Green algae

Horseshoe crabs are an important part of the ecology of coastal communities. During the nesting season, especially in the Mid-Atlantic States, horseshoe crab eggs become the major food source for migrating birds. Over 50% of the diet of many shorebird species consists of horseshoe crab eggs. Many bird species in Florida have been observed feeding on horseshoe crab eggs. In addition, many fish species rely on horseshoe crab eggs for food. Horseshoe crabs are currently exploited in three…

Hi, today I am going to talk about Bioluminescent Plankton. What are they? Well they are small organisms that float in large numbers in either salt or fresh water. They belong to three groups called phytoplankton, zooplankton, and bacterioplankton. Plankton are a significant food source for blue whales, shrimp and jelly fish. Bioluminescent plankton belong to phytoplankton which use sunlight to make its own food, and zooplankton which feeds on phytoplankton and other small organisms.…

The oceans are explored by people,robots and machines you can either dive in yourself and go for it but you won't get very far doing it that way. Deep sea exploration is a difficult process even with today’s technology I predict that even in the next 10 years we won't learn very much about the oceans deep and dark secrets of the great depths it will be quite a long time until we even discover 90 percent of the ocean and then there will be so much about it that we still don't understand…

Located ten kilometers off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, the diminutive Cozumel, also known as the Island of Swallows, is an underwater marine park that protects the delicate balance of its spectacular coral reefs and its diverse marine life. Whether urban legend, historical fact, or still contested “truth”, many believe that a Frenchman and undersea explorer by the name of Jacques Cousteau put Cozumel on the map when he declared the region the most beautiful scuba diving area in the…

Biodiversity Essay How can the great barrier reef be protected for the future generation? The great barrier reef is a stunning 2,600 km stretch of some of the most amazing coral reefs in the world. It is so big it is visible from space. The reef is approximately the same area as Japan, Malaysia or even Germany(Great Barrier Reef). It is a huge part of the world but also a huge part of people's lives. Latest estimates suggests that the great barrier reef makes up to $30 billion each year in…

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…

By finishing up talking about the environmental effects of Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the destruction of coral reefs was another crucial part. The oil not only floated on the surface of the ocean, but also precipitated down to the deep-sea area. The coral reefs, the important deep ocean habitats, were covered by the sediment of oil, and they were seriously damaged. By analyzing the flocculent precipitate covered on the corals, it was proofed that the sediment was consistent with the petroleum…

2. Two areas that are experiencing coral bleaching are Hawaii, and Jamaica. Coral bleaching occurs as a result in increased water temperatures that cause the coral to release the algae that they need for food. The reason it is called bleaching is because when this happens, the coral loses all of its color. In Hawaii, the coral reef plays a significant role in protecting the beaches form erosion. If there is beach erosion, it will cost from 250 million to as much as 6 billion dollars to repair…

While there are plenty of small ways that everyone can help limit coral bleaching, this includes everything from conserving more water which leads to less oceanic runoff to contacting your local government representative and expressing your concern for the reefs, there stands one major ‘solution’ to the problem of bleaching- preventing climate change. While this may seem like a daunting and near-impossible task at first glance, there are several things that every human being can do on an…

Okinawa is the Japanese Prefecture located at 26o 30'N, 128o 00'E. The main island sits in the Pacific Ocean and the East China sea, virtually isolated from major land masses; it is the largest of the 72- island chain. Okinawa is home to over one million people, the most densely populated island of the Ryukyu archipelago, with a vast majority residing in Naha city. Okinawa's islands are comprised of limestone and coral rocks; the limestone formation has resulted in many caves and, because of the…