SAVE THE CORAL REEFS

2009-05-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Spectacular Deep-water Coral Province Discovered Off Ireland's West Coast

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090526153010.htm

NUI Galway researchers, during a recent deep-water expedition, have confirmed the existence of a major new coral reef province on the southern end of the Porcupine Bank off the west coast of Ireland. The province covers an area of some 200 sq. km and contains in the order of 40 coral reef covered carbonate mounds. These underwater hills rise as high as 100m above the seafloor...

A large Phycis sp. feeding on a smaller fish with ROV arm visible in bottom right of shot. (Credit: Dr Anthony Grehan, Earth and Ocean Sciences, NUI Galway)

2009-05-23T21:53:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

In-depth Look At Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Life, Ecosystems

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521131309.htm

A new NOAA report on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), protected by the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, provides the sharpest picture yet of the region's marine life and ecosystems...

Giant trevally along a shallow reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Credit: Claire Fackler, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries)

2009-05-21T01:40:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Heat-tolerant Coral Reefs Discovered: May Survive Global Warming

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090520100515.htm

Experts say that more than half of the world's coral reefs could disappear in the next 50 years, in large part because of higher ocean temperatures caused by climate change. But now Stanford University scientists have found evidence that some coral reefs are adapting and may actually survive global warming...

A toppled but surviving table-top coral at Ofu Island, American Samoa. This coral species hosts heat-resistant algae and thrives in Ofu's high-temperature lagoons. (Credit: Tom Oliver)

2009-05-21T01:05:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Most Extensive Genetic Resource For Reef-building Coral Created

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511210422.htm

A nearly complete collection of genes for a species of reef-building coral has been assembled by a team led by biologists from The University of Texas at Austin...

The coral. (Credit: Meyer et al., BMC Genomics)

2009-05-21T00:51:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Climate Change Could Displace Millions In Asia's Coral Triangle

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513130953.htm

Coral reefs could disappear entirely from the Coral Triangle region of the Pacific Ocean by the end of the century, threatening the food supply and livelihoods for about 100 million people, according to a new study from World Wildlife Fund...

Etika Rupeni carefully lays a transect tape along a coral garden at Great Astrolabe Reef in Fiji. (Credit: Copyright World Wildlife Fund)

2009-05-08T00:20:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

'Sobering' Decline Of Caribbean's Big Fish, Fisheries: Overfishing Deemed Most Likely Cause

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090505200711.htm

Sharks, barracuda and other large predatory fishes disappear on Caribbean coral reefs as human populations rise, endangering the region's marine food web and ultimately its reefs and fisheries, according to a sweeping study by researcher Chris Stallings of The Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory...

Sharks and other large predatory fish become rare on Caribbean reefs near large human populations. (Credit: Dean Grubbs)

2009-04-25T00:23:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Spectacular Recovery From Coral Bleaching At Great Barrier Reef Marine Park In Australia

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423100817.htm

Marine scientists say they are astonished at the spectacular recovery of certain coral reefs in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park from a devastating coral bleaching event in 2006...

Algal overgrowth. (Credit: Image courtesy of ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies)

2009-04-25T00:14:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

'Super Reefs' Fend Off Climate Change, Study Says

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423132612.htm

The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today a study showing that some coral reefs off East Africa are unusually resilient to climate change due to improved fisheries management and a combination of geophysical factors. WCS announced the results of the study at the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), which is meeting this week in Phuket, Thailand...

A healthy coral reef in Tanzania. (Credit: Tim McClanahan/WCS)

Finally, there is hope for our reefs again!:D We must continue to work hard and Save Our Reefs!

2009-04-16T02:39:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Fragility Of World's Coral Is Revealed Through Study Of Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090406132609.htm

A new study by researchers from UC Santa Barbara's National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) sheds light on how threats to the world's endangered coral reef ecosystems can be more effectively managed...

Pocillopora coral at Maro Reef in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Credit: Photo courtesy of PNMN/NOAA)

2009-04-02T02:12:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Connectivity In Marine Fish Populations: Larvae Spawned In Marine Reserves Can Travel Long Distances

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121657.htm

Children of baby boomers aren’t the only ones who have taken to setting up home far from where their parents live. A new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences documents how larval dispersal connects marine fish populations in a network of marine protected areas – information that is critical for fisheries managers...

A. percula sheltering in an anemone from Kimbe Bay. Simon Thorrold and his colleagues demonstrated for the first time that about 10 percent of marine reserve populations comprise larvae spawned on one marine reserve that travel long distances to another reserve -- up to 35 km away. (Credit: Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

2009-04-02T02:08:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Deep-sea Corals May Be Oldest Living Marine Organism

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121657.htm

Deep-sea corals from about 400 meters off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands are much older than once believed and some may be the oldest living marine organisms known to man...

Geradia (gold) coral. (Credit: NOAA Hawaiian Undersea Research Lab)

2009-03-21T02:49:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS xMajor Losses For Caribbean Reef Fish In Last 15 Years http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090319132911.htm

By combining data from 48 studies of coral reefs from around the Caribbean, researchers have found that fish densities that have been stable for decades have given way to significant declines since 1995...

2009-03-12T02:46:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Coral Reefs May Start Dissolving When Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Doubles

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121657.htm

Rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the resulting effects on ocean water are making it increasingly difficult for coral reefs to grow, say scientists. A study to be published online March 13, 2009 in Geophysical Research Letters by researchers at the Carnegie Institution and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem warns that if carbon dioxide reaches double pre-industrial levels, coral reefs can be expected to not just stop growing, but also to begin dissolving all over the world...

Coral reef. If carbon dioxide reaches double pre-industrial levels, coral reefs can be expected to not just stop growing, but also to begin dissolving all over the world. (Credit: iStockphoto/Edwin Van Wier)

2009-03-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

REEFS NEWS

Seven New Species Of Deep-sea Coral Discovered

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121657.htm

Scientists identified seven new species of bamboo coral discovered on a NOAA-funded mission in the deep waters of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Six of these species may represent entirely new genera, a remarkable feat given the broad classification a genus* represents...

This orange bamboo coral is a new species and new genus found in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. It is between four and five feet tall, and was found 5,745 feet below the surface. (Credit: Hawaii Deep-Sea Coral Expedition 2007/NOAA)

*A genus is a major category in the classification of organisms, ranking above a species and below a family.

2009-02-18T01:05:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Historical Photographs Expose Decline In Florida's Reef Fish, Study Finds

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217141813.htm

A unique study by a scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego has provided fresh evidence of fishing's impact on marine ecosystems. Scripps Oceanography graduate student researcher Loren McClenachan accessed archival photographs spanning more than five decades to analyze and calculate a drastic decline of so-called "trophy fish" caught around coral reefs surrounding Key West, Florida...

Trophy fish caught on Key West charter boats: a) 1957, b) early 1980s and c) 2007. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of California - San Diego))

AHH! Everyone must play their part to save the marine...more quickly!

2009-02-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

'Middle Class' Coral Reef Fish Feel The Economic Squeeze

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090209122546.htm

The economy isn't just squeezing the middle class on land, it's also affecting fish...

According to a recent study by WCS and other organizations, coral reefs next to "middle class" communities in Eastern Africa have the lowest fish levels. In contrast, reefs next to villages of low and high socio-economic levels had higher fish levels. (Credit: Copyright Tim McClanahan)

2009-02-09T04:21:00.001-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Three New Species Discovered on Deep-sea Voyage http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090204140630.htm

Scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and an international team of collaborators have returned from a month-long deep-sea voyage to a marine reserve near Tasmania, Australia, that not only netted coral-reef samples likely to provide insight into the impact of climate change on the world's oceans, but also brought to light at least three never-before-seen species of sea life...

New species of carnivorous sea squirt that "looks and behaves like a Venus fly trap," according to researchers. (Credit: Advanced Imaging and Visualization Laboratory, WHOI/Jess Adkins, Caltech)

2009-02-05T23:13:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

What's Killing The Coral Reefs?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090204174314.htm

The answer to what’s killing the world’s coral reefs may be found in a tiny chip that fits in the palm of your hand...

The PhyloChip boasts a lot of analytical power in a small package. It quickly detects the presence of up to 9,000 species of microbes in samples. (Credit: Image courtesy of DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

2009-02-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Long-term Recovery Of Reefs From Bleaching Requires Local Action To Increase Resilience

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090203110520.htm

University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Professor Dr. Peter Glynn, and 2008 Pew Fellow for Marine Conservation and Assistant Professor Dr. Andrew Baker, assess more than 25 years of data on reef ecosystems recovery from climate change-related episodes of coral bleaching...

Coral bleaching -- in which corals expel their symbiotic algal partners and turn pale or white -- is one of the most visible impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems. Typically caused by higher-than-normal ocean temperatures, it can lead to widespread death of corals and is a major contributor to the rapid decline of coral reef ecosystems worldwide. (Credit: Andrew C. Baker)

2009-01-22T02:31:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Scientific Submarine Makes Deep-sea Discoveries

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090121093349.htm

A four-week expedition to explore the deep ocean south-west of Tasmania has revealed new species of animals and more evidence of impacts of increasing carbon dioxide on deep-sea corals...

A bright red, undescribed species of shell-less coral, called an anthomastid or gorgons-head coral, at 1700 metres deep at the Cascade Plateau, off south-east Tasmania. (Credit: Advanced Imaging and Visualization Laboratory WHOI)

2009-01-21T01:14:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Bacterial Pathogens And Rising Temperatures Threaten Coral Health

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090120074629.htm

Coral reefs around the world are in serious trouble from pollution, over-fishing, climate change and more.=( The last thing they need is an infection. But that's exactly what yellow band disease (YBD) is — a bacterial infection that sickens coral colonies...

The effects of yellow band disease (YBD) can be seen on the coral Montastraea (A and C) and Diploastraea (B and D), which are found in the Caribbean and the Florida Keys, and the Indo-Pacific, respectively. Researchers found that YBD seems to be getting worse with global warming. (Credit: James Cervino, Pace University)

2009-01-14T03:44:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Voracious Sponges In Underwater Caves Save Reefs

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090113100111.htm

Tropical oceans are known as the deserts of the sea. And yet this unlikely environment is the very place where the rich and fertile coral reef grows. Dutch researcher Jasper de Goeij investigated how caves in the coral reef ensure the reef’s continued existence. Although sponges in these coral caves take up a lot of dissolved organic material, they scarcely grow. However, they do discard a lot of cells that in turn provide food for the organisms on the reef...

Caves in coral reefs are the largest and least well known part of the reef. (Credit: iStockphoto/Charles Humphries)

2009-01-05T00:16:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Journey Of A Green Turtle From Indonesia Into Australian Opens Mystery Of ‘oceanic Superhighway’

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090104094116.htm

The remarkable journey of a green turtle from Indonesia into Australian waters is helping conservationists to track the migratory route of this species to the Kimberley-Pilbara coast - one of the few relatively pristine coastal areas left on Earth...

Green turtle swimming. The remarkable journey of a green turtle from Indonesia into Australian waters is helping conservationists to track the migratory route of this species to the Kimberley-Pilbara coast - one of the few relatively pristine coastal areas left on Earth. (Credit: iStockphoto)

2009-01-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Hot Southern Summer Threatens Coral With Massive Bleaching Event

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081228201342.htm

A widespread and severe coral bleaching episode is predicted to cause immense damage to some of the world’s most important marine environments over the next few months...

A widespread and severe coral bleaching episode is predicted to cause immense damage to some of the world’s most important marine environments over the next few months. (Credit: iStockphoto/Tammy Peluso)

2008-12-25T04:27:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone!
Christmas is here again!

However, when you want to go to the beach to celebrate, dont litter! When we celebrate, lets not forget that because of the enviroment, we can live to today!

WEBSITES ON CORAL REEFS FACTS:

2008-12-18T04:39:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Ocean Acidification Could Have Broad Effects On Marine Ecosystems

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081217190334.htm

Concern about increasing ocean acidification has often focused on its potential effects on coral reefs, but broader disruptions of biological processes in the oceans may be more significant, according to Donald Potts, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an expert in coral reef ecology and marine biodiversity...

Diatoms, a type of phytoplankton. Many phytoplankton -- microscopic algae that form the base of the marine food web -- build calcium carbonate shells to protect themselves from microscopic predators called ciliate protozoa. A disruption of the ability of phytoplankton to build their shells could have ripple effects throughout the marine food web. (Credit: iStockphoto/Nancy Nehring)

2008-12-17T00:45:00.000-08:00

CORAL REEF GROWTH

http://www.grisda.org/origins/06088.htm

On a quiet moonlight night in the year 1890, the British-Indian liner Quetta was traveling through the Torres Strait near Thursday Island in northern Australia. This strait is located at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef complex. Suddenly the ship hit a reef...

Closeup view of part of a coral tip of Acropora formosa from the lagoon of Enewetak Atoll. Each one of the "cups" on the tip harbors a single coral organism. The tip is about 25 mm long.

2008-12-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Time Running Out On Coral Reefs As Climate Change Becomes Increasing Threat

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081210112808.htm

Increasing pressures from climate change will reach a tipping point in less than a decade triggering a significant decline in the health of the planet's coral reef ecosystems according to the findings in an international report...

Located off the northeastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. Increasing pressures from climate change will reach a tipping point in less than a decade triggering a significant decline in the health of the planet's coral reef ecosystems according to the findings in an international report. (Credit: iStockphoto)

2008-12-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Mistaken Identity Leads Researchers To Two New Extinct Species Of Coral

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081208114304.htm

What began as an homage to achievement in the field of coral reef geology has evolved into the discovery of an unexpected link between corals of the Pacific and Atlantic. Dr. Ann F. Budd from the University of Iowa and Dr. Donald McNeill of the University of Miami named a new species of fossil coral found on the Island of Curaçao – some six million years old – after renowned coral reef geologist and University of Miami Rosenstiel School professor, Dr. Robert N. Ginsburg...

Scientists have identified two new species of extinct corals -- Isopora curcaoensis and Isopora ginsburgi, which provide an important link between corals in the Atlantic and Pacific. This is Dr. Robert N. Ginsburg, after whom the new species I. ginsburgi is named. (Credit: UM/RSMAS)

2008-11-25T20:33:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Ocean Acidification In The Caribbean Significant, Yet Variable

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081121163353.htm

A new study, which confirms significant ocean acidification across much of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, reports strong natural variations in ocean chemistry in some parts of the Caribbean that could affect the way reefs respond to future ocean acidification...

The potential for coral growth in the Caribbean region is dramatically changing due to ocean acidification. (Credit: NOAA)

2008-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Light Pollution Offers New Global Measure Of Coral Reef Health

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081124174955.htm

We've all seen the satellite images of Earth at night--the bright blobs and shining webs that tell the story of humanity's endless sprawl...

The lights proximity index (LPI) values surrounding Puerto Rico (left) and the undifferentiated night light from the island (right). (Credit: Christoph Albrecht et al. in Geocarto International)

2008-11-11T23:59:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Rare Corals Breed Their Way Out Of Trouble

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081021094006.htm

Rare corals may be smarter than we thought. Faced with a dire shortage of mates of their own kind, new research suggests they may be able to cross-breed with certain other coral species to breed themselves out of a one-way trip to extinction...

Acropora pichoni from Kimbe Bay. (Credit: Photo by Maria Beger, courtesy of ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies)

2008-11-11T01:44:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Urgent Action On International Coral Reef Crisis Urged

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081110112200.htm

Coral reef scientists and policy makers from the world’s most prominent coral reef nations are meeting in Australia this week to develop urgent action plans to rescue the world’s richest centre of marine biodiversity from gradual decline...

The Coral Triangle. (Credit: The Nature Conservancy / Coral Geographic (Veron et al: unpublished data))

Everyone should play a part, not only the governments...

2008-11-10T00:32:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels 'Will Hit Coral Reefs Harder'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081028121023.htm

Rising carbon dioxide levels in the world’s oceans could deliver a disastrous blow to the ability of coral reefs to withstand climate change...

Coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef are wonderfully diverse and productive habitats, important to both tourism and fisheries. Large predatory fish such as those seen here with the diver, perform important ecological roles on coral reefs, and important as a source of food to many millions of people in tropical regions. (Credit: Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Centre for Marine Studies, The University of Queensland)

2008-11-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

New Coral Reef Discovered In The Seychelles

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081023101343.htm

Researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences have discovered a previously unknown coral reef in the Seychelles....

A coral reef on Curieuse Island. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Essex)

2008-11-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

REEFS NEWS

Coral Bleaching Disturbs Structure Of Fish Communities

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081028132106.htm

There is no longer any shadow of a doubt about the impact of global warming on coral reefs. A rise of a few degrees in sea surface temperature induces the expulsion of essential microscopic algae...

Healthy and dead parts of the same coral. There is no longer any shadow of a doubt about the impact of global warming on coral reefs. A rise of a few degrees in sea surface temperature induces the expulsion of essential microscopic algae which live in symbiosis with the coral. (Credit: iStockphoto)

2008-11-02T22:02:00.000-08:00

SINGAPORE'S REEFS

Its a long time since we have update our blog.

From this post onwards, we will be updating news on what is happening with the reefs around the world:D

First,let me break some news with you all.

Do you know there are reefs in Singapore???

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/465927559/

Check out the link above!

Click here to get more mini-SharkBreak widgets - http://www.sharkbreak.com/redirect-sharkbreak.php

2008-09-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

Would You Do It?

You have the knowledge on how to help the reefs in trouble.
The only question left is, would you do it?

Will you save those reefs?

Beside saving the reefs, you would also be saving the Earth!
So, WOULD YOU DO IT?=D

S.T.R.

Click here to get more mini-SharkBreak widgets - http://www.sharkbreak.com/redirect-sharkbreak.php

2008-09-07T02:04:00.001-07:00

Newspaper Article on coral reef

If you read the newspaper carefully yesterday, you would have realise that there is a piece of newspaper article on coral reef. The newspaper is basically about hotels working with WWF to keep endangered fish off their menu.

2008-09-04T22:54:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE REEFS

Click here to get more mini-SharkBreak widgets - www.SharkBreak.com

2008-09-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE REEFS

Click here to get more mini-SharkBreak widgets - http://www.sharkbreak.com/redirect-sharkbreak.php

2008-09-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

Poll

2008-09-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

Ways to Save The Reefs (con't)

Help to reduce pollution: Walking, biking, riding on buses or on the MRT (mass rapid transit). Fossil fuel emissions from cars and industries lead to ocean warming which causes *mass-bleaching of corals and can result in widespread destruction of reefs!

*You can know more about bleaching if you visit the websites in the link.

2008-09-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

Ways to Save The Reefs (con't)

Dispose of your trash properly: Do not leave any unwanted fishing lines, nets, plastic bags or rubbish behind the next time you go to the beach. Litter left behind may cause harm to the reefs and fishes.

2008-09-02T01:52:00.000-07:00

Ways to Save Reefs (con't)

Conserve Water: The less water that is used, the less runoff and wastewater will pollute our oceans and kill the coral reefs.

2008-09-02T01:34:00.000-07:00

Ways to Save The Reefs

In the next few posts, you will learn some roles we can play on order to save the reefs. Be sure to check the link "25 Things You Can Do to Save Coral Reefs" to learn more. Some of the points may be repeated though=D

2008-09-02T01:11:00.000-07:00

Links and newspaper infomation on reefs

A newspaper article on coral reefs.A hope for all of us.

http://sofia.usgs.gov/sfrsf/rooms/coastal/flbay/decline.html

Although there are many links at the link sidebar, this link is put in a post as it contains a lot of information. So everyone, please view this webbie:)

2008-09-02T01:04:00.000-07:00

Type of corals (con't)

Turbinaria (disc coral) ~ partially submerged

Turbinaria ~ submerged

2008-09-02T00:33:00.000-07:00

Types of Corals (con't)

Goniopora

Montipora (plate coral)

2008-09-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Types of Corals (con't)

Platygyra (valley coral)

Favites sp. (star coral)

2008-09-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

Types of Corals

What are the types of corals? Let see...

Porites (pore coral)

Favia (knob coral)

2008-09-01T06:30:00.001-07:00

Dangers to Reefs(con't)

Devastators of the Coral Reefs:

There are predators of the coral reefs in the world. Amongst these reefs, perhaps the most well-known is the Australian Great Barrier Reef. It is currently being destroyed by none other than the Crown-of-Thorns Sea Star. Other than that,the parrotfish has chisel-like teeth to devour coral with.

Of course, the best-known coral thief is mankind. For years we have stolen from reefs, whether as scientific specimens or tourist mementos.

2008-09-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

Dangers to Reefs(con't)

Reckless recreation: People themselves pose a threat to coral reefs. Tourists collect pieces of coral as souvenirs — whether by breaking a piece directly from the reef or by buying it in a tourist shop. Boats sometimes anchor on reefs, damaging them in the process. Divers sometimes entangle their gear in reefs. Snorkelers also present an unexpected problem: reefs close to shore near major tourist areas have been damaged by poisons from snorkelers' sunscreen. The irony, of course, is that people go to enjoy the reefs and then inadvertently destroy them by not showering before they snorkel.

2008-08-31T00:49:00.004-07:00

Dangers to Reefs(con't)

Overdevelopment: Development of coastal communities has also taken a toll on coral reefs. As humans build extensively near the shoreline, there is more pollution to the water. Channels are dredged for commercial and recreational ship travel, damaging reefs in the process.

2008-08-31T00:49:00.003-07:00

Dangers to Reefs(con't)

Global warming: As global warming causes ocean temperatures to rise, coral loses the *zooxanthellae that gives it its nutrients and colors. The coral begins to starve and turn white, a phenomenon called "coral bleaching." Higher sea temperatures and the spread of dust blowing from drought-ridden Africa are also causing a rise in coral disease. As the atmosphere's temperature rises, scientists expect that rapid melting of glaciers and sea ice will result in a rise in sea level. Since sea level may riser faster than reefs grow, the coral reefs may find themselves in water too deep for the *zooxanthellae to receive the sunlight necessary for photosynthesis.Thus, the *zooxanthellae might die and the coral will too soon after!

*Zooxanthellae means unicellular yellow-brown (dinoflagellate) algae which live symbiotically in the gastrodermis of reef-building coral.

2008-08-31T00:49:00.001-07:00

Dangers to Reefs(con't)

Pollution:

Pollution: Sewage, fertilizers, and pesticides all originate on land and often run off into the ocean. Since coral reefs are close to the shoreline, they are exposed to these pollutants in high concentrations. The University of Illinois study found that shipyard discharge and human sewage are making coral vulnerable to a deadly disease known as "black band disease." Another danger to the reefs are oil spills: these generally occur close to shore, often when the tanker runs into rocks in the shallow waters.

2008-08-31T00:40:00.000-07:00

Dangers to Reefs

It is estimated that 10% of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed, we have to help save them as it is a important ecosystem, a home for many fishes! In the next few post, the reasons will be given:

(they are adapted from http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/11/111201_reefs.jhtml)

*Cyanide fishing:

Fishermen stun tropical fish by squirting cyanide into the reefs. This technique enables them to capture live fish for aquariums. However, in the process, the cyanide poisons both the reef and many of the invertebrate species living in its ecosystem.

Cyanide is a highly poisonous substance.

2008-08-31T00:33:00.000-07:00

What is a coral reef?

First, let us start with a question, "what is a coral reef?"--

A reef is a:

Sandbar
Other features lying beneath the surface of the water (six fathoms or less at low water) yet shallow enough to be a hazard to ships
A submerged ridge of coral near the surface of the water Long line of sand, the top of which is just above or just below the surface of the sea.

A coral is not the plant or rock that many people think it is. Rather, it is composed of fragile animals called coral polyps, each no larger than a pinhead. These animals form a thin layer on large coral reefs, which are the mounds of dead coral polyp skeletons, built up slowly layer upon layer. Different reef species grow between 5-200 millimeters (up to 8 inches) per year. Some of the oldest existing reefs are thought to be 5,000 to 10,000 years old.

Adapted from: http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/11/111201_reefs.jhtml

2008-08-28T01:43:00.000-07:00

We are the S.T.R. (Save The Reefs) group, and we are here to let you know that reefs are in trouble. Through this blog, we are going to tell you why and how we must save the reefs!!!