Ecosystems

Mangrove forests  are major blue carbon systems, storing considerable amounts of carbon in marine sediments, thus becoming important regulators of climate change.
Mangrove forests are major blue carbon systems, storing considerable amounts of carbon in marine sediments, thus becoming important regulators of climate change.

International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem 2023

Today, July 26th, is the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem. This commemorative day was initiated by UNESCO in 2015 to raise awareness of the importance of the mangrove ecosystem as a “unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem, as well as to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and use.

According to Conservation International, although mangrove forests cover only 0.1 percent of the Earth's surface, they store up to 10 times more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests.

Revealing the Urgent Fight to Save Tasmania's Giant Kelp Forests: New Documentary "Reviving Giants" Premieres

This compelling ten-minute film dives deep into the urgent mission to restore Tasmania's rapidly declining kelp forests, a direct casualty of climate change. The documentary follows the life and work of Mick Baron and Karen Gowlett-Holmes, owners of the Eaglehawk Dive Centre, who have been front-line witnesses and activists to the massive destruction of the giant kelp forests.

Ocean oxygen loss may ultimately reverse

Ocean deoxygenation has detrimental repercussions. Fish, crabs and other significant species of marine life that are unable to flee these low oxygen zones may perish as a result. People who depend on them for food and employment may be subsequently impacted by their absence as many of these species are economically significant.

Additionally, there is a negative feedback loop at play: as ocean oxygen levels decline, so does its capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. This may cause global warming to accelerate even further.

Scientists discover pristine deep-sea coral reefs

Observations using the newly upgraded human-occupied vehicle Alvin are the first of a deep-sea coral reef in the Galápagos Marine Reserve.  The reef, found at 400-600 meters (1,310-1,970 feet) depth at the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, supports a breathtaking mix of deep marine life, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution writes.

Whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef.
Whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef.

Great Barrier Reef has sort of chlamydia

The discovery of chlamydia-like bacteria in corals of the Great Barrier Reef could help scientists understand the coral microbiome and its impact on coral reef health.

Corals are associated with a variety of bacteria, which occur in the surface mucus layer, gastrovascular cavity, skeleton and tissues where they play a critical role in protecting corals against pathogens, cycling nutrients, and producing vitamins and essential amino acids. 

Some tissue-associated bacteria form clusters, termed cell-associated microbial aggregates (CAMAs), which are poorly studied.

Coral reef patches surrounded by halos of sand produced by herbivore members of a patch assemblage (fish, mollusks, and sea urchins) who remove sea grass and algae
Coral reef patches surrounded by halos of sand produced by herbivore members of a patch assemblage (fish, mollusks, and sea urchins) who remove sea grass and algae

Reef halos and soundscapes may provide a window into reef health

Coral reef halos, also known as grazing halos or sand halos, are bands of bare, sandy seafloor that surround coral patch reefs. Fish and invertebrates hide in a patch of coral and venture out to eat algae and seagrass that cover the seabed.

Reef ID Books Releases Guide to Marine Worms

This book is full of creatures that are weird and wonderful - marine worms! Some of them look like nightmares or aliens from outer space, others look like beautiful flowers. You have never seen most of them. Many are not yet known to science. The author and his friends - underwater photographers and marine biologists were lucky to find many fantastic beasts - a variety of marine worms.

Sailfish hunting sardines in the open ocean off the coast of Mexico. Image courtesy of Rodrigo Friscione
Sailfish hunting sardines in the open ocean off the coast of Mexico

How marine predators find food hot spots in open ocean

Ocean eddies are coherent, rotating features which are ubiquitous at mid-latitudes and rotate clockwise In the Northern Hemisphere.

As these anticyclonic eddies move throughout the open ocean, a recent study suggests that the predators are also moving with them, foraging on the high deep-ocean biomass which tends to accumulate within.

Gorgonian on railing at the stern of Cedar Pride, Aqaba, Jordan in 2002. Revisiting the wreck in 2019, that same railing had no growth on it.

Diving wears on artificial reefs

Artificial reefs are increasingly used worldwide as a method for managing recreational diving since they have the potential to satisfy both conservation goals and economic interests.

Although there are negative impacts associated with mass diving tourism, scuba diving has the potential to generate substantial revenues. However, balancing the requirements of reef conservation with the needs of local host economies represents a considerable challenge to managers and policymakers.

The ecological role of shipwrecks as artificial reefs is well established and they are often prime and exclusive destinations for diving tourism. But they are also extremely delicate and sensitive environments.