Impact Of Ocean Acidification On Marine Life Environmental Sciences Essay

Impact Of Ocean Acidification On Marine Life Environmental Sciences Essay One of the main issues with ocean acidification is the impact that it will have on marine organisms over the coming years, and whether or not they are able to adapt to the more acidic waters? The impact upon some marine species may become more of a problem if they play an important role in the food chain, and therefore may eventually affect humans as fish are the main food source for some communities around the world. Research into ocean acidification has found that certain organisms experience reduced calcification or enhanced dissolution when they are exposed to elevated CO2. Many organisms rely on the oceans current pH in order to survive. The major benthic calcifying organisms on coral reefs are the corals, calcifying macroalgae, benthic foraminifera, molluscs, and echinoderms. Corals typically live in compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Part of this group includes the reef builders, these are important because as the name suggests, they build the reefs. They secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton and these skeletons can be used as bio-implants for human surgery. A coral reef is a community of many species, such as the corals, plants, invertebrates, fishes, and some other vertebrate animals, such as turtles. The lowering of the oceans pH reduces the ability of coral to produce calcium carbonate and with the conditions expected ocean acidification will compromise carbonate accretion. (Website, 2009) This causes corals to become increasingly rare on reef systems. A large number of species make up tropical coral reefs; however coral communities in cold waters are only made up of one or two species yet provide shelter for many other marine species. (Website, 2009) With ocean acidification reducing the number of coral and as many marine species use the coral as their home and for shelter, the coral reef communities would also be affected and become less diverse and carbonate reef structures will fail to be maintained. (Hoegh-Guldberg, O. et al, 2007) Coccolithophores are single-celled algae, protists and phytoplankton and are found in large numbers throughout the surface euphotic zone of the ocean and ocean acidification seems to have the opposite effect on them compared with other calcifying organsims. (Website, 2010) Coccolithophores are major calcium carbonate (CaCOà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã†â€™) producers in the worlds oceans today accounting for about a third of the total marine CaCO3 production. Whereas ocean acidification reduces the calcium carbonate production in many organisms, studies have shown that it actually causes coccolithophores to increase their CaCO3 production. (website, 2005) Coccolithophores are distinguished by calcium carbonate plates which have an uncertain function and are called coccoliths calcareous nanoplankton, and these are important microfossils. (website, 2011) When coccolithophores make these plates they release carbon dioxide. Whereas some believe that because of this coccolithophores will actually contribut e to the rise in COà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¡, it is actually unclear of what affect the increase in CaCO3 production will have. This is because these organisms use CO2 during photosynthesis. It is the balance between calcification which produces carbon dioxide and the consumption of CO2 by photosynthesis that will determine whether coccolithophores act as a sink (absorbing CO2) or as a source of CO2 to the atmosphere. So the extra CO2 produced may simply be counteracted by the extra photosynthesis. (Website, 2008) An example of how ocean acidification affects certain marine species is the pteropod Limacina helicina. Their shell is made of calcium carbonate; however studies have shown that the shell is developing at a slower rate due to the lowering of pH. It is anticipated that by 2100 the increase of ocean acidification will slow the development of the shell by 30%. (Website, 2009) Aside from calcification, other organisms may suffer from other adverse effects. Such as physiological or reproductive effects or they may be affected by the negative impacts on food resources. An example of a species that is directly affected by ocean acidification on the lugworm Arenicola marina. There is a simple experiment that can be carried out to show how pH affects the lugworm reproduction simply by keeping the lugworms in seawater of different pHs; some at the current seawater pH, 8.2, some at a pH of 7.8 and some at 6.5. The results show (fig. 1) that as the pH lowers the reproduction of the lugworm is affected. The lower the pH gets the less successful fertilization is. If as predicted by 2100 and the pH of the seawater has lowered to 7.8 then the lugworms may struggle to adapt and therefore may decline in number. Brittle stars (Ophiothrix fragilis) may also see a change in their reproduction as they produce fewer larvae, because they are using more energy maintaining their skeletons in more acidic seas. This has a knock on affect as the brittle star larvae are a key food source for herring. It is clear that ocean acidification in time will have an impact on food chains causing problems for many other organisms that are not at first affected by ocean acidification. It is also possible that tiny algae such as Calcidiscus leptoporus will be unable to survive. These very important algae have been declining by 1% each year; some believe ocean acidification could be the cause as the acidity may make certain nutrients that the algae need less available or that it might even promote the growth of bacteria which damages the natural plankton growth cycle. Ocean acidification also affects the navigation and communication of whales and dolphins. This is because the seas are becoming noisier. As the acidi ty increases, sound travels further. Navigation is important to whales and dolphins as they use it for migration, which is important as they migrate to colder waters to feed and to warmer waters to give birth. It is not just the organisms that live in the oceans that are being affected. Marine mammals such as; polar bears, sea lions, seals, and walruses and also seabirds would see a knock on affect due to ocean acidification and the other impacts of climate change. The main issue is the effect ocean acidification has on the food chain because if one organism that is a main part of the food chain declines then the problem continues up the food chain. So if numbers of fish decline from a lack of food, then the birds that feed on the fish could also decline. However unlike many organisms affected by climate change, it has been discovered that seabirds can actually adapt to the changing environments. So the lower availability of their preferred prey may not be a problem as the birds seem capable of modifying their diets. (Grà ©millet, D. 2009) Ocean acidification will have a definite impact on marine life, as many organisms will be affected. The main issue that can be seen is the impact ocean acidification will have on the food chain, as primary producers may decline then so will the organisms that prey on them and so on as the trend continues up the food chain until it reaches the consumer. If ocean acidification continues at its current rate, by 2100 we could see a vast different in ocean ecosystems. Many species may decline as a direct result of ocean acidification, such as the coral reefs due to reduced calcification. The coral reefs form some of the most diverse ecosystems on earth; therefore many other organisms would be indirectly affected by ocean acidification with the decline of corals. The coral reefs also play an important role for fisheries and fishing communities in poorer countries, a decline of the coral reefs would see a decline in a much needed food source for many humans.

Importance of Critical Thinking

It was Francis Bacon who said â€Å"knowledge is power† and indeed it is. We all want to know, to gain knowledge. That’s why we go to school for a large portion of our lives, why we read, watch and listen to all we can when we are awake and sometimes even when we are asleep. But what exactly is knowledge? While there isn’t a single standard definition, the oldest accepted definition was given by famous philosopher Plato; â€Å"Justified true belief. † The pursuit of knowledge I define as research. So how does one reach the goal of attaining this justified true belief?I suggest the use of critical thinking skills as a means to that end. Linda Elder defines critical thinking as follows; â€Å"Critical thinking is self-guided, self-disciplined thinking which attempts to reason at the highest level of quality in a fair-minded way. † That is, a method of thinking developed by a person that would allow this person to reason at the apex of his/her intellig ence, objectively. Critical thinking is an important apparatus in seeking knowledge as it addresses issues like uniformity, bias and partiality.As human beings we are naturally selfish. The phrase â€Å"looking out for number one† comes to mind. The point is that we want for ourselves. Similarly in seeking knowledge on a particular subject matter, we tend to take into consideration only the evidence that suits our opinion, which supports our stance on the issue. Critical thinking requires that we move past our biases and examine every bit of evidence with sound logic, in order to after an objective analysis, arrive at a fair conclusion. Also, when we do research, our findings are often partial or incomplete.With the application of critical thinking skills we would overcome that obstacle as thinking critically requires us to bring together and evaluate all the necessary information. So we would not only assess the pros as it relates to something, but also the cons. Nor would w e analyze one party’s view and ignore the opposition. Everything relevant would be appraised, making our pursuit complete. Lastly, the idea of uniformity. Format and order are very important in conducting research. We must be able to see a continuum or sequence in our methodology.Critical thinking is a process, therefore there are stages involved such as evaluation and inference. Our thoughts would not be jumbled nor would our ideas seem scattered and random as might be the case when we don’t dig deeper beneath the surface of a concept and reason on a higher plain. The application of critical thinking skills would undoubtedly result in coherence. To conclude, the importance of critical thinking as a tool in the pursuit of knowledge cannot be denied as our usual mode of reasoning is damaged and it is just the tool for the fix. â€Å"Those who know how to think need no teachers. †- Mahatma Gandhi.

Calyx & Corolla Case Analysis

1. The strength of the Calyx & Corolla formula is that they enhance the delivering speed so that customers get fresher flowers. Also, it lowers the cost of delivery from growers to C & C, from wholesellers to retailers, and from retailers to customers. But there are also problems in the formula. For example, it is hard to control the quality of the products. C & C has to monitor the growers and Fed, and spend extra money to maintain the high quality of the products. . Calyx & Corolla has been successful because they make delivery more efficient, which is to deliver flowers directly from growers to customers so that the plants are fresher. Also, they accurately position themselves and send catalogues to people who are likely to buy flowers. It’s an efficient way to market without a large amount of cost. Third, they developed business partners to promote selling. 3.The large growers like Sunbay Company also distribute and sell flowers themselves. They also buy flowers from other growers. Thus it is hard to control the quality of the flowers they provide. The large growers like Sunbay Company are both partners and competitors because they also sell flowers to customers. 4. They are growing the business by launching an advertising campaign. They will advertise on television emphasizing the longevity and freshness of the lowers.They will insert mini-catalogs into newspaper supplements and magazines. 5. The company is customer-oriented. They directly link consumers with growers in order to reduce the time it took to deliver, thus ensure the freshness and longevity of the consumers. They will not let flowers frozen outside the door in the cold days if they fail to deliver it, because it this will not encourage consumers to buy flowers from them again.They send catalogs regularly and change their banquets seasonally to meet consumers’ needs. All they have done is to keep the â€Å"life-time† customers. They are not only selling flowers, they are se lling good service as well. 6. It’s easy for customers to find what they want through the website, because the company has provided different ways of categorizing the bouquets. Customers can decide what kind of flowers they need according to different situations. It’s very customer-oriented.

Applications of a Conic Section essays

Applications of a Conic Section essays Conic sections are a group of curves which are generated by slicing a cone with a plane. If the plane is tilted parallel to the slope of the cone, the cut produces a parabola. When a parabola is expressed in Cartesian coordinates, the equation is a second order polynomial. This curve is commonly found in nature, engineering applications and architecture. The study of projectile motion is a real life application of the parabolic conic section. Soccer balls, divers, missiles and airplanes follow perfect parabolic trajectories if the air resistance is neglected. Garden hoses and fountains discharge water droplets whose trajectory is also described by a parabolic motion (Serway Parabolic mirrors are commonly found in optical instruments such as cameras, telescopes, and microscopes. The surface of the mirror has a parabolic form. Parabolic mirrors ensure that the image is not blurred as it eliminates aberration, i.e. reflected rays should only pass through a single focal point. This type of mirrors are expensive as they are not easy to manufacture. Vehicle headlights also have a parabolic curvature. If a bulb is located exactly at the focus of a parabolic mirror, the rays are reflected parallel to the axis of the para...

North American P-51 Mustang Fighter

North American P-51 Mustang Fighter North American P-51D Specifications: General Length: 32 ft. 3 in.Wingspan: 37 ft.Height: 13 ft. 8 in.Wing Area: 235 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 7,635 lbs.Loaded Weight: 9,200 lbs.Maximum Takeoff Weight: 12,100 lbs.Crew: 1 Performance Maximum Speed: 437 mphRange: 1,650 miles (w/ external tanks)Rate of Climb: 3,200 ft./min.Service Ceiling: 41,900 ft.Power Plant: 1 Ãâ€" Packard V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,490 hp Armament 6 Ãâ€" 0.50 in. machine gunsUp to 2,000 lb of bombs (2 hardpoints)10 x 5 unguided rockets Development: With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the British government established a purchasing commission in the United States to acquire aircraft to supplement the Royal Air Force. Overseen by Sir Henry Self, who was charged with directing RAF aircraft production as well as research and development, this commission initially sought to acquire large numbers of the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk for use in Europe. While not an ideal aircraft, it the P-40 was the only American fighter then in production that came close to the performance standards required for combat over Europe. Contacting Curtiss, the commissions plan soon proved unworkable as the Curtiss-Wright plant was unable to take new orders. As a result, Self approached North American Aviation as the company was already supplying the RAF with trainers and was attempting to sell the British their new B-25 Mitchell bomber. Meeting with North American president James Dutch Kindelberger, Self asked if the company could produce the P-40 under contract. Kindelberger replied that rather than transition North Americans assembly lines to the P-40, he could have a superior fighter designed and ready to fly in a shorter span of time. In response to this offer, Sir Wilfrid Freeman, the head of the British Ministry of Aircraft Production placed an order for 320 aircraft in March 1940. As part of the contract, the RAF specified a minimum armament of four .303 machine guns, a maximum unit price of $40,000, and for the first production aircraft to be available by January 1941. Design: With this order in hand, North American designers Raymond Rice and Edgar Schmued began the NA-73X project to create a fighter around the P-40s Allison V-1710 engine. Due to Britains wartime needs, the project progressed rapidly and a prototype was ready for testing only 117 days after the order was placed. This aircraft featured a new arrangement for its engine cooling system which saw it placed aft of the cockpit with the radiator mounted in the belly.  Testing soon found that this placement allowed the NA-73X to take advantage of the Meredith effect in which heated air exiting the radiator could be used to boost the aircrafts speed.  Constructed entirely of aluminum to reduce weight, the new aircrafts fuselage utilized a semi-monocoque design.   First flying on October 26, 1940, the P-51 utilized a laminar flow wing design which provided low drag at high speeds and was the product of collaborative research between North American and the  National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. While the prototype proved substantially faster than the P-40, there was a substantial drop in performance when operating over 15,000 feet. While adding a supercharger to the engine would have solved this issue, the aircrafts design made it impractical. Despite this, the British were eager to have the aircraft which was initially provided with eight machine guns (4 x .30 cal., 4 x .50 cal.). The US Army Air Corps approved Britains original contract for 320 aircraft on the condition that they received two for testing. The first production aircraft flew May 1, 1941, and the new fighter was adopted under the name Mustang Mk I by the British and dubbed the XP-51 by the USAAC. Arriving in Britain in October 1941, the Mustang first saw service with No. 26 Squadron before making its combat debut on May 10, 1942. Possessing outstanding range and low-level performance, the RAF primarily assigned the aircraft to Army Cooperation Command which utilized the Mustang for ground support and tactical reconnaissance. In this role, the Mustang made its first long-range reconnaissance mission over Germany on July 27, 1942. The aircraft also provided ground support during the disasterous Dieppe Raid that August. The initial order was soon followed by the second contract for 300 planes which differed only in armament carried. The Americans Embrace the Mustang: During 1942, Kindelberger pressed the newly re-designated US Army Air Forces for a fighter contract to continue production of the aircraft. Lacking funds for fighters in early 1942, Major General Oliver P. Echols was able to issue a contract for 500 of a version of the P-51 which had been designed for a ground attack role. Designated the A-36A Apache/Invader these aircraft began arriving that September. Finally, on June 23, a contract for 310 P-51A fighters was issued to North American. While the Apache name was initially retained, it was soon dropped in favor of Mustang. Refining the Aircraft: In April 1942, the RAF asked Rolls-Royce to work on addressing the aircrafts high altitude woes. Engineers quickly realized that many of the issues could be resolved by swapping the Allison with one of their Merlin 61 engines equipped with a two speed, two stage supercharger. Testing in Britain and America, where the engine was built under contract as the Packard V-1650-3, proved highly successful. Immediately put into mass production as the P-51B/C (British Mk III), the aircraft began reaching the front lines in late 1943. Though the improved Mustang received rave reviews from pilots, many complained about a lack of rearward visibility due to the aircrafts razorback profile. While the British have experimented with field modifications using Malcolm hoods similar to those on the Supermarine Spitfire, North American sought a permanent solution to the problem. The result was the definitive version of the Mustang, the P-51D, which featured a completely transparent bubble hood and six .50 cal. machine guns. The most widely produced variant, 7,956 P-51Ds were built. A final type, the P-51H arrived too late to see service. Operational History: Arriving in Europe, the P-51 proved key to maintaining the Combined Bomber Offensive against Germany. Prior to its arrival daylight bombing raids routinely sustained heavy losses as current Allied fighters, such as the Spitfire and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, lacked the range to provide an escort. With the superb range of the P-51B and subsequent variants, the USAAF was able to provide its bombers with protection for the duration of raids. As a result, the US 8th and 9th Air Forces began exchanging their P-47s and Lockheed P-38 Lightnings for Mustangs. In addition to escort duties, the P-51 was a gifted air superiority fighter, routinely besting Luftwaffe fighters, while also serving admirably in a ground strike role. The fighters high speed and performance made it one of the few aircraft capable of pursuing V-1 flying bombs and defeating the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter. While best known for its service in Europe, some Mustang units saw service in the Pacific and the Far East. During World War II, the P-51 was credited with downing 4,950 German aircraft, the most of any Allied fighter. Following the war, the P-51 was retained as the USAAFs standard, piston-engine fighter. Re-designated the F-51 in 1948, the aircraft was soon eclipsed in the fighter role by newer jets. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the F-51 returned to active service in a ground attack role. It performed admirably as a strike aircraft for the duration of the conflict. Passing out of frontline service, the F-51 was retained by reserve units until 1957. Though it had departed American service, the P-51 was utilized by numerous air forces around the world with the last being retired by the Dominican Air Force in 1984. Selected Sources Ace Pilots: P-51 MustangBoeing: P-51 MustangFighter Plans: P-51 MustangAngelucci, Enzo, Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft: 1914-1980 (The Military Press: New York, 1983), 233, 234.

The Increasingly Changing Immigration Policies Research Paper

The Increasingly Changing Immigration Policies - Research Paper Example The ‘Geneva Convention’ provided refuge to millions of Refugees in the post world war period until the Cold War of the 1980s and it set the basis of immigration policies and laws in most of the countries. But in the post-Cold War period till today it has been faced with a number of issues and as a result of a number of member states especially the European countries have begun straying away from the basic policy, in order to block the huge flow of migrants every year due to the insufficiencies of the convention. It is an undeniable fact that the ‘Geneva Convention’ was the foundation of the Refugee protection regime and was the one truly universal instrument that gave basic principles on which the international protection of Refugees was built. But the essence of disapproval of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention is that it is archaic. The treaty was formulated in and for a specific era. While Western countries' refuge structures might have managed well enough un til the end of the Cold War, they were not intended to counter the current mass refugee outflows and migratory activities. The United Kingdom had a long custom of migration. Due to its ownership of a large number of colonies all over the world, the UK has been the centre for asylum seeker, working immigrants and refugees. Despite the huge influx of refugees in the UK even in the post-cold war period, the policy system was rather reactive in nature and a decentralized approach was maintained to the refugee issue until 1993. Politicization of the migration policies in most of the European countries since 1970s was rather less intensified in the UK’s case.

Five Paragraph Essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Five Paragraph Essays - Essay Example Extracurricular activities are usually considered to be sports activities. Although the extracurricular activities of sports can enhance and balance academics, extracurricular activities include many others. Projects that fall under the category of extracurricular activities include photography, volunteerism, assisting the needy, newspaper staff, etc. These activities are actual skills that will be used in jobs and in real life. They provide the life skills participation that is necessary for future jobs. Extracurricular activities include a broad range of activities which provide skills that will be used in real life and future jobs. Extracurricular activities allow hands-on experience which better prepares for future work success than academic achievement. Listening and being tested is not as effective as participating. Doing is more effective as it engages mind, body, and spirit. All-level participation ensures better preparation. Extracurricular activities provide problem-solving and facing rewards and consequences of real life situations which in turn better prepares for future occupational success. It is apparent that parents’ work life affects a child as childcare impacts his/her development. The National Development Institute of Child Health and Human Development found a direct relationship between the time with a childcare provider and the negative actions of a child. Studies have shown that non-maternal care leads to stress. Stress causes behavioral problems. Children who spend most of their time in childcare are three times more likely to behave negatively. A child experiences stress the longer he/she is under childcare which could lead the young to aggression and disobedience. (The Negative Effects of Childcare, 2003). The amount of time under childcare can result in negative behavior. Studies reveal that the quality of childcare does not matter regarding a child's behavior. What matters is