The Persuasive Perch
Harlem Murray Pre-Ap Biology April 10, 2014
Objective
Today, students will learn the importance of perch, humans impact on them and some ecological adaptations. Students will also learn about the perch's trophic level, habitat, and even take a glance at the endocrine system of the perch.
Background Information
The perch is a common freshwater gamefish with the most variation found in North America. They are apart of the kingdom Animalia and under the phylum Chordata. Many gamefish resemble the perch but their are actually only three species of perch in the entire world. They are actually mostly characterized for being fresh water fish
Importance of the perch
The perch is are extremely common, often the primary food source of many organisms in a freshwater habitat. They are eaten in many states and even have dishes with them as the main ingredient in them.
Human impact
Perches have been effected by the constant introduction of new perch species in the case that they have had mutations that cause them not to function well, like them being over- or under-sized.
Ecological Adaptations
Perches secrete mucus from their skin that allows them to escape their predators a lot easier than many other fish.
Perch Dissection.wmv
Habitat
Perches live in close to coast lines and in relatively shallow waters.They are most dense in aquatic vegetation because they naturally school. They also prefer mud, sand, or gravel bottoms
Trophic Level
Perches in most habitats are considered secondary consumers as adults and primary consumers as juveniles.
They are carnivores because the eat mostly invertebrates and small fish.
Circulatory System
Perches have a low pressure, single loop meaning there is only one direction that blow flows, using the heart as a pump. Deoxygenated blood is pumped through the heart to the gills where it will have oxygen added to it. Then the oxygenated blood goes straight to the body, thus completing one circuit.