biodiversity

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University Of Hawaii Receives Record Gift From Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan

Nietzel, M. (2022, January 20). University Of Hawaii Receives Record Gift From Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan. Forbes. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2022/01/20/university-of-hawaii-receives-record-gift-from-mark-zuckerberg-priscilla-chan/?sh=45ae34946a90

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, are giving $50 million to the University of Hawaii’s school of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. This is the largest donation that the school has ever received. Part of this money will go towards Hawaii’s coral reef restoration and the training of coral scientists and ocean conservationists. This will be done by creating new internships, mentoring, and research fellowships.

Even though the health of our oceans is a huge issue right now, most wealthy people in technology chose to not donate to this cause or help out in any way. I think it is great that Mark Zuckerberg did this because so much can be done to help with this amount of money. Hopefully their generosity inspires others to donate to help save coral reefs and our oceans. With more people researching the reef, they will most likely find more ways to conserve marine life.

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Reef-cleaning group is saving ‘the crown jewel of Florida’

Aguirre, L. (2022, January 12). Reef-cleaning group is saving ‘the crown jewel of Florida’. WPLG Local 10. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.local10.com/news/local/2022/01/12/reef-cleaning-group-is-saving-the-crown-jewel-of-florida/

Since the 1950’s, the planet has lost half of it’s coral reefs, and pollution is one main reason why. Trash and old fishing equipment is often left in the ocean which damages coral or gets eaten by and kills the animals. An organization called Debris Free Oceans wanted to do something about this. 11 people dove into the ocean a mile offshore from Fisher Island, Florida to clean their reef. By the end of their dive they collected almost 100 pounds of debris.

Pollution in the ocean can be very harmful to coral reefs and the animals living in them. Oftentimes animals like turtles die from starvation and lack of nutrients after only consuming plastic in the ocean. What the people from Debris Free Ocean are doing is great for their ecosystem and might have saved many animals’ lives. I hope people hear about this and get inspired to go out and pick up trash or are even just reminded of the terrible effects of littering.

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Sediments a likely culprit in spread of deadly disease on Florida coral reefs, study finds

Udel, D. (2022, January 25). Sediments a likely culprit in spread of deadly disease on Florida coral reefs, study finds. Phys.org. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://phys.org/news/2022-01-sediments-culprit-deadly-disease-florida.html

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) was first noticed in the coral in Florida in 2014. Since then it has spread through Florida’s coral reef and the Caribbean and has affected over 20 different species of coral. Researchers from the University of Miami found that seafloor sediment might be the cause of this outbreak. They tested this theory by bringing healthy coral in contact with this sediment. Within 24 hours it was clear that the coral was infected with SCTLD from the sediment.

I find it interesting that this disease has been spreading and killing millions of coral for years and scientists could not figure out how until now. This discovery is a huge accomplishment because now that we know how this is spreading, scientists can take this information to figure out how to treat this disease or stop the spread before more coral and species are harmed. Hopefully this new information will prevent many coral and other species from dying.

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Florida Aquarium coral restoration project aims to regenerate, restore state’s reef tract

Hughes, M. (2022, February 3). Florida Aquarium coral restoration project aims to regenerate, restore state’s reef tract. FOX 13 Tampa Bay. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.fox13news.com/news/florida-aquarium-coral-restoration-project-hopes-regenerate-restore-states-reef-tract

The Florida Reef Tract is located along the Florida Keys and is 360 miles long. Because of pollution and climate change, the coral here is not thriving and many species are in danger of going extinct. Seven years ago, the Florida Aquarium started a program to help out this situation. These scientists take coral from the reef and use technology to help them reproduce. They take care of each individual coral and later replant them in the reef. 

It is amazing that the Florida Aquarium has taken so much time to try to help revive their coral reef. I had no idea that technology like this existed and that this process was possible. Although it seems like a slow process of growing and planting one coral at a time, this helps the ecosystem greatly because each coral can be a home and source of food for so many organisms. Other aquariums and organizations around the world should do the same thing in order to save the dying reefs.

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Hawaii’s second largest island BANS coral killing sunscreens

Liberatore, S. (2021, November 22). Hawaii’s second largest island BANS coral killing sunscreens. Daily Mail. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10231493/Hawaiis-second-largest-island-BANS-coral-killing-sunscreens.html

In 2015, scientists first discovered that the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate cause coral bleaching. These are two major ingredients in most sunscreens. Coral bleaching is when the coral becomes stressed, turns white, and dies. That same year, officials found that 56% of the coral surrounding Maui was bleached. In November of 2021, Bill 135, which bans over 80 different types of sunscreen to be used or sold on Maui, was passed. It will be signed into law on October 1, 2022. People there will now only be allowed to wear mineral sunscreens which do not contain these damaging chemicals.

This law is necessary for saving the ecosystem in Hawaii. Even though people know that certain sunscreens are harmful to the environment, they still continue to use them. Now that it is illegal to use them, people will be forced to start switching to better options. Decreasing the amount of chemicals in the ocean is important for environmental science because when the coral is healthy, the fish and other animals have a source of shelter and food. Without coral the whole food web in the ocean would be unbalanced which would lead to many species going extinct. I am glad Maui has passed this bill and I hope every place that has coral reefs will do the same. My only question is, if it was discovered in 2015 that these chemicals are dangerous to our oceans, what took so long for something to be done about it?

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What’s killing coral reefs in Florida is also killing them in Belize

Galoustian, G. (2021, August 3). What’s killing coral reefs in Florida is also killing them in Belize. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210803105534.htm

As of 2021, only 17% of the coral in the Belize Barrier Reef remains alive. As it was previously known as one of the most extraordinary reefs. Similarly, 2% remains in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. In the past, scientists have believed that the decline of coral was solely because of less grazing of algae due to overfishing. However, it has recently been found that a major factor is nitrogen enrichment from humans on land. Scientists want to use this information to help save what little is left of the Belize Barrier Reef.

 

This article explains a few of the possible reasons for the rapid decline of coral in reefs around the world, from places like Florida all the way to Belize. Even though it could be because of overfishing, nitrogen enrichment, or other factors, the main idea is that coral in the oceans are dying because of human impacts. I thought this article was very informative and more people should know about it. Our everyday routines and decisions are polluting our planet in so many ways. It is necessary researchers find out what exactly is causing this issue, so we can stop it before it is too late. After these scientists’ discoveries, we are one step closer to lessening the pollution of our oceans and preserving all coral reefs around the world.

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Klamath Tribe’s Wetlands Being Restored

Alexandra Feller Herald and News/Snowden Intern. (2021, August 3). ODOT to restore wetland with Klamath Tribes. Herald and News. https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/odot-to-restore-wetland-with-klamath-tribes/article_544a723c-df6c-5fc6-ac3b-3a778db68731.html. 

The Klamath Tribe’s wetlands have suffered and are completely dry. However, the Oregon Department of Transportation, or ODOT, has agreed to restore the former wetlands. This restoration project will not only give the tribe the water body that they once had, it will also help a couple of endangered fish species that have suffered as of late. Once the wetlands has reached equilibrium, endangered fish will be released into the wetlands, hopefully allowing the endangered species to flourish.

The article described a project that had been undertaken by the Oregon Department of Transportation. It described an issue that was affecting the Klamath Tribe and endangered species of fish and it explained what the ODOT was doing to help them. The project centered around the restoration of the now dried up wetlands that were a part of the Klamath Tribe’s land. My reaction to the article was gratitude for the organization that was helping the Tribe and a more positive outlook on the ways that people are affecting the environment. I was happy for the Tribe, because the wetlands have such a large impact on their lives.

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Invasive Caterpillars Invading Maine

 

Jiménez, Jesus. “Maine Residents Fend off Poisonous Caterpillars.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 13 June 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/06/13/us/maine-browntail-moth-caterpillar.html. 

 

This article talks about browntail moth caterpillars which have been infesting Maine in recent months. Scientists have noted that browntail moth caterpillars have been in Maine for nearly 100 years, but climate change and a more arid climate has allowed their population to thrive. The caterpillars themselves are somewhat poisonous and can cause skin rashes as well as breathing problems for certain people. The caterpillars’ are native to cape code and maine’s coast, but have recently been found in all 16 of Maine’s counties. Scientists believe the caterpillars hitchhiked their way into Maine 100 years ago. Infestations are supposed to only get worse as climate change creates a more ideal environment for them. 

 

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this article is climate change’s role in invasive species being able to thrive. Climate change has obviously played a role in changing environments but what many forget is that this can cause damage to existing ecosystems, plants, and animals. In turn, other invasive species have been given a better chance to survive in new environments. While some may argue that this can still benefit already existing species, it can also damage other existing species. Many of the ecosystems we see today have existed for hundreds of years and have been stabilized to create a healthy cycle. Climate change is one of  the biggest deterrent to keeping ecosystems stable.  

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Poisonous Hemlock Flourishes in US Soil

Bowman, Sarah, and London Gibson. “Toxic Invasive Poison Hemlock Is Spreading into US Parks and BACKYARD GARDENS.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 3 Aug. 2021, www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/08/03/poison-hemlock-us-parks-gardens-beware-toxic-plant/5465780001/. 

 

Hemlock, a plant native to Europe has recently gone on a rampage in the US, and is quickly becoming a serious threat to the environment and people. Hemlock is an extremely poisonous plant that was introduced into the US about a year ago. The plant thrives in damp soil and moist areas, however it has been spotted in nearly every state. Perhaps the scariest thing is that every part of the plant – from seeds to leaves – is poisonous even when in contact with one’s skin. Touching Hemlock can cause serious blisters and welts, and actually consuming the plant can be lethal. Because of it’s poisonous aspects, the US has struggled to eradicate hemlock. It also doesn’t help that the plant can release 30,000 seeds in one go, and considering that the months of spring and summer are when this plant tends to thrive, the spreading of hemlock is now at an exponential rate. 

 

This article is one example of how reluctant humans are to stopping the spread of  invasive species, and perhaps even more importantly the environment. While there have been many examples of invasive species threatening the environment, people rarely decide to take action until it’s too late or until it affects themselves. With better laws and regulations against invasive species, thousands of ecosystems could become significantly healthier, and extinct ecosystems may have had a chance to survive. This would also greatly benefit the environment, since unhealthy ecosystems can cause places to go on a rapid decline by killing of native species, plants, and the entire area as a whole.

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The science of genetic engineering

Scientists at UC San Francisco have shown that gene-edited cellular therapeutics can be used to successfully treat cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. This was figured out threwout the study of mice. They were able to show that the mices stem cells called “HIP” cells are able to be employed to treat major diseases while envading the immune system. This finds the immune response which is one of the major causes of transplant failure. This large step in genetic engineering can help with  many different problems such as genetic diseases, different types of cancers, and even imporving crop yeilds.

This relates to environmental science overall beacuse these genetic technologies can help many things. An example of this can be more nutritious foods and drought resistant plants. By having these we can help preserve our natural resources.