Date: May 1, 2009
Time: (Eastern Daylight Time) -- Time Zone Converter
Program Title: Empire Shores: Aliens Invade Empire!
Suggested Grade Level: 6 -12 (may be adapted to younger students)
Field Trip Overview:
Empire, Oregon located on Coos Bay, was historically an important location to the native Coos people and became a center of commerce for European settlers to the area beginning in the 1850’s. After many years of important activity, the area fell into decline and became decrepit. It has now been designated as part of an urban renewal district and in recent years has received an influx of tax dollars to improve the area. New shops and businesses are beginning to make the area attractive to tourists and recreational use is steady.
This year South Slough will take time during our EstuaryLive segments to explore Empire’ past, present, and plans for the future. From Empire’s shores wood products, seafood, and people traveled to distant parts of the globe and brought back many stories and some surprises. Now, global events are impacting Empire once again as sea level rise, invasive species, and the decline of fisheries present new challenges to the area and the estuary. Join our on the scene reporter Estuary Eddie as we learn about what is happening and how the people of the Coos Bay estuary are trying to prepare.
Field Trip Outline:
Estuary Eddie (South Slough education coordinator Tom Gaskill) will explore how invasive species have come to be a part of the Coos Bay estuary, what is being done to stop the spread, and how Empire is working towards a sustainable future vision.
Why does Empire, Oregon matter to the world? (10 mins.)
Reporter on the scene Estuary Eddie will introduce his shoreline beat where he is working to uncover the connections between Empire, Oregon and the rest of the world.
The native Coos people were connected to the outside world at a narrow point in the bay called the Hollering Place which linked to a trade route along the coast to the north. Traveling by dug out canoe summoned across the bay at this location, modern day paddlers in a dug out canoe will embark on a journey across the bay to respond to a call from across the water.
In 1852, Camp Castaway signaled the arrival of the U.S. military and the beginning of European settlement. The waterfront of Empire becomes the location for new trade and industry including the export of wood and fisheries to distant ports. Ships bring new arrivals to the area.
Empire becomes established as the county seat for the area as trade develops and settlers begin to arrive.
Questions from viewers about the origins of Empire and the past history will be answered. (3 mins.)
What have these connections to the world meant for Empire? (12 minutes)
Global shipping patterns and practices with the transport of ballast water have led to significant changes for the bay. Ballast water has carried plankton and seeds from distant places and far away waters to Coos Bay.
Plankton sampling techniques will be demonstrated to show what kinds of larvae exist in the estuary’s waters. Settlement panels show the growth of various kinds of larvae including a student study used to understand what lives in the bay and what has been introduced. Examples of invasive species and their effects will be described including the New Zealand burrowing isopod as a threat to shoreline stability and floating docks. The Purple Varnish Clam will also be looked at for the potential damage caused by it’s growing presence. Finally, the European Green Crab will be examined as an example of an introduction that may have consequences for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery and other types of crabs in the estuary. How will warming ocean temperatures affect the distribution of these species?
Questions are submitted from viewers about invasive species and the role they are playing in shaping Empire shores. (3 minutes)
Will Empire prosper once again? (7 minutes)
We will discover how current practices in the shipping industry are being used to combat the spread of invasive species. We will also learn how scientists are using early detection and eradication as a management tool to fight the spread of invasive species.
The dug out canoe will return to shore with a surprising cargo and a mystery to solve.
We will finally learn about current developments planned for Empire shores and how sustainability will play a role in addressing global climate change.
Student Learner Objectives:
| Define estuary |
Estuary Eddie will briefly define an estuary as a place where freshwater and salt water meet when the first segment begins. |
| Locate an estuary on a map, distinguishing it from rivers, oceans and land |
The location of the Coos Estuary will be shown via Google Earth at the beginning. Estuary Eddie will also indicate this on a large map of Oregon. |
| Identify tides as a daily event in an estuary |
The tide will have gone out quite a bit in between our segments. Also, we will address how global climate change will affect sea level and how high the tides may actually get. |
| Describe at least two important functions of estuaries |
We will describe estuaries as nurseries and as calm water inlets for human access to the ocean. |
| List at least three plants or animals that live in an estuary for at least part of their life cycles |
We will cover several species of crabs, ling cod, salmon, and clams (native & alien). |
| Describe how at least one plant or animal has adapted to live in an estuary |
We will discuss how eelgrass is adapted to live only at certain depths in the estuary. |
| State two human activities that might cause an estuary to become unhealthy |
We will discuss several ways students can help fight global warming. |
| Describe how runoff into an estuary might affect the plants, animals, and people |
|
| Identify food webs of estuary plants and animals |
We will describe the relationship between eelgrass and various fish and invertebrates. |
| Describe what they can do to maintain or improve the health of an estuary |
We will discuss specifically how students can help stop global climate change and thus keep the estuaries healthy. |
| Students will be able to describe at least one way that global climate change could affect estuaries |
We will discuss how global warming will change the distribution of eelgrass beds in the estuary. |
| Students will be able to describe at least two activities of estuary scientists |
Students will meet an estuary scientist who works on restoring eelgrass beds and one who is documenting the spread of the invasive purple varnish clam. |
Program Vocabulary:
- Estuary
- Erosion
- Anadromous
- Ballast
- Fouling Panel
- Fishery
- Plankton
- Native Species
- Larva
- Eelgrass Meadow
- Alien Species
- Global Climate Change
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Are alien species from another planet?
- Are all alien species bad?
- How do alien species get to a new location?
- How can we stop the spread of alien species?
- How shallow does the water have to be for eelgrass to survive?
- How will sea level rise affect Empire?
Links to Supporting Materials:
National Education Standards Addressed:
- Understanding about scientific inquiry (K-4)
- Organisms & environments (K-4)
- Characteristics of organisms (K-4)
- Structure and function in living systems (5-8)
- Populations and ecosystems (5-8)
- Interdependence of organisms (9-12)
- Behavior of organisms (9-12)
Contact Information:
Please contact Tom Gaskill, South Slough NERR Education Program Coordinator for more information about this program.