Hmmm...technology produced nature vs the real thing

So San Clemente, California has built a 175 acre kelp forest to offset the impact of their nearby nuclear power plant, which might destroy nearby natural kelp forests and the marine life within them. Just seems like another humans vs. nature issue. Why not conserve natural kelp forests and re-think/re-work/re-create ways to keep our natural environment safe, without thinking that our technology is a fool-proof option in creating ecology?

It becomes more real everyday...

Should we prepare for rising sea levels? Yup. Govenor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, ordered on friday that the state begin preparations for rising sea levels. This definitely makes global warming very real, at least I hope that's how other take it!

Give a Holler to salmon!

Since I've been reading "Song for the Blue Ocean", I learned a great deal about salmon. So when I heard that west coast American farmers will hopefully be restricted in using 3 particular pesticides near the coastlines, all in the hope of saving the salmon, I was very happy.

"Under the rules, the pesticides couldn't be used within 500 feet (152 metres) of streams that carry salmon. Crop dusters would have to stay even farther away, and farmers using the pesticides would have to leave 20-foot strips of land uncultivated along drainage ditches and streams that are home to the fish."

But I guess I shouldn't celebrate just yet because "the new restrictions, triggered by an environmental lawsuit under the Endangered Species Act, won't be implemented right away. And the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates pesticides and would put the restrictions on product labels, could try to devise a different approach."

Here's to hoping that the U.S will make the right choice.

Arctic Ocean research project

A little blurb about my research project:
My Arctic Ocean research project takes a look at possible jurisdiction claims on the Arctic. Arctic ice is melting and in greater amounts, with a shorter freezing season because of global warming. This results in ice-free areas of the Arctic, which means the ability to explore for potential gas and oil. This also highlights the Arctic Ocean as a new potential transport/shipping lane, which would drastically reduce the time taken to get from Europe to Asia. This would likely increase the amount of shipping around the world.
This obviously leads to territory claims and disputes by countries whose coasts are adjacent to the Arctic Ocean. The controversy here is: who gets what? UNCLOS states that a coastal state can increase their EEZ to 350 nm from their baselines if they can prove that the ocean ridges in the Arctic Ocean are actually extensions of their continental shelf.
Along with Russia, Canada and Denmark are currently doing extensive seabed surveys and mapping, so that they can submit their claims according to UNCLOS regulations.
So what does this mean?
This would lead to oil and gas exploration, increased tourism, increase exploitation of fish resources, increased shipping traffic, environmental degradation........

Want to know where a marine species is distributed?

Found a website called Ocean Biogeographic Information System, where you can type in a marine species name and it will map out its spatial and temporal distribution.

These are marine worms??!

Various pics of marine worms...have to warn you that not all these worms are gross looking, but rather look like works of art. Another little tidbit, apparently marine worms have discovered 18 ways to reproduce and some stretch out to 200 feet!

Test Yourself

Found an oceans quiz on the National Geographic website...see how well you score!