Next, we explore the huge expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, stretching from the freezing poles to the tropical Caribbean. This expanse connects all corners of our world and there is no part of this immense sea that remains unaffected by human activity.
The Atlantic Ocean display is the biggest tank in the UK, holding 2.5 million litres of water! The tank represents a diverse community of animals that can be found in the warmer waters of the Western Atlantic. The largest residents are our Sand Tiger Sharks (Carcharias taurus), also known as Grey Nurse or Ragged Tooth Sharks. These predators spend most of their time in the surface waters. Down at the bottom, lying on the sand, you may see the other large sharks, the Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum). Keeping a safe distance from the sharks you'll see Tarpon, Barracuda, Southern Stingrays, Horse Eye Jacks, Permit and a multitude of other fish species, both large and small.
The focal point of the tank is a full-sized replica of a WWII seaplane, the Supermarine Walrus, which provides a great habitat for animals to retreat to. The Walrus is steeped in local history - during WWII Winston Churchill requested the Royal Air Force to undertake a secret mission to rescue a family from occupied France.
On the 18th June 1940, at 0300 hours, the Walrus took off from Mountbatten, just across the water from the site of the Aquarium, on this vital mission. The crew of four were, sadly, never to return.
The Walrus also operated in the Western Atlantic during the war and, like many other planes and vessels over the years, some are know to have been lost at sea. Our Lost at Sea exhibition provides a fascinating insight into some of the legendary maritime disasters through the ages.
Ocean Drifters is the UK's largest collection of jellyfish displaying several species, including the Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita). These graceful animals are mesmerising to watch as they continuously propel themselves through the water. Although they look harmless, jellyfish are remarkably efficient predators, able to stun and kill their prey with hundreds of trailing stinging cells.
The jellies are continually cultivated at the Aquarium - you can see the various life stages of our jellies and a glimpse of our behind-the-scenes work in the Ocean Lab.
Many of us think that fish have a 3-second memory. In fact, fish are known to anticipate regular events, such as the delivery of food, and often congregate in areas where they know food will be delivered. This can have a negative impact on animal welfare, as they can become aggressive towards each other when congregating.
Also, fish might spend too much of their time in one place rather than engaging in their natural behaviour of foraging for their food. As part of an ongoing research effort into fish behaviour and the enrichment of Aquarium environments, the National Marine Aquarium is working with psychology students from the University of Plymouth to study the fishes' responses to unpredictable food delivery.
During the current study in the Atlantic Ocean tank, a new feeding station will be added and food will be dispensed from alternate sides of the tanks at different times of day. The aim is to see if fish start to anticipate food coming from the different locations and at different times. Further research will investigate the effect on distribution and behaviour of either a third feeding station or a programme of unpredictable feeds.
The Deep Connections exhibition, opening in 2011, is linked to a European Science Project called Hermione (Hotspot Ecosystem Research and Man's Impact on European Seas). The project focuses on deep-sea "hotspot" ecosystems - areas supporting high species diversity - and particularly on the ways in which human activity is affecting these most remote and alien environments, and some of the remarkable creatures that can be found there.
For more information see www.eu-hermione.net
Plastic is a fantastic, adaptable material. Almost everything we buy these days is either made of or packaged in plastic. Global production of plastic has risen from 5 million tonnes in the 1950s to 260 million tonnes in 2009. The UK produces 3 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, of which 85% is landfilled, 8% incinerated and only 7% recycled. Unfortunately, a lot of plastic ends up in the ocean. There is estimated to be 100 million tonnes of plastic in the ocean - some of this sinks to the deep sea, but much of it breaks into small particles which float in the surface waters where birds, fish and turtles feed upon the plastic and the collection of pollutants that stick to its surface. Given that most plastic takes around 500 years to degrade, it is a scary prospect for the world's marine creatures (and anyone that eats seafood). We can all help by recycling as much as possible and reducing the number of disposable bags and bottles that we buy. We can also try to encourage industry to use more recycled materials and to reduce unnecessary packaging.
Visit www.stopoceanplastics.org to have your say on plastics...
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