Environmental Networking Platform for Children and Youth by SAMSUNG E&A
Stay connected with Eco-generation :
| Share 
| 
- Home >
- Our Actions >
- Ambassador report
7
Comments
[thematic report] Ocean Sensor: Sponges |
|---|
|
by Yuqing Yang | 22-06-2020 13:14
|
|
To study this underwater ecosystem is much harder than to study ecosystems on land. Scientists have always been trying to find easier approaches in measuring the diversity of species, the geographic distribution of them and the quantity of species. A conventional approach would be seawater sampling, let alone the tedious process of extracting shed skin and blood cells and examining DNA shed by creatures, the process to filter huge amounts of water is time-consuming and cost-ineffective.
Dr Stefano Mariani of the University of Salford, in Britain, who is a Professor of Conservation Genetics, may have provided with an insight, that he argues the sponges growing on the sea floor are natural filters. They suck in liters of water and trap organic matter to digest. If the samples were collected from sponges, which may contain the cells shed by other organisms, this will permit us to conduct DNA analysis and access the biodiversity underwater. Currently, researches have been conducted to test this idea by Dr Stefano Mariani and his colleagues. They remove some sponges’ pieces, with five samples from Antarctica and four from the Mediterranean. They have found that in the Antarctic samples, Weddell seals, chinstrap penguins and Perknaster aurantiacus (starfish) are found and in the Mediterranean samples, rock gobies, sardines and horse mackerel are found. In total, 31 different groups of animal were found, although it is still hard to allocate them into specific species. While this idea definitely needs more refinement and improvement, it certainly presented us a new approach in measuring and monitoring the diversity of marine organisms. Reference: https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2019/06/05/using-sponges-to-census-the-ocean Picture credit: Pixabay |
|
|
|
|
|
Previous : Knitted collar for dog adopted...
7 Comments
Hello yang
Greetings and Namaste from Nepal
Wishing you a safe stay
Thank you for your report on Ocean Sensor
Keep writing great reports.
We are eager to read more reports from you.
Green Cheers :)
Best wishes,
Kushal Naharki
Posted 14-07-2020 10:14
Greetings
I do hope you are all good..
Thank you so much for sharing this report with us !!!
It sounds really interesting and of course informative ..
Green cheers
Regards
Jasmine karki
Posted 08-07-2020 16:53
Hi Yuqing Yang, this is a mentor, Sang Su Lee.
Thank you for introducing one way to observe the marine diversity. As you've mentioned, research under the sea is really burdensome because of the enormous pressure exerted by water. However, I did not know that there are some methods that divert this problem. They were interesting.
Good report~!
Cheers~!
Posted 01-07-2020 03:03
hello Yuqing Yang, this is mentor Taehyun!
It is so difficult to investigate the distribution of marine life! I didn't know that. The marine life is vague. We can ask fishermen to investigate the extent, but specifically, what depth of water they live in must be studied! I read it really interestingly.
Thank you for the report!
Green cheers!
Posted 01-07-2020 02:47
Hello Yang,
You just rightly adressed that any research on water is far way difficult than in land as there also needs a rapid advancement in developing the technology to monitor the life in Aquatic environment.
Thank you for sharing.
Posted 28-06-2020 15:38
Yes brother its really hard but adventurous to study underwater ecosystem.
Nice report ,
Stay blessed.
Posted 27-06-2020 16:33
Hello yang
I hope you are doing well
Indeed it's very hard to study underwater ecosystem. It's like a different world but it's amazing.
Thank you so much for this report
Keep writing
Green cheers
Regards
Asmita Gaire
Posted 24-06-2020 22:07