EXTREME LIFE
http://tinyurl.com/6w3atwz
Picture: This is a picture of a jelly fish in the Ross Sea, Antartica. This jelly fish can survive in extreme temperatures and if it goes into warm water it will heat up and die.
Summary: Some
scientists around the world are risking their lives to visit the most extreme
environments on earth. The places they will be going to are not suitable for
any human life, but there are certain animals that can lives under these extreme
conditions. In the Ross Sea, Antarctica, is below -2°C which would kill a human
instantly without any protection. Immediately the diver, Kim, finds a fish you
would never see in the Atlantic Ocean. This fish needs to live in freezing
water or it will over heat. This adaptation keeps the blood flowing throughout
the fish. Because there are not many predators in these extreme waters, the
fish move very slowly. They also grow at a very slow rate. In
Cueva
de Villa Luz, Mexico the cave water is very dark just like the Ross Sea. The
air in the Cueva de Villa Luz is full of toxic gasses. These toxins could kill
a human within minutes, but some organisms need them to survive. Many bats and
spiders live within the cave. Both of these places have very extreme
environments that would never be suitable to a human. The organisms that can
live in these conditions have become adapted to them over time. Without these
extreme conditions, they would not be able to live.
Reflection: I
thought this was an interesting article. I think learning about places that you
will probably never get to see in your life is worth learning about. It amazes
me how some animals can live in -2°C weather. Adaptation is a big part
of our lives because it is the conditions that we can live in and the
conditions that keep us alive. Learning about the other animals adaptations are
interesting because they are so different from ours.
Questions:
Do you think that our adaptations change over time?
Why do you think the water is so dark as you get
deeper underwater?
How do you think pollution ties in with adaptation?
Do you think it is important to learn about different
species and their adaptations?
Opinion/Reflection
ReplyDeleteI can't believe any sort of organism could live in such cold waters! I love diving, but I could never take it to such an extreme to go where its deadly cold! I have never heard or seen this type of jellyfish, so I find it really interesting how these jellyfish have adapted to such extreme temperatures!
It's also really weird to have animals that can live places that no other organisms can. It sounds very isolated, it obviously helps them say alive to reproduce!
Do you think that our adaptations change over time?
I definitely believe that! As the world constantly changes, we have to change with it, though it's very subtle, we adapt to things such as pollution, chemicals and dyes in food, and many more habitat changes that we encounter day to day. We adapt to small things such as schedule changes and home life changes, and though that sounds weird, it's very true! As things change, we change!
Opinion/Reflection
ReplyDeleteWoah, Nelly! That’s even cold for a swimmer!:) I think it is pretty cool to learn about new species that inhabit places on Earth that we have limited knowledge about. Also, I’m curious as to how an organism like this grows to adapt to such cold temperatures. Since their area of the ocean is practically sealed off from predators, I bet they have a lot of time to chill out (pun intended) and reproduce. I wonder how big their population is, and if they live and travel with their families!
How do I think pollution ties in with adaptation?
I believe this mostly affects sea creatures and birds. For sea creatures, it is a major loss of organisms in their species! It also affects their lungs and what goes in them. For birds, their air is being contaminated! The air that they fly in and breathe is not the same as it used to be, and probably will never be the same. These creatures need to adapt to pollutants in their life so that they all do not die out!
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteI am so happy Ali picked this article, so many things in it caught my interest! First off, I think it is crazy that things that would kill us, other species need to survive! Obviously all species need the basic things to survive like food, but it is so interesting to see how different species are just by what the need to live. I also think it is amazing how people are risking their lives to take a deeper look at environments and species that we would not normally see. These scientists are obviously very committed to their jobs and discovering more about our world!
"Do you think it is important to learn about different species and their adaptions?"
I think learning about different species and their adaptions is EXTREMELY important. I believe that every specie is on earth has a purpose. When we learn about species we learn about how they contribute to our environment. When we learn about adaptions we can learn how to help these species. No matter what species will always have to adapt because of natural changes, but many species adapt more then they should because of things humans are doing. If we take the time to learn we can find out how to stop harming habitats which will hopefully lead to less endangered species.
Opinion/Reflection
ReplyDeleteWow, that's incredible! I knew some animals like extremophiles could survive in insane conditions, but I had no idea something so well known as a type of jellyfish could. I just goes to show how remarkable adaptions in animals can be. Not only can these species survive in these extreme conditions, but they actually depend on it for their survival. I think it's so cool that even the most out of reach and harsh places on Earth can still be utilized by animals and support life.
"Do you think it is important to learn about different species and their adaptions?"
Absolutely! Not only does it help us learn about different conditions that the earth is capable of producing, but it could also be beneficial in aiding animals that are endangered. If we could figure out a way to help endangered species adapt to a changing environment, we could increase the biodiversity of the whole planet! Also, it's key to understand how animals create adaptions in case any natural disasters occur that necessitate that humans adapt as well. The more we understand, the better prepared we could be.