Coral bleaching is a phenomenon that occurs when corals turn white due to environmental stress. It is a recurring event that frightens marine biologists and raises serious concerns for marine ecosystems around the world. When the water is too warm, corals excrete algae (zooxanthellae) that live in their tissues. As a result, the coral loses …
Ocean acidification is the lowering of the pH of all oceans on earth. The ocean absorbs about 25% of the carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the atmosphere, and as the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere increases, so does the amount of CO2 absorbed by the ocean. So, as the amount of greenhouse gases increases, …
Coral reefs are home to many organisms such as sponges, fish including large nurse sharks and reef sharks, eels, snappers, parrotfish, jellyfish, groupers, clownfish, anemones, crustaceans, other invertebrates and algae. A symbiotic relationship is formed when two different species interact with each other. These interactions create a balance within the ecosystem because at least one …
Scientists in the field of tropical marine biology have found that coral reefs are often divided into 3 types: fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls, which have special requirements for their development. The coral reef is created when motile coral larvae attach themselves to a rock or other underwater object on the edges of islands. …
Harmful blooms are caused by algae, simple aquatic plants that range from microscopic single-celled protists to colonial filamentous microalgae to large seaweeds, forming the base of food webs they are vitally important to marine and freshwater ecosystems. Toxic algae outbreaks can vary a lot but imagine chemical looking stinky, slime floating on the surface of …
Coral reefs are large underwater structures found in tropical ocean waters around the world. They are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on the planet. Coral reefs are home to more species than any other marine ecosystem. They are estimated to cover more than two hundred eighty-four thousand square kilometers. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef …
Pollution, overpopulation, and other human activities are having a major effect on the environment, by raising the earth’s temperature. The root cause is a phenomenon known as greenhouse gases in the atmosphere such as water vapor carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. The more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the higher the temperature as …
Subtropical deserts exist between 15o and 30o north and south latitude and are centered on the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Deserts are often found on the leeward or lee side of mountain ranges, creating a rain shadow after prevailing winds drop their water content into the mountains. A good examples are …
The boreal forest, also known as taiga or coniferous forest, is found between approximately 50° and 60° north latitude in most of Canada, Alaska, Russia, and northern Europe. Boreal forests are located above a certain elevation (and below high elevations where trees cannot grow) in mountain ranges throughout the Northern Hemisphere. This biome is characterized …
Tropical rainforests are located in equatorial regions and certainly are the most biodiverse terrestrial biome. This biodiversity is under enormous threat from logging and deforestation for agriculture. Rainforests are also known as nature’s pharmacy because of the potential for new medicines, much of which is hidden in the chemicals produced by the wide variety of …
