Unique, unlike any other, the Galapagos Islands prove to be remarkable and worthwhile of exploring in great detail. The Galapagos Islands are not only beautiful, but also consists of some very important features, not found in a similar way in other parts of the world. It seems that all that inhabits the islands affect one another, both alive and inanimate. According to the film, a large part of the reason for why there is such huge diversity on the islands is due to the fact that the Galapagos Islands are located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. This location is what contributes to the mystifying marine life, as well as the to the different animals living on land.
There are about 600,000 km of coral reef worldwide (State of the Reefs). Most reefs today are about 8,000 years old, and there are records of some being as much as 2.5 million years old (Dimitrov). The ecosystems of coral reefs have the “largest (amount) biodiversity per unit of area on earth” (Dimitrov). Scientists have discovered 93,000 coral reef species; however some estimate that there could be from 950,000 to as much as 9 million different species of coral reef (Dimitrov). Coral reefs are the second largest ecosystem next to tropical rainforests on Earth.
Atolls, on the other hand, are formed far offshore and they make a ring-shaped reef that close a circular lagoon. Coral reefs are the largest biological structures on the planet. The largest structure is the Great Barrier Reef covering over 2,000 kilometers along the east coast of Australia. The reef is said to be 500,000 to 2,500,000 years old. 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.
Natural Ecosystems are very beneficial. Discuss the anthropogenic impact on ecosystems and biodiversity and the need to maintain its integrity. A natural ecosystem is complex set of relationships among the living resources, habitats, and residents of an area. It includes plants, trees, animals, soil, and people. Ecosystems vary in size and the elements that make them up, but each is a functioning unit of nature.
Life in the Great Barrier Reef Some of the most unique and beautiful creatures in the world can be found in the Great Barrier Reef. Around thirty species of whales, dolphins and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, including the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and the humpback whale. Over 1,500 fish species live on the reef, including the clownfish, red bass, red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral trout. Six species of sea turtles including the green sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, flat back
The sting of a moon jellyfish is harmless and has a very mild feeling. Moon jellyfish live in large groups and are most commonly found on the coasts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. The largest type of jellyfish is the lion’s mane jellyfish, which also belongs to the class Scyphozoa. The lion’s mane’s tentacles can reach to a length of over 100 feet making it the longest animal in the world. It can also range from a few inches to eight feet in diameter.
Containing an abundance of marine life consisting of over 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Covering over 300,000 square kilometers and including a wide range of ocean depth it contains such biodiversity it makes The Great Barrier Reef one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth. Like any other ecosystem on Earth the Great Barrier Reef depends on both abiotic and biotic components to keep it functional and stable. Abiotic components are non-living factors that impact ecosystems such as temperatures of 77 degrees to 84 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees to 29 degrees Celsius). Certain coral reefs have progressed in order to survive outside this temperature range.
These reptiles have the ability to do incredible things. The Green Sea Turtle is one of seven species and happens to be the largest member of the Cheioniidae family. According to www.turtles.org/hawgrnd.htm , scientists assume that post-hatchlings, pelagic-stage Green Sea Turtles are omnivorous, but there are no data on diet from this age class. Young Green Sea Turtles have a diet of jellyfish and other invertebrates. Adults tend to eat sea grass and algae.
Another important factor to keeping the marine life alive are the warm currents and shallow waters. The warm currents allow them to receive calcium to grow. The waves also bring in food, nutrients, and oxygen. The shallow waters allow the reef to receive the sunlight it needs to perform photosynthesis. The three types are coral reefs are fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atoll reefs.
Latest technological advances have increased the threat to the marine animal, especially for turtles. It's believed that many species of turtle already got extinct and seven species of turtle are in the verge of extinction. Olive Ridley is one among the seven breeds that are in the verge of extinction. Features of Olive Ridley Olive Ridley turtles have been around a very long time, more than 100,000,000 years. Olive Ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea are small, hard-shelled marine turtles, one of the two species of the genus Lepidochelys, and a member of the Family Cheloniidae.