Biodiversity in Belize The South Caye Marine Reserve region is located along the Belize Barrier Reef. This reef is the second largest in the world, and the largest in the northern hemisphere. Two very important ecosystems in the Belize Barrier Reef area are the coral reef, and the mangrove trees. These ecosystems assist in determining the biodiversity of the area, affecting animals of the water, land, and sky. Without each other these two ecosystems would diminish, they rely on the other to thrive. These two ecosystems benefit the environment, and also the economy. Since the economy tends to be viewed as more important than preservation of nature, the government had to step in and create laws that will preserve the ecosystem. Mangroves are the centre of a very intricate ecosystem. As a whole, mangroves are sometimes considered to be the most complex and productive ecosystem on earth (Frost, Emily). Many individuals consider the mangrove trees to be where the sea meets the land, since it benefits animals of all kinds. There are four different species of mangroves located in Belize, these include: the red mangove (Rhizophora mangle), the black mangove (Avicennia germinans), the white mangrove (Laguncalaria racemosa), and the buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus). The red mangrove is usually found along the water on the cayes and waterways, the black mangroves are found farther from the waters edge, followed by the white mangrove and buttonwood being found furthest inland.
Mangroves are trees and shrubs forming forests on the coastal wetlands, typically growing between saltmarsh and seagrass beds. Sydney Olympic park is the main habitat for the grey Mangrove and the planted river
The mangrove tree is, as I learned through the presentations, characterized by its large, deep, and complex root system. This tree is only found in dense groves and forms a barrier between the ocean and the mainland. The mangrove tree is not a stable foundation to build upon and spreads its offspring by dropping pre-germinated seeds which then proceed to travel for thousands of miles. This is different from what I knew
Zonation is the distribution of animals and plants into specific zones according to abiotic factors and characterised by its dominant species [15]. Mangrove zonation is the distinguishable categorisation of a mangrove ecosystem that extends from shore to inland regions. Definitive spatial variation of mangrove species has been recognised amongst different ecosystems worldwide and is accredited as being influenced by abiotic and environmental factors [16]. In Eastern Australia, the majority of mangrove forests may be divided into landward, middle and seaward zones, based off of their placement in relation to tidal position. The following points represent the typical physiognomies characterised by mangroves in their corresponding zones:
Alex Rose Chapter 10-11 Sustaining Biodiversity 1. I do not support the reintroduction of the gray wolf into the Yellowstone ecosystem in the United States. Although the reintroduction helps restore and sustain its biodiversity, some feared that wolves would kill many big animals, inviting the government to halt on their operation. I believe the gray wolf shouldn't be expanded to areas outside the park due to its danger as an animal. Keeping them in Yellowstone ecosystem would make it easier on the government as well.
Mangrove Forest is another type of ecosystem in South Texas. Mangrove Forests are found along the coast in salty waters and the general abiotic conditions are high salinity flooded soils, low wave energy, high temperatures, and muddy soils. Black Mangrove and Buttonwood are the dominant plant species in South Texas Mangrove Forest ecosystem. Buttonwood is adapted to this ecosystem because it resides inland where there is less salty conditions. Black Mangrove is adapted to sandy salty clay soil and requires protection from wave action and they are sensitive to cold weather. Some common animal species that live in Mangrove Forests are many species of fish, crabs, mollusks, and birds. Mangrove forests provide a habitat, shelter, and nursery to these species that reside in this ecosystem. Mangrove forest serve as a coastal protection from severe storms and hurricanes also help remove pollutants and erosion. The economic importance of Mangrove forest is that they support fisheries, water purification, tourism, and coastal protection. Human activities pose a threat to Mangrove Forests because of the removal of some mangroves, boat waves, oil spills, dredging, draining, and diking.
Mangroves are woody trees and shrubs with a thick, exposed network of roots that grow down from the branches and into the water and sediment. All mangroves are found on the intertidal zones between ocean and the land. When the sediment accumulate little wave occurs, the saline depend on the frequency. Some of the indirect impacts are the sediment runoff and also including chemical runoff, global warming is one of main effects of the mangrove ecosystem. In Tannum there are various types of mangroves. Such as the river and grey mangroves located at south tree and wild cattle in both Tannum sands and Boyne Island along the Boyne River. Leaves are around 7cm long gland that secret salt, the
The roots help to create land by holding the soil that runs into the ponds when it rains. Red mangroves also helps to protect the coral reefs. Fish sometimes use the mangrove roots as shelter and protection as it provides a barrier from the ponds to the reefs. The mangroves roots harbor many marine wildlife and the animals have formed a small ecosystem from it. In volatile ocean movement, waves and hurricanes, the red mangrove as well as other mangrove trees become a protection shield and barrier for the land. The southeast is where you would find most mangrove forests to be vital, as it is an integral part of that region's ecosystem with the red mangrove being most important. Red mangroves are found at the water’s edge, and their roots provide barrier and safe habitat for fish and other marine life.
Belize is a very unique and different country. There is a wide verity of year round activities that the people of Belize, as well as the tourists enjoy. Pop culture is celebrated in a wide variety of ways.
The economy is the system by which societies work together and trade goods and services with each other. Economies decide how resources are distributed among members of a society; they determine the value of goods or services; and they even determine what kinds of things can be traded or bartered for those services and goods. The economy of early societies was grounded on barter. In a barter system, an individual would trade an item for another. Currently, our economy uses money to make trade easier but still use bartering when it is convenient. The way a society structures its economic system is fundamentally a political and social matter. The political and legal structure of a society will govern how wealth can be collected, how resources and wealth are given out, and the method of competition allowed between different participants in the economy. This paper explores the sectors of the economy as well as the economic systems or models while incorporating the Belizean economy and work.
Fish farming is a great solution in regard of Overfishing, but there are also Benefits and Limitations of this solution regarding different factors. Economically this solution has great benefits. Domestic seafood demand is predicted to be 2.2 million metric tons more than today by 2025. That is a potential of $1 billion per year if the supply of fish kept up by fish farming and breeding. The current US production from aquacultures like fish farming is near to $900 million annually. The US department of commerce hopes that will be increased by $5 billion by 2025. That is a HUGE economic benefit if fish farming is not broken down. Now of course if the farmers hear those facts, they
Abstract. Biodiversity is a variety of life and it is important to maintain biodiversity because it provides everyone’s needs for food source, water source and shelter. Currently, Georgia Gwinnett College expanding with construction around the area, will this cause a disturbance where the campus will not be able to have biodiversity or having some disturbance can increase it? The research measured biodiversity in 5 different places around campus, these locations varying levels of disturbance and resources. After analysis, it was determined that sites further away from the stream at the downstream location had less biodiversity, and that the GGC site location had more biodiversity than both of the stream locations, which may be due to more diverse habitats with the location, or sharing more transition areas with areas of higher disturbance.
Soil is one of the most diverse habitats on Earth and it contains one of the most diverse arrays of living organisms, but soil is still one of the most poorly researched habitats of our planet. Invertebrates are the majority of the living organisms found in the soil habitat and even make up 95-97% of all animal species. These animals are characterized and known for lacking a backbone. There are many living organisms in the soil. This is called biodiversity. Without biodiversity, life on Earth would be impossible or will be significantly impaired. “Biodiversity encompasses all of the species, food chains, and biological patterns in the environmental system as small as a microcosm or large landscape or a geographic region” (Paoletti). The diversity of soil organisms is largely determined by a number of abiotic and biotic factors. Invertebrates play significant roles. Animals, plants, microorganisms and their complex interactions respond to human landscape management, which help protect biodiversity and for ecosystem health. Invertebrates’ highly complex and intimate interactions also help give the soil high resistance and resilience. Studies with bioindicators, “a species or ecological community that is so closely associated with particular environmental conditions that its presence is indicative of these conditions in a particular environment” (Bioindicator), apply biodiversity as a principal tool to evaluate the landscape and the quality and function and to assess different
Off the Caribbean coast of Belize, between Mexico and Guatemala, lies the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest reef in the northern and western hemispheres. The reef is home to many species of coral reefs, coastal lagoons, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests. It provides a habitat for a large number of fish species and many endangered animals. With global warming issues, local activities, and mass tourism threatening the very existence of the reef, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) has made the Belize Barrier Reef part of the World Heritage list, which preserves and protects the cultural and natural heritage around the world.
An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. An ecosystem consists of biotic factors and abiotic factors. The biotic factors of an ecosystem are the living organisms, while the abiotic factors of an ecosystem are the temperature, climate, sun, and the weather. The ecosystem being researched is the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is located right off of Australia. The Great Barrier Reef has around 400 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish. It has more than 3000 different reef systems. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the world, and for good reason.
Mangroves have a very important role in their ecosystem. Their niche includes protecting and providing for many organisms. Mangroves are considered main producers in their complex food system (Appendix B). “The food chain