A number of island nations, such as the Kiribati of the Pheonix Islands are establishing marine reserves in the hopes of conserving coral reefs around the globe. According to the article "Saving Our Oceans" in the September 2008 issue of Smithsonian magazine, over 1/3 of the world's coral reefs face extinction. I encouare you to read the article, use the internet to explore another marine reserve and to answer the following questions:
Discovery Questions:
1. Name and describe the physical and biolocial components of another reef ecosystem around the world? For one point extra, turn in an ecosystem map of a coral reef habitat.
2. What human activites do scientists contribute to the decline of coral reefs?
3. Why are sharks considered keystone species of many reefs, according to the article?
4. How do environmental scientists monitor the health of coral reefs?
5. What are the economic complexities around the establishment of a marine reserve, as explained in the article and your research?
6. What is the role of the Endangered Species Act and conservation organisations in preserving our oceans?
Resources:
Our Imperiled Oceans -
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/victory-at-sea.html
Discovery Questions:
1. Name and describe the physical and biolocial components of another reef ecosystem around the world? For one point extra, turn in an ecosystem map of a coral reef habitat.
2. What human activites do scientists contribute to the decline of coral reefs?
3. Why are sharks considered keystone species of many reefs, according to the article?
4. How do environmental scientists monitor the health of coral reefs?
5. What are the economic complexities around the establishment of a marine reserve, as explained in the article and your research?
6. What is the role of the Endangered Species Act and conservation organisations in preserving our oceans?
Resources:
Our Imperiled Oceans -
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/victory-at-sea.html
World's Coral Reefs Face New Threats -
Map Reveals Extensive Damage to World's Oceans -
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19085884
Ecosystem Assessment Division of NOAA -http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/ead/EADhome.htm
Reefs at Risk, World Resource Institute -
http://www.wri.org/project/coral-reefs
Conservation International -
http://www.conservation.org/Pages/default.aspx
Endangered Species Act -
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/
Ecosystem Assessment Division of NOAA -http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/ead/EADhome.htm
Reefs at Risk, World Resource Institute -
http://www.wri.org/project/coral-reefs
Conservation International -
http://www.conservation.org/Pages/default.aspx
Endangered Species Act -
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/laws/esa/
