Coral bleaching

Today we planted around 100 mangrove plants in tidal swamp. The area has been taken over by invasives recently, which outcompetes the mangroves that are so vital to the ecosystem. The mangroves provide habitat for many species of birds and fish, unlike the invasive plant. Destroying mangrove habitat for poorly planned rice farms allowed invasives to take over and seriously harm mangrove populations, which means there’s less habitat and more erosion. This is an example of how the placement of…

Taking your boat on the water during the summer gives you a carefree outlet for relaxation and enjoying the great outdoors, but, over time, the bottom of every boat begins to accumulate algae as it sits in the water. This accumulation mars the aesthetic appeal of your boat and can lead to other issues. Understanding how to clean a boat properly is must for any boat owner and it should not be avoided until the problem is so severe that nothing short of a jackhammer will penetrate the grime. Boat…

Recently, Betta splendens, otherwise known as bettas or Siamese fighting fish, have grown into one of the most popular ornamental fish (Monvises et al. 2009). More and more fish enthusiasts are adopting betta fish, meaning the fish are being kept in aquariums away from their evolutionarily fundamental habitats. These fish are originally from rice paddies and swampy areas in Thailand and other Southeast Asia countries (Jaroensutasinee and Jaroensutansinee 2001). Consequently, they have evolved in…

The Historical Predation of the West Indian Manatee The West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus), also known as the sea cow; was listed as an endangered species by U.S Fish and Wildlife Services in 1972. However, since then it has been downgraded from an endangered species to a threatened species (Heavy Poaching in Prime Habitat: The Conservation Status of the West Indian Manatee). The main reasons behind their decline; are pollution in the water, powerboats, and slow reproduction. As a result,…

Prey/Predator The predators of the queen angelfish are people. People capture queen angelfish and sell them to aquariums. The queen angelfish are omnivores, so they eat plants and meat. They eat mostly sponges and algae, but they also eat sea fans, soft corals, tunicates, and jellyfish, if the chance comes up. “Young queen angelfish feed by setting up cleaning stations in sea grass where larger fish come to have their skin parasites removed.”…

Seashell Lab What does the different concentration of acid do to shells? Due to earth’s increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) rates scientists have shown that it can make shells , skeletons and corals up to one-third lighter in weight. As the ocean water becomes more acidic it lowers the calcium carbonate available to aquatic animals. ‘Scientists have predicted that the increase in ocean acidification could significantly reduce the ability of these creatures to build their casings, potentially…

Coral Canyons Coral canyons are an important part of the ocean ecosystem and need to be protected. First, there are many issues that are posed to the canyons. Some of the issues are oil drilling, commercial fishing, and deep sea mining. The fishing destroys corals because of the nets that hit them. Also drilling and mining harm not only the coral but also some of the organisms that live there. Secondly, there are a lot of organisms that live in the coral canyons. In one of the articles I read…

Sea stars, along the Pacific coasts of California (Lopatto, 2014), are inevitably vulnerable to what scientists refer to as the “sea star wasting sickness.” Major ailments like this can hinder an ecosystem’s biological composure, considering the fact that sea stars are keystone species. Should the sea star succumb to such a major disturbance in their population, other species will be negatively impacted as well. Scientists are becoming very analytical as to what exactly is causing the…

As Canadians manipulate natural habitats for farmland development and urbanization, the consideration for wildlife management of species including the Blanding’s Turtle becomes increasingly important. Recognized as an umbrella species, the Blanding’s Turtle may be a representative animal for its habitat and therefore monitoring its health may assist in selecting appropriate conservation strategies. Recognizing the decline in the size of many Blanding’s Turtle populations, several studies have…

Abundance of Fossilized Megalodon Teeth Washing Ashore in North Carolina The shores of North Carolina are known for having Megaladon teeth, but they are currently experiencing a bumper crop. Beachcombers in North Carolina are finding much more than just seashells recently because there has been an influx of fossilized Megaladon teeth washing up on the beaches and it has paleontologists excited. Megaladon Ruled the Ancient Sea Just for few moments, imagine a city bus, now imagine that bus with…