Category Archives: Education

Structure and Function of Ecosystems

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BACKGROUND:
The “ECOSYSTEM PARADOX” : The assemblage of organisms and the physical, chemical, geological, and biological factors that determine their numbers, is what an ecosystem is all about. This community of organisms and the non-living environment with which they interact is called an ecosystem and all the populations of organisms inhabiting an area are a community .It is important to understand that these designations provide a convenient model or framework which enables us to understanding complex and interdependent processes. In the real world however, discreet packages called “ecosystems” do not actually exist, since everything on the planet is ultimately interrelated.Despite this, it is much more practical and convenient for scientists to look at the smaller interacting units of the planet, so we define oceanic ecosystems according to where they occur and the type of organisms which live in them. In this part of the OceanQuest Project, we will investigate some specific examples of how we can organize an ecosystem in our own minds in a famework of Structure and Function.
OBJECTIVES: After doing this project, you will be able to: a) Outline what is meant by the structure and Function of an Ecosystem using as an example an ecosystem near where you are living.

b) Analyze how the effects of vertical stratification in your ecosystem produce a number of different micro-habitats, and predict the effect of this on organisms.

c) Describe the causes of horizontal distribution in several examples from the Race Rocks Ecosystems and then show similar examples in your own ecosystem

d) Document the kind of abiotic factors which are important in the Race Rocks Ecosystems and then describe those which determine your own ecosystem.

e) Model the process of Energy flow in an ecosystem.

f) Model how Biogeochemical cycles operate in ecosystems.

g) Add the coastal classification designation to the level of the biotope to your observations .

h) Determine how the presence of rare species may be determined by environmental factors.
PROCEDURE:
Introduction:
1. Table 1 below shows one outline of the way that we can look at any ecosystem. You can see that there are a number of completely different components, which alone do not mean much. When taken together however, they help us to understand how the ecosystem is really working. In fact they help us to create a better “Model” of how the ecosystem works. Since many of our environmental concerns today are related to how we are damaging, interfering with, modifying or restoring ecosystems, it is useful to know how these whole systems work.. Take a full page and make an outline in a notebook with spaces similar to those shown in Table 1. Use this outline to help guide you through the different parts of Structure and Function. Make notations in the boxes to help you remember important points about how you will look at your own ecosystem.
2. One of the advantages of using Race Rocks as a model to study ecosystems is that many parts of these components can be studied remotely on the internet. Go to this file to see how you might use the robotic cameras to study the horizontal distribution of the ecosystem. It also provides several examples of how you can determine horizontal distribution of organisms.

3 . Since Race Rocks is rather devoid of trees, the vertical distribution of the ecosystem is not so obvious. It is however an important factor on a different scale, in the intertidal zone, in the tidepools, on the thinly vegetated rock surface and even below the ground. See this file on vertical distribution on the Race Rocks website which documents some of these variations. Then design your own protocol for analyzing the effect that vertical stratification has on the abiotic factors affecting the species of an ecosystem.
4. Biotic components comes next in our attempt to model the structure of the Ecosystem. All ecosystems have a set of organisms which are specific to that ecosystem. In some cases, the set of organisms indeed is the defining character of the ecosystem. We speak of “index species” or “the biotope” to help us define and characterize the ecosystem. On racerocks.com, we are continually updating the list of organisms which occur in the many definable micro-ecosystems of Race Rocks.

The students of the Biology and Environmental Systems classes of Lester Pearson College have helped in the production of the Race Rocks Taxonomy. If you go to that link, shown below, you can work through the hierarchy of a system of classification which allows you to pull up photographs, videos and descriptions of the species we have identified. Also a set of directions which can help you to set up your own taxonomy of an ecosystem near you can be found in the Adopt an Ecosystem assignment.In order to be sure that you understand how our Taxonomy works, we will go through the process of looking for information on the Elephant seal.

a) From the racerocks.ca home page click on the Ecosystem icon.

b) Select the image of The Race Rocks Taxonomy.

c) Follow with your cursor Kingdom Animalia/Phylum Chordata/Subphylum vertebrata/Class mammalia/ and then in the list you should see Mirounga angustirostris, the Northern Elephant Seal. You have essentially followed through the classification right to the genus and species level of this marine mammal often visible at Race Rocks.

5. Rare and Endangered Species: In some areas you will have rare, or endangered species. The abiotic factors may be so specific that only few organisms have adapted to survive in that ecological niche. Choose one of the species shown here that have been sighted only occasionally at Race Rocks, and propose an hypothesis about how environmental factors may determine the distribution of the rare species. It is anticipated that changing climatic conditions as the result of anthropogenic impact might lead to a change in the species that can tolerate the environmental conditions of the future.
6. We will now look at a new concept which involves classification of Coastal Ecosystems in terms of the “Biotope” The Biotope represents the quantum unit of the habitat combining both the abiotic habitat and its fixed biotic components.
7. Many of the abiotic components of the Structure of an Ecosystem are monitored at Race Rocks, and are indexed here in the Index of Race Rocks Environmental Data Index. .

Review this index, noting in particular that there are three sections devoted to :
PRESENT WEATHER DATA AND FORECASTS.
TERRESTRIAL ABIOTIC or PHYSICAL FACTORS
OCEANIC ABIOTIC or PHYSICAL FACTORS
Information from the weather station at Race Rocks provides the weather data when you add a sighting in the OceanQuest GIS database. Go to the Lesson on Abiotic Factors, where you will be able to investigate in greater detail how these determine the Structure of Life in the Ecosystem.
8. In the ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION section, Energy flow is modelled by a diagram showing the flows of a part of the food web for Race Rocks.

Go to this exercise to see what is involved in modelling energy flow and then draw your own energy flow models of your favorite ecosystem.
9.Biogeochemical cycles represent the other part of the FUNCTION of ECOSYSTEMS.
In this part of the assignment, you will be able to assemble some examples of biogeochemical cycles from images of Race Rocks, and from this get the ideas of how to model your ecosystem’s biogeochemical cycles.
TABLE 1. Structure and Function of Ecosystems
1.0 ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE
1.0.1 DISTRIBUTION OF
POPULATIONS OF SPECIES
1.0.1.1 Horizontal Distribution
1.0.1.1.1 random
1.0.1.1.2 regular
1.0.1.1.3 clumped
1.0.1.2
Vertical Distribution
1.0.1.2.1 Elevation
1.0.1.2.2 Stratification (terrestrial)
1.0.1.2.3
Vertical Stratification (Oceanic)
1.0.1.3
Temporal
Distribution
1.0.1.3.1
Present time
1.0.1.3.2
Hourly patterns
1.0.1.3.3
Monthly patterns
1.0.1.3.4
Yearly patterns
1.0.1.4.5
Long term patterns
1.0.2.1 Domain Eukarya
1.0.2.1.1
Kingdom Animalia
1.0.2.1.2
Kingdom Plantae
1.0.2.1.3
Kingdom Fungi
1.0.2.1.4
Kingdom Protoctista
1.0.2.2 Domain Eubacteria
1.0.2.3 Domain Archaea
1.0.3.1 Solar Energy
1.0.3.2 Wind Speed and Direction
1.0.3.4 Precipitation
1.0.3.5 Temperature
1.0.3.6 Current
1.0.3.7 Salinity
1.0.3.8 List Others??
2.0 ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION
2.0.1.1 Autotrophs
2.0.1.2 Heterotrophs
2.0.1.3 Decomposers
2.0.2.1 Carbon Cycle
2.0.2.2 Nitrogen Cycle
2.0.2.3 Phosphorous Cycle
2.0.2.4 Potassium Cycle
2.0.2.5 Calcium Cycle
2.0.2.6 Water Cycle
2.0.2.7 add other cycles
10.Extension materials: Report on how a research team is studying the Structure and Function of other Ecosystems. Use one of the following external links:ARCTIC and ALPINE Ecosystem Structure and Function Research.<.http://instaar.colorado.edu/research/ecosystems.html>

 

Biogeochemical Cycles of Race Rocks

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BACKGROUND:
From the file Structure and Function of Ecosystems, we come now to that component which represents part of the Functional Aspects, the Material or Biogeochemical Cycles. In this file we will refer you to some of the cycles which are operating in ecosystems, but there are others of course, wherever minerals or ions that become part of the nutrients for plants are taken up by the plants and thus passed on through the other trophic levels or levels of nourishment.
Normally, most texts and many websites have diagrams of the cycles. ( just Google the cycle name) The approach of presenting a completed diagram is rather boring, as it is more interesting to just look around yourself in the ecosystem in which you are living and using other diagrams as models you will easily be able to build up the cycle using local examples yourself.
OBJECTIVES: After doing this assignment students will be able to:a) Construct digital image biogeochemical cycles using images of local examples.
b) Explain how biogeochemical cycles are impacted by anthropogenic activities.
c) Discuss your own responsibilities in terms of biogeochemical cycles.
d) Evaluate how you can help in dealing with the problem of sustainability of Materials cycles.

Many references on the internet give an opportunity to investigate ideas about how humans can be involved responsibly in sustainable cycles. Google “MSustainable Materials management”They deal with the issue that human activities are seriously affecting the materials cycles of the earth. What are examples of this and how can you personally do something about this?

CARBON CYCLE

Cup coral

Mussel shell

Diesel fuel
Anthropogenic Carbon

Anthropogenic Carbon
Dead kelp drift on the shore

Dead kelp drift on the shore

 

photosynthesis in a tide pool

rockfish

Live bull kelp

Anthropogenic Methane

Anthropogenic Methane

Dead seal- eaten by eagles and gulls

phytoplankton

Native grasses

Native grasses

Smoke stacks (pulp mill) across the Strait in Port Angeles

NITROGEN CYCLE

Eagle feces

air

lightning strikes

Anthropogenic Nitrous

Beach pea–Legume

Elephant seal soil– urine.

Elephant seal feces

Fish bones

PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE

Cabezon fish

bird bone

Canada geese

goose droppings

vegetation

phosphorous

lichen on rock

Fish bone

CALCIUM CYCLE

black oystercatcher eggs

pouring concrete

Bird Skeleton

coralline pink algae

California mussels

chiton with calcareous shell plates

seawater

Dead coraline algae

WATER CYCLE

 

water

clouds

tidepool

sun

native grasses

frost

seawater

rain

snow

drinking water

fog

Oystercatcher bathing

The Biotope: Marine Ecological Classification

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BACKGROUND : In this exercise, we rely heavily on the work done by Scientists across Canada and the US. The NatureServe network includes member programs operating in all 50 U.S. states, in 11 Canadian provinces and territories and in many countries and territories of Latin America and the Caribbean.
NatureServe is a non-profit conservation organization that provides the scientific information and tools needed to help guide effective conservation action. NatureServe and its network of natural heritage programs are the leading source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems.
NatureServe represents an international network of biological inventories—known as natural heritage programs or conservation data centers—operating in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. Together they not only collect and manage detailed local information on plants, animals, and ecosystems, but develop information products, data management tools, and conservation services to help meet local, national, and global conservation needs. The objective scientific information about species and ecosystems developed by NatureServe is used by all sectors of society—conservation groups, government agencies, corporations, academia, and the public—to make informed decisions about managing our natural resources. To visit the local website for any of these natural heritage programs or conservation data centers, use the reference: http://www.natureserve.org/visitLocal/index.jsp
The Classification Hierarchy

“The classification for coastal and marine habitats identifies and categorizes the physical environment at different spatial scales in estuarine, coastal and marine regimes, and places the associated biology in the context of the physical habitat. This is called the CMECS or Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard. The classification standard is organized into a branched hierarchy of six nested levels (Figure 1). The levels correspond to both a functional ecological relationships and a progressively smaller map scale from the order of 1:1,000,000 (Regime) to the order of 1:1 (Habitat/Biotope). The classification branches into five Regimes at the highest level: estuarine, freshwater-influenced marine, nearshore marine, neritic, and oceanic. Regimes are divided into large- scale physical structures, including geoforms and hydroforms called Formations. Each of these forms can be further compartmentalized according to its Zone, or position relative to the water: whether it is continuously submerged bottom or at the waterline (littoral), or within the water column. Each of these components further divides into Macrohabitat and then Habitat. The Biotope represents the quantum unit of the habitat combining both the physical habitat and its associated fixed biota. At each level, units are distinguished from each other by the application of classifiers that capture the defining differences among units. The classifiers are integral components of all levels of the classification; particularly the Habitat and Biotope levels that further define units based on such qualities as substrate, energy, salinity, turbidity or characteristic structural components. ”
See further reference including the Biotope definition below
OBJECTIVES: After doing this assignment, students will be able to:

a) Discriminate between and designate the six levels of Environmental classification for the different biotopes of Race Rocks.

b) Enter a Coastal Classification for one of the areas they can observe at Race Rocks .

PROCEDURE:

1. Choose one of the biotopes in the table below for an area you can observe at Race Rocks, either directly if you are able to go there or by means of the remote cameras .
2. In your notebook, justify why you classify the area that way, providing the list of the six levels.

ECOLOGICAL REGION
 Level 1 REGIME— Level 2
Formation
Geoforms and Hydroforms 		Level 3 Zone Level 3 b subzone Level 4
Macrohabitat		 Level 5-Habitat Level 6 Biotope
ECOLOGICAL REGION
#21 COLUMBIAN PACIFIC.UTM— to —-?(The Columbian Pacific region stretches along the Pacific coast from Cape Mendocino in the South, northward to include the Straight of Juan de Fuca and end at northern tip ofVancouver Island, in the North. The region is home to abundant plant and wildlife, but also has one of the fastest growing human populations in North America. )
 
A. Estuarine regime
 A.01 Estuarine lagoon formation
A.01.WWatercolumn zone
A.01.BBenthic zone
Epibenthic subzone
Subbenthic subzone
A.01.LLittoral zone
Supratidal subzone
Backshore lagoon flats macrohabitat Biotope: Phragmites, cattail, reed canary grass
drainage channels macrohabitat Biotope: stickleback, cutthroat trout
Intertidal subzone
salt marsh macrohabitat Biotope: Distychlis, Salicornia
salt pans macrohabitat Biotope: acorn barnacle,
mud flat macrohabitat Biotope: wading birds,
drainage channels macrohabitat Biotope: iron bacteria,
Infratidal subzone
A.02Estuarine embayment formation
A.02.B bottom zone
A.02.L littoral zone
A.02.W water column zone
A.03 Estuarine Shoreline Formation
A.03.L
Estuarine littoral shore zone
A.03.L.a estuarine shore unconsolidated sediments macrohabitat
A.03.L.b  Estuarine shore unconsolidated sediments macrohabitat
A.03.L.f   Estuarine shore water column macrohabitat
B.Freshwater-influenced regime

C.03 Marine Shoreline Formation
Benthic zone
Epibenthic
Subbenthic
littoral zone
Supratidal
Intertidal
Infratidal
water column zone
Upper Water Column layer
Pycnocline layer
Bottom Water Column layer
C.05 Nearshore Island formation
C.05.B Benthic or bottom zone
C.05.B.01Epibenthic subzone
C.05.B.01aunder water– cliff face macrohabitat Biotope: basket star, Gersemia rubriformis (soft pink coral) hydroids (see reference .. 65 species),Gorgonocephalus eucnemis (basket star),
C.05.B.01btumbling rock macrohabitat Biotope: Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp), Pterygophora californica (Stalked kelp), Calliostoma (top shell), Solaster stimpsoni( stripped sunstar), Pycnopodia helianthoides (sunflower star) Henricia leviuscula (blood star).Cucumaria miniata (orange sea cucumber), Metridium farcimen (Giant plumose anemone) Enteroctopus dofleini (Giant Pacific Octopus), Ophiothrix spiculata (brittle star)
C.05.B.01chorizontal current channel macrohabitat Biotope:Cystodytes lobatus (lobed compound tunicate), Ascidians, Isodictya rigida finger sponges, Mycale toparoki (yellow sponge), Aglaophenia latirostris (ostrich plume hydroids) Tubularia regalis (regal pink mouth hydroid ) also other hydroid species
C.05.B.01dshell fragment bottom macrohabitat Biotope: Oligocottus maculosus (sculpin),Opalia chacei (Chace’s wentletrap)
C.05.B.01ebare rock substrate macrohabitat Biotope: Lithothamnion sp. (encrusting pink algae), Dodecaceria concharum (coralline fringed tube worm) , Cucumaria pseudocurata (Tar Spot Sea Cucumber)
C.05.B.02Subbenthic subzone
C.05.B.02.ashell -fragment macrohabitat Biotope: Ptilosarcus (Sea Pen),Opalia chacei (Chace’s wentletrap)
C.05.B.02.bgravel, sand macrohabitat Biotope:Myxicola infundibulum jelly tube
C.05.B.02.c
mud macrohabitat		 Biotope: none available
C.05.Llittoral zone..
C.05.L.01Supratidal subzone
C.05.L.01.arock cliff and boulder habitat
Biotope:, Cepphus columba (pigeon Guillemot) and Phalacrocorax pelagicus (pelagic cormorant )nesting, Phalacrocorax penicilatu, (Brandt’s Cormorant) and Larus thayeri (Thayer’s gull) overwintering.
Biotope:Romanzoffia (mist maidens) Plantago,
C.05.L.01.bupper island rock plateau habitat
Biotope: thrift, Larus glaucescens (Glaucous-winged Gull) nesting, Phalacrocorax auritas, (double-breasted cormorant- winter resident), Haliacetus leucocepfalus ( bald eagle), Falco peregrinus (peregrine falcon) Corvus caurinus (North-western Crow) Corvus corax, (Raven–winter)
Biotope: Haulout for the following marine mammals: Harbour seal, Mirounga angustirostris (elephant seal), Zalophus californianus (California sea lion), Eumetopias jubatus (northern sea lion), Phoca vitulina Harbour seal.
C.05.L.01.cupper spray Zone rock and gravel habitat
Biotope: Caloplaca verruculifera (orange lichen), Xanthorea candelaria (orange lichen) Lecanora straminea (grey lichen) Prasiola meridionalis (uppermost green algae
Neomolgus littoralis (red velvet mite)
Biotope: Haematopus bachmani (Black-Oystercatcher nesting), Arenaria melanocephala (Black turnstone)
C.05.L.01.dinner island grassed plain habitat Biotope: Native fescue grasses, several flower garden escapes,
and introduced brome and orchard grass, Branta canadensis (Canada goose) nesting,
C.05.L.01.eBrackish pools in spray zone Biotope: Pyramimonas (green water pool )
C.05.L.02Intertidal subzone
C.05.L.02.a Rocky
shoreline….. macrohabitat
High energy intertidal boulders and loose rock sub-habitat Biotope: Hemigrapsus nudus (Purple shore crab),
High energy intertidal high elevation tidepool sub- habitat Biotope: Harpacticoid, Littorina sitkana and Littorina scutulata (littorine snails, isopod
High energy intertidal low elevation tidepool sub- habitat Biotope: low level pool: Phyllospadix scouleri (surfgrass) Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (purple urchin), Oligocottus maculosus (tidepool sculpin) Anthopleura xanthogrammica (Giant green anemone)
High energy intertidal solid substrate subhabitat Biotope: Porphyra, Halosaccion, Chthamalus sp.(barnacle) Neomolgus (red mite)
High energy/high current solid substrate habitat Biotope: Mytilus californianus, (California mussel), Anthopleura elegantissima ( small intertidal anemone, Endocladia muricata (red algae) Chthamalus (barnacle) Pollicipes polymerus (goose-necked barnacle)
Low energy solid substrate habitat Biotope: Alaria marginata (short stipe algae), Eudistylia vancouveri (feather duster worm) Mopalia mucosa (mossy chiton)
Surge Channel habitat Biotope: Polycepes polymerus (Goose-neck barnacles):Anthopleura xanthogramica (large intertidal anemone)
Intertidal reef habitat Biotope: Mytilus californianus ( mussel), Phyllospadix scoulleri (surf grass)
Anthropomorphic (human modified) structure:concrete dock. Chthamalus( barnacle), Ulva (green algae)
C.05.L.02.bHigh energy bay macrohabitat
Shell beach habitat Biotope:
sand beach habitat Biotope:
cobble beach habitat Biotope:
C.05.L.02.c.Low energy bay macrohabitat
Shell beach habitat Biotope:
sand beach habitat Biotope:
cobble beach habitat Biotope:
C.05.L.02.d High energy beach macrohabitat
Shell beach habitat Biotope:
sand beach habitat Biotope:
cobble beach habitat Biotope:
C.05.L.02.eLow energy beach macrohabitat
Shell beach habitat Biotope:
sand beach habitat Biotope:
cobble beach habitat Biotope:
C.05.L.03Infratidal subzone

Depth to 10 meters affected by tidal surge
C.05.L.03.asolid substrate macrohabitat
10 meter depth habitat Biotope: Nereocystis (bull kelp), Membranipora serrilamella (bryozoa) Epiactis prolifera (brooding anemone), Urticina crassicornis (Fish eating anemone)
5-10 meter depth habitat Biotope: Pterygophora californica (perennial algae)
0-5 meter depth habitat Biotope:Laminaria groenlandica (Brown Algae), Ophlitaspongia pennata (velvety red sponge), Calliostoma ligatum (Blue top snail)
C.05.L.03.bTumbling rock macrohabitat
10 meter habitat Biotope: Strongylocentrotus (red urchin), Cucumaria miniata (sea cucumber)
5-10 meter depth habitat Biotope:Strongyocentrotus purpuratus (purple urchin), Cucumaria miniata (orange sea cucumber), Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis( green urchin)
0-5 meter depth habitat Biotope: (leather chiton, limpet species, northern abalone.
C.05.L.03.c Shell fragment gravel pockets macro habitat
10 meter habitat Biotope:swimming scallop, Opalia (chalces wentletrap)
5-10 meter depth habitat Biotope: sculpin
0-5 meter depth habitat Biotope: Surf grass, abalone, Laminaria saccharina
(brown algae)
C.05.Wwater column zone
C.05.W.01 and Upper Water Column layer subzone
Biotope: phytoplankton, zoooplankton,(krill),
Biotope: salmon species, black rockfish, herring.
C.05.W.02Pycnocline layer subzone
Biotope: none established:
C.05.W.03Bottom Water Column layer subzone
Biotope: Planktonic
Biotope:Hexagrammos decagrammus (kelp greenling), Sebastes nigrocinctus (tiger rockfish, china rockfish), Scorpaenichthyes marmoratus (cabezon), Ophiodon elongatus (ling cod),
C.05.W.04 Surface and diving depth subzone
Biotope: Orcinus Orca (killer whale)
Biotope: Histrionicus histrionicus Harlquin Duck, Larus glaucescen (Glaucous-winged gull), Cepphus columba (Pigeon Guillemot), Phalacrocorax pelagicus (Pelagic Cormorant)
D
Neritic regime
E
Oceanic regime
From the NatureServe website, a brief description of the BIOTOPE:
The finest level of the classification is the Biotope. The biotope is a specific area of a habitat that
includes recurring, persistent, and predictable biological associations. The biological associations can
include plants, attached sessile fauna and unattached but relatively non-motile fauna and bacterial
colonies. A biotope is environmentally uniform in structure, environment, and is defined by the dominant
biota. The primary characteristic of the biotope is the relationship between the physical habitat and a
strongly associated or fixed “high fidelity” plant and animal species. “Fixed” is defined as an individual
organism that cannot move beyond the frame of reference of the habitat boundary within one day.

Epibenthic,( on the surface of the ocean bottom) organisms like anemones, sponges, hydroids, and benthic infauna (buried in the bottom sediments) such as polychaetes would be considered part of a biotope complex.While much of the sedentary or fixed biota defines a particular biotope, other organisms demonstrate less
fidelity to any specific biotope. More motile or vagile organisms can be associated with multiple biotopes or
interact with the physical structure of the environment at any number of classification levels and spatial or
temporal scales. Larger animals, such as blue whales, may interact with elements defined in the
classification at a level of Formations, such as the shelf break or submarine canyon. Smaller animals
interact with Macrohabitats, Habitats or Biotopes. As the classification matures, the linkages of species and biological
associations to different classification units at different levels will become better known and documented.Detailed Description and Rationale
The biotope concept has been employed for several years in Europe and is defined as the “physical
habitat… and its community of animals and plants (Costello, 2003).” This refers to the dominant
biological inhabitant(s) of a specific habitat, whether the species are “diagnostic,” as in the terminology of
Cowardin (1979) and Dethier (1990), or if they are “commonly associated.” A species is considered to be
part of a biotope if it is conspicuous, dominant, and physically linked to the habitat. The concept and
nomenclature for the biotope follow the BioMar system (Costello, 2003; Connor, 1997), which has been
integrated into the EUNIS classification for European habitats (Davies and Moss 1999) and into this
classification, although some of the terminology has been changed here.
Vegetation units such as specific algal and rooted plant species, salt marsh and other vegetation are
recognized at the biotope level. This biota is recognized as being associated with a particular habitat,
rather than defining the habitat. This is an important departure from several widely used classifications
such as those developed by Cowardin (1979), Ferren et al. (1996) and Madley et al. (2002) but follows
the same logic as the Dethier (1990) and the Costello (2003) classifications.
Adapted from CMECS Classification http://www.natureserve.org/getData/CMECS/cm_pub.pdfFor subcategories see also from the NatureServe site: http://www.natureserve.org/getData/CMECS/app/classification/tree/pivot/browse

Biotic Asociations at Race Rocks

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The California Sea Cucumber exhibits an escape response when approached by the Sunflower Star.

Also see the video on Phyllospadix and its biotic associations

This mussel will no doubt have a competition for food with this barnacle.

Mussels have a number of associations.
  The whale barnacle living as a commensal on Gray Whales
You will find below a set of photos from our photo archives depicting two or more organisms in a biotic association. These associations fall into one of several categories: mutualism, commensalism, parasitism etc. By going through the many organisms in the Race Rocks Taxonomy, you will find explanations for these and other biotic associations.
Coraline Algae and Epiactis Boring Sponge (Cliona) and Purple- Hinged Rock Scallop (Hinnites) Cup Coral (Balanophyllia) Epiactis and Encrusting Algae (Lithothamnion)
Basket Star and soft coral
 Basket Star and sea urchin
 Abalone (Haliotis) and Lithothamnion
Anthopleura xanthogramica with internal green coccoid algae Brittle Star and Kelp Holdfast Brittle Star
Nudibranch and the orange hydroid Garveia Swimming Scallop and Encrusting Sponge Scallop with blue eyes

Samples of screenshots from the remote cameras.

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Observation of the scenes on the cameras often yield some interesting and varied scenes. Feel free to add to this collection of the screen shots from the video cameras. e-mail : Garry Fletcher (garryf(use the @ sign)gmail.com See further directions on this .

Telephoto of the Olympic Mountains of Washington State. This was taken on a clear day- May 18, 2001 zoomed in on the remote camera. The tail end of a tugboat-drawn barge going up the Strait of Juan de Fuca, May 18, 2001 On a calm day, the area is a very popular site for observation of marine birds and mammals by the tour boats which take on passengers in Sooke or Victoria. May 18, 2001
Captive tourists look out on the life of freedom enjoyed by the elephant seals and sea lions. May 18, 2001 May 18, 2001: Inflatable boats are used by many of the marine mammal tour boats.  We get some glorious sunsets looking out from Race Rocks.This one has the Metchosin Hills in the foreground: June 11, 2001
July 1, 2001, Canada Day fireworks over the provincial capital Victoria, B.C. Mike Slater lined up this scene on camera 3. July 4, 2001, American Independence Day fireworks over Port Angeles to the south of Race Rocks. Jean Dalphond captured this collage of images when he was staying at RR doing a project in early June, 2001.
Gull chicks hatching
July, 2001		 Pigeon guillemots – nest in burrows in the rocks – use remote camera to find
July, 2001		 There was an abundance of baby seals – born in mid July – 2001. Mike and Carol set the camera up on this scene on camera 2 .

The Brandt’s cormorants on the west shore in
January, 2002
May 2002 : yes, sometimes Race Rocks can be “golden”. This is camera 1 on the elephant seals.
June, 2002 : We have had a successful year for gull hatching: 96 counted at one time and most of them survived.
Pam Birley from England has sent us this eagle sequence, January, 2004. She has contributed her album of pictures to our daily log files. The OCEANQUEST exercises:use screen capture to contribute to a database

Directory of OceanQuest Assignment Resources:

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Collage for OceanQuestOverview: Are you prepared to take on the challenge of OceanQuest? You are expected to be an active participant in helping to build a valuable resource database for a unique sensitive environment.

The basic starting resources you will use come from www. racerocks.ca but our vision for the future is that you may actively develop a set of internet resources for your own unique ecological area.

Link to The OceanQuest GIS With Curriculum Guide
NOTE: The link to the GIS which ran on an outside server arranged by the Open School has been discontinued.. The other curruculum materials are still valid however on this site.

Topic 1 :
BIODIVERSITY
Some of the folllowing files from www. racerocks.ca were used in the building of the OCEANQUEST website.
Lesson:Intertidal Race Rocks 1. Structure and Function of Ecosystems :
How can we model ecosystems in order to understand how they work ?
Student Activities: Objectives:
Procedure :
1. Introduction
2. Horizontal distribution

  • Objectives:
    Procedure:

    • 1. Use the remote camera.
    • 2. Use the dichotomous key for identification.
    • 3. Determine the sector from aerial view of horizontal distribution.
    • 4. Field techniques to quantify distribution.
    • 5. Describe the Role of organisms in determining horizontal distribution.
    • 6. Design your own horizontal structure analysis.
    • 7. How do Anthropogenic Impacts affect Biodiversity.
      • Objectives:
        Procedure:
3. Vertical Distribution

  • Objectives:
    Procedure:

    • 1. Use the remote camera.
    • 2. Use the Dichotomous key for identification.
    • 3. Vertical Stratification of Tide Pools
    • 4. Subtidal vertical stratification with seaweed canopy.
    • 5. Vertical Stratification in the water column.
    • 6. Vertical Stratification in Soil
    • 7. Design your own vertical structure analysis.
4. Biotic Components
List of birds and mammals most frequently observed from the remote camera 5.
5. Rare and Endangered Species
6. Coastal Classification System

  • Objectives
  • Procedure:
7. Abiotic Components (Topic 2 below)
8. Ecosystem Function

  • Objectives:
  • Procedure:
9. Biogeochemical cycles

  • Objectives:
  • Procedure:
10. Extension..Other ecosystems– structure and function.

 

Lesson:
 2. Why not Adopt an Ecosystem?
pond Use the internet as a means to get groups to collaborate to provide an educational resource while ensuring the stewardship of their own local ecological resources.
Objectives:
Procedure:
1. Identify the area
2. Establish goals and time lines
3. Establish a baseline inventory
4. Class project to provide a taxonomy
5. Use technology to document the area
6. Monitor for Structure and Function: (See topic 1.)
7. Submit site for inclusion in GIS
8. Obtain tiff-referenced aerial photography
9. Assemble a web-site to carry the information.
10. Create a list of the Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital of the area.

  • Objectives:
  • Procedure

11. Set up a weather monitoring Station

 

TOPIC 2: ABIOTIC FACTORS
Lessons:Link to Abiotic Factors Assignment 1. Selected Abiotic Factors (such as Barometric Pressure) :

The effects of physical factors on the life of an ecosystem is often taken for granted. Here we give you the chance to investigate some of the unique ways that organisms have evolved in order to adapt to the physical conditions of their environments.
Objectives:
Procedure:
1.Introduction
2. Wind Speed and Direction
3. Barometric Pressure
4. Lightning
5. Change through time: Salinity and Temperature.

  • Objectives:
  • Procedure:
Lessons: bell curve 2. Limiting Factors and the Ecological Niche
Objectives:
Procedure:
1. Introduction
2. GIS activity
3. and 4and 5. Contrast limiting factors in two closely related species.
6. Natural Selection
7. The Ecological Niche as determined by limiting factors
8. Adaptation: A classic study of limiting factors: The Bumpus sparrows.
9. Extension: Central Tendency and Variability.
Topic 3 : ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
Lessons
Population		 1. Population Monitoring:
An activity which allows you to contribute to a scientific database for the census of animals
Objectives:
Procedure:
1. Census of the populations, and the use of the dichotomous key.
2. Race Rocks population numbers and sector designations.
3. Weather correlation to population levels.

 

2. The Ethology Assignment:
Lessons:Ethology An activity that may allow you to look at the behaviours of animals in a new way
Objectives:
Procedure
1. Preliminary Observation.
2. Collecting Data.. The ethogram and the time budget.
3. Using the dichotomous key for identification.
4. Compiling the Ethogram
5. Preparing the Time Budget
6. Doing a report and submitting results to the GIS
7. Extension material

Saving Images from Live, Streaming Video:

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DIRECTIONS for SAVING IMAGES and VIDEOS

Project Ideas for Viewers:We would like your help in contributing to our archive gallery of images from Race Rocks. Many times interesting behaviours occur on the screen which we can’t predict, but which could be part of a valuable contribution to our research database on Race Rocks, or you may be doing a school project where you could use a series of your own original images on animal behavior. From our cameras at Race Rocks, you can create a series of pictures, and embed them in a word processing document with your description of what was happening and the date and time.
This file shows some screenshots from the cameras at Race Rocks:

Here are some examples from our viewer in England PB:

PopulationPopulation Monitoring exercise.

 

 

EthologyAnimal behaviour Exercise:

 

 

How to Clip and Save Images :

The easiest way to save images is to go to the remote control  cameras and from the controls page you will see a button on the top named “CAPTURE” This allows you to freeze a frame, drag it to your desktop and then it is in your computer.

FOR MACINTOSH COMPUTERS: Clipping a picture from the browser is very easy with a Mac. For the whole page put on Caps lock, hold down shift/apple/and number 3. When you click on the screen it will save a screenshot to the hard drive. To clip a portion of the screen, simply hold down the shift, apple command and #4 keys, and position the cross hair of your cursor at the upper left hand corner of an image you wish to save. Drag the cursor diagonally across the area you want saved. Then release– you hear a shutter sound, the picture is stored on the hard drive where you receive downloads as Screencapture with date  etc. This image may be in a .png  format so you can open it in a photo editing program such as Graphic Converter and save it as a .jpg after trimming to the desired form. It is then ready for embedding in a web page. Behaviours are easily captured by a series of these clips, taken consecutively.

For Other Operating Systems:Please consult your help files for screen capture: Another alternative for capturing video is to download the software from a site that you may find by searching for Image capture or Screen Capture or video capture:

. We would appreciate it if you could credit “racerocks.com” from Lester B. Pearson College as the source of the picture!

To contribute your sequence to this web site e-mail files of pictures and text to us at the racerocks.ca website send an e-mail with your attached files. Indicate whether or not you want your name included as a contributor.

The Ecological Niche defined by Abiotic Factors

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EconicheThe file linked here was included to illustrate the concept of the Ecological Niche of an organism. Ecological Niches are determined by all the Biotic and Abiotic factors that make up the limiting factors on an organisms environment. It is impossible to represent in a diagram all the factors which define the full ecological niche. After studying the two references linked on this page, write a discussion on how our built-up environments with cats, lawns, and other introduced species limit the ecological niches available and thus impact negatively on Biodiversity.

anthopleura
“The ecological niche of Anthopleura elegantissima at Race Rocks”
In this research essay, Santiago has adapted a tool from EXCEL to illustrate his concept of the “cloud” that represents an Ecological Niche of a sea anemone. This is an original interpretation and one which helps us visualize the dimensions of niche requirements.

BC Parks Impact Assessment Process

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FIle No: 85700-35-0210206

Name of Action:       Construction and Pile Drilling for Current Turbine Project  

Proponent:               Lester B Pearson College

Review Date(s):         Nov 2, 2005             

  1. Issues and Environmental Components
  2. List any issues of concern that have been or may be raised by BC Parks, other government agencies, First Nations, or the public.

2 Identify any geographic “hotspots” at or close to the proposed action (e.g., areas of high use, concentrations of facilities, wilderness conservation zones, unique landscape features).

Below are the relevant items that we are contributing to this Preliminary Assessment, the third in a series leading up to this project. If further items are provided in the next few weeks, they will be updated here:

Location: The proposed location of the Tidal Current Generator Piling for the Cradle is shown below. This site was chosen after extensive testing of the current profiles in both channels with the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler.

The red lines indicate the Pearson College  permit access area..

 

 

 

3. Identify any important environmental, recreational, social or economic values in the area of the proposed action and/or the area surrounding the proposed action (e.g., rare or endangered species, hiking experience, midden site). Include a rationale as to why the value is considered important.

The location for the installation is in the current channel just South of North Rock, with the typical associations of organisms of the highly current swept areas of the island. Since the depth is up to 20 meters, there are few macroalgae present.

Archipelago marine has done a SIMS towed video CD . The route they took and the timing of the footage was done according to this Chart. Video taken by Pam Thuringer in the area of the chart missed by the towed video is now available from Archipelago marine

Some footage taken by the Pearson College Divers which shows the bottom fauna in the area of the turbine piling is located here:

In order to predict the best location for the installation of the tidal power generator, an ADCP ( Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) supplied by ASL Environmental Sciences was deployed. This instrument will collect current regime information for a period of one month. Rita Santos did the video and Angie Karlsen helped Chris Blondeau lift and position the concrete weights used to secure the device on the sea floor..

For an idea of the general patterns of organism distribution, the two clips below were taken from the video which was filmed at the location of the ADCP research at Station2:

Preliminary Screen Checklist (partial)

C. Level 1 report should recommend appropriate times and methods for construction to ensure birds /wildlifeimpacts are kept to a minimum.

Date of work: The installation in November is timed after the nesting and seal pupping season and in the time of the year when the Sea Lions have returned but are concentrated in the area to the East of the docks, on South Rock and on Middle and West Island. The closest population that may be disturbed by the drilling is on North Rock, and part of Middle Rock. In the past that population frequently comes and goes probably because of the fall schedule of blasting by DND .
Construction Method: We have been advised that a contract has been let by Clean Current for the drilling and installation of the piling to bear the generator to:

Fraser River Pile & Dredge Ltd. (FRPD)1830 River Drive
New Westminster, B.C.
V3M 2A8
Tel: (604) 528-9333
(Project manager Rick Gillis)
The attached .pdf file.. Construction Drilling provides the details of this phase of the project.

The amount of oil consumed in the drilling operation is approximately 5 gallons /hr. For a drilling depth of 8 m, the operation should take 4-5 hours. The drilling operation will not produce an oil slick. In the event of a spill FRPD, will employ their standard method of deploying containment booms and pads to contain the oil. Due to the challenging conditions in this area, FRPD will have additional booms and pads on board.
The drilling operation is a closed system. All drill cuttings will be brought to the surface and then processed through a cyclone which will separate the cuttings from the water. The water and entrained air will then be returned to the ocean via a pipe at a depth of approx. 20 ft. All of the cuttings will be collected on a scow that is tied up along side the drilling barge.The cuttings will be taken ashore for disposal.
Six anchor blocks of approximately 6’ x 6’ x 6’ will be used to anchor the drilling rig in position. Each of these blocks can be dropped at a predetermined location; however, depending on the current during this operation, the actual location may differ from the intended spot. Also, once all 6 blocks are in position, the anchor lines will be tensioned to firmly lock the barge in position. During this winching operation, it is very possible for the blocks to slide a short distance along the seabed until they lock in position. The thinking now is that 4of these blocks will left in place for the duration of the Tidal Generator Project. This will avoid further damage to the bottom in future operations where a barge will have to be employed for the lifting of the generator on regular (yeaarly) basis for servicing.
Equipment

Island Tug operates a large fleet of tugs and barges including one self-propelled cable layer. The principal method of cable handling utilizes one of two powered self-breaking drums. Reel number 1 has a capacity for 80,000 feet of 2-inch diameter cable with a break holding capacity of 200 tons. Reel number 2 has a capacity for 30,000 feet of 2-inch diameter cable with a break holding capacity of 100 tons.

Procedure of Cable Laying – General

Reel number 2 is mounted aboard the cable layer, Georgia Transporter. Cable is transferred from shore storage reels to the ship-mounted reel and transported to the site. Cable is taken ashore at the cable shore-end via a bow mounted adjustable ramp. A bow mounted cable chute is used to deploy the cable while the Georgia Transporter is towed astern. Two GPS systems monitor the surface position and provide feedback via digital charts. Track corrections are implemented through a variety of methods using the Ship’s power, directing the towing vessel or employing side boats. For shallow water lays, the cable tension is not monitored by equipment but by the angle off the bow, with lay and reel speeds corrected as necessary. For deep-water lays, the cable tension is monitored with on deck tension monitoring equipment such as linear tension devices or load cells. Cable weights and water depth information are pre plotted along a planned track in order to adjust for the intended tension at given positions.

Reel number 1 is mounted aboard one of Island’s flat deck barges and used in the same manner as the description above, with the exception that the barge will start and finish on four point moorings.

Island Tug And Barge Ltd.
R.L. (Bob) Shields
President
Piling Construction:

Further details of the column construction in the figure above can be obtained from a .pdf file from Clean Current
On Site Supervision: Chris Blondeau, operations manager, and Garry Fletcher, Ecological Reserve Warden will be available to oversee the environmental concerns. In addition, Pam Thuringer and staff of Archipelago Marine have been contracted to do an ongoing environmental assessment for the duration of the construction phase of the project.
Recommendations:1. If it is possible, we recommend the temporary displacement of any of the larger motile invertebrates such as sea urchins, sea stars and sea cucumbers in the impacted area while the project is being carried out, with their return to the same approximate habitat upon completion. This may however not be feasible given the nature of the operation and the timing.

2. Working at this time of year could involve difficult weather conditions. It must be emphasized that the safety of personnel and the ecological reserve is paramount.

Prepared by G. Fletcher Nov 2, 2005

Danish Journal Article on Race Rocks

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The Danish language version of this article is published in the Journal “Geografisk Orientering”.2005 NR2 Link to this 2 page .PDF file.

By Søren Pilgaard Kristensen (PC yr 8 1983)
Associate Professor
Institute of Geography University of Copenhagen
Østervoldgade 10 ,1350 Kbh. K,.Denmark

and Garry Fletcher*

Abstract:
Af Gerry Fletcher og Søren P. Kristensen
I Race Rock, et marint naturreservat i havet udfor British Columbia, Canada, er man gået nye veje for at give skoleklasser og andre interesserede adgang til at opleve det isolerede områdes unikke natur. Artiklen beskriver hvorledes Internet, webkameraer og undervisningsprogrammer bringer havets hemmeligheder indenfor i klasselokalerne overalt i Canada, uden at overbelaste det sårbare økosystem. i undervisningen på det nærlig- gende Pearson college, hvor det blev et yndet mål for feltarbej- de og hvor klasseundervisning i biologi også kunne udnytte de unikke muligheder, som stedet rummer. Det unikke økosystem er meget sårbart overfor fiskeri og forurening, og der var behov Undervisning Som nævnt ovenfor, har Race Rocks igennem snart 30 år væ- ret udnyttet til undervisning og forskning. På grund af øernes afsides beliggenhed, der kræver bådtransport og dykkerudrust- ning for at udforske den del af øerne der ligger under havover- ningspakke drejer sig om måling af bakterievækst i ”tidepools” – tidevandsbassiner. Her bruges digitale billeder af bakteriekolo- nier i biologiundervisningen til, at elever kan måle udviklingen i forskellige miljøer. Der følger en grundig instruktion med til både elever og de lærere der benytter

Link to the Danish Language Version of this articledanisharticle

Abstract: Race Rocks, an island archipelago in the South West corner of British Columbia, Canada is an Ecological Reserve and a designated Marine Protected Area. Students and Faculty of Lester B. Pearson College, the community stewards for this park, have developed the website http://www.racerocks.com to provide via the internet, an educational resource on marine ecology using this sensitive ecosystem as a model for other areas around the world.
www.racerocks.com
A Model for Virtual Access to
Ecologically Sensitive Areas

Race Rocks Marine Ecological Reserve and Marine Protected Area protects a significant high-current subtidal and intertidal ecosystem in the Strait of Juan de Fuca at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada. The reserve contains high current underwater reefs with ecologically significant populations of benthic invertebrates and fish. It protects several rare species which represent unique Canadian or North American occurrences. It also provides haul out and feeding areas for elephant seals and sea lions as well as breeding areas for harbour seals and nesting habitat and migrating resting areas for many species of seabirds. It is these characteristics that make it such a unique environment for discovery and education.

Lester Pearson College is a non-profit educational institution, one of the 10 United World Colleges with students on scholarship from over 80 countries. It has assisted in the stewardship of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve and Marine Protected Area since the late 1970’s and used it as a community outreach program. Students involved in the science and activities programs of the college have had the opportunity to participate in the operation the island as well as the building and operating of the website devoted to providing an educational resource for this unique environment.

In 1980, the students and faculty were instrumental in having the area declared a Provincial Ecological Reserve. In 1997, with the automation of the Light Station, Lester Pearson College took over the Management of the Islands for BC. Parks. In 1998 Race Rocks was chosen as one of five areas on Canada’s shores to become a new Marine Protected Area under Canada’s Oceans Act. Presently awaiting final approval of the local First Nations, it remains one of the most unique areas in Canada’s system of Marine Parks. Details of the process of involving community stakeholders in the Marine Protected Area Process can be found at: http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/admin/admin.htm. In the year 2000, special funding from Canada’s Millennium Fund helped to launch the “racerocks.com project’ with protection of the ecosystem and the wildlife, both above and below the water, as the main guiding principle.

Racerocks.com was conceived as a project to utilize technology and the internet to bring to the educational community access to a sensitive ecosystem. Through the generous support of sponsors and partners, in March 2000, the website http://www.racerocks.com/ went live on the internet. Since that time several cameras have sent live images continuously out on the internet, and the students and faculty of Lester Pearson College have produced a large resource of supportive background materials and archived video. In addition, a portable video camera and webcast channel is available for special event programming both from Pearson College and Race Rocks. The main aim of the program was to provide a virtual website which presents as many aspects as possible of an environmentally sensitive area, allowing investigators to use the resources of the area without contributing to a negative environmental impact. The target audience is wide ranging, from elementary school to university and the general public. Some of the materials presented are interactive, some present curriculum ideas which can be pursed in the classroom, and some challenge others to use the model of this area to instill the values of environmental stewardship in others so that more areas can be protected yet made available virtually to the public. Since we at Pearson College have benefited for so many years from the resources of this special ecosystem, we feel that by making it available to all, we can contribute a great amount to environmental education and research. We welcome feedback from groups and individuals who use our resources.
From the outset we have maintained a commitment to present a non-commercialized site. I have highlighted 10 components of the website below which are particularly well-suited to demonstrate the value of the resource to education at a number of levels. Some are specifically targeted at the Middle School level, and some are appropriate for high school and even introductory level ecology classes at the university level. Of course the site is available freely to everyone with an internet connection. Copyright release available to anyone using the materials for educational purposes. The provision of two robotic cameras provide a level of interactivity unsurpassed in most educational media. If students are given an assignment where they have to quantify behaviours of an animal, and they can do that remotely by manipulating the controls of a camera, then this is a great motivational device for learning.
The following represents some of the curriculum links provided by racerocks.com
1. The Jason Program activity files on Race Rocks:
These files are designed for the Middle School Level. They provide a detailed set of objectives and a teacher information file, as well as assessment methods.
The part of the website in particular has been designed to facilitate easy implementation by the teacher, complete with specific Learner outcomes and assessment procedures. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/jason/index.html
a. Scavenger Hunt (An introduction to the racerocks.com website)
b. Geology and Geography (Abiotic Characteristics at Race Rocks),
c. Preserving the Past and Present Culture of Race Rocks (The Thirteen Moons),
d. Maintaining our Coastal Ecosystems (An Ethology),
e. The Northern Abalone,
f. Pinnipeds,
g. Conservation,
h. Seascape – Art

2. The Apple Learning Interchange Files:
The Apple Learning Interchange is providing the distribution network on the internet making it possible for thousands of student connections per week. This exhibit provides one with a glimpse of the educational programs, the technology that makes it possible, as well as ideas to help use our resources in the classroom.
http://ali.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/ALIView.woa/wa/DisplayExhibit?SiteCode=ali&ExhibitID=1000007  (link now removed)

3. The Race Rocks Taxonomy:
This class assignment allows students in environmental systems and biology to prepare a taxonomy of a species from the Race Rocks area and link to it educational videos and pictures of the species in their habitats at Race Rocks. This provides a useful activity where students can accomplish a number of objectives while contributing a permanent “digital legacy” to help in making this site an enriched educational resource.
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/taxonomy.htm
We have also linked to this exercise a template to encourage other schools to use a similar approach for recognition and conservation of biodiversity in their own local ecosystems. http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/newecosystem/genusfolder/studentemplate.html

4. The “Adopt an Ecosystem” project:
Environmental Education involving science students at undergraduate levels in direct action is the goal of our program at Pearson College. We have found that the production by students of internet materials on environmental issues is a vehicle for doing this effectively. This is a tool, which provides incentive for environmental understanding and encouragement of an “adopting an ecosystem” attitude that can have important consequences in education. The emphasis is on “action” and seeking methods to enable collaboration with others to help solve environmental problems. Students at Lester B. Pearson College have been learning about environmental issues by producing materials for the internet, a “Digital Legacy”. In this way, their education has the added advantage of serving as a resource for others in the educational system in British Columbia and around the world. It also allows them to participate in facilitating collaborative efforts in environmental research.
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/adopt/adopteco.htm

5. Race Rocks as a Resource for a Statistics exercise.
The purpose of this file is to enable a student to transfer Environmental Data being recorded at Race Rocks from a spreadsheet presented on the internet to their own computer in order to be able to graph trends and analyze relationships. Long-term databases are very important for monitoring change in ecosystems. Patterns of cyclic activity and even events such as Climate Change can be detected from the Race Rocks Data.
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/ibbiology/labairseatemp.htm

6. Links to Race Rocks Resources for the BC Grade 11 Curriculum:
Selected Biology Prescribed Learning Outcomes are taken from the B.C.Ministry of Education K-12 Curriculum and Learning . The Outcomes which are related to Race Rocks are presented on this page with racerocks.com links
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/bc11bio/bc11bio.htm

7. IB Biology and Environmental Systems Ecology Resource.
The objectives of the International Baccalaureate program for secondary students are linked to appropriate activities and resources in these files.
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/ibbiology/bioecol.htm

http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/curricula/ibensy/ibensy.htm

8. The Animal Behaviour studies:
This file is intended for Secondary school students. It provides ideas for taking the live images on the cameras and for doing a scientific study of the complexities of animal behaviour.
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/education/ethology/ethology.htm
9. The Ecological Niche and The Transect File:
These two files demonstrate useful ecological quantification techniques and allow an interactive format for the students to study this aspect of ecology. They further provide a model for doing similar studies in ones own ecosystem.
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/transect/econiche/econiche.htm and
http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/transect/transrrk.htm

10. Race Rocks as a Facility for Graduate-Level Research:
Dr. Gitai Yahel is currently doing post-doctorate research at the University of Victoria. He has worked with us in doing in situ research on the Trophic Dynamics of the Invertebrate Community at Race Rocks. This video and a link to an explanation of his work is a useful example of the type of non-consumptive research that can be done in an underwater marine reserve. Other outside researchers are presently being supported by the college in the areas of tidal current energy and Invertebrate taxonomy.

Since part of our goals relate to the involvement of our own students in providing the programming live via the internet, the following account describes how one student expressed his satisfaction with the process in a project week in June in bringing a set of live programs to the internet:

“I am one of three Pearson College students currently spending 11 project days at Race Rocks Marine Protected Area. We are all year 29 students of Pearson College who decided to stay for this project after our first year, and we will soon be going home to different countries of the world. My name is Jeremias Prassl, I’m from Austria. Even though coming from a landlocked country, oceans have always had a great fascination on me. Coming to Pearson College and living on the Pacific Ocean was the realization of an old dream. Through my IB biology class as well as waterfront activities at the college I’ve learned to value marine life in all its beauty and diversity. During the year, I spent one project week at Race Rocks, studying marine mammal behaviour in relation to the DND’s weapons testing. Numerous trips led me out to the island, some for biology classes (and related fieldwork), and some for helping with tasks necessary for the island, such as bringing fuel for the generators. Every time I come to Race Rocks, it allows me to discover something new, to explore a new aspect of this gorgeous place. This has been an amazing time for all of us. Diving, learning more about the reserve and species living on it, contributing to research projects, producing live webcasts daily, and helping the lighthouse keepers in maintaining the station have just been some of the tasks we pursued during the last days”
Jeremias Prassl, June 2003

Although so many people get to use the wonderful educational resources of the Race Rocks area by going there virtually on the internet, the wildlife is not harmed and the environment remains pristine. If we can say this after another 20 years and if other places have taken this technique and applied it in a similar way, then the experiment will have been worth every bit of the volunteer time and effort to make it successful. The program takes advantage of new media and new technology in a original and creative way which will hopefully form a model for education in conservation ecology in many parts of the world. When young people are given ownership of an idea they tend to internalize the values and end up with their own real commitment. Perhaps this is the aspect which we are most proud of in this project. From the examples we have seen of what our own students have gained and contributed in this venture, we know how effective this process can be and how powerful it is an educational tool. Because the project involves a creative approach to conservation education never tried before on this scale, and because it gives the confidence to our own international students knowing that their efforts can have a wider effect, influencing conservation practices beyond our local example, we feel this program has a major value in Distance Education.

We have recently started to build a set of pages which contain the translations of our racerocks.com website sitemaps. These are portrayed by flag icons at the base of the home page http://www.racerocks.com. The pages were done by the students of our racerock.com activity. It is hoped that we will be able to expand this coverage of languages in order to provide a start to multilingual access to the resource.

It is a difficult job securing at least $100,000 a year to keep the island operational. What is really needed is an endowment, and this we are determined to build up over the next few years. Keeping observers and cameras on the island has in the last few years served to keep the many users of the area such as whale watching boats accountable, so that the ecological integrity of the resource may be sustained. On the home page of racerocks.com is written: “we humans are never content just to know that a special area exists on this earth. We strive to be there, to touch, to feel, to consume. But therein lies the paradox. In so doing we can destroy the very thing we love.” The aim of the racerocks.com program has always been to make this special ecosystem available to all through the Internet. We have been fortunate to have this opportunity to establish a window into the daily lives of the creatures of a rugged marine island ecosystem. We just hope that we can continue to make the amazing life of these islands available to all. Last spring with the further assistance of Apple Computer, we upgraded our computers and added a new 340 degree robotic camera which provides a much more thorough survey of many parts of the islands from your own computer.

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Author: *Garry Fletcher has worked with the Race Rocks project as a teacher since 1978. He has recently retired after teaching for 36 years, The last 28 of those years have been spent in teaching Biology and Environmental Systems and in the SCUBA Diving program at Lester B. Pearson College. He has always valued the role of hands on involvement in environmental projects to stimulate students. Garry now continues as the Educational Director of Race Rocks and continues development of the website at http://www.racerocks.com. He also serves as a marine education consultant from his home in Metchosin, British Columbia, Canada. )

In June of 2000, at their annual conference in Dunedin New Zealand, The Commonwealth Of Learning presented it’s Award for Excellence in Distance Education materials under category B: multimedia materials supporting non-formal education, to Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, Canada for its on-line materials “Racerocks.com”. They recommended this multi-media material for the award because it is fitting for a variety of clientele needs in non-formal education in the very important area of the environment, it has adopted a sound learning and instructional design, and it uses a variety of media which can be integrated in a flexible manner according to individual learning needs and interests. (http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/events2004/col/colaward.htm)