This last Wednesday, our AP Biology class took a field trip to Fitzgerald Marine Resort to interact with the tide pools that line our coast. We all bundled up in layers and went out on the beach, viewing the marine life and collecting scientific data for Save The Bay along the way.
I learned a lot more things on this field trip than I actually expected. The first thing I spotted after stepping upon the beach were hundreds, maybe even thousands, of Velella Velella. They looked like plastic to me at first, but our naturalist, Abby, explained to us that they were actually jelly-fish-like-looking Cniderians! Velella are cobalt colored with clear sails (which I had mistaken for plastic) that help them move along the surface of the ocean. These mysterious beauties lined the sand and the rocks like confetti – it was quite the sight to see!
Something that became very apparent to me during this field trip was how dynamic the ocean and tides really are. Our teacher Ms. Girard researched the tide schedule beforehand to find the optimal time to go out when the tide was as its lowest so that we could explore more and see the most organisms. However, we ended up arriving about 20 minutes late, and it became very apparent that the tide was on the rise! While doing our research we had to check behind our backs every few seconds to make sure we weren’t swept up by a wave. We started out as far as we could go and worked our way back to the shore quickly in order to get the most amount of data. I thought it was so interesting how quickly the waves changed and found that change to be fascinating.
Another thing that I learned was about the ocean zones. After exploring the tide pools for a while, it became obvious that there were certain areas where organisms of the same type resided. After we collected data with our small groups, we all got together and counted the amount of Big Green and Sunburst Anemones in a larger zone and were astonished about how many we counted. I did some research on my own afterwards and learned that there are four commonly recognized tidal zones based on exposure during tidal periods, wave action and shoreline features. Factors that determine whether or not an organism can live happily in one of these zones includes temperature, water depth, exposure to water, salinity, and wave action. The zones are displayed in the picture below:
Unfortunately, I was not at the class where Abby came in and gave our AP Biology class information about the tide pools and the organisms that inhabit it. However, I was able to make some connections to various things we learned in class. First of all, I was able to see how many organisms had adapted to the environment in which they were living. For example, the anemones were able to live both in and out of water by holding different shapes depending on whether or not they were submerged. Another thing that was very evident to me was how all the organisms worked and lived together. I witnessed some organisms eating each other (and let me tell you, seeing an anemone eat a Sea Star was quite dramatic) but for the most part I saw everything living in peace and harmony. It really exemplified a working ecosystem for me. There were many memorable moments on this field trip, but perhaps the most was getting to see my classmate, Simone, pick up a Sea Star and hold it in her hands. I am quite a fan of Sea Stars, and I usually do not get to see them when I go to the tide pools on my own time, so that was very cool for me. I also enjoyed getting to collect data for a research organization such as Save the Bay – it was not hard at all, and it was in my opinion a better way to learn about all of the creatures living there. I would definitely recommend that future classes continue to go on this field trip – I am a huge advocator for hands-on learning and I think field trips are the best way to really experience that. The only thing I would change about this field trip would be to talk more and learn more about the Seals that were sunbathing on the rocks. There were even some pups there, and I would love to learn more about them! But overall, I had a blast, and would definitely be interested in going back!
Here is a link to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve!
https://parks.smcgov.org/fitzgerald-marine-reserve
Works Cited:
“Tidal Zones.” Tidal Zones. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2015. <http://oregontidepools.org/tidalzones>.
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