"Invisible" Red Lion Fish invade the Caribbean

"Invisible" Red Lion Fish invade the Caribbean

David Chen
October 20, 2013

James Cook University
Published Oct 18, 2013
http://phys.org/news/2013-10-ghost-fish-caribbean.html

Summary:
     Studies by James Cook University scientists Oona Lonnstedt and Professor Mark show the reason for the lionfishes' extreme success in the Caribbean, where it is thriving as an invasive species. Lionfish are native to the Pacific Ocean, but they were accidentally introduced to the Caribbean Basin ecosystem around 30 years ago. The studies show that they are so good at catching prey because, they are almost invisible to the small fish. The Red Lion Fishes' camouflage is so good, that they are virtually undetectable. Studies included two other native predatory fish, and the same small prey fish were forced into interaction with them. The prey fish could not adapt to the lionfish as a threat, and the lionfish could swim up and capture almost every single one of them. This was a big contrast from the other two predatory fish, where they had much lower feeding success. The ability to trick the learning mechanism of prey with their camouflage makes the lionfish very successful, and almost unstoppable.

Connection:
     This article connects to our past unit on ecology. Although the article doesn't go into depth about how the lionfish actually affects the Caribbean Reef Basin i.e. "eating its way through the reef ecosystem" and "viewed as a huge nuisance.", it does explain why the lionfish is so overwhelmingly successful. It connects with our learning of invasive species and how they can change a native ecosystem, often drastically. This article shows exactly how an invasive species is able to thrive so well in a new environment. In this case, the lionfishes' camouflage tricks the native prey fish learning mechanism, and the lionfish is able to thrive and hunt freely.

 

Thawing Arctic Sea: The Effect on the Artic Tundra

Natalie Boelman
Published Tuesday September 25, 2012 by CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/25/opinion/boelman-arctic-tundra/index.html?iref=allsearch

Summary

On September 16th, it was reported that the Arctic Sea ice cover reached the lowest level ever recorded. Due to global warming, the Arctic Sea ice has been melting. In addition to shrinking the polar bears’ habitat and reducing the amount of area that reflects the sun’s light, the melting ice also affects the nearby Arctic tundra. In the same way that large bodies of water moderate coastal temperature patterns, the Arctic Ocean has an impact on the tundra. Less sea ice means a warmer climate, which causes the permafrost, the tundra’s frozen soil, to thaw more. This releases stored carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, both greenhouse gases, into the atmosphere. The last record low before this one was in 2007 and caused a fire that lasted for two and a half months and covered an area 10% larger than Manhattan.

The warming climate has an effect on the tundra’s plant and animal species. The short vegetation is becoming taller because warmer soils allow for larger, woody plants. This could have an effect on the animal species that nest in the grasses, some of which may not be able to adapt and could then create a disrupting domino effect on the tundra’s food web.

Connection

This connects to our unit on ecology. It talks about biomes, specifically the tundra, and the characteristics of the biome, such as climate patterns and vegetation. It also relates the effect human activity has on the ecosystem through global warming. It is related to the carbon cycle as the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane are released due to the thawing permafrost, which contributes to global warming. In addition, it connects to the lessons on the food web and chain because of the domino effect the warming climate has on the tundra’s species.

Huge Algae Bloom off Canada Triggered by Company's 'Fertilization' Experiment

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Miguel Llanos, NBC News

October 16, 2012

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14487440-huge-algae-bloom-off-canada-triggered-by-companys-fertilization-experiment

 

Summary 

          In an effort to increase salmon population, the Haida Salmon Restoration Corp. dumped about 100 tons of iron ore into the Northern Pacific Ocean. This caused a massive algae bloom covering 3,800 square miles of ocean off the coast of British Columbia, off of which the salmon could feed. The Haida people, a tribe in British Columbia, endorsed the dumping in order to increase the salmon populations that they depend on. Planktos, a company wishing to experiment with iron dumping and algae blooms in order to reduce carbon in the atmosphere, also supported the effort. Depositing such high amounts of foreign substances into the ocean does not only damage the ecosystem, but also goes against international resolutions. This has created great controversy about ocean manipulation, with some scientists predicting effects like oxygen depletion in water and damaging of food webs. 

Chlorophyll concentration before the deposit.

Connection

Chlorophyll concentration after the deposit.

           This article is relevant to our unit on ecology, and reflects the effect of fertilizers on an ecosystem. When nutrients such as iron become available in aquatic ecosystems in unusually high amounts, unsuppressed populations of algae skyrocket as the carrying capacity of the ecosystem increases. The algae crowd out competitors and other species such as fish, and suck nutrients such as oxygen out of the water. The high concentration of algae at the surface also blocks light from reaching lower photic zone. As species begin to disappear from the area, the entire food web gets disrupted.

(Images from: http://inhabitat.com/rogue-geoengineering-experiment-creates-massive-algae-bloom-in-pacific-ocean/)