Tag Archives: conservation

Need Another Reason to Conserve Mangrove Habitats? Think about Your Economy.

Mangroves are a very important ecosystem, and yet they are one of the most threatened and fastest disappearing. Since 1980, between 20 and 35% of mangrove area has been cleared, largely to accommodate coastal development and aquaculture.1 As seen in Figure … Continue reading

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How we can create 3,200 coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico

In my last post, I discussed a deeply worrying situation that unfolded last year in the East Flower Garden Banks. Thankfully, last year’s bleaching event appears to have been resolved, and the reef is now in recovery. Scientists looking to … Continue reading

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In order to Save Coral Reefs . . . We need to Save the Mangroves

The rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) is the largest herbivorous fish in the Atlantic Ocean.1 As such, it plays an important role on coral reefs by grazing on and limiting the macroalgal biomass. A single juvenile parrotfish can take 28,000 bites … Continue reading

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Conserving the Treasures of the Deep: How and Why Deep Water Reefs Should Be Conserved

Coral reefs around the world are changing. Human’s detrimental impact on the world’s reefs through nutrient runoff, ocean acidification, physical damage, and rising sea temperatures and levels are threatening the diversity and even existence of many coral reefs. While this is readily … Continue reading

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Flower Garden Banks: a Coral Reef in your Backyard

Welcome to my coral reefs blog! This semester I’ll be blogging periodically about the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, a coral reef in the Northern Gulf of Mexico that is notable for being one of few reefs along the … Continue reading

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A Look Forward: How Will Kiribati Fair?

Welcome to my last entry on the coral reef of the island nation of Kiribati. Previously, we have discussed current state and recent changes. In this entry, we will focus on the future of this delicate ecosystem. We look to … Continue reading

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American Samoan Reefs Hold on for Now, but Worst is Yet to Come

In 2015, reefs in American Samoa saw the worst of that year’s bleaching in February [1]. In 2016, they seem to be holding on. Last time we looked at how the natural resilience of American Samoa’s corals are helping stave … Continue reading

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Even Resilient Reefs in American Samoa Threatened by Mass Bleaching

For Americans who want to experience a tropical Pacific vacation where they can sit under palm trees and dive in coral reefs, American Samoa is a popular choice, you don’t even need a passport to go! Unfortunately, American Samoan reefs … Continue reading

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Reefs off the Kenyan Coast in Danger

Coral reefs make up the largest biological structures that currently exist on our planet and take many thousands of years to form [1].  Today, the world’s already deteriorating reefs are further threatened by looming temperature increases due to global climate … Continue reading

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