This article talks about the mating patterns of the American eel, which scientists have tracked for the first time. In prior years, scientists have assumed the eels have mated in the Sargasso Sea because of the sudden appearance of eel larvae in the spring, but have had no concrete evidence to support this claim. Now, however, because of new technology, scientists finally have that proof. Because traditional tracking devices were too big for the small statured eels, scientists created new mini trackers to attach so they could monitor the movements and living conditions of the eels as they migrate. After a few trials with the trackers (predators ate them too often) they were able to pinpoint the journey of the eels to the Sargasso Sea. This migration is remarkable, and scientists say it is one of the most dramatic on Earth, believing the eels orient themselves by the Earth’s geomagnetic field. Karin Limburg, a scientist from SUNY Syracuse stated that this tracking is revolutionary and crucial to helping the species, which are considered endangered: “In order to develop conservation plans, we need to learn as much as possible about the entire life cycle of eels, and the largest information vacuum is this long, long migration back to the spawning area.”
This article really opened my eyes to a topic I had never heard about before. It is so relevant because entire species, such as the American eel, are in danger because of human interactions: “Hydroelectric dams block the eels’ migration inland, and the larvae are often illegally fished.” Also, climate change poses a threat to the eels because it could affect migration patterns. If everything continues on its course as is, the eel population could be destroyed and affect countless ecosystems in innumerable ways, such as the basic food chain.
The New York Times is a highly respectable newspaper with a reputation for delivering the best news in a professional fashion. This article furthered that reputation, as I found excellent research and couldn’t find any grammatical errors. Rachel Nuwer, the author of this piece, has written several articles for the Times, most about climate or endangered species. The one thing she could have included in her writing was a possible solution to this issue, because it is left rather open-ended. Other than that, the article was well-written and an interesting read.
Nuwer, Rachel. "Closing In on Where Eels Go to Connect." The New York Times. The New York Times, 07 Dec. 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/08/science/closing-in-on-where-eels-go-to-connect.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront>.
Mallory-nicely done! I think overall you wrote a very good report with interesting information and nice commentary on the article. One thing in particular I liked was how at the start of your summary you gave a brief explanation about the question at hand: where did the eels go and travel when they mate. This was a mystery to scientists for years and they have just recently developed technology to answer their questions. A second thing that I enjoyed about your report was that you used quotes from the article and scientists. I always think that using direct quotations makes articles more credible because you can see scientists opinions and data so I appreciate you using them in your report. A third aspect about your report that I liked was how you organized the flow of information. I was not left at any points with gaps in information. The order that you presented topics was logical and you used clear and simple language to highlight the problem and the answers.
ReplyDeleteWhile you did an extremely great job writing your report, there were a few aspects that I thought you could improve on. I think you could have done a better job on showing the relevance that this information has to more people’s lives. I understand that eels are not generally relevant to most people’s lives, but maybe the small tracking system can have impacts on other’s lives. Another area that I think you could have improved on was that you could have developed your personal opinion more. Great job overall!
I do not think that the information about the eels in this article is very relevant to most people, however, the tiny trackers developed have potential to impact many people’s lives. I chose this article because it was about a topic I had never read about before. I am glad I read it because it opened my eyes to topics I was not aware of before.
Mallory,
ReplyDeleteI thought your review of “Closing In on Where Eels Go to Connect” was really interesting and well-written. The review was short and sweet with just the right amount of information and details. Your quote from Karin Limburg about the importance of this new discovery - “In order to develop conservation plans, we need to learn as much as possible about the entire life cycle of eels, and the largest information vacuum is this long, long migration back to the spawning area” - gave credibility to the research and enhanced your writing. Also, the flow in your writing from one topic to the other was marvelous and kept me engaged throughout. Last but not least, I think your analysis of the author’s article was thorough, and I agree: it would have been nice to present a possible solution to saving the American eels.
Though the author didn’t have the solution, maybe you could have taken it one step further and include your own thoughts on possibilities to save the eels. Another thing that you could have included was more about the new tracking device. I know that this article was more about the eels, but I think the tracking device is also important in this discussion and can expand our horizons to learning about migration patterns of animals we never thought was achievable.
I was first drawn to this article because I was curious to what the article title meant by “go to connect”; I had an idea, but I wasn’t positive. As I said previously, the tracking device can help us explore and learn more about other animals besides eels. Like you, I’ve never really heard of this topic and had no idea that eels were going extinct nor that they orient themselves by the Earth’s geomagnetic field. Many other animals are going extinct because of hunting, global warming and other issues like that, so this is really relevant to today’s problem, and I’m pretty sure I hear somewhere before that these years have increasing amounts of endangered species, so it’s important to find a solution as quickly as possible. Overall, your review was one of the most interesting and well-written ones that I’ve ever read, so good job!
Nuwer, Rachel. "Closing In on Where Eels Go to Connect." The New York Times. The New York Times, 07 Dec. 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. .