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fandomhigh2012-04-05 10:40 am
takesaftermom.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2012-04-05 10:40 am
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Life of the Sea, Thursday, Period 2
Summer had, once again, set up the Danger Shop to look like an underwater sea lab. This time, it closely resembled the one she and her brother had worked in a few years ago. If the students paid close attention, they'd notice sea turtles and other marine life swimming past the outer shell of the lab, which happened to be made up of glass. It was somewhat reminiscent of a fish bowl.
Summer happened to be sitting atop one of the tables near the front of the room. "Today, we are going to learn about marine reptiles. The earliest marine reptiles could be found during the Paleozoic era. They adapted to life in the sea during the Mesozoic era," she explained.
"Some marine reptiles that survived during that era and still thrive today are sea turtles, saltwater crocodiles and sea snakes. Some of those reptiles never returned to land and made a life in the sea. Others, like the sea turtle and crocodile, return to shore every so often to lay eggs and rest and bask in the sun."
She smiled as a pair of sea turtles swam past the windows. "They are quite majestic, aren't they? Sea turtles are almost always submerged and over time, they've developed an anaerobic system of breathing. They do still breathe air but if needed, they can stay submerged beneath the water for long periods of time."
Summer paused, watching them as they swam out of view. "Sadly, all species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered. Conservation efforts have been made to protect this species and to prevent accidental death by fishing or by beach development, where the eggs might be tampered with."
"Sea turtles play key roles in two ecosystem types that are critical to them as well as to humans—oceans and beaches/dunes. In the oceans, for example, sea turtles, especially green sea turtles, are one of very few creatures (manatees are another) that eat the sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Sea grass must be kept short to remain healthy, and beds of healthy sea grass are essential breeding and development areas for many species of fish and other marine life. A decline or loss of sea grass beds would damage these populations, triggering a chain reaction and negatively impacting marine and human life.
Beaches and dunes form a fragile ecosystem that depends on vegetation to protect against erosion. Eggs, hatched or unhatched, and hatchlings that fail to make it into the ocean are nutrient sources for dune vegetation[citation needed]. Every year, sea turtles lay countless eggs on beaches. Along one twenty-mile stretch of beach in Florida alone, for example, more than 150,000 pounds of eggs are laid each year."
[OCD is a go.]
Summer happened to be sitting atop one of the tables near the front of the room. "Today, we are going to learn about marine reptiles. The earliest marine reptiles could be found during the Paleozoic era. They adapted to life in the sea during the Mesozoic era," she explained.
"Some marine reptiles that survived during that era and still thrive today are sea turtles, saltwater crocodiles and sea snakes. Some of those reptiles never returned to land and made a life in the sea. Others, like the sea turtle and crocodile, return to shore every so often to lay eggs and rest and bask in the sun."
She smiled as a pair of sea turtles swam past the windows. "They are quite majestic, aren't they? Sea turtles are almost always submerged and over time, they've developed an anaerobic system of breathing. They do still breathe air but if needed, they can stay submerged beneath the water for long periods of time."
Summer paused, watching them as they swam out of view. "Sadly, all species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered. Conservation efforts have been made to protect this species and to prevent accidental death by fishing or by beach development, where the eggs might be tampered with."
"Sea turtles play key roles in two ecosystem types that are critical to them as well as to humans—oceans and beaches/dunes. In the oceans, for example, sea turtles, especially green sea turtles, are one of very few creatures (manatees are another) that eat the sea grass that grows on the sea floor. Sea grass must be kept short to remain healthy, and beds of healthy sea grass are essential breeding and development areas for many species of fish and other marine life. A decline or loss of sea grass beds would damage these populations, triggering a chain reaction and negatively impacting marine and human life.
Beaches and dunes form a fragile ecosystem that depends on vegetation to protect against erosion. Eggs, hatched or unhatched, and hatchlings that fail to make it into the ocean are nutrient sources for dune vegetation[citation needed]. Every year, sea turtles lay countless eggs on beaches. Along one twenty-mile stretch of beach in Florida alone, for example, more than 150,000 pounds of eggs are laid each year."
[OCD is a go.]
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