#7

From Module (13), you will have this question:

• Gray whales, a marine mammal, have a number of unique characteristics. Is the gray whale considered a baleen or toothed whale? Why? What are some adaptations of gray whales to dive to great depths and stay submerged for long periods of time? Linking ideas of seasons and productivity, explain the seasonal cycle of migration of gray whales. Finally, answer this question: Do gray whales need protection from humans? Why or why not?

From Module (14), you will have this question:

• Marine life in our oceans must adapt to harsh ocean conditions (darkness, cold, changing salinities, etc.) as well as human influences. Please choose ONE of the following oceanic ecosystems, and outline its physical characteristics and its marine life. Then, discuss how the life in that ecosystem has adapted to the environmental conditions it must live within. Finally, discuss at least one way that humans are impacting the ecosystem you chose, and the effects of human impact to marine life there. (Choices of biozones: Coral Reefs, Rocky Intertidal Coasts, Salt Marshes, Mangrove Swamps, Kelp Forests, Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents, The Open Sea, Sandy Beaches)

From Module (15), you will have this question:

• Climate change is a real, and significant, issue for the Earth’s oceans. What causes climate to change? Discuss both natural and anthropogenic causes for climate change. Then, list and describe at least four of the observed changes in the world's oceans as a function of climatic changes. Include both the cause, and the effects, of each observed change. Next, discuss at least one way to mitigate or adapt to each of the changes you list. Use specific examples to support your discussion of changes, drawing on the module case study.