Hello,
Apologies for my lack of blogs over the last 2 weeks: dissertation and poster making seemed to have consumed all my time. Anyway, draft of the dissertation is in and the poster for this course is submitted. Here is a preview of my poster which will be presented on Tuesday, (at least it would be if I could work out how to upload a power point file! Any suggestions would be more than welcome).
Amid the search for poster material, I came across Reef Quest - established by 12 year old Dylan and now joined by over 6000 people from 23 countries who work to monitor reefs and protect them for the future. Among their work they take their knowledge into schools and communities to emphasize the importance of coral reefs.
One of the tools for doing so is this video which highlights the links between atmosphere, ocean and humans:
Reef Quest is an excellent example of how one person can help the cause. This is his website.... http://www.reefquest.org/ .... Join the cause!
On an exciting note, corals have made the news this week - with cryogenic plans getting under way in Australia.
A team of scientists from Taronga Zoo, Australia is working on an ambitious plan to create a 'coral bank' (a bit like a sperm bank). As the Great Barrier Reef is eroded by global warming, ocean acidification and coral bleaching, embryos will be taken and stored at -296 degrees (Fahrenheit), the temperature of liquid nitrogen. This proposal means the coral reefs could be repopulated from embryos when environmental stresses are reduced.
'This is really an insurance programme to take the coral out of an uncertain situation and put it in a place that is 100 per cent safe for a very long time' said the zoo's manager of research and conservation, Rebecca Spindler.
Initial research will concentrate on heat sensitive corals - those most at risk from ocean warming. If successful, this project could ultimately prevent corals becoming extinct.
See you next week when I will finally give you a comprehensive look into current day threats.
