Lake Ohrid eel “LOVE JOURNEY” to the Sargasso Sea

Abstract proposal for

GIFT - Geoscience Information For Teachers

Discovering the oceans and the sea floor in class

(poster session)

 

Esteemed colleagues,

I am pleased to submit my proposal for a poster under the “Discovering the oceans and the sea floor in class” session at EGU25. This work would illustrate how Lake Ohrid’s eel population can serve as a powerful educational tool for explaining marine biology, ocean currents, and key aspects of seafloor topography. By tracing their journey from a secluded freshwater lake Ohrid in N. Macedonia to the Sargasso Sea, my poster will highlight critical ecological processes and foster innovative classroom strategies that deepen students’ understanding of global marine environments. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to the possibility of presenting this compelling study.

 

 

Thank you in advance for considering my proposal!

a proposal by:

Mrs. Biljana Roshkoska M.Sc.

SOU “Gjorce Petrov” Prilep

Biology professor at the municipal

vocational medical high school

roskoskabiba@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prilep, N. Macedonia

January 2025

Title:

 

Lake Ohrid eel “LOVE JOURNEY” to the Sargasso Sea

A magnificent 5.000 kilometers honeymoon trip from one of the oldest and deepest freshwater lakes in Europe to open depts the Atlantic Ocean in order to procreate!

 

 

Abstract:

 

The Lake Ohrid, having ancient origins and an exceptionally diverse ecosystem, is a sanctuary for numerous European eels. It is in this crystal-clear freshwater environment that they mature into large adults, but from here they begin a journey encompassing sea after sea until eventually they reach the North Atlantic and spawn in Sargasso. The eel's life cycle is the subject of this poster; the route they take- which extends from coastal shelves through submarine ridges and deep basins- provides a clear, real-life model for teaching schoolchildren about sea and Seafloor oceanography.

 

Through the corridor of eel migration, we can describe key oceanographic processes to students, such as changes in water salinity caused by currents or the diversity of seabed types encountered. In particular, the topography of the seafloor encountered by eels along this route-- from relatively shallow Mediterranean waters to the deep Atlantic basins--offers an interesting context for examining plate tectonics, sediment behavior, and marine biodiversity.

 

The poster would show major seafloor structures on the route of these eels, depicting how geology, biology, and oceanography are all interlinked in this extraordinary migration. Alongside the factual account, this presentation offers an explanation of how storytelling can improve classroom teaching. By using the migration of eels -- and the seabed they travel over--as a single focus, educators can raise interest in marine geology, species constellations, conservation challenges and indeed the larger connection between freshwater ecosystems and the world's oceans. This approach embodies the thrust of our meeting by connecting small freshwater landscapes (such as Lake Ohrid in Macedonia) with the broad marine world thus allowing an all-round understanding of how Earth works.