Life at the bottom: Deep Dark Ocean

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Different types of luminescence Florescence (Fluorescent rocks) Phosphorescence (glow-in-the dark) Chemoluminescence (glow stick) Bioluminescence (light from an

organism)

A typical light stick holds a hydrogen peroxide solution and a solution containing a phenyl oxalate ester and a fluorescent dye

.

How can you speed up or slow down the rate of the reaction.

Simulate what happens to light intensity and wavelength at increasing depths in the ocean.

Identify variables that may affect light production in ostracods.

Deep-Sea Glasses Pattern Half of a file folder 8 pieces of transparent blue plastic, each 5cm x

6cm Scissors Stapler large sheet of black construction paper Bag of M&Ms Sandwich size Ziploc bags Plastic cups Binder clips

Record what happens to your ability to see the colored M&Ms with varying layers of blue film in the chart. Each layer of blue film represents a deeper depth in the ocean.

red, orange and yellow light

•Bioluminescence in fireflies is nanoscale. The glow is caused by the exciting of electrons by a firefly’s enzyme.

•When the electrons quiet down and go back to their stable state, they give off light.

•They glow to attract mates and communicate.

What’s an enzyme?

Angler fish use bioluminescent lures to attract fish.

Bioluminescence is simply light produced by a chemical reaction which originates in an organism.

Tiny crustaceans, Ostracods, also known as "seed shrimp" or "sea fireflies," also use this enzyme to produce bioluminescence in courtship. The males produce blue dots in the water, which are used to attract mates.

A close-up using a scanning electron microscope

Investigating bioluminescence in ostracods Brainstorm variables that affect the

duration of light produced by the ostracod

Materialsdried ostracods plastic cup metal spoon stopwatch.

Place some sea fireflies in a clear cup.Turn off the lights and demonstrate the

bioluminescent light in the sea fireflies. Use your popsicle stick to crush the sea

fireflies. (mixing the chemicals)Add water and then stir the mixture.Start timing. The timer is stopped when

no more luminescence is observed

Euphotic Zone < 200m

Disphotic “Twilight” Zone 200-1000 m

Aphotic the “midnight” Zone > 1000m

sunlight

darker, colder, and under higher pressure

extreme cold, high pressure, low oxygen levels, and no sunlight

Deep-sea creatures have several adaptations that help them survive in the harsh conditions of the disphotic and aphotic zones.

Design a creature that would live in these conditions. Include the characteristics the organisms need to have to survive in these zones:

The euphotic

The disphotic

The aphotic