Cetacean microbiome

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cetacean-microbiome

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Cetacea (order)
2. What is the habitat?All the world's oceans, from polar ice caps to equatorial waters
3. What are the tiny friends that live inside whales and dolphins?They are tiny microbes, like bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, that live in the whales’ and dolphins’ guts, skin, and other body parts.
4. How do these tiny friends help whales eat their food?The microbes break down tough foods, such as krill or fish, turning them into nutrients and useful fatty acids that the whales can use for energy.

Microbiome: The collective genomes of microorganisms inhabiting a specific environment, such as the gut or skin of a cetacean.
Cetaceans: Marine mammals belonging to the order Cetacea, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises.
Symbiosis: A close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species, where at least one benefits.
Dysbiosis: An imbalance in the microbial community within the body, often associated with adverse health effects.