Courtney's+Journal+Page

=Courtney's Journal=

Journal #1:
Free: Black point is a beautiful shoreline lined with many rocks that create niches for plant and animal life. I would describe the environment as having 3 layers, the ocean, the rocks, and the shore (where the plants are). It think this picture shows the three pretty well. Each layer is a home to various species.

On my first visit to the tide pools at black point, I was amazed at how many little black nerite snails (pipipi's) we saw clinging to the rocks. They were usually grouped together so that they actually covered the majority of some of the rocks. This made it difficult to walk across the rocks without stepping on them. Also in the environment we saw fishes that lived in the little tide pools and plants that grew in the path on the way down to the shore. The many different species of plants that we saw that were all growing near the path, but once we got down to the actual tide pools the dominant plant seemed to be the naupaka. Most of the naupaka were out of the way of the water that was washing up onto the rocks but there was also some algae and some clumps of seaweed growing on the rocks that were continuously exposed to water. The fishes that we saw swam in some very small tidepools. The grouped together in little schools and darted around the pool.

The day we went was a high tide day so we had to walk out through the water to get to the part we were observing and the areas that we observed were limited, (since we didn't want to get smashed by the waves). The next time we go I would like to see it on a low tide day. This could make a difference in the amount of the environment we can see. We could walk out farther and maybe see other creatures that live farther out.

I think this would be a good place for the semester project because there is a variety of different plants and animals. Also because of all the rocks and the spaces little spaces and caves that they create, I think that there could actually be even more life that we did not yet see. The environment created by the rocks, the sun, and the ocean create a perfect habitat for creatures that enjoy the sea and the land (such as crabs). Although I'm sure people sometimes walk out on these rocks, both the antibiotic and the abiotic features are not affected by humans. The water was pretty clear, and the habitat seemed natural.

__Assigned:__

As I said in the free journal entry there were different types of plants and animals that made the Blackpoint rocks and tide pools their home.

Niches-

Crabs- During the first visit I saw 2 or 3 crabs that were darting across rocks. It was hard to get a picture because if I got too close they would scatter under one of the rocks which is most likely their source of shelter. There were many other plants and creatures that the crab could possibly feed on, such as small fish or even some smaller organisms that might live in the tide pools. We saw one empty crab pincher that was probably left from a dead crab that might have been eaten by a bigger creature such as a bird.

Algae- The environment at Black Point if perfect for algae because it is always wet. Also the rocks provide a perfect place for the algae to grow and the area is able to get some sun. The algae was mostly noticeable when it made certain rocks slippery and hard to walk on. Unlike some of the other plants in the environment, mostly grew on the rocks that were submerged in the water, or at least continuously washed by the high tide and the waves. The algae is a good food source for the pipipi, sea urchins, and the fish so it helps to balance the predator prey relationships in the environment.

Fish- Unlike the crabs we were able to get some pictures of the fish before they found some hiding place near the edge of the tide pool. In just one tide pool, there was often a school of around 15 little fish and also things growing on the rocks for them to feed on. The fish blended in pretty well to their environment and so they were sometimes hard to find. They were also really fast so if they scattered it was hard to find them again. The fish could have been prey of some type of bird or crab which would limit their population. Their population could also have been limited by the amount of space and resources in that individual tide pool.

Pipipi- The pipipi were everywhere. It was hard to find a rock to step on that they had not infested. Some of the rocks were so completely covered I don't see how they moved or got anywhere. These pipipi have a hard round shell which I guess protects their soft body. They suction themselves on to the rocks and so if you try to pull them off you have to tug pretty hard. I think they eat things like algae off the rocks since they move too slow to really do any hunting. I think it is possible for birds or crab to feed on the pipipi but besides that I don't think their population is really limited (hence the rocks covered with them.)

Journal #2: (Focused in Abiotic Features)
__Free:__ During the second visit our group members decided to divide into three separate observation categories. The category I picked was the effects of the abiotic factors in the ecosystem. These include things like, rocks, water, tide, weather, and anything else that is not alive in the environment. Since black point is basically made up of water and rocks, these features have a great impact on the life of the organisms.

I think the most important of all the abiotic features is the rocks. The majority of these are black. They provide many different organisms with a place to take shelter and raise their young. If we walked up the shore (away from the water) we could find many sheerwater birds hidden under the rocks and also some eggshells showing how the rocks provide a home for young. Near the water species such as algae, seaweed, crabs, pipipi's, fish, snails, and sea urchins lived either in little holes in the rocks or on top of the rocks. Many of these creatures use the rocks as protection from predators or dangers (like birds or even humans). For example, if we walked anywhere near the crabs, they would all scatter under, around, or over the rocks and eventually be hidden. The rocks provide a foundation for life. They provide a place for algae to grow where the pipipi's can eventually eat them, and they create an easy habitat for species to avoid predation. As you can see the rocks in this environment, although not alive, have a great impact on the living species.

One question I would ask having to do with the impact of the rocks is, "Why do the pipipi gather tightly together on one rock and another rock is wide open? Wouldn't they be better off feeding in different places without competition? Or is there enough resources on one rock for all of them?"

Another abiotic feature that has a big impact on the life at black point is the water, both fresh (like rain) and salt (like ocean). During our second visit, it was raining cats and dogs. We weren't even getting splashed by the ocean (because it was low tide), but we were soaking wet by the time we were done with our observations. One thing I noticed about the rain water was that it was flowing downhill from the land to the ocean. As it flowed down it picked up the dirt, so by the time it reached to ocean it was a muddy stream. I think this mud could be bad for the animals living in the water because it pollutes it. Especially for the fishes and other organisms in the tide pools. If it is low tide and the dirty water in the tide pools isn't washed out, it could possibly be deadly for the fish. Just as the fresh water makes a difference in the environment, the salt water also plays a big part. The waves out at black point break pretty far out on a shallow reef and eventually get all the way into the shore and splash up onto the rocks. This water is what fills the tidepools and allows algae to grow on the rocks. Without the water splashing and the algae growing, the pipipi would also have to move or modify their niche. This is just one example of how the abiotic feature of salt water can effect the organisms of this environment.

A question I have about the impact of the water is, "What exactly are the effects of the tide? How wet does a rock have to be to support the growth of algae?" Finding the answer to these questions could help to clarify the niches where certain animals could live.

The third big abiotic feature that effects this environment is the weather. The effects of the weather crosses into the effects of the water and rocks. It includes the effects of rain (as talked about earlier) as well as the effects of sunlight, wind and surf swells (also talked about earlier). Obviously, in order for plants to grow they need sunlight (and possibly fresh water). Black point gets an abundant amount of this because there is nothing shading or protecting it. Sunlight might also make a difference in the animals living at black point because they will have to find a way not to be overheated. It is easy for the fish but for animals like the sheer water, they have to sit in a shadier area (usually provided by little caves in the rocks). The reason that the wind is important to this habitat is because it could be like a source of transportation. It might carry seeds of plants that could eventually grow in the habitat. This is the same with ocean currents.

The question I would have about the weather at black point is, "If the sunlight was blocked by something for the majority of the day, would that greatly change the lives of both plant and animal organisms?" (If this entire ecosystem were in a different place, like next to a mountain, and the sun didn't hit it all day, would all of the same creatures be able to survive?)

__Assigned:__ The first example of an environmental pressure that drives natural selection is the color of the rocks and the color of the crabs. Since the majority of the rocks are black, I think this causes the crabs who are black to be able to survive better, therefore resulting in the large amount of black crabs. The black crabs blend in perfectly to the rocks making it easy for them to avoid catching the eye of predators. If there were a mutation in the color of one of the offspring (Like if they were white), they would probably be one of the first crabs to be eaten and not get the chance to reproduce more non-black crabs. The rocks put pressure on the crabs and force the population to only reproduce black crabs.

The second example of an environmental pressure is the tide pools on the fish. The tide pools can only hold a certain amount of fish and since it is so small only the fittest will be able to have successful offspring (that are also fit). I noticed that all the fish in the tide pools were fast and agile. This could be because if there were any slow fish they would be easy prey and not be able to survive and produce successful offspring. But speed is only one part of being fit to the environment. I also noticed that all the fish were the same color as the bottom of the little tide pools. A sort of sandy gray color. Just like the crabs, the color of the bottom of the pool pressured the population and forced an adaptation to take place. Only the fittest could survive.

The third example of an environmental pressure is the water and its effect on the places algae can grow. If a rock is not exposed to water continuously, algae would not be able to grow very well or at all on it. The algae doesn't cover the surface of the rocks that are higher up on the shore. The water and the waves limit the places that the algae can thrive. This eventually also effects the other creatures such as the pipipi or any other animals that eat aglae.

Journal Entry #3: Inferences and Hypotheses
Free: During our third visit to the Black Point Tide Pools, it was sunny and a medium tide. These conditions were very different from visit #2. The little rivers of rain water that were running down to the ocean weren't there anymore and the rocks on the upper part of the shore were dry. Besides the lack of rain, most of the abiotic features were the same. Of course, there is always some driftwood in different places, but besides that, the rocks and other abiotic features seemed unchanged.

One thing I did observe were things that suggested a change in abiotic features over a long period of time. For example, I noticed that some of the rocks were smooth while others were very rough. There are also some rocks that are smooth on one half and rough on the other. This shows that the difference in texture is not just because of the type of rock. My prediction is that the rocks become smooth because of erosion. If a rock is continually washed with water, sand, and other smaller rocks, then it will be smoother than a rock that isn't affected by any of those three features. Another reason I think this is becasue the rock that was half smooth and half rough was smooth on the bottom and rough on the top. The top must have been out of reach of the three features and the bottom was exposed to them. As you can see some of these rocks are smooth while others are rough.

Another change I noticed was in the color of the rocks. The rocks that were closer to the water sometimes were a different color than those farther from the water. The closest ones were a pinkish baige color and as they got farther from the water they were black. As with the rough and smooth textures, the color also sometimes changes within one rock. Some of these rocks are half and half. My guess is because the salt form the water somehow bleaches the rocks. Another guess would be that the sea urchins living in the rocks have something to do with the color change. As you can see in the picture, the sea urchins only live in the pink part. They could possible be eating to the black part off of the rock and turning it pink somehow. But, I think this would be a less reasonable hypothesis than the salt bleaching the rocks though.

The third change that I noticed that had to do with abiotic features was the color of algae on the rocks. My hypothesis is if the rock is more exposed to water then the algae growing on it will be yellow.

Assigned:



Journal #4:
Free: The experiment I want to conduct in my eco-space has to do with the location of tide pools and how that impacts the number of animals living in the tidepool. My hypothesis is, if a tidepool is exposed to the waves and ocean at low tide, it will have more animals in it. I think this because the living conditions will be better because new water is washed into it and it wont dry up. The algae will be able to grow better and the animals will be in a better habitat. I also think that there might be a larger variety of species since the living conditions are better. To conduct the experiment, I will visit my ecoplace at low tide. This way I can see which pools are close enough to the water to be exposed to waves at low tide. Then I will count the number of animals in those pools and take the average. The next mearsurement will be of the fish in the pools that are higher up and not exposed to waves at low tide. I will count the number of animals in these and take the average. These results will tell me which tide pools are more fit to support more animals.

Data Tables: Conclusion: My hypothesis that the lower tide pools would have more animals as well as more variety was proved wrong. In fact, it was the higher tide pools that ended up having an larger number, though on average they had the same variety. Although I didn't expect this outcome it shows that the fish don't necessarily need to have water that is replenished all the time. I think if I looked at tide pools that were so far up on shore that the water only reached it on extremely high tides, there might have been less organisms in it. This experiment shows that the tidepools are actually like little individual ecosystems because they can survive without much of anything that is outside of them. The food that the animals need is available to them and the producers also have what they need.
 * Type of Pool: || Average # Animals: || Average # Different Species: ||
 * High Tide Pools || 11 || 3.5 ||
 * Low Tide Pools || 7.5 || 3.5 ||

Assigned:

Here are 5 classifications of organisms from Kingdom to Order. Naupaka: Kindom- Plantae Division- Magnoliophyta Class- Magnoliopsida Subclass- Asteridae Order- Asterales

Shearwater: ] Kingdom- Anamalia Phylum- Cordata Class- Avus Order- Procellariiformes

Pipipi: Kindom- Anamalia Phylum- Mollusca Class- Gastropoda Subclass- Orthogastropoda Order- Neritoida

Hermit Crab Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Arthropoda Subphylum- Mandibulata Class- Crustacea Sublcass- Malacostraca Order- Decapoda

Crab Kingdom- Animalia Phylum- Arthropoda Subphylum- Crustacea Class- Malacostraca Order- Decapoda

These are two more organisms but the classifications are less specific. Urchin: Kingdom- Anamalia Phylum- Echinodermata Subphylum- Echinozoa Class- Echinoidea

Snail: Kingdom- Anamalia Phylum- Mollusca Class- Gastropoda