Biology Essays Examples

Topic1: From Blue to the bowl: How science and technology can help regulate the dried shark fin trade.

Dr. Demian Chapman
Importance and Relevance of the Research
Shark populations grow very slowly and with the current rate of hunting the shark’s ability to reproduce is devastated. It takes almost 13 years for a shark to grow old and reproduce. It is bad for sharks and also for the environment. Sharks have a role in the ecosystem as they lie on top of the seafood chain. Shark fin is very costly, and delicacies made out of it are even costlier for example shark fin soup costs a $100 a bowl. The imports of shark fin have grown and approximately a 100 million sharks are killed annually for the shark fins. There has been an identification of 71 species that are used as part of fin trade. The fin trade impacts both the big and the small sharks.

Questions Answered

How technology can be helpful in preventing the shark killings?
How technology can be useful in tracking the sharks?
Conclusion of the speaker
Technology has been very useful in controlling the killings of shark for trade. It is a beneficial tool for not only regulating the trade but also for monitoring the shark population. Molecular and genetic-based identification has been performed in Hongkong. Shark populations are genetically subdivided across seascape and in many cases it is possible to track the shark fins to the original population. There has been regulations in the shark trade and monitored by government organizations. Science and technology are helping in tracking species composition, stock volumes, enforce trade restrictions and also enact the conservation of water for managing shark population.

Topic2: The effect of environmental change on shallow-water coral reef fishes and food webs

Dr. Alastair Harborne
Importance and Relevance of the Research
Shallow water habitats present opportunities and challenges for the fishes. The fish population is important to maintain the ecological balance. Environmental changes cause stressors. Reefs have important functions like fishing, tourism and nursery. The environmental changes impact the feeding activities on shallow-water coral reef fishes. The impact is on the fishes and also disturbs the whole ecological balance. It is important to maintain the food web and the fish population as well.
Questions Answered

What are the effects of fishing the population of fish?

What are the quantity movement and feeding activity across tidal cycles and among fish sites?
Does grazing vary across tidal cycles?
What are the impacts of the sea level rise on the fish grazing?
Conclusion of the speaker
There is a clear difference in the morphodynamics across tidal cycles and within the reef, fish groups have different reliance on tide levels. The understanding is limited on how these processes are affected by the abiotic factors. Tidal changes in fish assemblage potentially translate into changes in key ecological processes. There is a viable change in grazing behaviour. Sea level rise can increase the grazing by as much as 18%. Food web provides a tool that integrate a wide range of impacts. The nursery habitats impact the non-nursery species because of the competition or predation. The most important targets for conservation are mangroves and seagrass.

Topic3: Activity cycles of marine predators: what drives behaviour and habitat selection over temporal and spacial scales?

Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou
Importance and Relevance of the Research
The research delves into the behavior of predators like sharks. Sharks are most active when they are cold which is usually in the early morning and least active when warm during the late afternoon, and their digestive activities are highest when warmest which is late afternoon. If the prey is sparse, then they maximise their efficiency of energy utilization by hunting when warm and taking rest when cold.
Questions Answered

Why is there a lag in peak in activity and peak indigestion?

Is competition driving macro habitat selection?
Conclusion of the speaker
Data collected for the predatory behaviour of sharks was analyzed to reach various conclusions. It was found that Sharks are least active while they keep themselves warm. Amongst sharks, the digestive activity is also the highest when they are warm. It is not true that sharks are not active in early evening. The report data has been collected from monitoring the sharks through tag codes. It was also found that the sharks are nocturnal and that they have an advantage in the late evening over their prey. The advantage is both in terms of nocturnal activity and thermal temperature.

Personal Review of all topics

It has been a fabulous learning activity watching all the videos. Learning from knowledgeable people expands the horizons of the mind. After going through the three videos my knowledge into the ecology of the fishes, predators and shark fin trade increased. I got to know how the ecological imbalances impact fish population and how that could have an effect on the larger ecosystem. Dr. Yannis Papastamatiou is an excellent source of knowledge for the behaviour of marine predators especially sharks. I learnt about the grazing and hunting behaviours of sharks.
Dr. Demian Chapman’s lecture gave a greater insight into the business of fish trade and how it impacts the shark population. The fin trade is not only impacting the shark population but also an imbalance the ecosystem of the marine population. The figure of shark catches has touched a 100 million a year, and that is no less number in itself. I learnt from this lecture that how technology has been beneficial in marking the sharks and controlling the fin trade. The regulations from the government are now in place for curbing the menace of fin trade and thereby controlling the population of the sharks. The use of various tags and codes has been beneficial in this endeavour. The lecture was very much helpful in giving me an idea on what is going on at the shark population maintenance front.
The third video has been from Dr. Alastair Harborne on shallow-water coral reef fishes. This video gave me an exquisite understanding of sea level changes, tidal waves and the environmental changes that impact fish population. The grazing habit changes of the fishes along with the tides and rise and fall of sea level were a good knowledge points for me. I also learnt the importance of mangroves and seagrass in the preservation of natural habitats for fishes and thereby in the prevention of their population.