CLIMATE ANALYSIS USING
PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA, A
CLASSROOM
ACTIVITY INTEGRATING
SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS
HILARY CLEMENT OLSON
INTRODUCTION
Age Level: This activity is appropriate for middle school students in seventh or
eighth grade. It may be adapted for use with high school biology students.
Prerequisites: Students should have an understanding of planktonic foraminifera.
They should have a concept that our planet's climate has not always been as it is today. A
review of the use of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma coiling ratios as a proxy for paleoclimate
would be useful. Neogloboquadrina pachyderma is an excellent recorder of climatic
temperatures through geologic time. When the earth experiences periods of relatively cold
temperatures, ocean waters are cooler and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma forms its test
(shell) such that it coils to the left. Alternatively, during periods of relatively warm
temperatures when ocean waters are warmer, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma constructs its
test with a coiling direction to the right. Students should be able to perform simple arithmetic
procedures, namely, adding and formulation of percentage data. An answer key to the data
chart is provided for you in Table 2. In addition, the students should know how to plot
scientific data on graph paper. A graph of the data is given in Figure 1.
Objective: This exercise allows students to manipulate scientific data, plot the data
and then interpret their results. You might query the students as to what is the "cause" and
what is the "effect" in this scientific problem. The fact that our planet's climate has changed
drastically throughout geologic time will be emphasized. Students should recognize that the
climate will likely continue to change in the future.
Follow-Up: You might want to follow this activity with a discussion of the causes
for climate change, past, present and future. This exercise can foster discussions on current
climate change. The class could discuss current evidence for climate change and what might
be the potential causes, both natural and man-made, for this change.
CLIMATE ANALYSIS USING PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA
Instructions: Follow the instructions given below and those of your teacher to
complete this activity.
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1) You have been given a series of samples containing planktonic foraminifera representing
time from the present to 160,000 years ago. After your analysis of the material, you decide to
look at the climatic signal from these samples. You are aware that a particular species of
foraminifera, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, is an excellent recorder of water temperature
through geologic time. When the earth experiences periods of relatively cold temperatures,
ocean waters are cooler and Neogloboquadrina pachyderma forms its test (shell) such that it
coils to the left. Alternatively, during periods of relatively warm temperatures when ocean
waters are warmer, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma constructs its test with a coiling direction
to the right. Therefore, you have separated out the specimens of Neogloboquadrina
pachyderma from your samples. For each sample you have counted how many of this species
coil to the left and how many coil to the right. Your data is recorded in Table 1. Your next
step is to calculate the percentage data for each sample. You must calculate percentage data
so that your information is not biased by the total amount of foraminifera present in the
sample. Complete the worksheet in Table 1 by calculating the total number of
Neogloboquadrina pachyderma for each sample and the percentages of right- and left-coiling
forms of the species. The first sample is done for you on the worksheet.
2) Next, use graph paper to plot your results. On the vertical axis you should plot the age of
the samples with "0" at the top and "-160,000" at the bottom. On the horizontal axis, plot the
percentage of right-coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma with "0%" on the left side and
"100%" on the right side. You should now have a graph representing the climatic signal
derived from the coiling ratios of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma.
3) Analyze your graph and make an interpretation of the climatic history on our planet during
the last 160,000 years. Describe this history below and provide evidence for this
interpretation.
Table 1. Neogloboquadrina pachyderma coiling rations worksheet
Age (years ago) |
Right coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
Left coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
Total number Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
% Right coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
% Left coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
|
0 |
230 |
50 |
280 |
82% |
18% |
|
10,000 |
220 |
75 |
|
|
|
|
20,000 |
70 |
230 |
|
|
|
|
30,000 |
45 |
300 |
|
|
|
|
40,000 |
50 |
302 |
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
65 |
389 |
|
|
|
|
60,000 |
20 |
140 |
|
|
|
|
70,000 |
56 |
287 |
|
|
|
|
80,000 |
63 |
267 |
|
|
|
|
90,000 |
212 |
56 |
|
|
|
|
100,000 |
120 |
23 |
|
|
|
|
110,000 |
87 |
45 |
|
|
|
|
120,000 |
203 |
66 |
|
|
|
|
130,000 |
56 |
205 |
|
|
|
|
140,000 |
45 |
332 |
|
|
|
|
150,000 |
89 |
135 |
|
|
|
|
160,000 |
123 |
166 |
|
|
|
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Table 2. Answers to Neogloboquadrina pachyderma coiling rations worksheet
Age (years ago) |
Right coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
Left coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
Total number Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
% Right coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
% Left coiling Neogloboquadrina pachyderma |
|
0 |
230 |
50 |
280 |
82% |
18% |
|
10,000 |
220 |
75 |
295 |
75% |
25% |
|
20,000 |
70 |
230 |
300 |
23% |
77% |
|
30,000 |
45 |
300 |
345 |
13% |
87% |
|
40,000 |
50 |
302 |
352 |
14% |
86% |
|
50,000 |
65 |
389 |
454 |
14% |
86% |
|
60,000 |
20 |
140 |
160 |
13% |
88% |
|
70,000 |
56 |
287 |
343 |
16% |
84% |
|
80,000 |
63 |
267 |
330 |
19% |
81% |
|
90,000 |
212 |
56 |
268 |
79% |
21% |
|
100,000 |
120 |
23 |
143 |
84% |
16% |
|
110,000 |
87 |
45 |
132 |
66% |
34% |
|
120,000 |
203 |
66 |
269 |
75% |
25% |
|
130,000 |
56 |
205 |
261 |
21% |
79% |
|
140,000 |
45 |
332 |
377 |
12% |
88% |
|
150,000 |
89 |
135 |
224 |
40% |
60% |
|
160,000 |
123 |
166 |
289 |
43% |
57% |
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