Hi people! This will be my last post as I have reached my quota for the project. I hope you enjoyed the blog as much as me and also learnt about coral reefs! Here is a web page where there is daily news on coral reefs. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Videos on coral reefs
Hi people! here are more videos from youtube about coral reefs. The sides of this blog only show one of a thousandth of the videos from you tube. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=coral+reef&search_type=&aq=f
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=coral+reef&search_type=&aq=f
Article
Hi again! Here is an article on how 1/3 of the world's coral reefs are threatened by extinction.
Benefits of coral reefs
Hi people! Here are some nice websites about the benefits of coral reefs for you to enjoy! So....enjoy!
What causes the reef to die
Causes of Coral Reef Degradation
From the International Coral Reef Initiative Report to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development
| Man-made Stresses | Natural Stresses |
| -pressure from population increase (including migration and intensified uses) | -Crown of Thorns (Starfish) predator outbreaks |
| -depletion of fish stocks | -tropical storm damage |
| -destructive fishing methods, such as dynamite blasting and poisons (cyanide) | -warmer ocean temperature fluctuations resulting in coral bleaching |
| -excessive non-point source pollution, e.g. from agricultural runoff and contamination of aquifers | -earthquakes |
| -ship-based pollution; including oil, plastics and bilge water | -wave action |
| -mangrove harvesting or displacement for aqua culture products | -flooding |
| -increased sedimentation as a result of deforestation and poor land use | -flooding and surface water run-off |
| -coral and coral sand mining | -Natural Diseases |
| -unplanned tourism-including inadequate wasted water treatment, unregulated construction, collection of corals and ornamental reef species, spear fishing, etc. | Identified Hard Coral Diseases (The Coral Disease Page) offline |
| -land based and urban construction activities including dredging, filling, and increased siltation |
Habitat requirement
Hi again, people, here is a post for you to know what are the habitat requirements for the coral to live.
Habitat requirements.
1. Although various types of corals can be found from the water's surface to depths of 19,700 ft. (6,000 m), reef- building corals are generally found at depths of less than 150 ft (46 m), where sunlight penetrates. Because reef- building corals have a symbiotic relationship with a type of microscopic algae, sunlight is necessary for these corals to thrive and grow.
a. Reefs tend to grow faster in clear water. Clear water allows light to reach the symbiotic algae living within the coral polyp's tissue. Many scientists believe that the algae, called zooxanthellae, promote polyp calcification. See symbiosis for more information on this algae and its relationship with coral.
b. Light-absorbing adaptations enable some reef- building corals to live in dim blue light.
2. Reef-building corals require warm ocean temperatures (68 to 82 F, or 20 to 28 C). Warm water flows along the eastern shores of major land masses.
3. Reef development is generally more abundant in areas that are subject to strong wave action. Waves carry food, nutrients, and oxygen to the reef; distribute coral larvae; and prevent sediment from settling on the coral reef.
4. Precipitation of calcium from the water is necessary to form a coral polyp's skeleton. This precipitation occurs when water temperature and salinity are high and carbon dioxide concentrations are low. These conditions are typical of shallow, warm tropical waters.
5. Most corals grow on a hard substrate.
declination of coral reefs
Hi people, here is an article from NOAA about the declination of coral reefs.
As there is a problem posting up the article, I will just hyperlink you to the page
As there is a problem posting up the article, I will just hyperlink you to the page
species of coral
Hi people, here are some nice websites about the species of corals. I will try to keep this post updated, so be prepared to see more websites!
coral word search
Hi people. Here is a word search about corals I found on the net. Enjoy!! :D
P.S: please print this page out if you can as you cannot highlight the words diagonally or vertically.
Coral Reef Word Search
x h x a p b e g i m o q u x l z b
p s c l s l c r u s t a c e a n r
m i l u p d a b t r e b r l r b o
s f o f y h v t o p l d a t o a m
w r w t l r n h e x a s b p c x e
b e n p o l g k j c z l f r y q h
y n f l p a s e g n o p s b n u s
q a i n t p u d w w o r m s o s i
o e s s h r i m p p v t a s t c f
a l h f i n g e r c o r a l s a t
e c h i n o d e r m y r e t s b o
h s i f n o i l a z g a d u c a r
a u f p b y l a r o c n i a r b r
s e a w h i p s h s i f l e g n a
a s e a u r c h i n o c t o p u s
1. plate coral 14. octopus
2. finger coral 15. polyps
3. stony coral 16. echinoderm
4. brain coral 17. shrimp
5. staghorn 18. sponges
6. sea fans 19. mollusks
7. sea whips 20 clownfish
8. crustacean 21. lionfish
9. crab 22. cleaner fish
10. lobster 23. parrotfish
11. sea star 24. barracuda
12. eel 25. sea urchin
26. worms
P.S: please print this page out if you can as you cannot highlight the words diagonally or vertically.
Coral Reef Word Search
x h x a p b e g i m o q u x l z b
p s c l s l c r u s t a c e a n r
m i l u p d a b t r e b r l r b o
s f o f y h v t o p l d a t o a m
w r w t l r n h e x a s b p c x e
b e n p o l g k j c z l f r y q h
y n f l p a s e g n o p s b n u s
q a i n t p u d w w o r m s o s i
o e s s h r i m p p v t a s t c f
a l h f i n g e r c o r a l s a t
e c h i n o d e r m y r e t s b o
h s i f n o i l a z g a d u c a r
a u f p b y l a r o c n i a r b r
s e a w h i p s h s i f l e g n a
a s e a u r c h i n o c t o p u s
1. plate coral 14. octopus
2. finger coral 15. polyps
3. stony coral 16. echinoderm
4. brain coral 17. shrimp
5. staghorn 18. sponges
6. sea fans 19. mollusks
7. sea whips 20 clownfish
8. crustacean 21. lionfish
9. crab 22. cleaner fish
10. lobster 23. parrotfish
11. sea star 24. barracuda
12. eel 25. sea urchin
26. worms
Jokes
Hi people, here are some jokes on fishes and coral reefs I found on the net. Enjoy!
1. What fish likes bubble gum?
2. What kind of fish do you see after a rain storm?
3. What is a shark's favorite sandwich?
4. What kind of fish do cowboys ride?
5. What fish has nine lives?
***
Answers: 1. blow fish 2. rainbow trout 3. peanut butter & jellyfish 4. seahorse 5. catfish
Boating term = A boat is a hole in the water, into which one pours all their money. (that's an old one)
Reef term = A reef tank is a whole lot of water in the living room, into which one pours all their money.
Stupid fish riddles:
1. What fish has the deepest voice?
2. What fish is a celebrity?
3. What fish always carries a sharp weapon?
4. What fish comes in different flavors and shakes when moved?
***
***answers..1 bass, 2 starfish, 3 swordfish, 4 jellyfish
~
A swordfish swam into a sandbar, and the bar tender said,
"Why the long face?"
**
Q: What is a true saltwater aquarist's favorite holiday?
***
A: Tangsgiving
What comes in red, pink, and white?
- Coral
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Very good websites about the conservation on coral reefs
Here are some really good websites for you to learn more about coral reefs. I will try my best to find more websites and keep this post updated. Enjoy!
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/oceans/coral/
http://www.motherjones.com/news/special_reports/coral_reef/
http://www.uvi.edu/coral.reefer/
http://42explore.com/reef.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00183/Coral%20Reef%20Destruction.htm
http://www.coralfilm.com/about.html
http://www.motherjones.com/news/special_reports/coral_reef/
http://www.uvi.edu/coral.reefer/
http://42explore.com/reef.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00183/Coral%20Reef%20Destruction.htm
http://www.coralfilm.com/about.html
Here is a website about the different species of fish living in the coral reefs
Little things you can do to help save the reef
Hi again, here are some little things you can do I found on the web to save the coral reefs. Please at least try to do one so as to help save the beautiful coral reefs all around the world.
I will post up a poll for you to vote whether you have at least tried one of these methods. Thank you!
1. Support reef-friendly businesses. Ask what your dive shop, boating store, tour operators, hotel and other coastal businesses are doing to save the coral reefs. This is especially important in coastal areas with reefs. Let them know you are an informed consumer and care about reefs.
2. Don’t use chemically enhanced pesticides and fertilizers. Although you may live thousands of miles from a coral reef ecosystem, these products end up in the watershed and may ultimately impact the waters that support coral.
3. Volunteer for a reef cleanup. You don’t live near a coral reef? Then do what many people do with their vacation: visit a coral reef. Spend an afternoon enjoying the beauty of one of the world’s treasures while helping to preserve it for future generations.
4. Learn more about coral reefs. How many different species live in reefs? What new medicines have been discovered in reef organisms. Participate in training or educational programs that focus on reef ecology. When you further your own education, you can help others understand the fragility and value of the world’s coral reefs.
5. Become a member of your local aquarium or zoo. Ask what they are doing and what your donation can do toward saving the world’s coral reefs. The answer may pleasantly surprise you.
6. When you visit a coral reef, help keep it healthy by respecting all local guidelines, recommendations, regulations, and customs. Ask local authorities or your dive shop hot to protect the reef.
7. Support conservation organizations. Many of them have coral reef programs, and your much-needed monetary support will make a big difference.
8. Spread the word. Remember your own excitement at learning how important the planet’s coral reefs are to us and the intricate global ecosystem. Sharing this excitement gets everyone you speak with involved.
9. Be an informed consumer. Consider carefully the coral objects that you buy for your coffee table. Ask the store owner or manager from what country the coral is taken and whether or not that country has a management plan to insure that the harvest was legal and sustainable over time.
10. Don’t pollute. Never put garbage or human waste in the water. Don’t leave trash on the beach.
11. Recycle. This is the first step each of us can take to make a change. Recycle anything and everything. If your community doesn’t have a program, do it anyway, and get one started.
12. Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually finds its way back into our oceans.
13. Report dumping or other illegal activities. Environmental enforcement cannot be everywhere, and your involvement can make a big difference.
14. Keep it clean. You may be in the habit of picking up your own trash. You may even participate in an organized cleanup. But have you considered carrying away the trash that others have left behind?
15. Only buy marine aquarium fish if you know they have been collected in an ecologically sound manner. In some areas, marine fish harvested for the pet trade, are stunned with sodium cyanide so that capturing them is easier.
16. Surf the net! Many different addresses exist to link you to information about coral reefs and what you can do to become involved. A good starting point is at http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/coral-reef.html
17. Don’t start a liverock aquarium. Although this living rock is still harvested legally in some places, its collection is devastating to the reef organisms habitat.
18. Hire local guides when visiting coral reef ecosystems. Not only do you learn about the local resources, but you will be protecting the future of the reef by supporting a non-consumptive economy around that reef.
19. Don’t anchor on the reef. If you go boating near a coral reef, use mooring buoy systems when they are available.
20. If you dive, don’t touch! Take only pictures and leave only bubbles! Keep your fins’ gear, and hands away from the coral, as this contact can hurt you and will damage the delicate coral animals. Stay off the bottom because stirred-up sediment can settle on coral and smother it.
21. Participate in the Great American Fish Count. What better way to enjoy your vacation time than snorkeling or diving in America’s coral reefs and helping scientists better understand reef fish populations?
22. Volunteer. Volunteer and community coral reef monitoring programs are very important. If you do not live near a coast, get involved in your local save the river (bay, lake, or other estuarine environment) program. Remember, all watersheds affect the oceans and eventually the coral reefs.
23. Support the creation and maintenance of marine parks and reserves. Encourage your friends to get involved with projects to protect special areas.
24. Be a wastewater crusader! Make sure that sewage from your boat, from others’ boats, and from land is correctly treated. The nutrients from sewage feed growing algae that can smother and kill corals.
25. Inform yourself. Find out about existing and proposed laws, programs, and projects that could affect the world’s coral reefs.
I will post up a poll for you to vote whether you have at least tried one of these methods. Thank you!
1. Support reef-friendly businesses. Ask what your dive shop, boating store, tour operators, hotel and other coastal businesses are doing to save the coral reefs. This is especially important in coastal areas with reefs. Let them know you are an informed consumer and care about reefs.
2. Don’t use chemically enhanced pesticides and fertilizers. Although you may live thousands of miles from a coral reef ecosystem, these products end up in the watershed and may ultimately impact the waters that support coral.
3. Volunteer for a reef cleanup. You don’t live near a coral reef? Then do what many people do with their vacation: visit a coral reef. Spend an afternoon enjoying the beauty of one of the world’s treasures while helping to preserve it for future generations.
4. Learn more about coral reefs. How many different species live in reefs? What new medicines have been discovered in reef organisms. Participate in training or educational programs that focus on reef ecology. When you further your own education, you can help others understand the fragility and value of the world’s coral reefs.
5. Become a member of your local aquarium or zoo. Ask what they are doing and what your donation can do toward saving the world’s coral reefs. The answer may pleasantly surprise you.
6. When you visit a coral reef, help keep it healthy by respecting all local guidelines, recommendations, regulations, and customs. Ask local authorities or your dive shop hot to protect the reef.
7. Support conservation organizations. Many of them have coral reef programs, and your much-needed monetary support will make a big difference.
8. Spread the word. Remember your own excitement at learning how important the planet’s coral reefs are to us and the intricate global ecosystem. Sharing this excitement gets everyone you speak with involved.
9. Be an informed consumer. Consider carefully the coral objects that you buy for your coffee table. Ask the store owner or manager from what country the coral is taken and whether or not that country has a management plan to insure that the harvest was legal and sustainable over time.
10. Don’t pollute. Never put garbage or human waste in the water. Don’t leave trash on the beach.
11. Recycle. This is the first step each of us can take to make a change. Recycle anything and everything. If your community doesn’t have a program, do it anyway, and get one started.
12. Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually finds its way back into our oceans.
13. Report dumping or other illegal activities. Environmental enforcement cannot be everywhere, and your involvement can make a big difference.
14. Keep it clean. You may be in the habit of picking up your own trash. You may even participate in an organized cleanup. But have you considered carrying away the trash that others have left behind?
15. Only buy marine aquarium fish if you know they have been collected in an ecologically sound manner. In some areas, marine fish harvested for the pet trade, are stunned with sodium cyanide so that capturing them is easier.
16. Surf the net! Many different addresses exist to link you to information about coral reefs and what you can do to become involved. A good starting point is at http://www.noaa.gov/public-affairs/coral-reef.html
17. Don’t start a liverock aquarium. Although this living rock is still harvested legally in some places, its collection is devastating to the reef organisms habitat.
18. Hire local guides when visiting coral reef ecosystems. Not only do you learn about the local resources, but you will be protecting the future of the reef by supporting a non-consumptive economy around that reef.
19. Don’t anchor on the reef. If you go boating near a coral reef, use mooring buoy systems when they are available.
20. If you dive, don’t touch! Take only pictures and leave only bubbles! Keep your fins’ gear, and hands away from the coral, as this contact can hurt you and will damage the delicate coral animals. Stay off the bottom because stirred-up sediment can settle on coral and smother it.
21. Participate in the Great American Fish Count. What better way to enjoy your vacation time than snorkeling or diving in America’s coral reefs and helping scientists better understand reef fish populations?
22. Volunteer. Volunteer and community coral reef monitoring programs are very important. If you do not live near a coast, get involved in your local save the river (bay, lake, or other estuarine environment) program. Remember, all watersheds affect the oceans and eventually the coral reefs.
23. Support the creation and maintenance of marine parks and reserves. Encourage your friends to get involved with projects to protect special areas.
24. Be a wastewater crusader! Make sure that sewage from your boat, from others’ boats, and from land is correctly treated. The nutrients from sewage feed growing algae that can smother and kill corals.
25. Inform yourself. Find out about existing and proposed laws, programs, and projects that could affect the world’s coral reefs.
Games on reefs
here are some websites where there are games about reefs for you to play. Enjoy!!
http://www.riverwired.com/content/expedition
http://www.reefhq.com.au/home/lucky_t/games#columns
http://www.ausarabexplore.info/interactives/coral/coral.html
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0510/games/game_intro.html
http://www.reefhq.com.au/home/lucky_t/games#columns
http://www.ausarabexplore.info/interactives/coral/coral.html
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0510/games/game_intro.html
I will try to update the links whenever I can find more. in the meantime, there are lots of other links for you to choose from.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
ways the reefs could die
There are many ways the reefs around the would could die. Here are only SOME of the reasons why they die.
Coral Bleaching
Pollution
Fishermen>> (spear guns, which can damage the coral) (commercial poisons) (dynamite)
Overfishing>> It would damage food chains around and in the coral reefs. Thus, sea urchins can overwhelm the coral reef. Us humans fish for the predators of sea urchins, such as porcupine fish a lot, so much that the predators of the sea urchins are very rare in those areas. Used-to-be-reefs would become so covered with algae that animals cannot build new colonies for them to live in.
Coral Bleaching
Pollution
Fishermen>> (spear guns, which can damage the coral) (commercial poisons) (dynamite)
Overfishing>> It would damage food chains around and in the coral reefs. Thus, sea urchins can overwhelm the coral reef. Us humans fish for the predators of sea urchins, such as porcupine fish a lot, so much that the predators of the sea urchins are very rare in those areas. Used-to-be-reefs would become so covered with algae that animals cannot build new colonies for them to live in.
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