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There's a new study that reports marine protected areas are needed to protect some fish species that perform key ecological functions. Many ecological functions of ocean ecology are performed by some fish species that are also food for millions of people. The study states that the most valuable fish are vulnerable and are being missed by the current network of marine protected areas. If the fish population and ecology services are to be ensured, the protected areas must be expanded. Dr. Tim McClanahan, WCS Sr. Conservationist says that "All species are not the same and some play more important roles in the ocean ecology. If you lose species with key functions, then you undermine the ability of the ocean to provide food and other ecological services." Human threats such as fishing, pollution, and climate change were also included in the study. What was found that many areas with important fish are being threatened outside the protected areas. Protecting the ecological services that fish provide is as important as protecting wildlife. This study can help marine managers make recommendations about where to place the protected areas.

Marine protected areas inadequate for protecting fish and ocean ecology, study finds August 28, 2014 Wildlife Conservation Society

Journal Reference:Valeriano Parravicini, Sébastien Villéger, Tim R. McClanahan, Jesus Ernesto Arias-González, David R. Bellwood, Jonathan Belmaker, Pascale Chabanet, Sergio R. Floeter, Alan M. Friedlander, François Guilhaumon, Laurent Vigliola, Michel Kulbicki, David Mouillot. Global mismatch between species richness and vulnerability of reef fish assemblages. Ecology Letters, 2014; DOI: 10.1111/ele.12316

Wildlife Conservation Society. "Marine protected areas inadequate for protecting fish and ocean ecology, study finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 August 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140828135847.htm>.

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The University of Helsinki, Dr. Kristiina Karhu, has found through research that the rates of future climate changes could increase. Dr. Karhu has studied the decomposition rates in soils and found that due to the increase in climate temperature has had an increase in soil microbial. One example of soil microbial system is the breakdown of dead foliage on the forest floor which is decomposed over time. Soil microbial is increased with the higher temperatures due to global warming. The study was able to collect samples from various regions which included the Arctic to the Amazon. This was done to understand the effects of climate changes to the soil in each region in order to determine how much carbon was being produced in that region.

The importance of this research is explained by Dr. Karhu who states, “Because soils store more than twice as much carbon than the atmosphere, changes in rates of decomposition and carbon dioxide release from soil could be very important. Our findings suggest that warming will increase the activity of soil microbes to a greater extent than was previously expected, which could have implications for future rates of climate change." Dr.Karhu went on to say that only recently has there been studies of microbes as a variable when it relates to climate change. So by calculating this information into the equation then scientist will be able to predict more accurate climate changes in the future.

This study looks at one of the many variables in predicting global warming. Our society needs to educate themselves in the importance of doing their part in a greener community. If the soil is producing this much carbon dioxide with soil microbial then I could only imagine how much our landfill are producing. So by reducing our waste by recycling we could possibly delay global warming for our future.

 

Reference

University of Exeter. (2014, September 3). Carbon stored in world's soils more vulnerable to climate change than expected. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 4, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140903133313.htm

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