We’ve all seen the dazzling photos of coral reefs, but how much do we exactly know about them?
International Coral Reef Action Network is a network of many of the world’s leading coral reef scientist and conservation organizations. They’re committed to improve the health of reefs by working with communities to develop skills and tools needed to ensure the sustainable use, and long term vitality of coral reefs.
Briefly on corals:
Coral reefs are considered the “rainforests” of the ocean because they, alone, support such vast biodiversity. The reefs support an estimated 25% of all marine life. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in difficulty. They’ve been destroyed, or degraded by accumulated stress to a point of no recovery, most of which are a result of human activities.
So how does ICRAN help improve this “stressful” situation?
In places where the reefs have been damaged by anchors, high amounts of tourists, ICRAN is working to install a mooring buoy program to help control further disturbances to the reefs.
ICRAN is improving the management and operation of existing marine protected areas and creating protected areas. They’re working alongside with local fisherman and teaching them how to take care of the marine life, and to raise awareness for the protection of marine life.
InVietnam
The ICRAN Mesoamerican Reef Alliance project was aimed at stopping the decline of coral reef ecosystems and to improve the reefs. Organizations in the region worked together in order to achieve the goals of this project. In the end, they developed tools for the prediction of future land use’s impact on the reef, a manual for best fishing practices among local fishermen, and the establishment of a Tourism Standards and Code Taskforce.
The tourism industry is a big part of income for some countries. There’re millions of divers who enjoy the mysterious life underwater. ICRAN is working to create marine-life friendly practices in resorts/hotels/gift shops/dive centers. They’ve trained plenty of eco divers and diver instructors to pass on their knowledge and the correct way of admiring the beauty of corals. Coral reef monitoring activities were created, to keep track of the health of the reefs worldwide. Reef check is a community based management, where anyone is open to help!
ICRAN is working with a large network of organizations worldwide to help, and promote the conservation of coral reefs. They’ve taken the first step to fix what we’ve done, don’t you think its time we reflect on all our actions? Here’s a place where you could start with. http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/25list.html
International Coral Reef Action Network is a network of many of the world’s leading coral reef scientist and conservation organizations. They’re committed to improve the health of reefs by working with communities to develop skills and tools needed to ensure the sustainable use, and long term vitality of coral reefs.
Briefly on corals:
Coral reefs are considered the “rainforests” of the ocean because they, alone, support such vast biodiversity. The reefs support an estimated 25% of all marine life. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in difficulty. They’ve been destroyed, or degraded by accumulated stress to a point of no recovery, most of which are a result of human activities.
So how does ICRAN help improve this “stressful” situation?
In places where the reefs have been damaged by anchors, high amounts of tourists, ICRAN is working to install a mooring buoy program to help control further disturbances to the reefs.
ICRAN is improving the management and operation of existing marine protected areas and creating protected areas. They’re working alongside with local fisherman and teaching them how to take care of the marine life, and to raise awareness for the protection of marine life.
In
The ICRAN Mesoamerican Reef Alliance project was aimed at stopping the decline of coral reef ecosystems and to improve the reefs. Organizations in the region worked together in order to achieve the goals of this project. In the end, they developed tools for the prediction of future land use’s impact on the reef, a manual for best fishing practices among local fishermen, and the establishment of a Tourism Standards and Code Taskforce.
The tourism industry is a big part of income for some countries. There’re millions of divers who enjoy the mysterious life underwater. ICRAN is working to create marine-life friendly practices in resorts/hotels/gift shops/dive centers. They’ve trained plenty of eco divers and diver instructors to pass on their knowledge and the correct way of admiring the beauty of corals. Coral reef monitoring activities were created, to keep track of the health of the reefs worldwide. Reef check is a community based management, where anyone is open to help!
ICRAN is working with a large network of organizations worldwide to help, and promote the conservation of coral reefs. They’ve taken the first step to fix what we’ve done, don’t you think its time we reflect on all our actions? Here’s a place where you could start with. http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/25list.html
(Below are photos of coral reefs courtesy of my uncle, from his many diving adventures )
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| Green Coral, Panglao Isand |
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| Brain coral, Panglao Island |
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| Soft Coral, Coron Palawan |
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| Hard coral, Coron Palawan |
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| Tubular Coral, Coron Palawan |
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| Table coral and fan coral, Coron Palawan |
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| A spider crab on a cabbage coral, Redang Island |
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| Soft Coral, Redang Island |
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| Chimney coral covered with sea worms, Redang Island |
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| Soft coral, Cebu |
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| Table Coral, Caverna Island |
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| Soft coral, Cebu |
References
ICRAN. "People and Reefs, Action." Internation Coral Reef Action Network.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2010. <http://www.icran.org/>.
International Year of the Reef 2008. "What are coral reefs?" International Year of the Reef .
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2010. <http://www.iyor.org/reefs/default.asp>.
Reef Check. "About Reef Check." Reef Check. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2010.
<http://reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/about_us.php.>
<http://reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/about_us.php.>
"25 Things You Can Do To Save Coral Reefs." Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2010. <http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/25list.html.>
Comments on other blogs
http://claudia-d-123.blogspot.com/2010/09/green-quest-green-diagnostics.html
http://vanezzabioblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/unit-2-bio-blog.html
Comments on other blogs
http://claudia-d-123.blogspot.com/2010/09/green-quest-green-diagnostics.html
http://vanezzabioblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/unit-2-bio-blog.html
It's incredible to think that sponges are more closely related to animals than to plants. While most of us know sponges as their synthetic counterparts used around the home, few know of the challenges these critters face. Providing marine life for roughly 25 percent of marine life, the removal or declination of coral reefs can and will pose a serious threat to the multitude of species that thrive in said areas.
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly, ICRAN doesn't seem to deal with the issues that threaten the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef system, which is located north-east of Australia. Recently, there was an that occurred in April 2010 off the coast of Australia in which over four metric tons of oil spilled into the ocean, contaminating the nearby corals. While short-terms effects may have been avoided, it will be interesting to see how ICRAN plays a role to provide necessary aid to the affected corals in the long run.
I wasn't aware of how important coral reefs are. There are so many. I knew that they were important to marine life, but I had never considered them to have such an impact. I'd love to dive down into the ocean and see them close up one day. There are so many unique coral reefs that I have never seen before. I appreciate ICRAN for making efforts to create marine-life friendly practices in a variety of places. It's essential that these coral reefs stay intact and function well.
ReplyDeleteHey! I agree with Claudia, I also wasn't aware how important coral reefs are and how the coral reefs alone take up 25% of all marine life. Thats amazing! I believe that what ICRAN is doing for the coral reefs is really good, and will decrease the amount of species that are being harm due to this issue. Tourist often do provide many serious issues when entering a country not taking into consideration the historic value behind beautiful things; such as the coral reefs. Its not fair for tourist to come into countries and ruin such things, so I think that certain laws should be applied to tourist and even citizens to avoid things like such happening. Bye!
ReplyDeleteI never knew that coral reefs supported 25% of all marine life. I always thought they did not make much of an impact on anything else. The fact that they are being destroyed by human activities is not right and ICRAN is doing a good thing by raising awareness of marine life as I think many people are unaware of the importance of coral reefs. It is important that these coral reefs are around as they are a part of the ecosystem and marine life would not be able to survive without it.
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ReplyDeleteYou did a great job on identifying the ICRAN did to protect the coral. It is crucial to do so as if the pollution goes on, one forth of the marine lives will end up. Human activities did do a grave impact to the environment, they always thought that their minor pollution for domestic or commercial did no impact to the environment, but in deed, their pollution in marine life did get a grave response as the collapse of the coral reefs, since some of their pollutant such as HCl or Heavy metal as Pb2+ did absorbed by the micro-organism and same as the coral, as these micro-organism are the producer of the marine ecosystem, it is predictable that the cycle goes on and more species got affected by the "minor" pollution ones had done.
ReplyDeleteON the other hand ICRAN did do a great work on reserving the coral reef on educating people. Other that the association I have heard that there are some minor NGO did grew the planulae of coral and tried to produce more and more coral in order to "plant" them in the damaged reef as in Vietnam. It is crucial to educate the people as to have a long term protection no the coral since even setting law doesn’t means there will be none damages to the coral reefs, but it may reduce the impact and the stress that the marine life was facing and I do believe that if we the human keep our bad habit in destroying the environment, we will face the consequences.
Your blog entry has made me aware of the importance of the coral reefs. It's surprising to know that coral reefs support 25% of all marine life because I undervalued the impact that coral reefs have on the ecosystem. It is important that we sustain the biodiversity in the aquatic life because it will affect such a vast environment. Knowing that ICRAN disapproves of the decreasing coral reef population provides me a sense of relief that the marine life will be protected. The graphic photos you have on the coral reefs gives us another reason to appreciate the biodiversity in aquatic life.
ReplyDeleteThe fraction of the reefs that had already deteriorated is alarming! Although it is true that environments, such as the coral reefs, would be shifting and evolving regardless of human influence, humans are causing the rate of change to become particularly dangerous!
ReplyDeleteThe importance of the reefs to all living organisms is apparent, and yet people don’t seem to see the long term effects of their actions, as they continue to destroy the reefs with their excessive activities (i.e., reckless recreation, pollution, and global warming). It is comforting that there are organizations out there, such as ICRAN that make it their mission to protect the coral reefs.
Many people mistakenly assume that coral reefs are a type of plant or rock, but it is, in fact, composed of fragile animals called coral polyps. Moreover, they are among the world’s most delicate ecosystems! As a result, they can be easily harmed or killed. Coral reefs are an integral part of our oceans, and thus, deserve our protection. ICRAN has taken the very first step in this process: research and raising awareness! With all the different approaches you have outlined, we can all strive to protect and preserve these precious jewels of the sea!
Wow, I never knew that coral reefs support an estimated amount of 25% of all marine life. I have seen the coral reefs before but never knew that they could have such a huge impact on ocean life. To think that the “rainforests” of the ocean are being destroyed or degraded because of us makes me understand why ICRAN is focused on saving the coral reefs. If nothing is done to save the coral reefs, then biodiversity would decrease and species would become threatened. It could also affect the predators that depend on the species to survive.
ReplyDelete