Jellyfish and Tourism
Many scientists believe jellyfish blooms are increasing, but why does that matter? The painful stings from their tentacles can reduce tourism, pose public health risks, and damage marine ecosystems. Jellyfish also prey on fish larvae, leading to fewer fish in our oceans. Unlike many marine creatures, jellyfish need less oxygen, giving them a competitive edge as ocean conditions change.
Using Python code, we created graphs and maps to plot the average annual number of jellyfish, their locations, and ocean temperatures over time. Next, we plan to conduct a two-month experiment to test which water temperatures allow jellyfish larvae to thrive and grow into adults.
So how does ocean temperature affect jellyfish populations? Jellyfish polyps need cold water to survive, but as climate change warms the oceans, we hypothesize that these polyps may retreat to deeper, colder waters to continue developing.
Using Python code, we created graphs and maps to plot the average annual number of jellyfish, their locations, and ocean temperatures over time. Next, we plan to conduct a two-month experiment to test which water temperatures allow jellyfish larvae to thrive and grow into adults.
So how does ocean temperature affect jellyfish populations? Jellyfish polyps need cold water to survive, but as climate change warms the oceans, we hypothesize that these polyps may retreat to deeper, colder waters to continue developing.
Meet the Young Scientist!
Riley 13 Years Old |
Meet the Young Scientist!
Genevieve 12 Years Old |
