Algae

These polyps get 90% of their energy from small algae called zooxanthellae which also produces their colour. Bleaching occurs when the polyps get rid of the zooxanthellae which leaves the clear polyps on top of a coral skeleton (a calcium carbonate skeleton which is built underneath most corals). Without…

more than 17 million people (NOAA). Baltimore, one of the most important North Atlantic port is located on the Chesapeake Bay. Oysters are one of the biggest resources of the Chesapeake bay. Ecologically, oysters are important because they filter algae, sediment, and pollutants. They maintain a good water quality and salinity. Oysters can tolerate a wide range of salinity, between 10ppt-27ppt. Humans have had huge positive and negative impacts on oyster population. Things that destroy an oyster…

food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and respiratory distress. • Based on the above symptoms I think brevetoxin , which is produced by Karenia brevis would be responsible for the outbreak. Karenia brevis (K. brevis), a marine algae, causes red tides. 2. A HAB outbreak can have an economic impact: • HAB can affect tourism, public health, jobs, public safety, and coastal communities because it can contaminate water sources used for personal use, recreational use, and…

Crown-of-thorns Starfish or COTS are marine invertebrates that are responsible for approximately 42 percent of the loss of coral on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (Cranston, 2015). Plagues of this starfish have destructed coral reefs world wide. Scientists have identified fossil evidence dating back to millions of years ago, however outbreaks have only been detected in the last 50 years (Cranston, 2015). They are characterised by their venomous thorns and are capable of piercing through…

The book, Coral Reefs, by Simon Rose, presents that categories of coral reefs, what coral reefs are home to, and the dangers that they may face. Coral reefs are made up of coral polyps that attach and multiply to a limestone skeleton called a calicle. Coral reefs are categorized in three ways, which is by their type. 1. Fringed reef, 2. Barrier reef, 3. Atolls. The fringed reef either borderers the shore near a lagoon, or it will be directly attached, next is the barrier reef. The barrier reef,…

Algae contribute to about half of all oxygen production(Chapman, 2013). They are photosynthetic, meaning that they produce their own food from sunlight, water, and nutrients, and are usually found in any water habitat(Smithsonian, 2016). The fact that algae produce oxygen is important because dissolved oxygen is very important to the health about of a water body(Water properties: dissolved oxygen, 2016). Human activity runoff is a major source of water pollution(Runoff, 2016). Runoff can pick up…

C: The MAR is a vital piece of the Ccaribbean area because of the benefits it provides to oceanic life and the people living in coastal cities and towns. E: The reef is home to over five hundred aquatic species,, but this is only 10 % of the ocean is currently discovered, leaving 90% waiting to be researched (Barbezat). The reef is home to many endangered species, including, one of them being Whale Sharks. E: Although Whale Sharks also reside in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, if they were to…

In the Baja California coast of Mexico, shrimp ponds were reported to be affected by algal blooms and the responsible algae were the prasinophyte Nephroselmis sp., Cochlodinium polykrikoides, Prorocentrum rhathymum, P. minimum, and Heterocapsa triquetra (dinoflagellates) and Nitzschia sigma (diatom) (Gárate-Lizárraga et al., 1999; 2004; 2006; Sierra-Beltrán et al., 2005; Gárate- Lizárraga and Muñetón-Gómez, 2008). Severe losses in shrimp farming in Mexico caused by toxic dinoflagellates and…

Coral bleaching events endangers the sustainability of major coral reef ecosystems around the world, such as the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the Florida Keys and the Coral Triangle Area. The loss of symbiotic algae and/or their pigment lead the bleaching of corals [2]. Moreover, the mass bleaching phenomena degrade the valuable ecosystem services of coral reefs, which are home to 25% of all known marine species and provide approximately $375 billion per year in goods and services around the world…

The Marine iguana which is a reptile is only found on the Galápagos Islands. They are herbivores and feed mostly on the algae on the rocks they lay on near the shore. The males, which are larger than the females, may grow to 4 feet or more. Iguanas seem to prefer rocky shores but may also be found in mangrove swamps and beaches. The iguanas can dive over 9 m down into the water. The lava lizard is a reptile which are native to South America. There are around 20 recognized species but only 7 of…