Saturday, March 21, 2015


This demonstrates how a Yellow-band disease can rapidly spread over a coral destroying the delicate underlying tissues. 

Friday, March 20, 2015



Here is an example of coral bleaching in Indonesia. In a matter of 5 years, the coral reefs have lots it nourishing colors. 



What is ocean acidification?

What could raise the acidic level of the ocean ?
Increasing of hydrogen ion concentration in the water. As carbon dioxide absorbed into the ocean, it react with water to form carbonic acid, a weak acid, which will breakdown into hydrogen ion and bicarbonate ion. The hydrogen ion is responsible for ocean acidification taken place in the ocean.

Why does ocean acidification is a major problem?
This video will demonstrate the problem of ocean acidification and its impact on marine organism and people who depend on marine resources.


The second video, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, a well known researcher on the impact of global warming on coral reef will explain the importance of coral reef, its role in ecosystem, and the impact of global warming.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

PORTFOLIO PART 2



The acidification of the ocean has has a great impact on coral reefs around the world.







Figure A represents healthy coral
Figure B represents unhealthy coral

Ocean acidification is degrading coral reefs around the world.





Here is an example of the degradation of the reefs in the Floida Keys.

Even within the last 30 years the effects of climate change can be seen.








High carbon emissions are directly related to an increase in carbon in the ocean.

The atmospheric carbon is absorbed into the ocean and becomes carbonic acid.

The increase in carbonic acid results in the ocean becoming more acidic. 

Coral reef growth is heavily impacted by increases in acidity.








Levels of ocean acidity have been on a steady rise










Carbonic acid reduces the level of calcium in the ocean when the two react with each other.

Coral and many other forms of marine life rely on calcium to form skeletons and exoskeletons.


20% of coral reefs around the world have already been lost in the last few decades.

250 million people also depend on coral reef ecosystems for their livelihood around the world.

27% of coral reefs are also at risk of completely disappearing in the future as well.













Coral reefs play a large role in the ecosystem of the ocean

Events that are a result of climate change effect reefs in many ways












Coral and other small marine animals like phytoplankton and zooplankton rely on the ability to
form skeletons and exoskeletons  

Coral and these other organisms are also the base of many food chains for ocean life


If the growth of animals at the base of a food chain are impacted it can have 
long reaching consequences to animals higher up in the food chain as well










If you look at this image you can see an example of how large and interconnected 
an ocean ecosystem can be.