Arctic Ocean Exploration

Message in the Bottles

FOCUS the three bottles should be covered with alumi-

Estimating primary productivity num foil to make it opaque
 Carboy or other large container(s) for water col-
GRADE LEVEL lected from local water body, fitted with siphon
9-12 (Earth Science/Chemistry) to allow students to withdraw samples without
aerating the water
FOCUS QUESTION  Appropriate incubation space (see “Learning
How can we measure primary productivity in water
Procedure” Step 2)
bodies?

AUDIO/VISUAL MATERIALS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
None
Students will be able to identify the three realms of
the Arctic Ocean, and describe the relationships
TEACHING TIME
among these realms.
Two or three 45-minute class periods

Students will be able to explain the relationships

SEATING ARRANGEMENT
between gross primary productivity, net primary
Groups of 3-6 students
productivity, and respiration.

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF STUDENTS

Students will understand how oxygen production
Unlimited, depending upon physical space and
and consumption can be measured and used to
financial resources for materials
estimate primary productivity in water bodies.

KEY WORDS
MATERIALS
Pelagic
 “Light-Dark Bottle Activity Guide,” one for each Benthic
student group Sympagic
 Dissolved oxygen test kits (e.g., LaMotte kit Primary productivity
#5860), one kit for each student group OR dis- Gross primary productivity
solved oxygen meter with stirring probe Net primary productivity
 Water sample bottles (e.g., LaMotte #0688-DO or Respiration
equivalent; one bottle is included with each test Autotroph
kit, but you will need to order additional bottles Light-dark bottle
for this activity), three per student group; one of

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION diameter. Diatoms and algae inhabit these channels

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world’s four and obtain energy from sunlight to produce bio-
ocean basins with a total area of about 5.4 mil- logical material through photosynthesis. Bacteria,
lion square miles or 14 million square kilometers viruses, and fungi also inhabit the channels, and
(roughly 1.5 times the size of the United States). together with diatoms and algae provide an energy
It is bordered by Greenland, Canada, Alaska, source (food) for flatworms, crustaceans, and other
Norway, and Russia. The Arctic Ocean has the animals. This community of organisms is called
widest continental shelf of any ocean, extending sympagic, which means “ice-associated.” Partial
750 mi (1,210 km) from the coast of Siberia, but melting of sea ice during the summer months pro-
also has areas that are quite deep. The average duces ponds on the ice surface that contain their
depth is 12,000 ft (3,658 m) and the maximum own communities of organisms. Melting ice also
depth is 17,850 ft (5,441 m). The Chukchi Sea releases organisms and nutrients that interact with
provides a connection with the Pacific Ocean via the ocean water below the ice.
the Bering Strait, but this connection is very narrow
and shallow, so most water exchange is with the The Pelagic Realm includes organisms that live in
Atlantic Ocean via the Greenland Sea. the water column between the ocean surface and
the bottom. Melting sea ice allows more light to
The floor of the Arctic Ocean is divided by three enter the sea, and algae grow rapidly since the
submarine ridges (Alpha Ridge, Lomonosov Ridge, sun shines for 24 hours a day during the summer.
and the Arctic Mid-Oceanic Ridge) one of which These algae provide energy for a variety of float-
(the Lomonosov Ridge) creates a relatively iso- ing animals (zooplankton) that include crustaceans
lated area known as the Canadian Basin. This and jellyfishes. Zooplank-ton, in turn, is the energy
area is particularly interesting to scientists because source for larger pelagic animals including fishes,
its isolation could mean that it contains unique squids, seals, and whales.
life forms that are found nowhere else on Earth.
But the Arctic Ocean is not easily explored: it is When pelagic organisms die, they settle to the
almost entirely covered with ice for eight months ocean bottom, and become the energy source
of the year, a drifting polar ice pack covers the for inhabitants of the Benthic Realm. Sponges,
central and western portions year-round, and sea bivalves, crustaceans, polychaete worms, sea
temperature seldom rises above 0°C. Although anemones, bryozoans, tunicates, and ascidians are
the Arctic is still the world’s least explored ocean, common members of Arctic benthic communities.
new expeditions are about to give us much greater These animals provide energy for bottom-feeding
knowledge of the mysteries of this polar frontier. fishes, whales, and seals.

At this point, we know that there are at least three Most of our knowledge about biological commu-
distinct biological communities in the Arctic Ocean. nities in the Arctic Ocean comes from studies on
The Sea-Ice Realm includes plants and animals that portions of the ocean near the continental shelves.
live on, in, and just under the ice that floats on the Very little research has been done on the sea ice,
ocean’s surface. Because only 50% of this ice melts pelagic, and benthic realms in the deepest parts of
in the summer, ice flows can exist for many years the Arctic Ocean. These areas are the focus of the
and can reach a thickness of more than six ft (2 2002 Ocean Exploration Program’s Arctic Ocean
m). Sea ice is not usually solid like an ice cube, but Expedition.
is riddled with a network of tunnels called brine
channels that range in size from microscopic (a few The foundation of all biological communities are
thousandths of a millimeter) to more than an inch in autotrophic (“self-nourishing”) organisms that are

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oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Estimating primary productivity

able to synthesize organic material from simpler filter. This is the method used by researchers on the
inorganic substances using an external source of Arctic Ocean Expedition.
energy. This process is known as primary produc-
tion or primary productivity. Photosynthetic auto- A key point with this technique is to remember that
trophs (green plants) use sunlight as their energy plants consume organic material through respira-
source, while chemosynthetic organisms (such as tion as well as produce organic material through
bacteria found around hydrothermal vents) obtain photosynthesis. So the organic material on the filter
energy from chemical compounds. In both cases, is the total amount of organic material produced
organic material produced by auto-trophs becomes MINUS the amount of organic material consumed
a source of energy and raw materials for many by the plants themselves. This is called NET pri-
other organisms. In the Arctic Ocean, more than mary productivity. If we want to know the TOTAL
50% of the average primary productivity comes or GROSS primary productivity, we need to know
from single-celled algae that live near the ice- how much organic material was consumed by res-
seawater junction, and this interface is critical to piration.
the polar marine ecosystem. Researchers on the
Arctic Ocean Expedition plan to measure primary To measure total primary productivity, researchers
productivity and water chemistry at various study often use the light-dark bottle technique. With this
sites to learn more about processes that support the method, changes in dissolved oxygen concentration
Arctic’s marine biological communities. are used to measure photosynthesis and respira-
tion (since oxygen is produced in photosynthesis
The procedure for measuring primary productivity and consumed in respiration). Water samples are
by photosynthetic autotrophs is easily understood if placed into clear glass bottles, and a duplicate
we recall the basic equation for photosynthesis: sample is placed into bottles that are painted black
6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight > C6H12O6 + 6O2 or covered with tape so that no light can reach the
sample. Without light, no photosynthesis can occur.
Primary productivity is usually defined as grams of Respiration, however, will continue to take place.
carbon produced per square meter per day. So we A third sample is prepared in a clear glass bottle.
need to know how much glucose (C6H12O6) is pro- Dissolved oxygen in the third sample is measured
duced by photosynthetic plants in a known volume with a dissolved oxygen meter or chemical meth-
of water over a specific time. The equation above ods, and establishes the initial dissolved oxygen
shows that we can either measure glucose directly, present in the light and dark bottle samples at the
or we could measure the amount of CO2 consumed beginning of the experiment.
or the amount of O2 produced, since these are
directly related to the amount of glucose produced. The bottles are stoppered, and allowed to incubate
for 30 minutes to 24 hours (depending upon the
Two techniques are commonly used to measure expected level of productivity; more productive
primary productivity. The first is to measure the waters require shorter incubation times). The bottles
uptake of radioactive carbon (14C). A known vol- may be incubated in the water body from which
ume of water is placed in a clear glass bottle, and the samples were collected (in situ incubation), or
a known quantity of radioactive carbon dioxide is they may be incubated in the laboratory (in vitro
added to the sample. The bottle is placed in sun- incubation). The advantage of in situ incubation
light for a fixed period of time, and then filtered. is that the samples are exposed to natural levels
The organic material produced by photosynthesis of light and temperature, and the result probably
will be trapped on the filter, and can be measured gives the best estimate of actual productivity in the
by measuring the amount of radioactivity on the water body. The advantages of in vitro incubation

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is that it may be more practical in many cases, and Be sure students understand that photosynthesis
is easier to do in a normal class period. can be limited if one or more of the necessary
components is in limited supply. Explain how pri-
After the incubation period is completed, dis- mary productivity can be measured, and be sure
solved oxygen is measured in all bottles. Oxygen students understand the difference between gross
is expected to have increased in the light bottles and net primary productivity. You may want to
due to photosynthesis, and to have decreased in have the students practice the dissolved oxygen
the dark bottles due to respiration. When the mea- measuring technique before beginning the light-
surements are completed, total oxygen produced dark bottle activity.
is calculated by adding the oxygen consumed in
the dark bottles to the oxygen produced in the cor- 2. Prepare a suitable area for incubating the water
responding light bottles. Total oxygen consumption samples. The area should have strong artificial
can be used to calculate gross primary production illumination and relatively constant temperature.
as explained below. A constant-temperature water bath with two 40-
watt fluorescent tubes at a distance of 50 – 100
In this activity, students will measure gross and net cm is ideal. Less elaborate incubation areas can
primary productivity in a local water body. This work, too. Be sure to avoid direct exposure to
activity is best done in late spring or early fall sunlight, and select an area in which the bottles
when primary production is still fairly high. Except can remain undisturbed during the incubation
in vary warm areas, primary productivity is gener- period.
ally low during winter months, and may be difficult
to measure. The following procedure uses a chemi- Prepare the water sample bottles. Each bottle
cal titration method to measure dissolved oxygen should have a unique number, and one bottle for
as it is much less expensive than electronic oxygen each group should be covered with aluminum foil
measuring instruments (which typically cost more to make the bottle opaque.
than $1,000). If a dissolved oxygen meter is avail-
able, visit http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/monitoring/vol.html for 3. Obtain sufficient water from a local water body
suggestions on appropriate procedures. (lake, pond, river, estuary, etc.) to supply each
student group with at least 300 ml of water. Try
to collect the water within 24 hours of the begin-
LEARNING PROCEDURE ning of the activity, and try to maintain light and
1. Review Background Information on the Arctic temperature levels reasonably close to those in
Ocean and its three known biological realms. the area from which the water was collected.
Emphasize that the three realms are coupled, Set up the supply container(s) with siphons, and
and that photosynthesis by microscopic algae avoid shaking or vigorously aerating the water
(phytoplankton) provides the energy for other since it will be impossible to measure an increase
organisms in these realms (i.e., the algae are due to photosynthesis if the water becomes satu-
the “base of the food web”). You may want rated with oxygen.
to mention that other marine systems (such as
those in the vicinity of hydrothermal vents) are 4. Have each student group follow procedures given
not dependent on photosynthesis for energy, in the “Light-Dark Bottle Activity Guide” Steps 1
but rely on chemosynthesis instead (see http: – 3.
//oceanexplorer.noaa.gov for lesson plans and back-
ground information on these systems). If neces- Be sure students understand the importance of
sary, review the basic concepts of photosynthesis. avoiding excessive aeration during transfer of the

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 Arctic Ocean Exploration—Grades 9-12 (Earth Science/Chemistry)
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Estimating primary productivity

water from the supply container to the sample Since 1 liter is equivalent to 1,000 cubic centime-
bottles. ters, and there are 1,000,000 cubic centimeters in
a cubic meter, we can determine how many grams
5. After the samples have incubated for 24 hours, of carbon are produced per cubic meter per hour
have students complete Steps 4 – 6 in the “Light- by multiplying grams of carbon per liter per hour
Dark Bottle Activity Guide.” by 1,000.

6. Have students present their results to the entire Finally, since there are 24 hours in a day, we can
class. Lead a discussion interpreting these results. convert grams of carbon per cubic meter per hour
If different groups obtain very different results, to grams of carbon per cubic meter per day by
discuss possible reasons. These should include multiplying by 24.
natural variability among samples as well as
experimental error. We can combine these steps by multiplying mg O2
/liter/hour by 9, since 0.000375 x 1,000 x 24
Be sure students understand the basis for the = 9. The final result is grams of carbon per cubic
numbers used in calculating gross productivity, meter per day. If we wanted to express primary
net productivity, and respiration. Units of mea- productivity as grams of carbon per square meter
sure are very important in these calculations, and per day, we would multiply grams of carbon per
can be confusing. cubic meter per day by the depth in meters over
which there is adequate light for photosynthesis
The following discussion provides some additional to take place. Since there is obviously more light
background for those who want to discuss the basis near the surface than in deeper waters, research-
for the calculations in more detail. The LaMotte ers might make light-dark bottle measurements at
titrator provides a direct read-out of dissolved oxy- several depths and integrate the results to calculate
gen concentration in parts-per-million (ppm), which total productivity in the water column, or they might
is equivalent to mg/kg and also to mg/l for fresh- measure the intensity of photosynthetically-active
water. Seawater has a slightly higher density than radiation at different depths and use this informa-
freshwater. tion to estimate productivity in the entire water
column.
Once oxygen production or consumption has been
calculated in mg O2/liter/hour, this figure can be THE BRIDGE CONNECTION
converted to grams of carbon per liter per hour by www.vims.edu/bridge/polar.html
multiplying by 0.000375:
a. 6 moles of O2 are produced for each mole of THE “ME” CONNECTION
C6H12O6; Have students write a one-page essay on the
b. there are 32 grams of O2 in each mole of importance of marine primary productivity to their
O2, and 72 grams of carbon in each mole of own lives. To make it a bit more challenging, nar-
C6H12O6; row the question to the importance of ARCTIC
c. so there are 6 x 32 = 192 grams of O2 pro- marine primary productivity.
duced for every 72 grams of carbon produced,
which is equivalent to 72 ÷ 192 = 0.375 CONNECTIONS TO OTHER SUBJECTS
grams carbon per gram O2. Since there are English/Language Arts, Chemistry, Mathematics
1,000 mg in a gram, one mg O2 is equivalent
to 0.000375 grams of carbon. EVALUATION
Completion of Data Sheets included in the “Light-

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Dark Bottle Activity Guide” may be used as one NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS
basis for evaluation. Students may also be asked to Content Standard A: Science As Inquiry
prepare written interpretations of their data prior • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
to or instead of the presentation and discussion in • Understanding about scientific inquiry
Step 6. Content Standard B: Physical Science
• Chemical reactions
EXTENSIONS Content Standard C: Life Science
1. Have different student groups incubate their • Interdependence of Organisms
samples under different light conditions. Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science
Layers of gray plastic window screen can be • Energy in the Earth system
used to reduce light reaching the light bottles.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
2. Have students visit http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Paula Keener-Chavis, National Education
to get more details on activities and results Coordinator/Marine Biologist
of primary productivity studies on the Arctic NOAA Office of Exploration
Ocean Expedition. Hollings Marine Laboratory
331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston SC 29412
RESOURCES 843.762.8818
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov – Find out more about the 843.762.8737 (fax)
Arctic Ocean Expedition and read daily documen- [email protected]
taries and reports of discoveries posted for your
classroom use. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This lesson plan was produced by Mel Goodwin,
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/ – NOAA’s Arctic theme page PhD, The Harmony Project, Charleston, SC for the
with numerous links to other relevant sites. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
If reproducing this lesson, please cite NOAA as the
http://maps.grida.no/arctic/ – Thematic maps of the Arctic source, and provide the following URL:
region showing populations, ecoregions, etc. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov

http://www.thearctic.is/ – A web resource on human-

environment relationships in the Arctic.

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/regionhs/CENTRAL/arcexplor
– Website produced by Fisheries and Oceans
Canada on the Arctic.

http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/monitoring/vol.html – Links to
water quality monitoring techniques

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 Arctic Ocean Exploration—Grades 9-12 (Earth Science/Chemistry)
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Student Handout

Light-Dark Bottle Activity Guide

1. Obtain three water sample bottles. One of these should be black glass or
be covered with aluminum foil to make it opaque. Record the numbers of
the three bottles on the Data Sheet.

2. Carefully fill each of the bottles with water from the large container. Put the
end of the siphon all the way to the bottom of each bottle before releas-
ing the clamp. Avoid shaking the sample, splashing, or anything else that
will add oxygen to the sample water. Tap the bottom of the bottle gently
on a table to dislodge any air bubbles.

3. Put one clear glass bottle and the opaque bottle in the incubation area.
Record the time on the Data Sheet. As soon as this is done, measure the
dissolved oxygen in the remaining clear glass bottle using the “Dissolved
Oxygen Determination Procedure” described below. Record the results on
the Data Sheet.

4. After about 24 hours, remove the two bottles from the incubation area.
Record the time on the Data Sheet.

5. Measure the dissolved oxygen in each of the two bottles using the
“Dissolved Oxygen Determination Procedure” described below. Record
the results on the Data Sheet.

6. Calculations:
a. Calculate the incubation time in hours and hundredths of hours (divide
minutes by 60 and round to two decimal places).

b. Calculate “Net Oxygen Production” by subtracting “Initial Dissolved

Oxygen” (determined in Step 3) from “Final Dissolved Oxygen (Light
Bottle).” The units for the answer will be parts-per-million O2, which is
the same as mg O2 per liter.
 Arctic Ocean Exploration—Grades 9-12 (Earth Science/Chemistry)
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Estimating primary productivity

Student Handout

c. Calculate “Oxygen Consumed by Respiration” by subtracting “Final

Dissolved Oxygen (Dark Bottle)” from “Initial Dissolved Oxygen.”
Again, the units for the answer will be parts-per-million O2, which is
the same as mg O2 per liter.

d. Calculate “Total Dissolved Oxygen Production” by adding “Oxygen

Consumed by Respiration” to “Net Oxygen Production.” Yes, you
guessed it, the units for the answer will be parts-per-million O2, which
is the same as mg O2 per liter.

e. Calculate “Total Carbon Production” by multiplying “Total Dissolved

Oxygen Production” by 0.375 mg C/mg O2. The units for the answer
will be mg C per liter.

f. Calculate “Carbon Production Rate” by dividing “Total Carbon

Production” by “Incubation Time.” The units for the answer will be mg
C per liter per hour.

g.“Total Daily Productivity” is expressed in units of “grams Carbon per

cubic meter, per day.” To convert “Carbon Production Rate” to “Total
Daily Productivity,” multiply “Carbon Production Rate” by 1,000 to
convert liters to cubic meters, then divide by 1,000 to convert mg to
grams, then multiply by 24 to convert hours to days. You’re right, you
really only have to multiply by 24, since conversion to grams and
cubic meters cancel each other out.
 Arctic Ocean Exploration—Grades 9-12 (Earth Science/Chemistry)
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Estimating primary productivity

Student Handout

Light-Dark Bottle Data Sheet

Names of Researchers______________________________________________

Light Bottle No. ____ Dark Bottle No. ____ Initial Sample Bottle No. _____
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incubation Start Date __________ Incubation Start Time __________

Incubation End Date __________ Incubation End Time __________

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Initial Dissolved Oxygen Determination

Titration #1 Titration #2 Titration #3 Average

Beginning Titrator Reading __________ __________ __________ ___________

Final Titrator Reading __________ __________ __________ ___________

Dissolved Oxygen (ppm) __________ __________ __________ ___________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Final Dissolved Oxygen (Light Bottle) Determination

Titration #1 Titration #2 Titration #3 Average

Beginning Titrator Reading __________ __________ __________ ___________

Final Titrator Reading __________ __________ __________ ___________

Dissolved Oxygen (ppm) __________ __________ __________ ___________

 Arctic Ocean Exploration—Grades 9-12 (Earth Science/Chemistry)
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Estimating primary productivity

Student Handout

Final Dissolved Oxygen (Dark Bottle) Determination

Titration #1 Titration #2 Titration #3 Average

Beginning Titrator Reading __________ __________ __________ ___________

Final Titrator Reading __________ __________ __________ ____________

Dissolved Oxygen (ppm) __________ __________ __________ ___________

Calculations:

a. Incubation Time = _______________ hours

b. Net Oxygen Production = _______________ mg O2 per liter
c. Oxygen Consumed by Respiration = _______________ mg O2 per liter
d. Total Dissolved Oxygen Production = _______________ mg O2 per liter
e. Total Carbon Production = _______________ mg C per liter
f. Carbon Production Rate = _______________ mg C per liter per hour
g. Total Daily Productivity = _______________ grams C per cubic meter per day

Dissolved Oxygen Determination Procedure

Sample Preservation
CAUTION: The chemicals used in this procedure are caustic. Safety gloves and glasses
should be worn during this procedure (see safety recommendations).
STEP 1. Remove the cap from the water sample bottle and add 8 drops of Manganous
Sulfate Solution.

STEP 2. Add 8 drops of Alkaline Potassium Iodide Azide Solution.

STEP 3. Cap and mix, allow precipitate to settle.

STEP 4. Add 8 drops of Sulfuric Acid 1:1.

STEP 5. Cap and mix until reagent and precipitate dissolve. Sample is now “fixed.”