries

Reef Tourism

CO2 Polluting NationsDeveloping Island Nation

Economies

Marine Calcifying Organisms

Diatoms

Oxygen

Carbonic Acid

Calcium Carbonate

Example of experiment design

5g of dry ice were used to stabilize CO2 levels at approximately 2000 ppm. pH of seawater dropped from 8.0 to 6.5 overnight. Shells left in seawater lost 2% of their mass over 3 days.

Atmospheric CO2 Level

Ecosystem Services

CO2 Absorbed by Ocean

Nutrients Higher Trophic Level Fish Dependent on Marine Calcifiers

Fisheries

Reef Tourism

CO2 Polluting NationsDeveloping Island Nation

Economies

Marine Calcifying Organisms

Diatoms

Oxygen

Carbonic Acid

Calcium Carbonate

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+

+ + +

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Visible results of trial run conducted by ISB high school interns.

Differences in cell density across varying media are visibly detectable.

Flasks shown one week after inoculation.

Growth curves as determined from hemocytometer counts performed by ISB high school interns

Need for multiple & diverse data

• Daily culture measurements:– Cell count using a hemocytometer– OD 600 reading/Fluorometer reading

(depending on what technology is available)

– Pigment description– Pigment extraction experiment• Chromatography

Chromatogram from Henderson State Univ. http://198.16.16.43/content.aspx?id=7261

Diatoms

Atmospheric CO2 Level

CO2 Absorbed by Ocean

Light

Temperature

NitrogenPhosphorusSilica

Winter Storms/Depth of

Mixing

Oxygen

Zooplankton

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+ + +

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Delegates reconvene

• Discussion of findings– Emphasis placed on the impact on the given

network. – Recommendations crafted for scientists,

politicians and people across the world. – Students reflect on unanswered questions and on

what their individual roles in the networks they’ve studied are.• How they might change their actions in order to impact

the network?

Reassessing Agenda

• More specific questions at the end, but before continuing - questions, comments, ideas?

• Hands on activities– Introduction to Networks: Cell phone activity– Counting and analyzing cells• Using a hemocytometer• Using chromatography• Using visual observation and spectrophotometry• Using network modeling and visualization

Classroom exercise:analyzing a social network

1. In an interactive group activity, students use familiar cell phone networks to learn about how information can be easily depicted.

2. Students pull together the class information to quickly learn that even when working in a team of five, it is still difficult to organize all of the information.

Motivation to use tools to solve problems

Questions and action items

• Where is the module going?• How do you see it being integrated into your

curriculum? • Action items to allow this to be implemented in your

classroom?• How should we adapt it this summer? Priorities? What

elements need to be incorporated? Altering needed?

• What did you Learn today? Please complete your KWL.

Final steps for now:

1. Let us help you in any way we can.

2. Interested in being a part of this process and/or the summer program or field testing – contact me.

A thank you gift for you!

Take a diatom culture and grow with simple sea water media on a window ledge

All needed documents will be online on our website and the WSTA site

Feel free to be creative (and to encourage your students to be creative) with experiments

Grow in varied light, temperatures, salinities, etc.

Use for students to practice microbiology techniques