Great Barrier Reef

Velellas, a genus of cnidarians, are more on the odd looking side. These common jellyfish- like creatures are found on the North American West Coast. Though they don’t have a traditional “medusa” or “polyp” looking form, their body shapes are more of a flat, disk- like colony of specialized personal polyps and are about 6- 7cm in diameter.. They generally live in warm to warm- temperate waters and oceans and live off shore. Due to them mostly floating above water, they have a vibrant blue color…

Mud crabs are more active at high tides where they’re able to go out to feed on plants, snails, worms, molluscs and other small crabs (Hollowayseec.eq.edu.au, 2016). They also feed on some fish species that live in mangroves which can be a great feeding region. During low tides, mud crabs often hide in the mangroves for protection from larger prey. Their dark colour also protects them as they can blend into the mud and hide. Burrows are used by the majority of male crabs rather than female…

Research Proposal Ocean pH Levels and Shellfish Survivability Josh Lewis Abstract: Ocean acidification is a growing issue that is causing young shellfish to die, which is hurting marine ecosystems. Research has been done on the topics involved (pH levels, effects of ocean acidification on shellfish, etc.) many times, and though it’s a slow moving issue, it is evident. As I stated, this is an extremely important topic to know about because thriving marine ecosystems are being damaged. As…

In an advancing twenty first century, technology is playing a part in every sector of people’s lives. There are always positive and negative affects to everything, and new technologies are a prime example of this. People have always been interested in what the World’s oceans can provide, and people are using new technology to investigate these possibilities. However, technology can have a negative affect on different biodiversity in the ocean. Focusing specifically on the Atlantic Ocean,…

Introduction Hemigraspus sanguineus by large possesses the subtidal and intertidal rough shoreline, with a checked inclination for cobble shorelines. It has additionally been known to live on man-made structures, for example, seawalls and manufactured reefs, and can…

The first tip to avoiding an alligator attack is to avoid the animal’s territory. This may seem obvious, but it is surprising how many people ignore clear signs of alligators such as: nests, eggs, or even adult alligators. If, by happenstance, a person falls into a body of water containing the carnivores, remain calm. If he or she begins to thrash in the water, the splashing will attract the alligators toward them. While the animals tend to avoid larger prey, they may attempt to grab a limb from…

181.89 miles in mapped passageways making it the third longest cave in the world (United States. National Park Service). The formation is lined with calcite crystals creating a beautiful view inside. Jewel cave is a geologic wonder that would make a great field trip. A field trip to Jewel cave would allow the class to learn about a cave formation, see calcite crystals in a beautiful setting, and give them an experience they would not forget. Jewel Cave’s formation was caused by acidic…

Shark fins, the main ingredient found in shark fin soup, can be highly toxic to humans, additionally, it poses many serious threats to human health. Shark meat, including fins, contain high levels of BMAA, these high levels could pose a major threat to the consumer’s health. A recent study by the University of Miami found high concentrations of beta-Methylamino-L-alanine, or BMAA, in shark fins. BMAA is a neurotoxin linked to many neurodegenerative diseases in humans, such diseases include…

Trip to Bora Bora There is a lot of places in earth that I would love to go to, but the one that catches my attention is Bora Bora, French Polynesia. It’s the most beautiful place ever, I have seen a YouTuber go for vacation and it seem liked she really enjoyed it. Since last year I have been wanting to go Bora Bora, it is like one of my goals. You go and also seem to learn about their background. Where you stay it looks like they treat the people like kings and queens. I love the sea and that’s…

This year marks an anniversary of sorts for the Galapagos achipagio, one that has been happening every seven years since the end of the Ice Age, El Niño. It’s a Darwinian celebration, a natural event that is laden with surprises for some of the islands inhabitants and setbacks for others. The tradition starts with the characteristic cool Humboldt Current being offset by warmer water, effectively cutting off the algae and food supply for the marine iguana, the blue-footed Bobby, sea lions and…