Weird and Wonderful Water

Water is the stuff of life. We can't live without it, and neither can the rest of the food chain. The search for extraterrestrial life hinges on whether or not a planet or moon contains liquid water, but that assumes that any life off Earth is the same as Earth-based life. This week we'll take a look about what makes water so special and how it keeps all of us alive.

Water, the most abundant substance on Earth.
Unless air is more abundant.

Water is unique among all chemicals (yes, it's a chemical) because it is the only one found in solid, liquid, and gas states naturally on Earth. While ice and water vapor aren't basic requirements for life, they are key components of the water cycle. Water stored as snow and ice in the mountains is slowly released during the dry summers in the American west, meaning a steady flow in rivers throughout the year. Clouds made of water vapor transport precipitation over long distances. On top of that, ice and steam make modern life more convenient- think food storage and electricity generation.

Winter snow waiting for the spring melt, March 2016

Typically, solids are more dense than liquids, which in turn are more dense than gases. Water flips this around, as ice is less dense than liquid water. If you freeze a container of water, you'll notice that the ice fills more of the container than the water did. This is why your frozen pipes burst in winter. The expansion of water as it freezes is a visual of the density decreasing. Because ice is less dense than water, it floats. Because ice floats, it forms on the surface of lakes and other bodies. This allows aquatic life to survive. If water froze from the bottom up, everything would either freeze in place, or eventually be exposed on the surface.

Molecular structure of liquid water and ice (Mountain Empire CC)

Water has adhesive and cohesive properties. Water molecules stick to each other (cohesion) and other substances (adhesion). Adhesion causes capillary action. This is the movement that is responsible for plants being able to absorb water in the ground through their roots, up the stem, and to the highest leaves. Cohesion also contributes to surface tension. Water molecules on the surface are more tightly packed and can resist pressure from outside forces. This allows objects to float. Water striders can stand on the surface because of surface tension.

Water strider striding water (National Wildlife Federation)

Water has a high specific heat. Specific heat is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a gram of water by one degree Celsius. Because it takes a lot of energy (1 calorie per gram) to heat water, it takes a lot of heat to boil water. Ocean life appreciates not being boiled. Water also holds onto heat it absorbs and releases it slowly, moderating Earth's temperature and making the seasonal changes gradual.

Water dissolves more substances than any other. The polar structure of the water molecule. The positive hydrogen end will attract negative ions, while the negative oxygen ends attract positive ions. Water's solvency is important for plants and animals to absorb nutrients, and for animals to flush waste from their bodies. Nonpolar substances like fats do not dissolve. That's where the saying "Oil and water don't mix" comes from. Less dense fats will float on top of water, and with some skill they can be separated.

Next time you take a drink, raise a glass in appreciation of water. Without it, your drink wouldn't be here and neither would you. This week's information comes from USGS and Mountain Empire Community College.

Species of the Month

Halloween is just around the corner. Traditionally, we examine a spooky critter with a connection to Halloween for the Species of the Month. This year let’s try something different. There’s nothing scary about a ghost crab, but its name fits the season. 

Ghost crab (Science Magazine)

Scientific name: Ocypode quadrata 

Kingdom: Animalia (animals)

Class: Malacostraca (soft-shelled crustaceans)

Order: Decapoda (ten-footed crustaceans)

Range: Rhode Island to Brazil 

Habitat: Ocean or estuary beaches, from the tide line to the dunes 

Lifespan: 3 years 

Diet: Bean clams, mole crabs, sea turtle eggs and hatchlings, organic detritus 

Predators: Shore birds, gulls, raccoons 

Conservation status: No special protection

Other info: Ghost crabs are small, nocturnal crustaceans. They grow to about a two inch carapace (back shell) with long legs and eye stalks, and their claws are uneven sizes. Ghost crabs hatch from an egg in the ocean and go through six larval stages before developing into adult crabs. Unlike other crabs that can only mate when the female is molting, ghost crabs can and do mate at anytime after reaching maturity which is usually after a year old.  

Juvenile ghost crab (NPS)

Ghost crabs live in burrows in the sand. They plug the holes during the day and emerge at night for feeding and mating. Mating occurs near the male’s burrow. They travel several feet per night and may not return to the same burrow. Occasionally they will go into the water to wet their gills; they are also capable of absorbing water from the sand into their gills. 

Ghost crabs can be used as an indicator species to monitor the health of their habitat. Populations can be easily estimated by counting burrows. Knowing the status of the crab population can tell what kind of impact human activities are having on the ecosystem overall. Off road vehicles and coastal development are the biggest challenges we give them. 

A pair of ghost crabs (NPS)

Once again this week's information comes from the Animal Diversity Web at University of Michigan. Next week is a rerun. We'll have fresh content after Halloween. Stay tuned!

South American Splendor

Hispanic Heritage Month is about to wrap up, and before it does let's celebrate by taking a look at some of the fantastic ecosystems south of the border. While the Amazon and Andes are the best known features of South America, there are many diverse habitats. This week we're exploring the Pantanal, the Pampas, and the Llanos, important natural features maybe you've never heard of.

The Pantanal is the largest wetlands in the world, located in Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Located just south of the Amazon, and in its shadow, the Pantanal actually has a higher concentration of wildlife than its more celebrated neighbor. This wetland is flooded by annual monsoon rains that leave behind pools of snacks for birds. Unlike the Amazon, the Pantanal is open, so ecotourism is easier. Not only are there better views of the wildlife and scenery, it's also more accessible because of the openness.

Pantanal (The Guardian)

The Pampas is a large grassland like the Serengeti or the Great Plains. It is in Argentina, Brazil, and Uraguay. It is flat and gently slopes toward the Atlantic. The western Pampas near the Andes is a dry section with brackish streams and ponds, but in the east it is more humid, better watered, and more fertile. While much of the land is still unchanged, large areas have been developed for agriculture.

Pampas (The South American Specialists)

The Llanos is a tropical grassland in Colombia and Venezuela. Wedged between mountains and highlands, the Orinoco River drains the region. Seasonal rains flood the plains, and after the rainy season it can be quite parched. The dryness had limited development in the past, but irrigation and mining activities are making it economical for people to live in the area.

Llanos (Latin America & Caribbean Geographic)

South America has so much more to offer than tropical rain forests and jagged mountain peaks. I hope this piqued your curiosity about these and other lesser known natural wonders. Information this week comes from National Geographic (Pantanal), Britannica (Pampas), and Geography (Llanos).

Firefly Recap 2020

The 2020 Firefly Watch is complete, and it's time to crunch the numbers. While many science opportunities were cancelled this year because of the coronavirus, standing in my parents' back yard at night was not affected at all. 

I started with this project in 2018 and chose to continue at the same location in order to monitor the same population. Protocol for Firefly Watch is to count the number of flashes in three periods of ten seconds each on the same night. We record the number of flashes, the color of the flashes, the flash pattern (single flash, J shaped, double flash, etc.), and weather data- temperature, wind, cloud cover, and precipitation. I chose to use the same dates every year. I ended observation when after being shut out twice in a row. This year observations ended on September 3, the earliest end date so far.

Observations got off to a slow start this year. By the time I got through the first observation of June, I only had three flashes recorded. By the end of June, things were picking up. Flashes peaked slightly earlier than previous years, and lasted slightly longer. The post-peak crash wasn't as steep this year. Despite the slow start, early finish, and missing two observations because of vacation, the 2020 total number of flashes was the highest of the three seasons I've done Firefly Watch. 2018 had 694 flashes, 674 in 2019, and 708 in 2020. The increases and decreases year to year are slight, and statistically speaking the population is stable. 

I blame the slow start on the weather. My first observation was May 21, which was less than three weeks after our last snow flurry of the season. A warm winter gave way to a cold spring, which probably delayed firefly emergence.

I will credit the coronavirus along with the weather for the higher number of flashes this year. Fireflies prefer a dark night so they can see each other better. Due to the virus, baseball games were cancelled at the park adjacent to my parents' house. No stadium lights, and the lights at the school next door were off late in the season due to school being digital to start the year. There was no rain during any of my observations this year, and that made for better flying weather. No lightning also makes a darker sky.

I am already looking forward to the start of the 2021 season. Observations will be on Fridays and Mondays next year. Three day weekend getaways might have to wait until September, but as long as firefly numbers remain steady or increase, it will be worth the wait.

Species of the Month

The elk rut is upon us, so to that end the Species of the Month for September is the elk. In North America there are four surviving subspecies and two that are extinct. In Eurasia, where it is known as red deer, there are eight subspecies. 

Female elk herd

Scientific name: Cervus elaphus

Kingdom: Animalia (animals) 

Class: Mammalia (mammals) 

Order: Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)

Bull elk

Range: Western North America, northern Europe, northern Asia, isolated reintroduced populations in eastern US, introduced populations in Ireland, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile

Habitat: Open woodlands

Lifespan: Average 20 years, but difficult to gauge due to hunting

Diet: Grasses, sedges, forbs; woody growth in winter

Predators: Gray wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, bears

Conservation Status: No special protection 

Elk calf nursing

Other Information: The elk is known for the haunting bugle call of the male during the rut. Bugling is used for attracting a mate and advertising territory. Like other horned or antlered mammals, male elk will spar to establish dominance. Dominant males form a harem of females. On occasion, a lesser male will sneak in to mate with one or more of the harem. Elk are social and form segregated herds. Females and calves are dominated by a single alpha female. Males form a bachelor herd. The sexes mingle during the late summer/early fall migration and mating season. Following the birth of calves, mothers and their babies form a separate nursery herd away from the rest of their normal herd. Aside from being larger than deer, elk can also be distinguished by a larger head, dark mane, and large white rump patch. Like deer, elk are most active in early morning and late evening. Coming around a bend on the way to work and seeing the big white butt in the road is a great way to start the day, if given enough stopping distance. Elk browse on grasses and forbs in spring, summer, and fall. Their winter diet may include green woody growth. As ungulates, they have a multi-chambered stomach and chew their cud. Only male elk grow antlers, which they shed annually. Eastern populations of elk were extirpated in the 19th century. Several successful reintroductions of Rocky Mountain elk have since occurred, notably in Elk County, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky.

Bull elk showing off his rump patch

This week's information comes from University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web. Stay tuned for a recap of the 2020 firefly season next week.