New Reef Study

[omard]

(25 February 2008 )

(National Geographic)

New Study On Pristine Reefs to Begin

Southern Line Islands Expedition

Threatened by overfishing, pollution, climate change, and disease, coral reefs are among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth. Participants in the Southern Line Islands Expedition hope that by studying the ecology of healthy reefs, they will learn valuable clues about how to preserve these vibrant ocean treasures.

For the project, National Geographic Emerging Explorer Enric Sala, National Geographic Grantee Stuart Sandin, National Geographic contributing photographer Brian Skerry, and a team of reef ecologists will study the intricate structures of healthy reef ecosystems and cataloguing the wide array of species it takes to sustain a reef.

The expedition is the first study of its kind, and researchers are optimistic about its outcomes. The team hopes to use the data to establish a baseline model for healthy coral reefs, to quantify the effects of human activity on these ecosystems, and to devise a blueprint for the conservation of degraded reefs.

Will keep any eye out for results of this...
How do you get a job with these guys?

[Tangster]

Did you or anyone here maybe see that new documentary on the History channel a few weeks ago , Several countries and scientific groups and world think tanks of experts have pieced together the history over the last 7 centuries Woods hole and several others of that Caliber of experts using deep sea and arctic ice caps and tree and mountain rock core samples Say that over the last 100 yrs or so the earth has started to get back to what is considered more normal temperatures and the melting ice caps will come again during the next mini ice age. Seems starting along about 1200 A.D it started to cool off until about the 1400 to 1800 it was the coldest temps in Human history here well Humans that where able to think (:

The trigger was around 1100 was several huge Volcanoes all became very active and all of these just went nuts and all where active for yrs and at the same time Suns heat could not get to earth and she cooled off Ice formed and as that formed then Atmosphere started to clear But as the ash settled the Ice had formed and then sun was reflected back out and less surface heating occurred and for the last 6 centuries the earth has just been recovering ? But it was like 4 hrs in total and went into the oceans temps and currents and so on and so forth.. Again all the Al Gore scientific experts have yet to come forth to claim their millions that have been posted as a reward to prove their theories .. I am seeing more and more debunking the sky is falling theories. I figure hey 15 , 20 yrs I'm outta here (:

Hell a meteor may hit again first and cause another huge cooling effect ? I remember Jimmy Carters experts in 1973 74 when all this Eco greenhouse mess started up and they where all scramming Ice age is upon us we are all going to freeze but he could save us and he would ! WOW the EPA got a huge jump start) As we are blocking the suns heat out from all the soot and pollutants in the atmosphere unless we do something! I recall working in Allied Chemical and Dupont and Hercules and ICI all installing stack scrubbers and that was a small city just called Hopewell Va. just 15 miles south east of Richmond (: I guess maybe they cleaned it up to well as we are now over heating LOL

Humans will pass along just like all who walked this earth before We don't even know where we came from and thats history how the hell can we tell where we are heading ? The over fishing and pollutions I'll buy into somewhat But the Climatic changes I take it all with a grain of salt LOL no pun intended .

[lunatik_69]

Its all very confusing. Depending on who you talk to, they tell you a different outcome. I've seen so many documentaries, shows, articles, environmental class and movies that I dont know which one to believe and with the mighty dollar at stake, who knows where the best interests lay.