Those who have climbed the highest mountains in Africa have probably noticed how the flora and fauna present gradually change as one progresses from high forest in the lowlands to humid, medium-altitude forest with a low canopy, then to grasslands, grassy alps, and finally to cold, windy areas and rocky mountain peaks. We see these …
We can think of a population as a set of individuals of the same species living together at the same time and place. This statement implies coexistence and possible interaction or intercommunication between all members of the population, and that the population is spatially well defined. Population Dynamics; How fast the population is growing, how …
When we think of the destruction of the oceans, most people think of destruction from pollution. Although chemicals and plastics have a huge impact on marine life and ecosystems, it is very important to consider another major issue that is having detrimental effects on marine systems. Effect Of Overfishing Destructive fishing includes practices that have …
When oil spills occur, the primary organisms to come back into contact with the oil are the marine organisms. There are thousands of oil and chemical accidents and spills in keeping with NOAA. Bioaccumulation causes several issues to marine life. Organisms that are down the food chain, sort of a zooplankton, accumulate oils and chemicals …
When we talk about the warming of our oceans, it’s important to talk about global warming first. Global warming as a term describes a gradual rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans; a change that it is believed to permanently alter the Earth’s climate. There are hard and cold facts that …
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 …
