Predators-Group3

“Deep in the wilds of Venezuela, the natural order is being turned inside out. Miles of verdant forest and savannah have given way to small and scattered islands. Some of these islands are now overrun by bands of voracious howler monkeys, a glut of iguanas and hordes of ravenous ants. What is driving this bizarre transformation? A team of scientists believes that life here has run amok in large part because its top predators are gone. Similarly, the majestic wilderness of Yellowstone National Park is also showing signs of change that some scientists trace to the depletion of natural predators. Familiar and revered forests have vanished. Researchers are linking these forest losses to the expulsion of the gray wolf some seventy years ago. In Venezuela and around the world, experts are learning that predators seem to play a crucial role in the structure and function of entire ecosystems. When the predators disappear, the consequences can be dramatic. If predators are so vital, should they — and can they — be brought back?”

· What is happening to the coral reefs in Jamaica? · How did scientists pinpoint the problems in the reef? · What caused the problems in the reef? · What kind of solution can you think of to fix the problem?
 * //Group 3: Clues in Jamaica//**

Clues in Jamaica:

Jamaican coral reef: The video was about the coral reefs in Jamaica and how/what is happening to them. The reefs started dieing because the fisher are over fishing. For the last thousand years it's been healthy but in the 1990's the coral started to die off. The fish that keep the algae under control have been endangered because the fishers are catching and killing them. Reefs are like a medical chart to tell history about that reef. When the reef started growing algae and the sea urchants have been eating the algae which will eventually poison the reef. In the last 40 to 50 years they have last 40% of the fish and the coral reef could not live with the amount of algae in the ocean. The scientist began putting up signs that said the fishers couldn't fish there anymore.

1) The coral reefs have declined and in the last thousand years the coral has been healthy. In the 1900 the coral has stared to die off. 2) In the last 40 to 50 years the reefs lost 40% of their fish.The Marine reserves helped fix the natural problem in the reefs. 3) The problem in the reefs was caused by algae that took over the reef and caused it to not be able to grow and it has to do with the fishermen catching a lot of the fish that eat the algae and keeping it controlled. 4) We could fix the problem by not letting the fishermen catch the fish living close by the coral reefs for a while. Jamaican Reef: Google Pictures.com

65/75 Points