Living Oceans Foundation leads Red Sea expeditionApril 24, 2006Scientist divers to investigate coral reefs for impact of global warming, pollution and population growth in and around Farasan Islands (WASHINGTON, D.C.)-Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation will lead an all-star team of scientist divers on an expedition to study the "rainforests" of the Red Sea. State-of-the-art technology will enable the team to complete years of coral reef research in just three weeks. The research will focus on threats to coral health such as global climate change, ecotourism, over-fishing, pollution and development. "This will be some of the most advanced coral reef environment research, with the fastest turnaround and major international impact, to date," said Philip Renaud, executive director of Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation. "Our findings will guide future international policy on coral reef protection and Marine Protected Areas management." Coral health has global economic, social and ecological implications: - Coral reefs support more than 25 percent of all marine fish species. - Reefs provide fisheries with 6 million metric tons of fish annually. Industries based on coral reefs provide millions of jobs. - The total value of the world's reef resources is approximately $375 billion each year. - Coral reefs are a primary source of new drugs and biochemicals. The expedition represents the first in which a Saudi Arabian government commission has partnered with a U.S. foundation to work in Saudi territory. The team, scheduled to leave May 3, will include U.S., U.K., Canadian, Austrian, French and Saudi scientists. They will map and survey the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, off the coast of Jizan, Saudi Arabia. "The Farasan Islands are of particular interest for their biodiversity and range of human impact," said Renaud. "Their population has quadrupled in a decade and the ecotourism and commercial fishing industries in the region have grown tremendously." The Foundation has selected 15 schools (5 U.S., 5 U.K., 5 Saudi Arabian) to participate virtually in the expedition. High school students studying marine science will track and analyze expedition progress and participate in near real-time Q&A with the scientists. Also joining the research team is a professional film crew. Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation plans to use footage from the expedition to produce a professional documentary film. Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation |
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| Related Red Sea Current Events and Red Sea News Articles Top wheat experts call for scaling up efforts to combat Ug99 and other wheat rusts Wheat experts from 26 countries warn that rapidly-moving, wind-borne transboundary wheat diseases continue to threaten food security and wheat genetic diversity worldwide - particularly in the ancient breadbasket stretching from the Middle East to India - as they vowed new action to isolate and interrupt the steady march of dangerous wheat rust diseases. Bridging the political divide across the Gulf of Aqaba Scientists from Stanford University have teamed up with Israeli and Jordanian researchers to protect the Gulf of Aqaba, a strategic waterway whose fragile marine ecosystem is vital to both Israel and Jordan. Snail venoms reflect reduced competition A study of venomous snails on remote Pacific islands reveals genetic underpinnings of an ecological phenomenon that has fascinated scientists since Darwin. Is the Dead Sea dying? The water levels in the Dead Sea - the deepest point on Earth - are dropping at an alarming rate with serious environmental consequences, according to Shahrazad Abu Ghazleh and colleagues from the University of Technology in Darmstadt, Germany. Light pollution offers new global measure of coral reef health We've all seen the satellite images of Earth at night--the bright blobs and shining webs that tell the story of humanity's endless sprawl. RAND study finds increase in piracy and terrorism at sea Acts of piracy and terrorism at sea are on the rise, but there is little evidence to support concerns from some governments and international organizations that pirates and terrorists are beginning to collude with one another, according to a RAND Corporation study issued today. New study shows extent of harmful human influences on global ecosystems More than 40 percent of the world's oceans are heavily impacted by human activities, including overfishing and pollution, according to a new study that will appear in tomorrow's peer-reviewed journal Science. UCLA-Dutch team uncovers Egypt's earliest agricultural settlement Archaeologists from UCLA and the University of Groningen (RUG) in the Netherlands have found the earliest evidence ever discovered of an ancient Egyptian agricultural settlement, including farmed grains, remains of domesticated animals, pits for cooking and even floors for what appear to be dwellings, the National Geographic Society announced today. Sea otter study reveals striking variability in diets and feeding strategies Ecologists have long observed that when food becomes scarce, animal populations exploit a wider range of food sources. Evolution tied to Earth movement Scientists long have focused on how climate and vegetation allowed human ancestors to evolve in Africa. Now, University of Utah geologists are calling renewed attention to the idea that ground movements formed mountains and valleys, creating environments that favored the emergence of humanity. More Red Sea Current Events and Red Sea News Articles |
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