MarineBio Newsletter 1
| Issues in Marine Conservation | --- | For Young Marine Scientists |
| Featured Conservation Organization | Diving | |
| Ask MarineBio | Species of the Month |
Research in Marine Science
Harvard study on the impact of carbon emissions have on microbial organisms in the deep sea
Scientists at Harvard's department of Earth and Planetary Sciences are studying the function of archaea, single-celled microscopic organisms found in the deep sea described as distant cousins of bacteria. These microorganisms constitute a large percentage of the ocean's biomass and may play a role in global carbon distribution. Although archaea were not discovered until the late 1970s, they were added as the third branch of life due to their abundance in the ecosystem. The other two are eukaryota, which includes plants and animals, and bacteria. There are three main groups of archaea: the methanogens (those that like produce methane gas in swamps and digestive tracts), the extreme halophiles (those that can tolerate super high salt concentrations such as the salt lakes) and the extreme thermophiles (those that can stand very high temperatures like those found at deep sea hydrothermal vents and hot sulfur springs like those in Yellowstone National Park).
In the News
Coral reefs in Indonesia reveal astonishing biodiversity
Scientists recently described the biodiversity on a remote archipelago in the Malacca Sea as "mind-boggling". A survey of the reef system sponsored by Conservation International identified more than 1,000 fish species, 600 mollusk species, and 450 different species of coral. This high level of diversity is unusual and may be explained by the archipelago's location at the cross roads of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The abundance of life on the reef may also be a result of the cooler waters found in the area which protect the reefs from bleaching.
Twelve new species identified on coral reef in Indian Ocean
During another survey sponsored by Conservation International, 12 new species of coral and fish were identified on a reef off the coast of Madagascar in a previously unexplored section of the Indian Ocean. The survey was sponsored to help manage local natural resources and prevent over fishing. A majority of the residents in the area make their living from fishing, along with migrant fishermen who also target the area. At least 55 reef species are fished, and the local fishermen have expressed concern over declines in both the size and stock of fish. The survey team discussed the situation residents in 15 villages and their village leaders to gain their participation in managing local resources.
This survey was conducted using Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP), which provides a quick analysis providing the biological data needed to implement conservation interventions where they are needed.
Accidental spread of marine biodiversity may have negative environmental consequences
Brittlestars, Ophiactis savignyi, collecting on ships may be altering the genetic makeup of similar species from other parts of the world by mixing isolated populations. Brittlestars in the Atlantic Ocean that were once of a single population have now been divided into two groups, one descending from brittlestars in the Atlantic and one descending from species found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Human-aided dispersal of non-native species can have a negative impact on local ecosystems. Lampreys and Zebra Mussels damaged fisheries in the Great Lakes, and Nile Perch and Water Hyacinth disrupted the ecology of Lake Victoria in Kenya.
Improvements to marine paint and faster moving ships have been developed, which may prevent further damage caused by interbreeding of species, however a wide variety of marine animals continue to stowaway on seagoing ships.
Humans releasing home aquarium animals and plants into the environment also introduce non-native species. This creates problems such as competition with native species for food and habitat, introduction of new diseases and parasites, and cross breeding of species. Often, pets released into the wild do not survive because they are unable to cope with their new environment to find food or adjust to extreme temperature fluctuations.
Issues in Marine Conservation
Coral Reefs in Trouble
Coral reefs are often referred to as the rainforests of the sea because they support extraordinary biological diversity. Coral reefs take hundreds of years to fully develop. Their conservation is becoming an increasingly important issue as they face degradation by human activities and climate change. Reefs support the habitat for thousands of marine plant and animal species. They also support the livelihoods of people living near the coast who depend on fishing or tourism to make a living. Coral reefs can also provide a barrier to the open sea that protects beaches from erosion.
Two-thirds of the world's coral reefs are dying, and already at least 10% of those have been damaged beyond repair. A variety of factors threaten coral reefs. Pollutants such as human and animal waste, industrial byproducts, fertilizer, and other chemicals are either dumped directly into the ocean or carried by rivers. These products cause algae to overgrow, which smothers the reef by blocking sunlight, which is vital to a healthy reef.
Land development and construction in coastal areas or near coastal rivers create sediment, which settles on the reef also blocking sunlight. Mangroves and sea grass provide a filter for sediment to settle before it reaches coral reefs, therefore the removal or destruction of these plants causes more sediment to settle on the reef. Growing populations in coastal regions have introduced infectious organisms to coral reefs. Acropora coral in the Caribbean Sea is infected with white band disease, which is caused by a bacterial relative of cholera. Mass mortality among gorgonians, the coral family that includes sea fans, has occurred due to a soil bacterium.
Researchers are now studying the health of coral reefs on a global scale by mapping them to identify problem areas - similar to the way human epidemics are studied. What they find will provide the information needed to quickly address the situation and will reveal clues on the extent of damage done to larger ecosystems resulting from development of coastal regions and degradation of coral reefs.
Many fishing practices are detrimental to coral reef health. In some cases cyanide is injected into the reef to stun fish out of crevices making them easier to catch. Coral has been destroyed by dynamite used for fishing. When these areas are over fished, species are unable to regenerate to sustainable populations and the food chain is disrupted causing additional problems.
One of the worst threats to coral reefs is also one of the easiest to prevent. Reefs are popular tourist destinations and human interference with the reefs can be harmful. Careless boaters, snorkelers, and divers who crash into, walk on, or even touch the coral contribute to its destruction. Many diving organizations are addressing this issue by raising awareness and educating divers in the impact humans can have on reef systems.
Global warming is another serious threat that, unfortunately, is not as easily addressed. As levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increase, surface temperatures of the ocean are rising. Corals react to the increase in temperature by expelling the algae needed to sustain their energy and health. Algae creates the color of coral and therefore bleaching occurs when the algae is expelled. It is possible for coral to recover from bleaching, however, in most cases bleached colonies of coral die. Carbon dioxide in the water also causes damage to the skeletons of corals. In addition to global warming, depletion of the ozone layer may be contributing to the decline of coral reef health. Like humans, too much ultraviolet radiation causes damage to coral reefs found in shallow waters easily penetrated by sunlight.
Many initiatives have been developed to help save coral reefs. In 1998 President Clinton issued an Executive Order to protect and restore coral reef systems in the U.S. resulting in the formation of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. Since then, the Task Force has established 13 action steps focused on raising awareness and reducing damage caused by human activity.
There are also many national and international private organizations working on coral reef preservation such as Conservation International, World Resources Institute, and the Sierra Club; and many academic institutions have joined the fight as well.
Featured Conservation Organization
The Marine Conservation Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing science and education together to raise awareness for the protection of the world's marine resources. Their philosophy is that science must continually monitor the status of the oceans and identify the issues of critical importance and what must be done to address them. Then, others in the marine science community, marine conservation partners and collaborators, local and federal governments can begin to promote changes that will protect the seas. MCI believes in the importance of building a solid foundation with the knowledge necessary to protect marine resources, and, taking it a step further, they then believe in applying that knowledge to ensure that recommendations are acted upon.
The organization is currently working on a number of important issues including:
- writing a textbook covering the relatively new topic of marine conservation biology
- developing a global map to identify the world's priority areas for marine conservation
- building partnerships and coalitions with other organizations and agencies
- assessing the impact of commercial fishing gear in the US
- lobbying for the prohibition of bottom trawling
- working to strengthen the laws for fish and habitat protection in the US
In the past the organization has succeeded in:
- organizing the first and second symposia on marine conservation biology
- creating a statement outlining the oceans at-risk which was signed by 1,065 scientists from 70 countries
- tripled the budget for the National Marine Sanctuary Program
- established a research grant program for young scientists in historical marine ecology
- served as the driving force behind President Clinton's executive order calling for a national system of marine protected areas
- lobbied for the defeat of a bill that would allow fishing on coral reefs in marine protected areas
- secured a federal listing for white abalone as an endangered species
- published research that put bottom trawling on the agenda for national marine management
For more on MCI, visit their website:
Ask MarineBio
Why do some fish swim alongside sharks and why don't the sharks eat them?
Sharks and other marine animals carry parasites on their skin, especially in gill areas and in their mouths. "Cleaners" are small fish, gobies, remoras, or shrimp that feed on parasites and other organic matter found on marine animals. Some cleaners occupy cleaning stations found near coral reefs that animals visit when the need to be cleaned.
Studies have shown that some cleaner fish may be aware that their hosts are capable of eating them. The commonly stroke their hosts with their fins as if to remind predators of their symbiotic relationship. Occasionally cleaner fish get a little too enthusiastic when feeding and their nibble becomes a bite causing their host to flee. Stroking behavior has been observed when the cleaner fish return to the same host for a second meal - as if to apologize.
The fish commonly observed swimming with sharks are cleaner fish called remoras or sharksuckers of the family Echeneididae. These fish actually attach themselves to their host using a flat oval disk found on top of their head. Different species of remoras prefer different species of large marine animals such as whalesuckers and marlinsuckers.
One reason you see sharksuckers and other fish swimming among sharks without being harmed is that sharks only feed when they are hungry. But also, sharks need to have their parasites removed, and therefore they generally leave sharksuckers alone—even when they're hungry. Sharks will, however, roll around on the bottom or jump out of the water to dislodge sharksuckers when the cleaners attach themselves to a sensitive part of the shark's skin.
If you have a question for the marine biologist, please send it to us at: info@marinebio.org
For Young Marine Scientists
One of the best ways to learn more about Marine Biology and Marine Conservation is to get involved with an organization as a volunteer to clean up beaches or coral reefs, and some scientists use volunteers to help with marine research projects. These volunteer opportunities provide an excellent way to learn more about a marine topic of interest.
It may be difficult to figure out how to become a Marine Biologist. Some answers for all ages can be found in this article: Click here >> http://www.cascadepass.com/guest2.html
Helpful links to volunteer organizations:
Diving
Beginning of a New Reef for the Keys - upside down
On May 17 the Spiegel Grove, a retired US Navy transport ship formerly used to ferry military vehicles was scheduled to be sunk in 130 feet of water about 5 ½ miles off the coast of Key Largo. Much to the surprise of the project's managers, the ship sank about four hours early and landed upside down. Attempts to right the ship using a tugboat failed, and project leaders are now trying to find a solution.
Right side up, the ship will form the skeleton for a coral reef system 510 feet long, 90 feet wide and extending 84 feet from the bottom. This is the largest ship ever sunk to cultivate an artificial coral reef and dive attraction.
Members of The Upper Keys Coral Reef Association have been working since 1995 raising money and overseeing logistics for the Spiegel Grove project. The final budget for the project exceeded one million dollars and involved a great deal of work to arrange for the ships cleanup and transportation to the Keys.
After it was decommissioned in 1989, the Spiegel Grove was docked in Virginia where it remained until May 8 2002 when it was transported by tugboats to Key Largo arriving May 14, 2002. To comply with EPA requirements the ship was cleaned of all contaminants such as fuel, paint, and metals.
Originally, plans were to sink the ship slowly using small explosive devices. Hundreds of observers were expected at the site to witness the sinking.
Species of the Month
Harlequin Shrimp, Hymenocera picta
Harlequin shrimp are like clowns of the sea. Not only do they look funny, they only feed on starfish and to watch them drag a starfish is like watching a circus act. In fact, they are sometimes called simply Clown Shrimp for that reason.
World Range and Habitat:
Harlequin Shrimp are found in the Central Pacific Ocean below the intertidal zone on the deep side of the reefs. Encounters with these shrimp are rare. They are rarely seen on any reef and when they are they are usually tucked into crevices in male-female pairs.
Feeding Behavior:
Harlequin shrimp subsist solely on a diet of starfish. Using their petal like antennae, the pick up the scent of their prey. Then, using their unique paddle like pincers, they usually work as a team to flip the starfish onto its back piercing the skeleton using specialized mouthparts to get to the soft tissue. The shrimp cleverly keep their prey alive while feeding by beginning with the tip of the arm working towards the central portion of the starfish's body. The starfish's only defense is to abandon the arm on which the shrimp is feeding.
Reproduction:
Harlequin shrimp reproduce sexually with females releasing 100-5,000 eggs per season.
These shrimp are found in mated pairs that remain together for long periods of time. In many animal species, especially in mammals, the male will mate with many females to spread his DNA to as many offspring as possible. Male Harlequin shrimp however remain monogamous with their mate because receptive females are scarce in Harlequin shrimp populations, and left alone, it is likely the female would quickly find a new mate.
Family Gnathophyllidae | Genus Hymenocera | Species picta
We hope you found this month's MarineBio Newsletter interesting. Click around MarineBio.org for more species, more research and more Marine Biology News. As always, we welcome all feedback.
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Marine Biology News :: ScienceDailySulfur finding may hold key to Gaia theory of Earth as living organism
Is Earth really a sort of giant living organism as the Gaia hypothesis predicts? A new discovery may provide a key to answering this question. This key of sulfur could allow scientists to unlock heretofore hidden interactions between ocean organisms, atmosphere, and land -- interactions that might provide evidence supporting this famous theory.
Hidden lives of elephant seals: Record-setting dive more than a mile deep
The same researchers who pioneered the use of satellite tags to monitor the migrations of elephant seals have compiled one of the largest datasets available for any marine mammal species, revealing their movements and diving behavior at sea in unprecedented detail.
Ancient sea reptile with gammy jaw suggests dinosaurs got arthritis too
Imagine having arthritis in your jaw bones ... if they're over 2 meters long! A new study has found signs of a degenerative condition similar to human arthritis in the jaw of a pliosaur, an ancient sea reptile that lived 150 million years ago. Such a disease has never been described before in fossilized Jurassic reptiles.
Arctic seabirds adapt to climate change
The planet is warming up, especially at the poles. How do organisms react to this rise in temperatures? Biologists have now shown that little auks, the most common seabirds in the Arctic, are adapting their fishing behavior to warming surface waters in the Greenland Sea. So far, their reproductive and survival rates have not been affected. However, further warming could threaten the species.
The gut could reveal effect of climate change on fish
As sea temperatures rise, stocks of some fish species can decline while others may grow, reveals new research looking at gastrointestinal function in fish.
New species of fish in Sweden
Reticulated dragonet have been found in Väderöarna -- "Weather Islands" -- off the west coast of Sweden. It is not often that a new species of fish is discovered in Sweden.
Steelhead trout lose out when water is low in wine country
The competition between farmers and fish for precious water in California is intensifying in wine country, suggests a new study by biologists. The study links higher death rates for threatened juvenile steelhead trout with low water levels in the summer and the acreage of vineyards upstream.
Roadmap towards sustainable pole-and-line-caught tuna
New research offers a blueprint for the long-term sustainability of tuna caught using the pole-and-line method.
First satellite tag study for manta rays reveals habits and hidden journeys of ocean giants
Using the latest satellite tracking technology, conservationists have completed a ground-breaking study on a mysterious ocean giant: The manta ray.
First forecast calls for mild Amazon fire season in 2012
Forests in the Amazon Basin are expected to be less vulnerable to wildfires this year, according to the first forecast from a new fire severity model.
What do marine snails and insulin have in common? New approach to treat diabetes?
The cone snails are predators of the sea. They capture fish by injecting a venom into the prey that consists of a cocktail of different substances. The single components of the snails' venom, so-called conopeptides, are known for their extraordinary pharmacological properties and potential.
One-quarter of grouper species being fished to extinction
Groupers, a family of fishes often found in coral reefs and prized for their quality of flesh, are facing critical threats to their survival. Scientists report that 20 species are at risk of extinction if current overfishing trends continue, and an additional 22 species are near "threatened" status.
Encyclopedia of Life reaches historic one million species pages milestone
The Encyclopedia of Life has surged past one million pages of content with the addition of hundreds of thousands of new images and specimen data. Launched in 2007 with the support of leading scientific organizations around the world, the Encyclopedia of Life provides global access to knowledge about life on Earth by building a web page for each of the 1.9 million recognized species.
Antarctic octopus study shows West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have collapsed 200,000 years ago
Scientists have found that genetic information on the Antarctic octopus supports studies indicating that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could have collapsed during its history, possibly as recently as 200,000 years ago.
Plastic trash altering ocean habitats
A 100-fold upsurge in human-produced plastic garbage in the ocean is altering habitats in the marine environment, according to a new study.
Dolphin speaker to enhance study of dolphin vocalizations and acoustics
To gain new insights into how dolphins communicate, researchers in Japan created a prototype of an extremely broadband "dolphin speaker" capable of projecting dolphins' communication sounds, whistles, burst-pulse sounds, as well as detection sounds such as echolocation clicks.
Built-in ear plugs: Whales may turn down their hearing sensitivity when warned of an impending loud noise
Toothed whales navigate through sometimes dark and murky waters by emitting clicks and then interpreting the pattern of sound that bounces back. The animals' hearing can pick up faint echoes, but that sensitivity can be a liability around loud noises. Now researchers have discovered that whales may protect their ears by lowering their hearing sensitivity when warned of an imminent loud sound.
Weed-eating fish 'help protect jobs, livelihoods'
Jobs, livelihoods and ecotourism industries can benefit from having a diverse supply of weed-eating fish on the world's coral reefs, marine researchers say. Despite their small size, relative to the sharks, whales, and turtles that often get more attention, herbivorous fish play a vital role in maintaining the health of coral reefs, which support the livelihoods of 500 million people worldwide, say researchers.
Means to detect low-level exposure to seafood toxin in marine animals developed
Scientists have discovered a biological marker in the blood of laboratory zebrafish and marine mammals that shows when they have been repeatedly exposed to low levels of domoic acid, which is potentially toxic at high levels.
Nutrient supply after algal bloom determines the succession of the bacterial population
Algal blooms can considerably interfere with summer holidays by the sea. In the coastal zone of temperate regions a spring algal bloom is not a sign of excessive nutrient input, but most of all a consequence of the more intense solar irradiation in spring. When algal blooms end, the algae die and their remnants constitute an important nutrient supply for the whole ecosystem. Researchers have examined an algal bloom in the North Sea and identified the microorganisms involved in the degradation of algal remnants. With their findings, the researchers discovered a solution for the so-called Plankton paradox: By specializing in different degradation processes, bacteria apparently occupy separate ecological niches in the sea.
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