Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 163 i ASIAN Geographic

It is often said that oceans are the “lungs of the Earth”. While 50 percent of all photosynthesis comes from terrestrial plants, the other half actually takes place in the oceans – thanks to phytoplankton and algae in the upper layer of the water. Moreover, the oceans sequester an immense amount of carbon dioxide, which would otherwise cause a catastrophic greenhouse effect. In fact, ocean habitats like seagrasses and mangroves can sequester carbon dioxide at rates up to four times higher than terrestrial forests can. And yet, our oceans are being exploited and degraded like never before. We are taking out too many fish, dumping waste and plastics into the water, and forcing our oceans to absorb carbon dioxide at unprecedented levels, altering the very chemistry of seawater, with devastating…

LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE 1. EXOSPHERE 2. THERMOSPHERE 3. MESOSPHERE 4. STRATOSPHERE 5. TROPOSPHERE The oceans absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Colder waters absorb more CO2; warmer waters absorb less. The oceans are responsible for 70% of the oxygen on Earth. Oxygen is produced during photosynthesis by ocean plants such as phytoplankton, kelp, and algal plankton. The oceans are home to diverse species that depend on clean and balanced ecosystems for survival. As humans, we also depend on the oceans as a source of oxygen, a source of food, and for regulating the climate that we rely upon to grow crops Marine protected areas (MPAs) are vital for healthy, resilient and productive ecosystems that support human well-being. 250,000 known species live in coral reefs including more than 4,000 different…

Coastal Development Coastal development is one of the biggest threats to coral reefs. This includes construction of hotels, resorts, and homes along the coastline, as well as inland mining and logging, especially on smaller islands. This development often stirs up sediments, which cover and kill corals. In the case of inland activities, once trees are removed, sediments can easily enter the ocean after rainfall. During mining activities, sediments and harmful chemicals can enter the ocean through freshwater streams or runoff. Tourism Coral reefs and tropical fish are often the first reason people try scuba diving and snorkelling. The underwater world is full of strange and wonderful creatures which draw us closer to the action. But tourism, including scuba diving, snorkelling, and water sports can cause physical damage to coral reefs.…

Ten countries account for almost 93% of the global revenue from manta tourism: Japan, Indonesia, Maldives, Mozambique, Thailand, Australia, Mexico, USA, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau Worldwide, more than one million people scuba dive or snorkel with manta rays each year Coastal communities in many countries benefit from manta-focused tourism, which is estimated at USD140 million per year globally A dead manta ray is worth USD40 to USD500 to local fishermen, yet a living manta ray can be worth up to USD1 million to the local dive tourism industry over its lifetime The Maldives is estimated to bring in USD8 million per year directly from manta tourism Indonesia is the second-largest manta tourism destination in the world (after Japan), generating an estimated USD15 million per year Sources: www.conservation.org/indonesia www.indooceanproject.org…

Most of us are only aware of a fraction of the over 500 known species of sharks. Having been around for hundreds of millions of years, they have evolved into incredibly diverse forms, from the ray-like angelshark and the intriguing great hammerhead, to the tiny dwarf lanternshark and the formidable whale shark. The best way to appreciate their diversity is by understanding their scientific classification. Sharks belong to the class Chondrichthyes, comprising fish that have skeletons composed of cartilage, which is divided into chimaeras and elasmobranchs. The latter is in turn divided into Selachii (sharks) and Batoidea (rays, skates and sawfish). The 500-plus sharks in the ocean are further grouped into nine orders: ground sharks (Carcharhiniformes), bramble sharks (Echinorhiniformes), bullhead sharks (Heterodontiformes), frilled and cow sharks (Hexanchiformes), mackerel sharks (Lamniformes),…

Avoid eating animals that filter food from water – oysters, mussels, clams, and other bivalves Avoid eating the gut contents of fish when possible Avoid eating large predators that may have accumulated toxins such as sharks, rays, tuna, swordfish, and cetaceans If you are pregnant, consider refraining from eating seafood during your pregnancy and when breastfeeding According to the Center for Biological Diversity, fish in the North Pacific ingest around 11,000 to 22,000 tonnes of plastic each year While the thought of eating plastics with your next seafood meal is an unpleasant and scary thought, all hope is not lost. If humans are able to shift the tides on plastic pollution and reduce the input of waste, and more specifically plastics entering our oceans, there is still light at the…

In Islam, colour symbolism has a long history that goes back to the time of Mohammed. White (al-abiadh) is the colour of paradise and the colour of angels. Red (al-ahmar) symbolises the life force, appearing prominently in the flags of numerous Muslim countries. Above all, green (al-akhdar) is exalted in the Islamic world as the prophet’s favourite colour, conveying the happiness and peace that are said to come from living as a devout Muslim. Yet, visit Uzbekistan, a Central Asian country where 97 percent of the population follows Islam, and you could be forgiven for thinking that the most important colour is blue (al-azraq). According to tradition, blue signifies the impenetrable depths of the universe, while turquoise, indigo and violet are thought to have mystical qualities. Some Muslims even imagine…

Every year, ghost nets are responsible for trapping and killing millions of marine animals, including sharks, rays, fish, turtles, dolphins, whales, crustaceans, and birds. Fishing nets are discarded, abandoned or lost at sea. DID YOU KNOW? Around 10% of the plastics added to the world’s oceans comes from lost or abandoned fishing gear 1% of fishing gear is lost per vessel every year 92.8 fish are caught per 100 square metres of ghost net It is estimated that there are 4.4 kilometres of ghost nets per square kilometre of fishing grounds Some estimates suggest that ghost nets can remove up to 30% of the landed catch of certain fish species…

Eyes Mantas can roll their eyes back into their sockets if they find that something has touched or injured them. Behind their eyes are situated a series of tiny pits called ampullae of Lorenzini, sensory organs called electroreceptors that detect electric fields in the water Tail Contrary to popular belief, the tails of mantas are completely harmless! They do not have a barb and they definitely do not sting Brain The brains of mantas are the biggest of any fish. In fact, the manta’s brain is disproportionately large when compared to its body weight and this can be credited to their many higher functions such as sensory purposes Skin Manta skin is shielded with tooth-like scales called demal dentacles. These reduce drag, allowing for greater efficiency in swimming Similar to…

Sea turtles are large reptiles that spend the bulk of their lives in the ocean. They have adapted impressively to their life at sea, developing streamline body plans and large flippers. However, these air-breathing creatures begin their lives on the sand. Female sea turtles lay their eggs in the warm sandy shores and once these eggs hatch, the tiny turtles waddle into the ocean to begin exploring the great blue. THREATS TO SEA TURTLES Illegal Trade and Direct Consumption Tens of thousands of sea turtles are wiped out each year due to over-harvesting and illegal trade. Sea turtles are hunted for their meat, eggs, shell, leather and as curios Habitat Loss Uncontrolled coastal development disturbs and often destroys nesting beaches AROUND 5,000 turtles are caught each year as bycatch by Indonesian…

Out of the darkness, fretted sometimes in its sleeping,Jets of sparks in fountains of blue come leapingTo sight, revealing a secret, numberless secrets keeping. Sometimes the darkness trapped within a wheelRuns into speed like a dream, the blue of the steelShowing the rocking darkness now a-reel. And out of the invisible, streams of bright blue dropsRain from the showery heavens, and bright blue cropsSurge from the under-dark to their ladder-tops. And all the manifold blue and joyous eyes,The rainbow arching over in the skies,New sparks of wonder opening in surprise. All these pure things come foam and spray of the seaOf Darkness abundant, which shaken mysteriously,Breaks into dazzle of living, as dolphins that leap from the seaOf midnight shake it to fire, so the secret of death we see.…

1 FEBRUARY 2 WORLD WETLANDS DAY ORIGINS: Adopted in August 2021 by the United Nations Wetlands, ecosystems in which water is the primary factor controlling the environment and the associated plant and animal life, are vital for Nature, people and the climate. They provide essential ecosystem services, including flood control and water purification. More than a billion people depend on wetlands for their livelihoods, yet these are among the ecosystems with the highest rates of loss and degradation. Pollution, overfishing, invasive species and climate change are all major threats, ensuring our wetlands are disappearing three times faster than our forests. www.worldwetlandsday.org DID YOU KNOW? Since 1970, 35 percent of the world’s wetlands have been lost. 2 THIRD SUNDAY IN FEBRUARY WORLD WHALE DAY ORIGINS: Founded in 1980 by the Pacific Whale Foundation…

Coral reefs support more than 800 hard coral species and more than 4,000 species of fish. They are home to a quarter of all fish and they are an important habitat for juvenile fish. They cover less than one quarter of one percent of the marine environment. By one estimate, the total annual net benefit of the world’s coral reefs is nearly USD30 billion. Tourism and recreation account for a third of this amount and coastal protection accounts for another third. Scientists estimate that there may be up to eight million undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs. By one estimate, the total annual net benefit of the world’s coral reefs is nearly USD30 billion CORALS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES Corals grow as brain, plates, boulders,…

THREATS High fishing pressure due to growing demand for manta ray gill plates, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine Low reproductive rates, long life spans, the tendency to aggregate in predictable locations and the lack of fear of humans make them susceptible to being hunted The largest manta ray fishery in the world is located in Indonesia CONSERVATION Both species of manta are currently listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species In March 2013, manta rays were included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), regulating the trade of this species In 2014, the government of Indonesia designated the country’s six million square kilometres of waters the world’s largest manta sanctuary…

Trawling is among the biggest threats to seahorses and other coastal marine animals. For every kilogram of shrimp caught by trawlers, 10 kilograms of other marine life is caught and turned into fishmeal or dumped overboard, dead or dying. Every year, trawlers drag up an area of seabed twice the size of China, catching millions of seahorses and other fishes while destroying vital habitats like coral reefs, mangroves, estuaries, and seagrass beds. Bottom trawling, habitat loss and degradation are particularly problematic throughout Asia Pacific. 48 seahorse species are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 12 of those seahorse species are “Threatened”, and half of these are found in the Asia-Pacific 27 species are listed as “Data Deficient”. We don’t know enough about them to even assess their conservation status yet…

Sharks are a group of fish that first appeared around 420 million years ago and have since diversified into thousands of different species, including the more than 500 extant species that inhabit every ocean on our planet. They range in size from the tiny dogfish, measuring only 17 centimetres, to the huge whale shark, the biggest fish in the ocean, which can reach lengths of up to 12 metres and weigh over 20 tonnes. Although these fish come in many shapes and sizes, they all share unique characteristics that make them sharks.…

Plastics have been identified in all our world’s oceans, from the polar Arctic and Antarctic regions, to the lush tropical equator. Animals throughout the globe are now commonly ingesting plastics and microplastics. Even organisms in the deepest depths of the oceans are being affected by plastic pollution. Once plastics reach the ocean, they never disappear. They break down into smaller and smaller pieces until they wash up on shore or are eaten by marine life. Even the tiniest, microscopic animals in the ocean, zooplankton, which make up the largest portion of oceanic food webs, have been shown to ingest microplastics. Research at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the UK has recorded this occurrence. Larger and larger animals eat those small creatures and the plastic particles migrate up the food chain,…

At the epicentre of global marine biodiversity lies the Philippines. A friendly nation of more than 7,000 islands in the Western Pacific, it serves as a sanctuary to almost nine percent of our planet’s coral reefs and oozes adventure in every sense of the word; both underwater and on land. With its prized position in the heart of the Coral Triangle, it is home to more than 500 species of hard and soft corals and some of our planet’s most alluring – and most intriguing – marine dwellers. From blue to black and everything in between, let’s dive into the Philippines. BLUE MAGIC: PUERTO GALERA Known for its pint-sized pocket beaches and numerous diving sites, Puerto Galera is a haven for an abundance of marine life. It is even believed…