Happy World Oceans Day! Oceanic Blog-A-Thon

Today is the first official World Oceans Day and as you can imagine this is a day for celebration at Shellbelle's Tiki Hut!

This year's theme is:

one ocean, one climate,

one future

We live on a blue planet, dominated by the ocean which covers 70% of its surface. The world’s ocean and climate are inextricably linked: the ocean plays a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's climate, and ocean life is vulnerable to climate change. Likewise, in our interconnected world, the ocean affects us and we affect the ocean. A healthy ocean helps to absorb excess carbon dioxide, provides jobs and food to people the world over, and regulates climate and temperature. –The Ocean Project

The Ocean Project has ask two things of us today. First, wear blue in honor of the ocean. Secondly, tell people two things they likely don't know about our ocean and how they can help.

Here in Florida we have mangrove trees and they play an important role in preserving our coastlines and the inhabitants of the world's oceans. There are three species of mangroves in Florida: Rhizophora mangle (Red Mangrove), Avicennia germinans (Black Mangrove) and Laguncularia racemosa (White Mangrove). Yesterday I was hiking at Weedon Island and took this picture of the distinctive roots of the red mangroves and the black mangroves.


Red mangroves live closest to the water and are actually in the water at high tide. The roots of the red mangrove drop down from their branches and embed themselves in the sediment below. These are called prop roots and they have the ability to take in water while keeping out the salt. The appearance of the prop roots of the red mangrove have given them the nickname of walking tree, because they appear to be walking on water. This tree takes in oxygen through pores on its bark called lentices.

Black mangrove roots are just as distinctive as those of the red mangrove. The black mangrove grows behind red mangroves and its root system sends out finger-like projections called pneumatophores, which extend upwards through the sediment, allowing the tree to take in oxygen. Black mangroves remove salt by excreting it through their leaves.

White mangroves cannot survive in the water, so they grow the furthest from the coastline. They have neither prop roots or pneumatophores, but their leaf stems have two bumps that remove the salt taken in by their roots.

So, now you're asking yourself what all this information has to do with World Oceans Day, right? All food chains start somewhere and one of these chains begins in mangroves. The leaves of mangrove trees fall into the water, where they decompose into a substance called detritus. Detritus is ingested by critters, such as small crabs and young shrimp, which in turn are eaten by fish, who are then eaten by bigger fish, who end up in the bellies of mammals, such as dolphins, thus completing the food chain.

The mighty mangrove doesn't stop at food chains in aiding our coastal ecosytem! The tangled roots of mangroves also provide a habitat for many marine organisms and protect the young of many larger species. Mangroves also serve as nesting sites for many of our beautiful birds. Mangroves protect our coastlines against erosion, they filter pollutants from river runoff and they're just darn beautiful! Unfortunately, mangroves are being lost. The good news? You can help!

Visit the Mangrove Action Project to help reverse the degradation and loss of mangrove ecosystems worldwide.

Quick Facts from the Mangrove Action Project:

• 75% of all tropical commercial fish species pass part of their lives in the mangroves

• Sea grass beds and coral reefs depend on healthy mangroves to filter sediments and provide nursery grounds for resident species

• Mangroves provide our coastlines protection from strong winds and waves and aid in preventing coastal erosion

• Mangroves absorb carbon dioxide and store carbon in their sediments, thereby lessening the impacts of global warming

As I wrote earlier, mangroves play an important part in a food chain, but there is something that that does not belong in our oceans — something that has been ingested by precious creatures and something that ultimately led to their deaths. What is this you ask? Garbage! We've all seen it on our beaches — plastic bottles, fast-food containers, tangled fishing lines and more. The garbage was thrown there or washed ashore from some unknown location. What are people thinking? Animals eat this crap or they get caught in it and they die. They die.

Did you know that an estimated 100,000 mammals and 2 million seabirds die every year after eating or getting caught in plastic? So, wherever you are or whatever you're doing, don't leave your trash behind. Take it with you and dispose of it properly. Please. Thank you.

To celebrate this special day I want to share the following with you from The Ocean Project:

The Seven C's for Ocean Conservation:

Commit to making a real difference


Aim to be carbon neutral by reducing and offsetting your energy consumption.

Conserve in your home


Upgrade to Energy Star appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Consume consciously


Rethink what you need, purchase “green” products, and buy locally grown foods and sustainable seafood.

Communicate your interests and concerns


Let your friends, family, colleagues, and the local media know about the impact of climate change on the ocean.

Challenge yourself daily


Walk, bike, carpool, and take public transportation to cut down your coral-reef harming carbon emissions.

Connect in your community


Get active as a volunteer with a local watershed or ocean group.

Celebrate our ocean!
Take part in a World Ocean Day activity near you or plan your own.

Find more information and inspiration at:

www.WorldOceanDay.org and www.SeasTheDay.org

For more World Oceans Day posts visit CrazyCris @ Here There and Everywhere who is hosting the Oceanic Blog-A-Thon!