Archive for December, 2010
Reef Fact:
In 1983-84 a region-wide die-off of the Long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, (a key herbivore on Florida’s coral reefs) resulted in a loss in coral cover.
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Reef Fact:
The kleptomaniac sea slug Elysia chlorotica feeds on algae by sucking out the innards of filaments. The slug takes in the little algal organelles for photosynthesizing and, researchers now say, can also manufacture the compound, chlorophyll a. Credit: Nicholas E.
The sea slug, Elhysia chlorotica, is one of the “solar-powered sea slugs”, utilizing solar energy via chloroplasts from its algal food.
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Reef Fact:
Smooth Trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter) Photograph by Wolcott Henry
The trunkfish blows water out of its mouth to expose prey such as mollusks, crustaceans, worms, and sponges.
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FL Keys National Marine Sanctuary Marine Sanitation Device Discharge Regulations, Effective December 27, 2010.
Click here to find out details about the new regulations
Reef Fact:
This layer of bedrock on Puerto Rico's Caribbean coast, is actually the remanence of an old coral reef. This is in the coastal region along the Guánica Dry Forest.
The first coral reef was formed over 500 million years ago, making them one of the oldest ecosystems to exist.
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Please support Reef Relief’s work to improve and protect our coral reefs. Donate now at
www.reefrelief.org/donate
Reef Fact:
It is estimated that coral reefs provide $375 billion per year around the world in goods and services.
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Please support Reef Relief’s work to improve and protect our coral reefs. Donate now at www.reefrelief.org/donate
Reef Fact:
500 million people rely on coral reefs for their food and livelihoods.
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Please support Reef Relief’s work to improve and protect our coral reefs. Donate now at www.reefrelief.org/donate
The ocean makes life on Earth possible, and it needs our help. Most people don’t realize the long list of benefits the ocean provides us, nor how much we are connected and dependent on it.
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Reef Fact:
This small goby was resting astride the white line between the disease-killed section and the still healthy brain coral. Algae is beginning to overgrow the recently killed section. This was in an area of increasing eutrophication due to improperly treated sewage outflow from nearby hotels, a serious and growing problem in many dive resort area (Bonaire in this case).
The nutrients from sewage feed growing algae that can smother and kill corals.
Click here to learn more about this issue
Please support Reef Relief’s work to improve and protect our coral reefs. Donate now at www.reefrelief.org/donate
ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2010) —
Research from the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) shows that people in China — the number one consumers of plastic bags in the world — reduced their consumption of plastic bags by half when stores were forced to charge consumers for the bags.
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