new abstarct

Well I decided to do my senior project on the coral reefs because their beautiful place and it’s a big part of biodiversity because it is home to many species of marine life. I also decided to focus on it because the observed bleaching affect on the reefs is due to the changes in the sea level, elevated storm frequency and intensity, altered ocean circulations variations in precipitation and land runoff all of which have major impacts on the health on our coral reefs. “If the overall warming is accompanied by more frequent periods of sustained high temperatures, mass bleaching events will become more frequent and widespread. Increasing human stresses such as pollution, overfishing, soil erosion, and physical damage from boats and other recreational activities will also weaken corals, limiting their ability to adapt to climate change” (Hodgson, 1999; Nurse et al., 1998). I feel by 2110 that many reefs won’t have a chance to survive if we don’t step up our efforts to protect our reefs because it’s not just a polar bear that global warming is effecting, but the reefs are a major part of our oceans. Our coral reefs house 25 percent of all species of marine creatures. Without coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef, we can lose marine life and resources we use and this can destroy an ecosystem but also the way we see marine life. From most of my sources, I got that many of the topics were about the problems yet to come if we don’t start protecting our oceans.


pull qoute
"Studies indicate that most coral are likely to recover from bleaching if the temperature anomalies persist for less than a month, but the stress from sustained high temperatures can cause physiological damage that may be irreversible" (Wilkinson et al., 1999).

Stir Fried Veggies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: SERVES 3-4 as a Side Dish
Ingredients:

* 1 medium-size carrot, sliced
* 1-2 cups baby bok choy, or other Chinese cabbage (leaves left whole if not too large, otherwise cut in half or thirds)
* 1 red pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
* 5-6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or left in halves or quarters
* 3 spring onions, cut in thirds
* 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
* 1 thumb-size piece of galangal (or ginger), sliced thinly (matchstick-like pieces)
* 3 Tbsp. white wine or sherry (or cooking wine or sherry)
* optional: handful dry-roasted unsalted cashews
* STIR-FRY SAUCE:
* 1/3 cup good-tasting stock (vegetarian or chicken stock)
* 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (or substitute 2.5 Tbsp. soy sauce)
* 1 Tbsp. lime juice
* 5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 tsp. liquid honey (or substitute brown sugar), plus more to taste
* 2 tsp. corn starch dissolved in 4 Tbsp. water
* 1 red chili, minced, OR 1 tsp. chili sauce, OR 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Start by making the stir-fry sauce. Place all ingredients - except garlic and cornstarch - in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
2. When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low. Now add the minced garlic and cornstarch (dissolved in water). Stir until the sauce thickens slightly - about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Do a taste test. You're looking for a balance of salty (fish sauce), spicy (garlic and chili), sour (lime), and sweet (sugar). Adjust these flavors to suit your taste.
4. Place a little oil in a wok/frying pan over medium to high heat. Add the carrots, galangal (or ginger), and shiitake mushrooms. When the wok/pan becomes dry, add a little of the wine or sherry, 1 Tbsp. at a time, to keep ingredients frying nicely. Stir-fry in this way, adding more wine or sherry as needed, for 2-3 minutes, or until carrots start to soften.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables plus 1/3 of the stir-fry sauce and continue stir-frying another 2 minutes, or until the broccoli has softened but still retains some of its crispness.
6. Add remaining stir-fry sauce (plus cashews, if using) and mix in until everything is hot. Remove from heat.
7. Do one last taste test. If not salty enough, add up to 1 Tbsp. more fish or soy sauce. If too salty, add another squeeze of lime juice. Add a little more sugar or honey, if desired.
8. Serve immediately with plenty of Thai jasmine-scented rice and ENJOY!

To Make this into a main course dish: Simply toss in some tofu or cooked shrimp when you add the stir-fry sauce. If using chicken, add it at the beginning of stir-frying.

Abstarct

Well I decided to do my senior project on the co coral reefs because their such a beautiful place and it’s a big part of biodiversity because it house homes to many species of marine life. I even decided to focus more on it because the bleaching affect on the reefs from the climate change. I even feel by 2110 that many reefs won’t have a chance to survive if we don’t step up to protect our reefs because it’s not just a polar bear that global warming is effecting, but the reefs are a major part of our oceans. Without coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef, we can lose many marine life and resources we use and this can destroy an ecosystem and the way we see marine life. From most of my sources, I got that many of the topics were about the problems and problems yet to come if we don’t start protecting our oceans. The ocean is already getting more acidic from the climate change and this affects the health of coral reefs, which changes the sea level, elevated storm frequency and intensity, altered ocean circulation, variation in precipitation and land runoff, and increasing ocean acidification. I even think if we keep on increasing levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we will probably bleach the entire reefs and lose so much of the biodiversity of the ocean. I think if we start by going green and finding better ways of energy, we won’t release as much CO2 in the atmosphere because when this happens the water temperature goes up, many storms are formed and the coral starts to die.

Global Warming vs. Coral reefs

In the CSA Illumina peer source I found it very helpful with my research on the Effects of Climate Change/Global Warming on Coral Reefs because the coral (zooxanthellae) are sensitive to increases in seawater temperatures. It even talked about how coral can survive the water temperature of 30 degrees C and up to 34 degrees C and still show no signs of bleaching until it hits 36 degrees C. The coral tries to adapt but still it bleaches. The coral then only has several days to survive and the reason is that it mutation rate is low and it takes longer to mutate into coral.

Effects of Climate Change/Global Warming on Coral Reefs: Adaptation/Exaptation in Corals, Evolution in Zooxanthellae, and Biogeographic Shifts
Sammarco, PW | Strychar, KB
Environmental Bioindicators [Environ. Bioindicators]. Vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 9-45. Jan-Mar 2009.


In the article "Global Warming takes a Toll on Coral reefs" I learned how not all coral reef bleaching isn't always harmful and that some coral can recover from the bleaching due to adaptation.It even was about how you can tell when coral is stress and dying from the water temperatures and pH levels. It says how we the people harm the reefs and its destroying most of the biodiversity and how reefs support up to 800 types of coral, 4000 species of fish and countless amount of invertebrates. Saving these ecosystems is imperative on a range of levels, says Caroline Rogers, a marine ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. "We have to save them for economic, ecological, aesthetic, and even spiritual reasons," she says. "People need to feel connected with nature and with systems that are bigger than they are. Coral reefs are awe-inspiring—we're losing something that we barely understand."



Global warming takes a toll on coral reefs
Table of Contents

* 1 Threats from Climate Change
* 2 Pinpointing Pathogens
* 3 The Immediate Challenge

Content Partner: Environmental Health Perspectives (other articles)
Article Topics: Coral reefs and Climate change
This article has been reviewed and approved by the following Topic Editor: John Bruno (other articles)
Last Updated: March 21, 2009

Nate Lewis reflection

What I got from the Nate Lewis video was how theirs is many potential renewable energy that we can use, for having a cleaner environment. I even learned about Hydroelectric, Geothermal,Ocean potential,electric potential of wind, biomass and solar energy. What Lewis talks about is how cheap fossil fuels are and how we can head for a brighter future from going in the direction of some of potential renewable energy. he even talks about how people usage of certain fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere and how we should look into new energy.

"what does this mean for us and our planet"

What I think our planet will be like is that many people will start regretting that they should have been using better energy source to protect their way of living.I feel that in the years to come CO2 levels will rise and the ice capsules will begin to melt and water levels will rise and consume cities and countries around the world. I even think that the C02 levels will make our sea PH levels high and the seas will become to acidic and many species of coral and marine life will die.

Does the climate change impact our reefs???

Well I decided to do my senior project on the Great Barrier Reef because its such a beautiful place and it’s a big part of biodiversity because it house homes to many species of marine life. I even decided to focus more on it because the bleaching affect on the reefs from the climate change. I even feel by 2110 that many reefs won’t have a chance to survive if we don’t step up to protect our reefs because it’s not just a polar bear that global warming is effecting, but the reefs are a major part of our oceans. Without coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef, we can lose many marine life and resources we use and this can destroy an ecosystem and the way we see marine life. From most of my sources, I got that many of the topics were about the problems and problems yet to come if we don’t start protecting our oceans. The ocean is already getting more acidic from the climate change and this affects the health of coral reefs, which changes the sea level, elevated storm frequency and intensity, altered ocean circulation, variation in precipitation and land runoff, and increasing ocean acidification. I even think if we keep on increasing levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, we will probably bleach the entire reefs and lose so much of the biodiversity of the ocean. I think if we start by going green and finding better ways of energy, we won’t release as much CO2 in the atmosphere because when this happens the water temperature goes up, many storms are formed and the coral starts to die.

1. Chandler, Jo. "Scientist's oceanic plea warns of imminent reef eulogy." The Age - Business, World & Breaking News | Melbourne, Australia. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. .

In this website I read about a scientist name Dr. John Veron and how he has experienced a change in the Great Barrier Reef. He talks about how the reef is one of the greatest structures created by life. Dr. Veron starts to talk about the climate changes and how it bleaching due to the temperatures of the water. Dr. Veron also says the worst bleaching is yet to come. He claims by 2030 and by 2050, "the only corals left alive will be those in refuges on deep outer slopes of reefs. The rest will be unrecognisable — a bacterial slime, devoid of life." Dr. Veron even speaks of how humans impact the climate change and the bleaching of the reef due to increasing levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

2. Butler, Rhett A. "Coral reefs decimated by 2050, Great Barrier Reef's coral 95% dead." Conservation and environmental science news. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. .

What I found in the article "Coral reefs decimated by 2050, Great Barrier Reef's coral 95% dead." was that 95% of the Great Barrier Reef’s life can be lost by ocean temperatures increase by the 1.5 degrees Celsius by the year 2050. I even read up on Hoegh Guldberg, the head of the University of Queensland's Centre for Marine Studies. Hoegh also explains how climate change is not just affecting Great Barrier Reef, but all of the oceans reefs. The Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology at Stanford University, says the most important threat facing the Great Barrier Reef and other reefs of the world is higher sea temperatures that cause thermal stress for corals. Hoegh Guldberg also talks about how many species of coral are getting stressed out by the warmer temperature and the cycle of coral isn’t producing and when the bleaching starts it can destroy a entire ecosystem. Hoegh Guldberg also stated that the ocean is getting more acidic and how some of the factors that will affect the health of coral reefs including changes in sea level, elevated storm frequency and intensity, altered ocean circulation, variation in precipitation and land runoff, and increasing ocean acidification.

3. "WWF - Impacts of global warming on corals." WWF - WWF. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. .

In the WWF website I got many interesting facts about coral reefs for example, more frequent tropical storms caused by global warming could break up the coral. More frequent heavy rains means more flooding, more river runoff, and therefore more sediment deposit in the seas. I really got more info on how to help save and prevent or reefs because it’s a extremely important for biodiversity, because it provides homes to over 25% of all marine life. Coral reefs are also a very sensitive part of the ecosystem and it’s a long cycle for coral reefs to produce more.

WHAT I WANT TO PLANT

The type of plant I want to grow is Sugar Cane and Guava Fruit Tree because these are just a few plants I enjoy eating. The best way to grow a sugar cane is by cutting the uppermost parts of a young sugar cane because it’s not grown from a seed. You must cut into them 15cm with a saw. This then gives you the seed pieces known as setts. The best way to grow Guava is by starting with a young Guava tree, but you can also use guava seeds they germinate around 2-3 weeks but can take longer like 8 weeks. But sometimes the seeds won’t even grow a tree. Well with sugar cane you have to choose a enclosed space because it’s known to spread in different areas so it’s good to control it from growing all over the place. With guava trees you really don’t need to worry about it spreading all over the place, but be prepare for the fruit it will start to produce when its matured. You don’t need to different plants to help produce it, you will only need honey bees because once its start flowering up the bees pollinate it then the seed lilts will start growing fruit. Sugar cane doesn’t really have a certain season or month it particular, but with a worm climate and lots of water it can grow fast. Guava trees like being in the sun and prefers the dry and humid climates but in the winter and cooler seasons it bears really good fruit. The type of soil sugar cane needs to grow doesn’t need to fertile soil it grows pretty good if kept warm, it isn’t difficult to grow. Sugar cane is a heavy feeder of nutrients because it’s root system is shallow and fibrous, therefore, fertigation is recommended for higher nutrient availability and use efficiency. Guava will tolerate many types of soil, but it will produce a lot better in soil with high organic matter. It will not tolerate salty soils. Guava’s are heavy feeders because they benefit from the nutrients from the fertilizer. Mature trees may require as much as 1/2 pound actual nitrogen per year. Applying fertilizer monthly is prior to heavy pruning. I really don’t think I need anything like seeds because I can provide my own plants. I also don’t think I might not need any special fertilizers or amendments. I’m really confident with using anything around the environment to help with my planting. I say this because the type of plants I’m working with can pretty much handle and climate or soil. A interesting fact about sugar cane is that if you plant a field of sugarcane and then run through it lightly clothed . . . you’ll die because the leaves are so sharp. The place of origin of the guava is uncertain, but it is believed to be an area extending from southern Mexico into or through Central America. It has been spread by man, birds and other animals to all warm areas of tropical America and in the West Indies (since 1526).