Besides global warming there is another problem with this beautiful structure and that is the result of several local natural and human factors such as over fishing. Silt from deforested lands and pollution from crowded coastlines choke them, and overuse and destroy coral reefs. There are many other factors which if they are not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. Corals are animals, not plants; sunlight is the key to their survival. They need it to power the millions of microscopic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues.
Cyanobacteria are simple, single-celled photosynthetic prokaryotes. There are two ways in which these microbial communities form, the first being the most common in bays and ocean locations. The first method involves the growing filaments (cyanobacteria) trapping fine sediment with a sticky film of mucus that each cell produces, and then the sediment grains are binded together with calcium carbonate given off by the water. The second method is used in lakes and requires the cyanobacteria to precipitate their own carbonate framework and hardens as the filaments continue to grow upwards through the formation, towards the light. An environment in which Stromatolites would live and grow include: anaerobic, marine (lakes, bays, oceans), high salinity, low tide, warm temperature, poor water circulation or shallow water.
These algae provide them with an additional food source through photosynthesis. Coral reefs are formed by corals that secrete hard calcareous (aragonite) exoskeletons, giving them structural rigidity. These colonial "hard corals" form elaborate finger-shaped, branching, or moundshaped structures and can create masses of limestone that stretch for tens or even hundreds of miles. WHERE ARE THESE REEFS LOCATED Coral reefs are estimated to cover 284,300 square kilometers (109,800 sq mi),just under one tenth of one percent of the oceans' surface area. The Indo-Pacificregion (including the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific) account for 91.9% of this total.
They are derived from the chemical and mechanical weathering of rocks. Biogenous sediments are composed primarily of the protective outter covering of small marine animals and plants. If these remains comprise at least thirty percent of the sediment it is called an "ooze". "Oozes" were named for the types of organisms that formed them. Hydrogenous sediments form as a result of the chemical reactions that occur in the
Corals only survive in clear water where light can break the surface of the water. The water is usually low on nutrients because there isn’t much debris floating around. Naturally these waters wouldn’t have many animals living in them because of the lack of nutrients, but with the coral living in the water there are thousands of animals and they
Heather Carlson Life in the Oceans Assignment #2 April 2nd, 2011 Assignment #2 - Porphyra According to Websters dictionary, aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. Today I will concentrate on the commercial farming of marine algae, specifially the species of Tyrian purple algae, or Porphyra. Porphyra, commonly know as nori, is the most widely consumed seaweed in the world. Porphyra is a foliose red algal genus of laver, comprising approximately 70 species.
Many don’t realize that they provide humans with a source of income and more importantly, life for a wide diversity of marine animals. By 2050, there is a possibility that the coral reefs might die out if their habitats continue to worsen (Trinh, 2012). This paper reviews information on what coral reefs are, the importance of coral reefs, information on the Florida Keys and Caribbean, explains the problems they face, and how coral reefs can be helped. INTRODUCTION Coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems, provide life to a variety of marine animals (Coral Reef Protection, 2012). Reefs have been called the “rainforests of the sea,” because they provide homes to numerous marine animals (Trinh, 2012).
Previously, it was taught that upwelling as physical processes causes the cycling of nutrients in the ocean. This process is essential to life, as these nutrients are needed to sustain life. However, tiny sea animals have been overlooked in the past. These mini “monkeys” have a monstrous impact of the cycling and moving of nutrients in the oceans. A study on this topic was done to explore how much of an impact these tiny animals have on the ocean currents as they travel in masses.
Pollution Pollution is a large contributor to water poisoning. Water takes up 71% of the earth, with 96.6% being oceans. As of 2014, a study by the PNAS, or Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that 88% of the ocean’s surface is covered in plastic debris. And sadly, this only accounted for 1% of the plastic that is in the ocean. Although, the study is only based on 3,070 pieces of plastic from around the world, which seems like nothing compared to the 5.25 trillion pieces in the ocean.
Below the vast swelling body of water lays another world filled with many species of sea animals from the dawn of creation and more that are still left to be discovered. However, this fascinating place is also contaminated with horrifying inventions against nature which must be sought to be protected and conserved. There is a tremendous amount of trash produced each day that can end up in the ocean and further pollute it. A specific focus is placed on the many particles of plastic debris that end up maneuvering through the water. Shockingly, there will result in more plastic in the ocean than fish by the year 2050.