Invasive species study

We have been told to study issues on Invasive species in Australia and relate them back to North America.

One important issue in Australia is the Cane toad, which are more commonly native to Central and South America. They were introduced to other Pacific islands as a form of pest controle due to its beatle consumption and the toxin it releases, however the toxic has killed many native species and is now considered a pest. Some solutions lead scientists to using ultraviolet light to lure and capture the toads. Also, a larger study had led them to belive they could change the sex of female toads leading to an all male toad population, thus a decrease in numbers.

One more invasive species that affects U.S. soil is the Giant African Snail. They first arrived in 1966, as a means of pets, education purposes, or just sneak in delivary cargo. These snails have become a nucense to some suberban areas due to their consumption of plants and how their texture can make peoples palms rashy. As for getting rid of them, finding them is common in some areas so most people just took it into their own hands by crusing them or using salt on them.

I feel invasive species are a concern becuase at first they are unfamiliar with our land and will most likely destroy it. Also, our native species are also unfamilair with them and might be prone to any infections the invasive species carries or becom its prey. I feel we can relate our issue in America to Australia because their pests destroy land they try to preserve so well, and our invasive animals destroy more of our vegitation.

Summurizing "Rabbit Proof Fence"

We read a short section of the novel and answered a few questions describing what were the Ingeniousness peoples true rights.

1. Some rules of the UN listed in the story include. #1-RIGHT TO EQUALITY1, it's listed how they had less protection and rights as apposed to the white settlers. They had their own laws and police enforcement that weren't included for the Aboriginals. #17-RIGHT TO OWN PROPERTY, When they first settled, the white men took whatever land they pleased without considering the Aboriginals, many were forced from their land. Some land not owned by settlers was destroyed for little use for the natives.#18-FREEDOM OF BELIEF AND RELIGION, Many laws and ways of life the natives believed in were taken from them. They were forbidden from religious practices and their ways of prayer would soon be forgotten.

2.Some ways the treatment of the Aboriginals related to the Native Americans were how they were evicted from their land and forcibly removed. When the Americans got hold of their land, we destroyed it by paving our culture and over hunting precious animals to the Natives.

3.I believe the forced relocation of these children weren't truly justified. Just because their government feels the part white Aboriginal children are more socially advanced, doesn't give them any true ownership or justification on taking them away from their families. If you would think of the labor you put through those children and remember how mournful the families were for their loss. It doesn't seam like its worth it to give these children with supposed potential non-academic jobs, all for taking them away from their true hereditary roots and religion.

The Great Barrier Reef

I had answered a few questions relating to the Reef, where I will be visiting this summer.

1. The Great Barrier Reef is considered the "largest living structure on earth".
2. Coral uses a compound known as Calcium Carbonate to make their solid tentacles.
3. Red Algae benefits coral by encrusting on it, acting as sheets of Calcium Carbonate to make its hard shells.
4. The Great Barrier Reef was established a national park in 1975.
5. 33% of the reef is protected from fishing.
6. The reef is believed to be 20,000 years old, although the discovery of and ancient coral led scientists to believe it's 1/2 1 million years old.

Video assignment: Coral Reef preservation

I had been assigned to review and answer questions in youtube videos that mainly focus life in Coral Reef ecosystems. The first is from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW8nCALx5iA&feature=related.

1. A Polyp is a seed coral grows from after algae move into it as food, making the coral multiply and grow.
2. Coral are sensitive to most changes in its habitat, mostly in cases of high temperature.
3. Coral bleaching is when corals algae die when the temperature stays high too long and the coral loose their color, turning clear white.
4. Scientist believe Coral bleaching is happening more due to climate change from Carbon Dioxide pollution.
5. Some ways people can reduce climate change are turning off appliances to preserve energy, riding bikes instead of cars, and recycle more often.

The second video focuses on protecting the Great Barrier Reef, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcoyj2VPCOM.

1. The Great Barrier Reef is home to 1500 species of fish, 360 species of hard coral, 1/3 of the world population of soft coral, 22 species of sea birds, and 32 species of shore birds.
2. Due to the increase of Carbon Dioxide from vehicles and factory gases, our oceans have increased warming, damaging life in the sea.
3. Increased flooding can come back to hurt the ocean as well, by bringing pollution from the land and washing it into the reefs. This will force the fish to leave and find cooler waters and leaving the birds with nothing for food and eventually leaving.
4. Some more ways people can reduce climate change are using less energy by opening windows instead of using air conditioners, donate instead of throwing things away into a landfill, and buying more biodegradable products.

The next two videos are aimed at teaching children the values of protecting reefs. But are questioned to how this type of media can get kids attention. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnqJMInH5yM&feature=related, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEdoizgeNJK&feature=related

1. Using this kind of creation can better capture kids attension for using cartoons. They also speak to kids on their own level by use of jokes and sounds.Although, the fast and funny way they make the characters sound makes it hard for kids to understand them. They sometimes go too far out with the humor that kids would have more difficulty figuring out what the videos are acually telling them.
2. Some links about this topic that refer to the following audiences are.

Adults from Australia, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=526n0WhyJGQ, because adults there would most likely already know the areas and just need to know whats happening to them.
Foreigners not from Australia, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HhyHswjIJ8, this gives brief information to anyone unfamiliar with the coral reef in general.
Tourists visiting the Great Barrier Reef, http://youtube.com/watch?v=wbNeIn3vVKM&feature=related, this way tourists expecting to visit can get a preview on what they'll see.