Tuesday, June 5, 2012

A Day on the Reef

Authors: Karleigh, Lena, Rob, JJ
Purple tipped sea anemone

Word of the day-Nematocyst- A stinging cell characteristic of the Cnidarian phylum. This includes jellyfish, corals, and anemones.

Example of algae, hard and soft corals at our site
Science of the Day- Since arriving at Bocas del Toro, Panama, we have been immersed in a coastal setting with mangroves, beaches and corals. Today was our scouting day to find our location for sampling tomorrow. We left early in the morning and visited and snorkeled around two locations: Coco Point and Crawl Kay. Our fourth and final sampling site will be Coco Point, a beautiful fringing coral reef surrounded by small mangrove islands. Coral reefs are comprised of several different zones. The first zone is the reef face. The reef face is the deepest portion of the reef, extending vertically from the base of the reef to about 20m below the surface. It receives the lowest amount of light energy and low wave energy. Next is the buttress zone. It has the highest wave action, and is characterized by spurs and grooves of tough, durable coral. The next region of the reef is the flat top zone. It is across the reef crest and is very shallow. The light is abundant and there is lots of wave action. Behind the flat top is the rumble zone full of broken pieces of coral that are dislodged from the buttress via wave action. This area is usually patrolled by larger predators. The final zone is the lagoon; a very calm area with lots of light and possibly some patch reefs.


View from the STRI dock
Culture of the Day- More than 40% of the world's population lives near the coast. Bocas del Toro is an island off the Atlantic Caribbean coast of Panama, and the lifestyle revolves around the water. Locals tend to work on boats conducting ecotours or fishing trips. Seafood is a major component of their diet, and many locals participate in water sports like surfing, kayaking and snorkeling or diving.

Question of the Day: Are corals and sponges animals? Why or why not?
Happy snorkelers at Coco Point


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