1. InTeGrate Module Sustaining Our Oceans
Image Credit: Michelle Kinzel
Unit 4
Oceans in Peril: Pressures on Ocean Ecosystems

2. As reflective ice disappears, darker ocean waters absorb more heat
Climate Change Studies Related to Oceans Evidence and Interpretation of Environmental Factors
Temperatures Rise
Arctic sea ice melts
As reflective ice disappears, darker ocean waters absorb more heat
Image Credit . Photographer: Kelley Elliott Credit: Hidden Ocean 2005 Expedition: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration.” Scan of 2D image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the United States.
Talking Points:
Traditional climate change studies emphasis environmental factors.
This slide describes the feedback mechanisms of climate change that lead to increase in global sea levels.
Increase
In Global
Sea Levels
Increase
In Ocean
Temperatures

3. Climate Change Studies Related to Oceans Evidence and Interpretation of Biological Factors
Temperatures Rise
Arctic sea ice melts
As reflective ice disappears, darker ocean waters absorb more heat
Reduced habitat leads to food shortages
Image Credit . Photographer: Kelley Elliott Credit: Hidden Ocean 2005 Expedition: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration.” Scan of 2D image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the United States.
Talking Points
Climate change affects systems at many levels.
This slide emphasizes the influences, feedback mechanisms and effects of climate change on a biological species, the polar bear.
From homework –
Scientific Study: Climate Change in Oceans Affecting Polar Bears
Facts:
1) Ocean temperatures have increased.
2) Reflective ice disappears, and darker waters absorb more heat.
3) Arctic sea ice melts as temperature rise.
4) Fewer polar bear cubs are surviving.
Interpretation of Observation: The reduced polar bear cub survival is attributed to food shortages caused by reduction in habitat from melting sea ice.
Increase
In Ocean
Temperatures
Reduced polar bear cub survival

4. Climate Change Studies Related to Oceans Evidence and Interpretation of Biological Factors
Temperatures Rise
Hydrosphere/
Cryosphere
Hydrosphere/
Cryosphere
Hydrosphere
Arctic sea ice melts
As reflective ice disappears, darker ocean waters absorb more heat
Reduced habitat leads to food shortages
Image Credit. Photographer: Kelley Elliott Credit: Hidden Ocean 2005 Expedition: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration.” Scan of 2D image in the public domain believed to be free to use without restriction in the United States.
Talking Points
Climate change affects systems at many levels.
This slide emphasizes the influences, feedback mechanisms and effects of climate change on a biological species, the polar bear.
From homework –
Scientific Study: Climate Change in Oceans Affecting Polar Bears
Facts:
1) Ocean Temperatures have increased.
2) Reflective ice disappears, and darker waters absorb more heat.
3) Arctic sea ice melts as temperature rise.
4) Fewer polar bear cubs are surviving.
Interpretation of Observation: The reduced polar bear cub survival is attributed to food shortages caused by reduction in habitat from melting sea ice.
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Increase
In Ocean
Temperatures
Reduced polar bear cub survival
Atmosphere

5. Gray Whale as Ecosystem Sentinel
What is an Ecosystem Sentinel?
Animals that serve as an indicator of the health of the ecosystem.
Seabirds and marine mammals are conspicuous animals that integrate changes in the ecosystem and reflect the existing state of the environment (Aguirre and Tabor 2004; Boersma 2008; Thiele et a ).
Image Credit(s): Michelle Kinzel
Talking Points
Animal species can be used to study health and changes in an ecosystem related to climate change.

6. Gray Whale Global Distribution
Feeding Grounds
Western
Pacific
Eastern
Pacific
Migration Route
Breeding Grounds
Map Image Credit: "Cypron-Range Eschrichtius robustus" by Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons -
Talking Points – Image shows breeding grounds, feeding grounds and migratory route for gray whale. Note geographic locations and distributions, summer feeding grounds in North and higher latitudes, winter breeding grounds in the southern, lower latitudes.
Blue areas on map represent gray whale habitat for Western Pacific and Eastern Pacific populations. Labels provided for Western Pacific Stock indicating feeding grounds, breeding grounds and migratory routes.

7. The Gray Whale Life Cycle; Migratory and Feeding Behaviors
Summer Feeding Grounds – In higher latitudes, gray whales feed from late spring to early fall.
Fall Migration – Southbound whales travel to the breeding lagoons when ice forms in the Arctic, around November.
Mating and Calving Grounds – By January, most gray whales are occupying the breeding areas.
Spring Migration – Northward migration occurs from January through June.
Map Image Credit: Journey North
‘Gray Whale Migration’ inset Creative Commons
Talking Points
Describe the locations and behaviors that gray whales exhibit along their yearly migration, south in the winter and north in the summer.
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Winter Mating/Calving
Spring Migration
Summer Feeding
Fall Migration

8. Environmental Factors
Sea Ice:
Reduction in sea ice allows
gray whales more access to
feeding grounds in
Arctic areas in the winter.
Following
reduction in sea ice, greater
numbers of calves were
counted on northbound
migration.
Image Credit: NASA and Natural Defense Council, Creative Commons License
Talking points
Evidence = reduction in sea ice, greater number of calves.
Interpretation = because of reduced sea ice, whales had more access to food and feeding grounds in winter, healthier whales produced more offspring and more calves were counted on northbound migration.
NASA and Natural Defense Council

9. Environmental Factors
Prey Availability: Gray whales are opportunistic feeders and can shift their primary feeding grounds in response to prey densities.
“I suspect the gray whales will be among the winners in the great climate change experiment.” UC Berkley News Center
Image Credit: Michelle Kinzel, Photographer
Talking Points:
Evidence: Lack of gray whales feeding in July in Chrikov Basin.
Interpretation: Decline in prey availability in Chirikov Basin.

10. Environmental Factors
Regime Shift = a major reorganization of biota in the northeast Pacific, related to Pacific Decadal Oscillation.
The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is a long-term ocean fluctuation of the Pacific Ocean with cool and warm phases oscillated every 20–30 years.
Image:
JPL Image Use Policy
The PDO waxes and wanes approximately every 20 to 30 years. The “cool” phase is characterized by a cool wedge of lower than normal sea-surface heights/ocean temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific and a warm horseshoe pattern of higher than normal sea-surface heights connecting the north, west and southern Pacific. In the “warm” or “positive” phase, which appears to have lasted from 1977– 1999, the west Pacific Ocean becomes cool and the wedge in the east warms.
Talking Points :
Evidence: One-week delay in southbound migration.
Interpretation = Response to 1970s regime shift.
During the 1970s warm phase, gray whales showed a one-week delay in southbound migration.

11. Environmental Factors
Warm El Nino and Cold La Nina extremes
El Nino is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system which causes ocean temperatures to increase by a few degrees.
Mothers and calves have shown changes in occupancy and departure time from breeding lagoons in response to the extremes of ocean temperatures correlated with El Nino Oscillation events in the Pacific Ocean.
Image Credit: JPL Website
JPL Image Use Policy
Talking Points
Evidence = changes in occupancy and departure times from lagoons.
Interpretation = gray whales are responding to ocean-atmosphere system disruptions (El Nino and La Nina events).

12. Activity – Gallery Walk
1) Group Assignment
Concept/Change in gray whale behavior
Evidence
2) Station
Rotations
1) Evidence
2) Interpretation/
Change In
Environment
3) Category of Life Cycle
4) Review and Comment
Image Credit: Michelle Kinzel
See document “Unit 4 Gallery Walk Instructions” for detailed explanation of these steps.
3) Group Report
Orally summarize evidence and interpretation for class at original
station

13. Rotation 1 – Change in Distribution and/or Behavior of Gray Whale
List the evidence for this scientific study provided in the “Marine Mammals As Ecosystem Sentinels” article.

14. Rotation 2 – Interpretation Related to Climate Change
Propose a scientific reason for the scientific study provided to you in the last rotation. This reason should be related to climate change, or interpretation for this noted evidence.

15. Rotation 3 – Life Cycle Affected
Categorize the evidence and interpretation as to which part of the Gray Whale Life Cycle is most affected, feeding (wintering grounds), breeding (summering grounds), or migration route.

16. Rotation 4 – Review Evidence and Interpretation.
1) Review the posts provided by the first 3 rotations.
2) Agree or disagree with the evidence and interpretation.
3) Note any changes in writing on the poster. Include comments, additional facts or evidence, or alternative interpretations.

17. Wrap Up/Summary

18. Station Design Template
Four stations – poster paper taped to walls or places on flat tables around room
Station 1
Southbound
Migration
Evidence:
Interpretation:
Life Cycle Stage:
Station 2
Calf Numbers
And Lagoon
Occupancy
Evidence:
Interpretation:
Life Cycle Stage:
Screen/White Board
Center of room (wall posters version)
or filled with table tops (larger groups)
Station 3
Feeding Year
Round
Evidence:
Interpretation:
Life Cycle Stage:
Station 4
Gray Whale
Calls
Evidence:
Interpretation:
Life Cycle Stage:
Instructor Labels Station Number and Scientific Study (Underlined)
Students fill in Evidence, Interpretation and Life Cycle Stage during rotations

19. Sample Station Poster – Completed
Station 1: Southbound Migration
Evidence: One-week delay in southbound migration, as noted by coastal whale counts
Interpretation: Response to the late 1970s regime shift in the North Pacific
Life Cycle Affected: Migration