Imagine yourself observing one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth. Thousands of species of plants and animals provide a dizzying array of color and motion. Massive structures provide a canopy that shelters hundreds of exotic species in a myriad of microclimates. As land-based observers, we almost automatically assume that this is a description of the rich ecosystem of a tropical rainforest. However, if we take ourselves off the safety of dry land and immerse ourselves in the ocean, we will find an equally dynamic environment in the depths of our world’s coral reefs. As a Zoology major, I quickly decided to explore this biological component of the ocean environment. In the following paper, I will provide a general overview of coral …show more content…
Sometimes growing from a single polyp, a colony of thousands of similar polyps is soon established through sexual and asexual reproduction. The sheer vastness of a coral reef provides many other benefits. Coral reefs are crucial land builders in tropical areas, forming islands and altering continental shorelines. Coastlines are also protected from erosion as the reefs dampen harsh incoming waves. This is vital to maintaining the white sandy beaches that drive the tourist motivated economies in tropical regions. An example of the value of coral reefs in this regard is illustrated by Jon Luoma in his article “Reef Madness”. Luoma explains that after a land-reclamation project that destroyed a reef in the Maldives, the government had to spend more than $12 million to build an artificial seawall that served the same purpose(24).
As with all diverse ecosystems, the coral reef must maintain a stable environment. Any changes in the physical ocean components can upset the balance of this ecosystem. Temperature, water depth, salinity, wave action, and turbidity all effect the growth of coral reefs. According to biologist Clive Wilkinson of the Australian Institute of Marine Science, it is humans who have caused the death of 5-10% of the world’s living coral reefs (Wilkinson 1987). One direct cause of coral depletion is overfishing. The overfishing of herbivores, which normally consume algae, can cause an explosion
The main takeaway from Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini’s documentary “Immigration Battle,” is that the United States’ immigration policy is decidedly flawed. The policy facilitates the separation of families in which some members are U.S. citizens as well as the deportation of immigrants whose work benefits the nation’s economy. Taking into consideration the problems that immigrants have had to endure, the solution to the immigration crisis should not be to limit the number of immigrants allowed into the country, but rather to install an open border policy. This recommendation is based on a moral and economic justification. Helping immigrants escape poverty is the right thing to do and these individuals often inject valuable skills into the American economy. Arguably, one could also conclude that America’s prosperity lies in its diversity.
Corals are tiny immobile animals that live in colonies, where each cluster is called a polyp. Different species build structures of various sizes and shapes, such as brain or fan coral, creating a diverse and complex ecosystem (EPA 2000). Nearly all reef-dwelling corals have a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with the algae, which live inside the coral polyps and perform photosynthesis, a process that produces food that is shared with the coral (Fagoonee 1999). In addition, the algae share its
Located in tropical ocean waters, coral reefs provide priceless resources to both human and marine
All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach. As Hitler said, propaganda has to be easy and fast to understand even to those that are not smart. Propaganda during World War 2 had a huge impact on the people because it got them to join the war to help their country.
When thinking of oceans, people imagine the only living things that are in the waters are fish and small organisms. But there is much more some individuals may not know. Some shallow and deep oceans are home to coral. These groups of coral are classified as marine invertebrates. They breathe and consume microscopic animals called zooplankton. Coral reefs receive their energy from the sunlight, they turn it sugars for their energy. The marine invertebrates are living things that are a vital part of the ocean and human beings. Saldy these communities are in major trouble
Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. There are more than 25,000 known species of organisms and countless others that have yet to be identified (Helvarg, 2000). Reefs thrive on the shallow edge of tropical seas, most often on the eastern edge of continents along warm water currents that brush the coasts. Reefs cannot live in cold waters and are limited by ocean depth and available sunlight. Coral is the foundation of the reef community, providing a three-dimensional structure where thousands of species of vertebrates and invertebrates live and feed. Some species of coral are hard, while others soft. Some are branched, yet others are compact and rounded. Coral is made up of large
David Attenborough, a well-known naturalist, introduce us to our modern day “Darwin,” J.E.N. Veron, a former chief scientist whom is the world’s greatest scientific authorities on corals and coral reefs. Veron who has lived and worked on the Great Barrier Reef for most his life has discovered over 20 percent of the known coral species today. And today, he gives us an insight on why the earth’s reefs face a likely mass extinction within the lifespan of the younger generation. During his time as a scientist, he researched particularly on the diversity and evolution of the world’s corals and became aware of their troubles. He then began his studies on the analyses of previous reef extinctions and accrued more evidence of the effects of changing sea levels, temperature stresses, predation by crown of thorns starfish, and human influenced changes in nutrient levels. Veron had witnessed his first patch of coral bleaching off the Great Barrier Reef’s Palm Island in the early 1980s, a tiny clump of white skeleton. Everything started turning white and dies, it was the fast-growing branching corals, but some of the others were horrible to see. After witnessing the mass bleaching, the global damage confirmed a close connection with El Nino weather cycles. By being susceptible to increases in heat and light, corals were alerting scientists to climatic changes. When corals are exposed to temperatures two or three degrees hotter than their evolved maximum, along
The key environmental points are that coral reefs provide important ecosystem goods and services for the maritime tropical and subtropical nations. Within the past two centuries, the main drivers of massive acceleration in the decrease of coral reef species that have caused widespread changes in reef ecosystems has been due to the direct and indirect effects of overfishing and pollution during agriculture and land development. Since markets for fish have gone global, along with other natural resources, reduced stocks of herbivorous fish and the nutrients from land-based activities have caused corals to be replaced with fleshy seaweed.
“Coral reefs are extremely important for biodiversity, providing a home to over 25% of all marine life. They are also vital for people and business. They provide nurseries for many species of commercially important fish, protection of coastal areas from storm waves, and are a significant attraction for the tourism industry”
There are multiple human factors that can and are affecting the coral reef ecosystems globally. One of the simpler ones is overfishing practices on the reef. An influx of people living in the tropics has caused major stress on coral reefs as a main food source. This can cause major effects on not only fish species, but the whole ecosystem. One article from volume 5, number 9 of the Conservation biology journal written in 1995 by Callum M Roberts from the University of the Virgin Islands reported that overfishing on the coral reef leads to a reduction of species biodiversity, and potential localised extinction of both the target species and other species that are indiscriminately fished from the coral reef. Loss of keystone species, for example, predators, such as triggerfish and pufferfish, of echinoderms, such as sea urchins, through overfishing can affect not just fish communities but the entire ecosystem, leading to major effects on reef processes (Callum M Roberts).
Both Plato and Aristotle have an extensive idea on who should rule a state, they both had an idea on how to improve existing societies during their lifetimes.
Developing organizations, such as The Ocean Agency and the Coral Restoration Foundation, have been raising concern in efforts to conserve and furthermore sustain aquatic life and the ecosystem in which they inhabit. These unique fish, found living and populating among the coral reef, face a level of degradation and life threatening obstacles. The coral reef acts as a home to more than a quarter of the know fish species, where their population and species have been widely studied. This ecosystem is a beautiful representation of life which supports, and is supported by other neighboring ecosystems; embodying a significance as the leading consumer item for those who live along the reefs. Their importance to our planets collective ecosystem is not fully understood, due to the way these ecosystems are interconnected to one another, but nevertheless illustrates an example of a struggling life which may provide problems for both terrestrial and aquatic life-forms. Aside from the human dependency, being that “More than 450 million people live within 60 kilometers of coral reefs, with the majority directly or
Coral reef ecosystems around the globe are threatened by human interferences and climate change. This has led to many scientists conducting studies on global coral reef ecosystems to gain a better understanding of the cause and effects of coral reef damage. In both Hodgson’s (1999) and Carpenter et al.’s (2008) studies, they are aware of the continuous degradation of global coral reef ecosystems. Hodgson's study involved conducting a survey on global coral reef ecosystems to see whether human actions were affecting the health of supposed pristine Coral reefs. Carpenter et al. incorporated Hodgson’s study into a compiled study about the possible extinction of reef building corals due to climate change and anthropogenic effects. Carpenter’s
Consisting of less than 1% of the world oceans, the coral reefs are ancient animals comprising of thin calcium carbonate deposits within the photic layer. Aside from its biologically diverse ecosystems, coral reefs are major source of food for millions and provides habitats and nursery areas for many marine organisms. Coral reefs also act as a physical buffer to protect the coastlines from tropical storms and erosion. In addition, many local communities rely on coral reefs to generate an income through activities such as fishing and diving. However, 75% of the coral reefs are under threat from induced impacts of humans and climate change (Burke, et al., 2011). This essay looks at the human impacts constantly being inflicted on coral reefs.
However, many fisherman are unable to catch as many fish as they used to, so they are increasingly using cyanide and dynamite in fishing, which further degrades the coral reef ecosystem.[6] This perpetuation of bad habits simply leads to the further decline of coral reefs and therefore perpetuating the problem. One solution to stopping this cycle is to educate the local community about why conservation of marine spaces that include coral reefs is important.[7] Once the local communities understand the personal stakes at risk then they will actually fight to preserve the reefs. Conserving coral reefs has many economic, social, and ecological benefits, not only for the people who live on these islands, but for people throughout the world as well.