 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Scientists try to revive Japan's biggest coral reef
Tokyo (AFP) Nov 17, 2008 Scientists are in an unprecedented project to restore Japan's largest coral reef by planting thousands of baby corals growing on tiny ceramic beds. Corals in Sekisei Lagoon stretching between the Okinawan islands of Ishigaki and Iriomote have plunged by 80 percent over the past two decades due to rising water temperatures and damage by coral-eating starfish. "No projects in the world have ever restored a coral reef artificially... but we aim to restore the lagoon in some 10 years," said Mineo Okamoto, associate professor at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology. In a joint project with Japan's environment ministry, scientists will plant some 6,000 baby corals in the seabed in December over a 600 square-metre (6,450 square-foot) district. The corals are 18 months old and grow on round ceramic beds that measure four centimetres (1.6 inches) in diametre and have single legs for planting. It follows the implantation of 5,300 baby corals in 2006. Only one-third of them have survived, with many dying off or damaged by dead and collapsed corals stirred up in the sea by typhoons, Okamoto said. "We have learned lessons from the previous planting regarding what are the best places to plant and other conditions for survival. We'll make a fresh try," he said. The attempt is the world's only large-scale project to restore a coral reef artificially, rather than trying to clean the environment for corals or nipping off branches of living corals for transplanting elsewhere, Okamoto said. If experiments are successful, the Japanese team wants to try the method in other countries, Okamoto said, adding preparations in Indonesia have already being made. "Corals are marine creatures but are functioning like seaweed in southern seas as they engage in photosynthesis to disperse oxygen," Okamoto noted. "They invite plankton and then plankton-feeding fish, creating an ecosystem and fishing ground," he said. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Water News - Science, Technology and Politics
Sunlight Bigger Influence On Ocean Circulation And Climate Than North American Ice Sheets
Santa Barbara CA (SPX) Nov 11, 2008A study reported in Nature disputes a longstanding picture of how ice sheets influence ocean circulation during glacial periods. The distribution of sunlight, rather than the size of North American ice sheets, is the key variable in changes in the North Atlantic deep-water formation during the last four glacial cycles, according to the article. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2007 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook