Physical oceanography

Metacognition described by Chick is the “awareness or analysis of one’s own learning or thinking processes.” This is important in learning more about local issues of a political nature because when events are happening near you it is more likely to affect you and your life than if it was somewhere else in the nation. It is important to know the problems happening around you, so you can help find a cause or come up with a solution to solve this issue. With the actions happening around you it will…

Sand dune erosion is occurring on the Cronulla coastline due to the coupling of human and natural impacts and is gradually resulting in the beach being less able to be protect itself from natural implications. The constant sand dune erosion is creating a steeper slope this is allowing waves and winds to rapidly remove sand from the dunes. The sand dune erosion is destroying habitats from plants and animals, this is substantially decreasing the biodiversity on the coastal environment. Sand dune…

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…

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…

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…

Back in 2016 an article from Outside Online titled “Obituary: Great Barrier Reef (25 Million BC-2016)” went viral. In it they wrote as if The Great Barrier Reef was dead citing climate change as the cause of death. While The Great Barrier Reef is not yet dead, if thing progress as they are now, it sure will be soon. Coral Reefs are the oceans’ cities with more than 25 percent of all aquatic organisms living within them. Not only are they good for the species that live within them, they are also…

Essex coastline hosts a rich and diverse range of biodiversity life. As many coasts across the United Kingdom, it suffers from competing demands for uses of the seas which puts huge pressure on the marine environment. Some habitats and species have been affected by many factors. That has led the government to introduce legislation measures to protect the marine community. In this essay, I will look at how marine conservation zones would be beneficial to help the marine biodiversity in the UK.…

For my Shark Chat topic I would like to speak about citizen science and how people, regardless of age, major, or qualification can participate and become citizen scientists themselves. Citizen science is when local residents contribute to data collection of their environment without having to be actual scientists. I first learned about citizen science through Key Biscayne's Citizen Scientist Project, which is a non-profit organization that promotes citizen science among the community with free…

How To Change Fishing Line Water, sunlight and stress all factor into the deterioration of fishing line as they will wear and break down the line over time. If fishing line absorbs water, this will cause it to stretch and weaken. Some lines may be resistant to water and are not affected by it. The ultraviolet rays from the sun can also cause the line to lose strength as well. These factors will negatively affect the fishing line gradually and affects may not be noticeable until it is too late.…

With 53% of the population living in coastal communities and sea levels rising as a result of climate change, it is crucial that we address the issue through adaptation and mitigation. People living around coastal regions will be more susceptible but we also need to consider the impact on the coastal environments, estuaries and their vegetation and its biodiversity. This piece will analyze the changes of other estuaries to predict what the changes for Newport Back Bay. Because the estuary is…