In 2005 in the Northeast it was reported that a deadly fish virus found in one of the Great Lakes and the lake that had the virus was Lake Superior and was reported by Cornell researchers. Now there have been reports that the virus has now reached all of the great lakes. The VHSV (viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus) is said that it does not pose as a threat to humans, but it does in fact affect the fishes in the water in the lakes. The virus causes fatal anemia and hemorrhaging to the fish and many other fish species. The virus has been found in 28 different freshwater fish species in the great lakes watershed. With this virus that is spreading it has created an epidemic in the Great Lakes and New York’s sport-fishing industry.
deadly_fish_virus_now_found_in_all_great_lakes.html Here is the Link
Do you think that this virus will affect our fish over here in Alaska?
For centuries everyone has been off on the estimated time when invertebrates left the water and first made way onto land. New fossil footprints found in Poland help to show they left the water 18 million years earlier than we originally thought. Slowly forming from water creatures and swimmers to walking land inhabiting dinosaurs seems crazy. It took many years of waiting and evolving very slowly moving farther and farther out and away from their water like relatives.
What stopped us from finding out the truth about such creatures and earlier?
How many species or groups began in the water and evolved to walk on land?
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For twenty-seven years now polar bears have been studied and watched by the US Government. Data has shown that over years as ice conditions have worsened the bears have been moving inland and off the ice. between 1979 to 1987 twelve percent of bear sighting were on no ice. Then between 1997 through 2005 this number increased up to ninety percent. The sea ice has drastically decided in about twenty six years resulting in crucial habitat for these big white creatures to disappear. The number of bear-human sitings has also risen and that is something no one wants. These animals belong on the ice where they can live and feed like they always have.
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Will the Ice ever be completely gone?
What will polar bears do to survive without the ice fields, will they find new sources of hunting and food or could their population simply die off?
We have learned that there is a great diversity of amazing coral & sponge species living here in Alaska. Your task is to read this article carefully. Next, write a minimum 2 paragraph COMMENT in complete sentences with correct spelling and grammar, that answers the following:
- Summarize what the article was about in your own words, include a few specific facts/statistics that stood out to you .
- Do you think this article is important/significant? Explain why or why not. Be sure to support your answer!
