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Francesca's Aquatic Odyssey ⋆｡₊˚🎐

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Overview of my blog

Hi, I see you've found my blog, must have been quite the journey huh. Nice to have you here! My name is Francesca Gelang Chong and I will be posting five interesting aspects about the tropical marine ecosystems – their quirks, what makes them special, and how they are being protected (starting from my next post ❗). I've listed down topics that have peaked my interest hehe so come along with me as we dive into Tropical Eco-logics.

𓈒ㅤׂㅤ𓇼 ࣪ 𓈒ㅤׂㅤ⭒ 𓆡 ⭒ㅤ𓈒ㅤׂ 🫧

First entry: Introduction to Tropical Marine Ecosystems

- What is their importance as biodiversity/global ecology? - The special properties and characteristics of tropical marine areas.

Second entry: Coral Reefs — Rainforests of the Sea

- The significance of coral reefs for tropical marine environments. - The amazing levels of BIODIVERSITY found in coral reefs. - Threats faced by coral reefs like coral bleaching and ocean acidification etc.

Third entry: Mangroves - Coastal Guardians

- The mangrove systems and what they do for coastlines. - Ecological roles mangroves play in providing breeding homes for marine species and also as protection against coastal erosion. - Conservation activities to preserve mangrove habitats.

Fourth entry: Seagrass Meadows — The Secret Gems of the Sea Floor

- What are seagrass meadows & what is their importance to our ecology? - The role of seagrass in carbon sequestration and oxygen production. - How vulnerable seagrass is to threats and why we need to conserve them.

Fifth entry: Marine Conservation and Sustainable Practices

- The significance of coastal conservation in the tropics. - Campaigns and organizations pushing for preserving tropical marine habitats.

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Check out some amazings blogs my friends have done themselves!

I would like to also share with you some lovely blogs my fellow friends have done.

Coral reefs

Tropical rainforests & Climate regulation

Capybaras

Borneo's endangered animals

Protecting Malaysia's precious wildlife: The plight of endangered species

The unsung heroes: the role of insects in tropical ecosystems

Bear with me: Sun bear stories await

Shoebill

Borneo and its tropical rainforests

Lemurs of Madagascar

Flowers of Borneo

Bamboo

Coral reefs

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Riding the Wave of Ocean Heroes: Conservation & Sustainability

Hello lovelies ໒꒰ྀི´ ˘ ` ꒱ྀིა I hope you've been doing great since the last entry hehe. I just wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your ongoing support and interaction with my weekly updates. This post will be my last (at least for a while). I really hope you've managed to pick up a thing or two from my blog. Thank you for being here, and I appreciate all of you (づ๑•ᴗ•๑)づ♡

Now, let's dive into something super cool today – marine conservation and how we can be kinder to our oceans.

Did you know? Around half of the world's population lives within 100 kilometers of the coast. That's a lot of people living near the sea, right?

Coastal places by the sea are like gold mines for our planet. They help out the global economy, and they do some pretty amazing stuff, like storing carbon (which is great for the environment), protecting our shores, and providing us with yummy food (Mcleod et al. 2011; Barbier et al. 2011).

You see, more than 775 million people really rely on the sea and its coastal wonders (Selig et al. 2018). For example, fish is a big deal, giving about 3.2 billion people some of their protein. It's even more crucial in places where people are still developing their countries (FOA 2018). Plus, it's not just food; it's like a vitamin boost in your meal. And, tons of people make a living out of fishing and farming seafood, almost 57 million of them! (FOA 2018).

Now, when we talk about tropical spots near the sea, they're like treasure chests. There are amazing places like coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrasses that are teeming with life, and they help out our planet in so many ways. That's why a bunch of groups and campaigns are working hard to keep these places safe and sound.

Let's focus into how people in Malaysia are doing for a sec. Here are some rock stars doing their part to save these coastal wonders:

ICRI (International Coral Reef Initiative) Malaysia: These people are all about creating safe spaces in the sea for our underwater buddies to thrive. Right now, only 1.4% of Malaysia's waters are protected. They're on a mission to change that!

The Dugong & Seagrass Conservation Project: This one's all about saving dugongs (those adorable sea cows) and the seagrass they munch on in the Bay of Brunei, Lawas, Sarawak East Malaysia. It's a big deal because these seagrasses need some protection from overfishing and other stuff that could hurt them. The locals are getting in on the action too.

Tropical Research and Conservation Centre: These ocean heroes are based in the Celebes Sea, and they're all about saving sea turtles and fixing up coral reefs that got bashed up by fish bombing practices in Malaysia. They're on a mission to keep our underwater world vibrant and healthy.

So, there you have it! These incredible peeps are working hard to make sure our oceans stay awesome. It's all about taking big steps and little steps, but together, we can keep those secret underwater gardens thriving 🌊⋆｡°்⋆

Author's note: One of my all-time favorite YouTube channels recently released a new video that I believe is absolutely worth your time. His videos are like compelling stories paired with stunning cinematography. In this latest video, he highlights the alarming issue of the world's coral reefs deteriorating. It's crucial to shed light on real-world issues that are overlooked.

References:

Barbier, EB, Hacker, SD, Kennedy, C and Koch EW 2011, ‘The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem services’, Ecological Monographs, vol. 81, no. 2, pp. 169 - 193. 

FOA 2018, The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2018 (SOFIA), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.

Mcleod, E, Chmura, GL, Bouillon, S, Salm, R, Bjork, M, Duarte, CM, Lovelock, CE, Schlesinger, WH and Silliman, BR 2011, ‘A blueprint for blue carbon: toward an improved understanding of the role of vegetated coastal habitats in sequestering CO2’, Frontiers in Ecology and the Envinronment, vol. 9, no. 10, pp. 552 - 560.

Selig, ER, Hole, DG, Allison, EH, Arkema, KK, McKinnon, MC, Chu, J, Sherbinin, Ad, Fisher, B, Glew, L, Holland, MB, Ingram, JC, Rao, NS, Russell, RB, Srebotnjak, T, Teh, LCL, Troeng, S, Turner, WR, and Zvoleff, A 2018, ‘Mapping global human dependence on marine ecosystems’, Conservation Letters, vol. 12, no. 2, p. E12617.

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The Secret Gems of the Sea Floor

Hello everyone! I hope you had a relaxing weekend because I know I did hehe. We're nearing the end of Francology with the next entry being the last but fret not, I would still share my other thoughts from time to time beyond the pinned scope ^_^.

Alright, this week's topic is on Seagrass™. You wanna know something funny about them? They're actually not a type of grass but instead, it's more of a lily.

Right?! It's like coral reefs being animals all over again.

That being said:

What are seagrasses?

Seagrasses are angiosperms, meaning they are flowering plants and are found all around the world, in both hot and cold locations. They originally lived on land but adapted to living in water millions of years ago. They have specialised leaves where they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the seawater through small holes called pit bumps. Unlike plants on land, seagrasses don't get oxygen from the soil but instead, they get it through their thin leaves. The roots of seagrasses also help keep sediment in place (Cullen-Unsworth et al. 2018a).

In many spots, seagrass plants cover big areas on the seafloor, and we call these spots "seagrass beds" or "seagrass meadows." These meadows are usually in shallow, sheltered areas. Just like the plants with flowers on land, seagrasses also have flowers, fruits, and seeds. But instead of relying on insects and the wind for things like pollination and seed travel, seagrasses get help from marine creatures and the movement of water. There are tiny critters called crustaceans, kind of like really small shrimp, that are sometimes called the "bees of the sea" because they help pollinate seagrass flowers, just like bees do for plants on land (Cullen-Unsworth et al. 2018a).

Why are seagrasses important?

Seagrass is like a bustling underwater neighborhood for thousands of sea creatures (Reynolds 2018). It's where more than 1,000 different types of fish hang out, including ones we love to eat like cod and herring, as well as bigger endangered animals like seahorses, dugongs, turtles, seahorses, and manatees (those cool sea cows). These meadows are not only great for fish but also support coral reefs and other fish habitats by providing food and a safe spot for baby fish to chill. Seagrasses are known as the primary food producers because they whip up their own grub through photosynthesis and then become dinner for other animals. So, they play a crucial role in the underwater food chain.

Seagrass is also the glue that holds the underwater soil (called sediment) in place, which is like a shield that protects our coasts from getting battered by storms and big waves, stopping the land from washing away.

But here's the coolest part: Seagrass is like a superhero fighting climate change. Just like regular plants take in carbon dioxide from the air, seagrasses slurp up carbon dioxide that's dissolved in the seawater. They use this carbon dioxide to grow or stash it in the sediment. Experts say seagrass meadows can trap carbon in underwater dirt a whopping 40 times faster than tropical forests do in the soil (Fourqurean et al. 2012). This is a big deal because it helps keep the water's pH level stable, which is a measure of how acidic or basic it is. A stable pH is good news for animals with shells or tough outer coverings, like corals and shellfish (think clams and oysters), as it shields them from ocean acidification.

All the ways that seagrass helps out us humans are called "ecosystem services," and these services make seagrass one of the most vital marine ecosystems for our well-being.

Threats to seagrass and what can be done to help

Despite how crucial they are, seagrass meadows worldwide are disappearing pretty fast, at a rate of about 7% every year (Waycott et al. 2009). This loss is often connected to things like building new stuff along the coast, pollution from rivers and streams flowing into the sea, and overfishing.

If we want seagrass to withstand bigger and longer-lasting challenges like climate change, we've got to do some things on the local level. That means improving the quality of the water nearby, making sure we don't mess up seagrass meadows, setting up safe zones for seagrass, cutting back on overfishing, and not letting coastal development stress them out (Cullen-Unsworth and Unsworth 2016b). When we protect seagrass, we're not just looking out for the cool life living there, but we're also doing our part to fight climate change and making sure people have enough to eat from the sea. It might take some big moves to protect and bring back these spots, but if lots of folks take small steps to look out for seagrass, we can give these hidden underwater gardens a brighter future.

References:

Cullen-Unsworth, LC, Jones, BL, Lilley, R and Unsworth, RKF 2018, Secret gardens under the sea: what are seagrass meadows and why are they important?, Frontiers, viewed 17 October 2023, <https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2018.00002#ref2>.

Cullen-Unsworth, LC and Unsworth, RKF 2016b, 'Strategies to enhance the resilience of the world's seagrass meadows' Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 53, no. 4, pp. 1 - 6.

Fourqurean, JW, Duarte, CM, Kennedy, H, Marba, N, Holmer, M, Mateo, MA, Apostolaki, ET, Kendrick, GA, Krause-Jensen, D, McGlathery, KJ and Serrano, O 2012, 'Seagrass ecosystems as a globally significant carbon stock', Nature Geoscience, no. 5, pp. 505 - 509.

Reynolds, PL 2018, Seagrass and seagrass beds, Smithsonian, viewed 17 October 2023, <https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/seagrass-and-seagrass-beds>.

Waycott, M, Duarte, CM, Carruthers, TJB and Orth, RJ 2009, 'Accelerating loss of seagrass across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 106, no. 30, pp. 12377 - 12381.

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5 posts!

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Coastal Guardians

Hello lovely reader! Before we get into this week's topic, I have something exciting to share HEHE .

I've had the opportunity to see some mangroves myself at Kuching Wetlands National Park last month! Also got to see dolphins but wasn't quick enough to whip out my camera to record. Overall, it was a nice break from staring at texts and numbers all day :]

If you're interested you might want to consider Borneo as your next holiday destination (specifically Sarawak).

ALRIGHT let's dive right in!

Mangrove is well-known as a salt-tolerant wetland species of tree that is easily identified with its aerial roots (Bahmanabadi 2022). It is a forest that is typically at the coast line beside land and sea. The weaken the force of waves and serve as a shielding medium, hence the nickname - Coastal Guardians. These unique ecosystems are primarily found in tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions (Bandh et al. 2023) and are considered the sole "blue carbon" forests, believed to have evolved approximately 114 million years ago (Bandh et al. 2023).

Protecting coastlines

In addition, they act as nature’s own sponges, retaining extra water to stop inland floods, releasing small droplets into the atmosphere to cool the temperature down (Expert Insights 2023). 

The mangrove ecosystem offers many essential environmental services, which include shielding coastline against wind, waves, and water currents; mitigation of damages done by hurricanes and tsunamis as well as soil erosion prevention and sediment accumulation (Expert Insights 2023).

In addition, mangrove forests reduce wave height by about 31% (Ahmad Mustafa Hashim, Catherine and Husna Takaijudin 2013), thus helping to prevent devastating floods that could otherwise damage homes, assets and infrastructure. In fact, several studies have shown that nearly 66% of the energy from waves is absorbed by the first one hundred meters of mangroves in a coastline (Mclvor et al. 2012; Menendez et al. 2020).

Supporting bio-diversity

Mangrove trees have unique aerial rooting systems that acts as nutrient cyclers and a breeding ground for fish and other marine life. The mangrove ecosystem has a huge biodiversity with many birds and other animal species. It also supports a unique community of fungi, microorganisms, plant species, with higher animals such as migratory birds (Kandasamy and Bingham 2001). 

Moreover, mangroves are essential nurseries to many marine animals such as shrimps, crabs, and different varieties of fishes. They serve as a vital interface between coastal and terrestrial ecosystems, providing support for a diverse range of species, including those from terrestrial, estuarine, and marine environments (Kandasamy and Bingham 2001). 

Mitigating climate change

Another remarkable feature of mangroves lies in their capacity to sequester carbon at a rate four times higher than that of rainforests. They draw in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis which is stored within their biomass and sediment. In waterlogged mangrove habitats, decomposition is slowed down which allows it keep the carbon for longer periods of time (Chatting et al. 2022).

Even though we understand how important mangroves are for a healthy environment, they are facing a serious threat globally.

"My only wish now is that the government takes efforts to preserve the dwindling mangrove forests. They wrongly think developing forests is dead investment, that it fetches no returns. After decades of effort, people now realize the blessings these trees can bring. The mangrove trees in private lands also should be preserved.” - Kallen Pokkudan (Mangrove Man)

He was an environmental activist who was prominent in India’s mangrove conservation and was committed to conserving mangrove vegetation in Kerala region of the Indian coastline. His specialisation was to educate people about mangrove conservation and their significance in shielding coast regions from catastrophes including tsunamis and landfall hurricanes. These moves won Kallen Pokkudan recognition and respect as a defender of Indian mangroves. 

The latest findings from the Global Mangrove Alliance present a troubling scenario: 67% of mangroves have already suffered damage or vanished, and an additional 1% is disappearing annually. This ongoing pattern places mangroves in significant jeopardy of total eradication. An initiative taken by the Global Mangrove Alliance seeks to mobilise $10 billion in investments to reach their goal of increasing the mangrove habitat by 20% by 2030. These investments are intended to enhance the resilience of coastal communities and enhance the quality of life for an additional 10 million individuals through various restoration and conservation initiatives.

References:

Ahmad Mustafa Hashim, Catherine, SMP and Husna Takaijudin 2013, 'Effectiveness of mangrove forests in surface wave attenuation: a review', Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, vol. 5, no. 18, pp. 4483 - 4488.

Bahmanabadi, Y 2022, Mangroves are powerful coastal guardians, Saratosa, viewed 14 October 2023, <https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/travel-and-outdoors/2022/11/mangroves>.

Bandh, SA, Malla, FA, Qayoom, I, Mohi-Ud-Din, H, Butt, AK, Altaf, A, Wani, SA, Betts, R, Truong, TH, Pham, NDK, Cao, DN & Ahmed, SF 2023, 'Importance of blue carbon in mitigating climate change and plastic/microplastic pollution and promoting circular economy', Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 3, p 2682.

Chatting, M, Al-Maslamani, I, Walton, M, Skov, MW, Kennedy, H, Husrevoglu, YS and Vay, LL 2022, 'Future mangrove carbon storage under climate change and deforestation', Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 9, no. 781876, pp. 1 - 14.

Expert Insights 2023, The vital role of mangroves in mitigating disasters, Tidal Basin, viewed 14 October 2023, <https://www.tidalbasingroup.com/the-vital-role-of-mangroves-in-mitigating-disasters/>.

Kandasamy, K and Bingham BL 2001, 'Biology of mangroves and mangrove ecosystems', Advances in Marine Biology, vol. 40, pp. 81 - 193.

Mclvor, AL, Möller, I, Spencer, T and Spalding, M 2012, 'Reduction of wind and well waves by mangroves', Natural Coastal Protection Series: Report 1, Cambridge Coastal Research Unit Working Paper 40, pp. 1-27.

Menendez, P, Losada, IJ, Torres-Ortega, S, Siddharth, N and Beck, MW 2020. 'The global flood protection benefits of mangroves', Scientific Reports, vol. 10, no. 4404, pp. 1 - 11.

WWF n.d., The global mangrove alliance: uniting to conserve and restore valuable coastal forests, WWF, viewed 14 October 2023, <https://www.worldwildlife.org/projects/the-global-mangrove-alliance-uniting-to-conserve-and-restore-valuable-coastal-forests>.

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Rainforests of the Sea

Let's start of this week's topic with a simple question:

What are corals?

Plant

Animal

Stone

Voting ended onOct 12, 2023

If you answered "animal" then you are right!

While I was researching this topic of coral reefs, I got slightly overwhelmed because it's hard to believe that these structures are sort of created by these simple organisms, or "seemingly" simple organisms. I have the utmost respect for corals cause I think they've got us fooled.

Simplicity on the outside doesn't mean simplicity on the inside.

We think we're really evolved because we're highly complex being. We can do lots of things and we have opposing thumbs. But corals.... they've decided,

"Forget the external complexity, let's just be really sophisticated in a quiet way."

Coral reefs are immensely diverse and vital ecosystems, housing a plethora of species within a small area, surpassing other marine environments (NOAA n.d.), earning them the nickname "Rainforests of the Sea". Corals form a partnership known as symbiosis, which provides mutual benefits to both marine animals and plants (National Geographic Society 2023). Despite sharing this unique relationship, corals are classified as animals since they are not capable of producing their own food, unlike plants. Moreover, they provide a home for over 4,000 fish species, 700 coral species, and various plants and animals (Zanga, Boraski and Olendorf 2019). This biodiversity is crucial, as it fosters resilience within communities during environmental extremes and climate change (Zanga, Boraski and Olendorf 2019). Sea creatures are not the only ones who need reefs- so do people. Coral reefs are a huge benefit to the global economy, from the people who live alongside them to the people that live in the middle of a country and may never actually see a coral reef. If you eat fish, chances are, that fish may have spent some proportion of their time on a coral reef. in fact, 25% of all fish that we eat spend some proportion of their life on a coral reef (NOAA 2019). Therefore, coral reefs support economic activities such as fishing, tourism, and recreation, contributing substantially to the U.S. economy. They also act as natural barriers, protecting coastal areas, cities, and communities from ocean waves, averting potential loss of life, property damage, and erosion.

Nonetheless, coral reefs confront significant threats (NOAA n.d.). Pollution, diseases, and habitat destruction are among the challenges they face. Global threats like rising ocean temperatures and changing chemistry pose substantial risks, leading to coral bleaching, where stressed corals expel their symbiotic algae, and ocean acidification, hindering coral skeleton formation (Environmental Protection Agency 2023). Local and global factors like overfishing, coral harvesting, nutrient pollution, sedimentation, and coastal development further endanger these ecosystems. Despite their immense ecological and economic value, coral reefs are at risk from multiple fronts and require conservation efforts (Environmental Protection Agency 2023).

There's a documentary on Youtube, which I've linked below, about the rapid disappearance of coral reefs. It tells a story on how divers, photographers and scientists decided to go on an underwater journal to find out what is causing the disappearance and to share the mystery of the ocean to the world. Before watching the video, I did not anticipate feeling such strong emotions for corals but seeing the living corals before and their demise afterwards got me teary eyed a little. I feel like this really puts into perspective what we're doing to our planet. It's worth a watch.

References:

Environmental Protection Agency 2023, 'Threats to coral reefs', EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency, viewed 5 October 2023, <https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/threats-coral-reefs>.

National Geographic Society 2023, 'Coral', National Geographic, viewed 5 October 2023, <https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/coral/>.

NOAA 2019, 'Coral reef ecosystems', National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, viewed 5 October 2023, <https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems>.

NOAA n.d., 'The importance of coral reefs', National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, viewed 5 October 2023, <https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral07_importance.html>.

Zanga, H., Boraski, A. and Olendorf, A. (2019) A student’s guide to Tropical Marine Biology \. Minneapolis, MN: Open Textbook Library.

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Introduction to Tropical Marine Ecosystems

Below the ocean’s surface lies a breathtakingly beautiful world of unique biodiversity unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. As promised, our adventure kick-starts with start exploring the mesmerizing world of tropical marine ecosystems — discovering what’s so special about them, why they matter, and the amazing wildlife that creates this incredible environment.

What Are Tropical Marine Ecosystems?

Tropical marine ecosystems (TMEs) harbour high levels of species richness across various habitat types including coral reefs, mangroves, sea-grasses and algae meadows (Hansen 2003). Collectively, they service the needs of billions of people worldwide, including but not limited to coastal defense, fishery provisioning, recreation and tourism as well as carbon sequestration (Moberg and Folke 1999; Barbier et al. 2011). Most people associate a tropical marine environment as having turquoise waters rich in various species of colorful fish, intricate corals, a wide variety of marine life.

Biodiversity is crucial for global ecology

Tropical marine ecosystems (TMEs) play an important role in global ecology for several reasons:

Biodiversity Hotspots: TMEs are highly biodiverse — among the most biodiverse on Earth. In total, it's believed that coral reefs harbour roughly 25% of all known marine species — even though they take up just under 1% of the seafloor (Coral Reef Alliance, n.d.)

Oxygen production: Photosynthetic organisms such as phytoplankton and seagrass provide the majority of the oxygen present on Earth in tropical waters, dubbing the ocean as the "lungs of the Earth." (Morsink 2017).

Carbon storage: As natural carbon sinks, coral reefs and mangroves help in mitigating the effects of climate change by capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) in ecosystems (Alongi 2014).

Economic importance: These ecosystems support the lives of millions of people as a source of income from fishing, tourism, and provides coastal defense services, thus benefitting regional, national and world economies alike (Moberg and Folke 1999; Barbier et al. 2011).

Unique Features and Characteristics

Tropical marine ecosystems (TMEs) boast a range of unique features that set them apart from other marine environments:

Coral Reefs: The most recognized symbol, coral reefs are constructed from the bottom up by microscopic coral polyps over millennia. These creatures make complex and varied underwater scenes, commonly called “the rainforest of the sea” (Swart 2013).

Mangroves: Mangroves are common along coast in tropical latitudes, providing important nurseries for fish and buffers against erosion and tropical storms (Koh et al. 2018).

Seagrass Meadows: They are submerged grasslands that serve as habitats for marine creatures (Cullen-Unsworth et al. 2018). NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) have called on governments, companies and individuals to protect the world’s seagrass beds.

Tropical Marine Biodiversity: Inside these areas lies an incredible variety of marine species from colorful fishes in the reefs and corals, to majestic sea turtles and gentle sharks.

Keep an eye out for the next article 😉 we’re going to dive into the fascinating world of coral reefs & how they contribute to the marine ecosystem. If you're interested in knowing more, I've included a list of reference below:

Reference:

Alongi, DM 2014, 'Carbon cycling and storage in mangrove forests', Annual Review of Marine Science, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 195 - 219.

Barbier, EB, Hacker, SD, Kennedy, C, Koch, EW, Stier, AC & Silliman, BR 2011, 'The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem services', Ecological Monographs, vol. 81, no. 2, pp. 169 - 193.

Coral Reef Alliance n.d., Biodiversity, Coral Reef Alliance, viewed 29 September 2023, &lt;https://coral.org/en/coral-reefs-101/why-care-about-reefs/biodiversity/>.

Cullen-Unsworth, LC, Jones, BL, Lilley, R and Unsworth, RKF 2018, Secret gardens under the sea: what are seagrass meadows and why are they important?, Frontiers for Young Minds, viewed 29 September 2023, &lt;https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2018.00002>.

Hansen, LJ 2003, 'Increasing the resistance and resilience of tropical marine ecosystems to climate change' In: Buying time: a user’s manual for building resistance and resilience to climate change in natural systems. Washington: WWF, p. 157–176.

Koh, HL, Teh, SY, Kh'Ng, XY and Raja Barizan Sulaiman 2018, 'Mangrove forests: protection against and resilience to coastal disturbances', Journal of Tropical Forest Science, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 446 - 460.

Moberg, F & Folke, C 1999, 'Ecological goods and services of coral reef ecosystems', Ecological Economics, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 215 - 233.

Morsink, K 2017, With every breath you take, thank the ocean, Smithsonian, viewed 29 September 2023, &lt;https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plankton/every-breath-you-take-thank-ocean>.

Swart, PK 2013, 'Coral reefs: canaries of the sea, rainforests of the oceans', Nature Education Knowledge, vol. 4, no. 3, p. 5.

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Prof. Moritz: Ok, so just make a blog, but just keep it chill.

Francesca: Okie Prof. Moritz: Add just a bit of spice to keep it interesting okay, but remember, don't panic. Francesca: O...kie... Prof. Moritz: Imma need you to post your thoughts here, and I will mark it, but you must remember not to panic, ok? Francesca: ...okie Prof. Moritz: JUST A REMINDER, THE BLOG ITSELF IS 30% OF THE UNIT. Francesca: Wa-