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A mysterious and
unusual micro-organism has been discovered in the open ocean
which may force scientists to rethink their understanding of how
carbon
and nitrogen cycle through ocean ecosystems. A research team at
the University of California characterized the new microbe by
analysing its genetic material, even though researchers have not
been able to grow it in the laboratory.
The newly
described organism seems to be an atypical member of the
cyanobacteria, a group of photosynthetic bacteria formerly known
as blue-green algae. Unlike all other known free living
cyanobacteria this one lacks some of the genes needed to carry
out photosynthesis, the process by which plants use light energy
to make sugars out of carbon dioxide and water. However the
mysterious microbe can do something very important, it provides
natural fertilizer to the oceans by “fixing” nitrogen from the
atmosphere into a form useable by other organisms.
Some shellfish have a hard life, when they
settle at the bottom of the sea close to the coast the constant
to and fro of the surf pulls at them. So that they are not
washed away by the waves the shellfish use special proteins to
attach themselves firmly to a foundation, an ability engineers
have found difficult to achieve, adhesion underwater. Shellfish
can do this thanks to the amino acid dihydroxyphenylalanine also
known as dopa. Chemists have now reproduced the protein
responsible for this in a synthetic material that contains the
same adhesive elements. Irrespective of whether the adhesive is
completely made up of these elements or whether they represent
just a tenth of its make up, adhesion is equally good.
Human pressures on marine life in an area of
the East Indies known as The Coral Triangle have raised grave
concerns about the future of its fish, corals and other sea
life, leading to a proposal by the Indonesian President for
joint action by six governments, scientists and environmental
non-governmental organisations of the region.
 The
Coral Triangle spans Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua
New Guinea Timor and the Solomon Islands. The area has over 200
million inhabitants, a third of whom depend on the sea for food
security or livelihood. It has the highest diversity of marine
life of any area on Earth. It contains ¾ of the world’s known
coral species, a third of the world’s coral reefs, more than
3,000 species of fish and the world’s richest mangrove forests.
It generates $2.3 billion in sea products each year and is a
major spawning ground for tuna and other valuable species. These
resources are under threat from a combination of over-fishing
(including illegal fishing) coral bleaching and ocean
acidification, pollution and sedimentation due to coastal
development.
I only received sighting reports from one
dedicated watcher for November, who saw Harbour Porpoises off
The Brisons, Gwennap Head, Lizard Point, Pendeen Watch and The
Minack Theatre on various days. She also saw a pod of 10 to 20
dolphins, possibly Common Dolphins, off Gwennap Head and Minke
Whales off Gwennap Head and The Runnelstone on different days,
so there are creatures to be seen at this time of year if you
are prepared to go and look for them.
On the last day of the month a mother and
baby Common Dolphin became stranded up Frenchman’s Creek on the
Helford River. BDMLR and medics attended and after tagging the
animals, transported them to Porthallow and released them back
into the sea.
There was an interesting report of a large
Grey Seal being sloshed about in very shallow water just off the
beach outside the National Aquarium Plymouth with just the top
of its head and back showing. Observers, including aquarium
staff, thought it was dead and were discussing what to do, when
it suddenly exhaled a deep breath and swam off.
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