Essay about Nature

• Topics: Nature
• Pages: 3
• Words: 750
• Date added: May 25, 2020

Did you know the ocean has 3 layers? In one of the layers there are things called coral reefs. I am going to tell you about the great barrier reefs and how humans can impact them. The Great Barrier Reefs are located off the coast of the Northeastern coast of Australia. It’s the largest structure made by living organisms. It’s over 1250 miles.It happens to have over 2,900 reef cays, some islands and a lot of beaches,lagoons and many other cool things. There are over 350 types of coral and many different types of algies. It contains jellyfish,whales and dolphins and more than 1,500 types of fish, .turtles and sea snakes and many other things .

Coral reefs are made up of dead and living organisms. They are tiny animals. The remains of dead organisms join together to form the coral. It can create homes and habitats or hiding places of living organisms. The sea weed and grass produce energy for the coral. It’s a collection of species that interact with each other and the physical environment. The sun is the initial source of energy for this ecosystem. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton, algae, and other plants convert light energy into chemical energy. As animals eat plants or other animals, some of this energy is passed on.

The climate in the great barrier reef ecosystem is a tropical climate. Which means it’s warm and sunny all year round. In the summer it is between 24 and 33 degrees celsius. In the winter it is 14 to 26 degrees celsius. There are only 2 seasons green and dry.The water is warm and shallow which will help with photosynthesis. Humans impact the great barrier reefs by causing sediment. They cause sediment by clearing land, agriculture and working on harbors. Sediment can hurt coral reefs because it can reduce light for the coral to grow. It also reduces nutrients and causes algae to grow. People can also over fish. Some changes that humans can make to protect the Great Barrier Reefs is stop touching them.

Also only drop anchors in sandy areas so you don’t break corals. People also can ruin coral by causing climate change. People cause climate change by causing greenhouse gasses. We cause them by burning coal and oil which causes carbon to form into the air. Human cause greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have caused much of the observed increase in Earth’s temperatures over the past 50 years. Humans also coral mine which is also affecting the coral population. Humans also cause pollution which causes the coral to soften and make it more susceptible to diseases and effect growth. Some animals make their own and others need it made for them.

Some animals that make their own are Phytoplankton and some of their predators are whale sharks and manta rays. Another animal that makes its own food is Giant kelp. Their predator is Abalone. Some animals depend on their things to make their own food like sharks,short spined urchin,giant clams and many other animals.

I am going to tell you how I think we could help stop humans from hurting the Great barrier reefs. One way you can help is by planting trees cause that will reduce runoff and stop sediment form blocking light and energy so it can grow right and stay healthy. You can also reduce carbon footprint and also use organic fertilizer which will help to avoid runoff. Also we can reduce coral bleaching. We can reduce it by using less water which will reduce runoff and wastewater. Bleaching coral also has to do with climate change which we cause a lot of. Also you can use an environmental way of transportation like riding a bike walking or taking a train. You can also buy an electric car. So you don’t need to use gas and pollute even more. You can also recycle because it will reduce the plastic waste in the ocean environment. You should also never dump your trash in the ocean. Those ways will all help tremendously cause it can keep the corals healthy and the ocean clean from anything bad.

Those are the ways I think you can help conserve the ocean and all the corals and living things in it and how humans can have such a great impact on the corals in the ocean by damaging and helping keep them safe. Even if they don’t seem that important to the eye they are because they are home to many animals and living things.