Xref: utzoo sci.bio:4162 sci.environment:8968 Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!crackers!m2c!umvlsi!umaecs!amh!jdminer From: jdminer@amherst.bitnet Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.environment Subject: Re: coral reefs and global warming Message-ID: <11392.2766b476@amherst.bitnet> Date: 12 Dec 90 22:51:34 GMT References: <720@sierra.stanford.edu> <1990Dec5.131807.5945@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> Lines: 49 In article <1990Dec5.131807.5945@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>, esgbs@lims01.lerc.nasa.gov (GARY STANDEN) writes: > In article , cmccaff@urbana.mcd.mot.com (Chuck McCaffrey) writes... >>In article <720@sierra.stanford.edu> rosentha@sierra.Stanford.EDU >>(Peter A. Rosenthal) writes: >> >><>over-abundant CO2 deleted.>> >> >> If one could float large substrates out in the open ocean several >> meters below the surface, and properly seed them, I would bet that >> reefs would grow very well on them provided they were located in a >> stable, well lit, clean place. Coral occupies only a small area on >> the planet presently; I wonder how many square miles? How difficult >> would it be to double the area artificially? >> >> Coral reef farms of this sort would also be a great sustainable >> food source for humanity as well as the rest of the world. >> >>____ >> >>Very interesting idea, one that had not occurred to me. My questions are: >> >>1) How large are the "large substrates"? >> >>2) How do we make the "large substrates"? What do we make them of? >>Will their manufacture cause, in and of itself, a large release of >>CO2 or pollutants? >> >>3) Will the installation disrupt anything that should not be disrupted? >> >>Still, an idea worth considering, along with, naturally, decreasing >>the amount of CO2 we cavalierly dump into the ecosphere. Who needs to sink old ships. How about old tires. Durable, plenty of surface area, plenty of exposure to water flow, and useless up here when we are done with them. Of course, tires do not float. But if secured properly together and secured permanently to the ocean floor, they could function pretty well in shallower water. And if you can get them to float, all the better. They do provide a successful substrate for coral. >>-- >> \Chuck McCaffrey cmccaff@urbana.mcd.mot.com 1101 E University Urbana IL 61801 >> \ Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight, [my words] >> \ Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight, [my opinions] >> / \ And for each and every underdog soldier in the night, >> / \ And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing. > The best idea would be to sink old ships. This makes a good platform for > coral life. Look at most of the reefs today they have incrusted old ships.