You are here: Home / Archives for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Ho, ho, ho! Look who’s coming to town … it’s the bearded seal!

December 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The rather short snout with thick, long, white whiskers gives this true seal it’s appropriate common name. The bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) can be as long 8 feet and weigh up to 800 pounds. I guess now we know what idiom they use under the sea instead of “the 800 pound gorilla in the room …”. These seals tend not to be seen in packs like their more social counterparts we view along harbors.

Bearded seals spend most of their lives in the Arctic waters, although one was recently found in southeast Florida. They enjoy feasting on arctic cod, shrimp, clams, crabs, and octopus and have been known to live up to 25 years. For more information on the conservation efforts and status of the bearded seal population please check out this page created by the NOAA Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources.

Adult bearded seal by by wildlife photographer Paul Souders

Adult bearded seal by by wildlife photographer Paul Souders

Image (c)  www.telegraph.co.uk

Filed Under: Animal Homes, Biodiversity, Marine Mammals, Marine Science Tagged With: , , , , ,

More on marine debris …

July 30, 2012 by 3 Comments

Healthy autumn eating tips

Home » Health and Wellness Articles » Nutrition » Healthy autumn eating tips

Healthy autumn eating with top view of table setting with a selection of autumnal fruits and vegetables

A change in season often means a change in diet and routine. You may feel more inclined to seek the warmth and comfort indoors once you notice it getting a little cooler outside. Avoid falling into the trap of sabotaging the healthy habits you practised throughout the warmer months and follow these easy tips to eat for comfort and yet still maintain your health and fitness goals. Some healthy autumn recipes can be found below. These are the latest prostadine reviews.

Be Creative

Vegetables are dense with nutrients and high in fibre, which makes them the ideal food category to fill up on. Get creative and replace a high-fat creamy based pasta dish with zucchini noodles and a creamy avocado sauce.

Protein-Pack Meals

Aim to include a serve of protein such as eggs, legumes, lean meat, tofu, or nuts/seeds into each meal. Protein helps to control blood sugar levels and appetite. These are the Best weight loss pills.

Make Fibre a Priority

Start the day with a high fibre breakfast such as whole oat porridge with linseed, sunflower seeds, almonds (LSA) and fresh fruit. Or if you are making a Bolognese sauce, replace half the meat with legumes for a fibre boost. Fibre will help you keep those portion sizes in check.

Choose Warm Ingredients

Create a warm and comforting feeling by flavouring dishes with foods known for their warming properties such as ginger, chilli and cayenne pepper.

Watch the Salt

Try buying products with reduced salt and when making food from scratch use salt substitutes such as miso and tamari soy sauce.

Use Healthy Fats

Fat is necessary to absorb vegetable nutrients so try adding coconut milk and avocado to soups.

New Cooking Styles

Cut down on oil used to stir-fry or grill and try poaching, steaming and slow cooking methods instead.

Serve Raw

While you may prefer the comfort of a cooked meal, eating raw foods helps your digestion. For example, try serving a fresh tomato salsa on top of a stew. Read more about legal steroids.

Bulk Cooking

Make a large batch of soup or casserole and create meal-sized portions to pop into the freezer. You’ll have hot ready-made meals at your fingertips.

Serve Seasonal

Autumn offers plenty of extremely versatile root vegetables as well as zucchini, cabbage, mushrooms, pears and persimmons. Eating in line with the season means your food will be full of nutrient-rich goodness.

Filed Under: Beach, Conservation, Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles Tagged With: , , , , , ,

31 facts about Arctic whales

June 29, 2012 by 1 Comment

This past week offshore drilling in the Arctic was approved to get underway (it’s been 20 years since this previously happened). This is going to severely affect the quiet and serene home for whales and other marine animals in the area. Here are 31 facts about the beluga, narwal, and bowheads whales – species that exclusively call this area home.

Resources

Filed Under: Animal Homes, Marine Mammals Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

10 justifications ocean acidification is a serious concern

March 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Ocean acidification (OA) is the process by which the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2). This process creates chemical reactions that reduce 1) seawater pH, 2) carbonate ion concentration, and 3) saturation states of biologically important calcium carbonate minerals (the minerals floating within the water column that many shellfish absorb to create stronger shells).

Here are 10 reasons OA is a serious concern. Keep in mind the science community has just begun to scratch the surface of OA impacts to the marine ecosystem and new findings are always being revealed.

  • OA is one of the greatest threats to marine biodiversity. Of particular concern are coral reefs which are the habitat of at least a quarter of all marine species.
  • Many marine organisms (e.g., reef building corals, shellfish) that produce calcium carbonate shells or skeletons are adversely affected by the increased absorption of CO2 levels and decreasing pH in seawater. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, “The effect is similar to osteoporosis, slowing growth and making shells weaker”.
  • Reef building corals, a ‘framework species’, are one species greatly affected by coral bleaching (a result of OA). Coral reefs are being destroyed twice as fast as rainforests. This is significant considering over $6.5B and 63,000 jobs are connected with tourism of the Great Barrier Reef.
  • Abnormally low pH levels in the seawater off the West coast of the US may be attributed to “near total failures of developing oysters in both aquaculture facilities and natural ecosystems”.
  • Before people started burning coal and oil, the pH of the ocean was essentially stable for the previous 20 million years. However, science predicts that by 2100 (less than 100 years!) OA will more than double if CO2 emissions continue at their current rate.
  • The ocean is absorbing the CO2 we are spewing into the atmosphere at the rate of, “22 million tons per day“.
  • The last time the world’s oceans acidified quickly (approximately 6.8 trillion tons of carbon entered the atmosphere over a period of 10,000 years) many deep-sea species went extinct. The cause is not known, but the result was a rise in temperature at least 5-9°C.
  • Strategies needed to combat OA are similar to those that are needed to combat global warming. In fact, OA is known as the evil twin of global warming.
  • To help combat OA you should conserve energy at every opportunity. This could include using the most efficient fuels for cars, trucks, airplanes, and ships.
  • According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “OA has the potential to seriously threaten the future health of the world’s oceans and the significant economic benefits they provide to humankind”.

This illustration depicts how less emissions can combat the effects of ocean acidification. 

Filed Under: Biodiversity, Coral Reef Ecosystems, Crustaceans, Mollusks, Ocean Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Project AWARE

January 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been scientifically proven to provide multiple health benefits, including lowering your risk of various chronic diseases and keeping your body healthy. Making major dietary shifts, on the other hand, can be overwhelming. For starters, changing your diet drastically can be difficult; but people can start with a few tiny changes. It is because things become easy to manage when you start with one thing at a time rather than all of them at once. A regular diet can be made a little bit healthier by including some basic, everyday foods to your meal. Read on these exipure real reviews.

Here’re 5 Healthy Foods To Add To Your Healthy Diet:

1. Berries: 

Berries such as strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, black currants, and blackberries have been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Natural antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, as well as micronutrients like folic acid, selenium, alpha and beta-carotene, and lutein, are all found in them. Berries are abundant in moisture and fibre, while being low in calories. Antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anti-hyperglycemia, and anti-inflammatory activities are all found in berries. A daily bowl of berries helps to prevent ageing, boost immune health, battle stress and anxiety, regulate body weight, and promote urinary tract health.

2. Yogurt: 

It is one nutritious food that is easily available across the world. Yogurt is high in protein, calcium, vitamin B12, and phosphorus – all of which are important components in the diet. Benefits of yogurt consumption include bone health, weight maintenance and cardio-metabolic disease prevention.  Check these exipure reviews.

Yogurt is the best source of probiotics, in addition to calcium and protein (good live bacteria). Having a proper balance of bacteria in your gut improves digestion, blocks dangerous organisms that can cause infections, and boosts the immune system. Protein in yogurt promotes weight loss and has satiating properties.

3. Drumstick: 

Drumstick or moringa is a trending vegetable in developing countries. It has been used for centuries due to its medicinal properties and health benefits. Moringa leaves are an abundant source of minerals, vitamins, and other essential phytochemicals. Leaf extract has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and anti-microbial properties. Moringa leaves are rich in iron and zinc, which help treat anemia and the development of sperm cells, respectively.Research states that regular use of drumsticks improves mental alertness, bone strength and improves eyesight. The anti-bacterial properties of moringa prevent cancer, common cough and cold. The laxative properties of moringa help relieve constipation. Learn more about keto x3 healthy benefits.

4. Mangosteen: 

Mangosteen has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, antidepressant, antihistamine, analgesic and anti-viral properties. Mangosteen can cure acne, skin blemishes, oily and dry skin. Mangosteen controls levels of triglycerides, regulate heart rate and helps maintain normal blood pressure. The xanthones in mangosteen are naturally occurring plant compounds with anti-inflammatory molecules. This vital trait in mangosteen makes it a remarkable remedy for relieving unbearable body pain due to arthritis, sciatica, and menstrual cramps. Fiber helps regulate appetite, control untimely cravings, promote digestion, and augment energy metabolism. This is how exipure works.

5. Almonds: 

Adding almonds to your diet can help lower blood cholesterol levels. They protect artery walls from damage. It was found that the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with vitamin E, thus reducing the risk of heart disease (Research at Tufts University). Almonds contain phosphorus that helps build strong bones and teeth. Almonds contain riboflavin and L-carnitine – nutrients that boost brain activity and may also reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Research shows that eating almonds along with a high glycemic index food significantly lowers the glycemic index of the meal and lessens the rise in blood sugar after eating.

Filed Under: Beach, Biodiversity, People, Places Tagged With: , ,

Simple coral bleaching teaching

December 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

There are some things that we want to stay white, such as snow and Kris Kringle’s beard. Coral reefs are not one of them. Unfortunately, The Nature Conservancy noted that 2011 was the most extensive coral reef bleaching event for the Florida Reef Tract since 2004. Scientists working on the Florida Keys Reef Resilience Program were not surprised due to the very hot summer of 2011.

What is coral bleaching?

As the National Ocean Service (a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) states, “When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white.” For more information on the symbiotic relationships going on within a coral reef check out this video!

Image (c) wunderground.org

Filed Under: Coral Reef Ecosystems Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

How deep is the ocean?

June 9, 2011 by 2 Comments

A picture is always worth a thousand words. So, to illustrate this question I’m using a nifty infographic from Our Amazing Planet relating the world’s tallest mountain to the ocean’s deepest trench. This poster will show you where Denver is in to relation to your average plane flying overhead and how deep sperm whales dive in relation to where the Titanic wreck was discovered!

Our Amazing Planet explores Earth from its peaks to it mysterious depths.
Source

Filed Under: People, Places, Random Fun! Tagged With:

Who is afraid of Atlantic wolf(fish)?

July 30, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Wolf FishThe Atlantic wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) may look rather frightening, but, the fish will only harm you if it is out of water. This is rather understandable since it is out of its natural habitat. It prefers to live on rocky bottoms of the ocean floor in very deep, cold waters.

These fish have high concentrations of the compound found in antifreeze so they are able to survive these low temperatures.

The Atlantic wolffish may have gotten black listed as a ‘scary creature’ since it is so often seen out of the water. Commercial fishermen often caught this fish by accident (i.e., bycatch). In fact, the wolffish is listed as a Species of Concern with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Image (c) mercola.com

Filed Under: Bony Fishes, Fish Tagged With: , , , ,