The Effects of Global Warming on Coral Reefs Research Paper

The Effects of Global Warming on Coral Reefs - Research Paper Example There are three ways in which global warming affects coral reefs: through a direct increase in water temperature; through a rise in the carbon dioxide levels in water which makes water acidic; and through rising sea levels which results in inadequate sunlight for the existing coral reefs. In addition, the study points towards various indirect ways through which rising temperature leads to coral reef damage. One issue is the increasing incidence of various coral diseases and another problem is the occurrence of natural disasters like El Nino which damage coral reef habitats. Thus, the study ends with the suggestion that the ultimate way to save coral reefs would be to address the effects of global warming. Introduction Global warming is a potential environmental problem that has been adversely affecting the global climatic patterns for more than a century. Global warming can be simply referred to the process of increasing the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. By definition â€Å"global warming is an increase in temperature worldwide due to gaseous emissions known as greenhouse gases, and depletion of the upper atmospheric (30-50 kilometers) or stratospheric ozone layer† (Liu, 58). Meteorologist identified an increase in Earth’s average surface temperature by nearly 0.8o C in the beginning of the 20th century. Scientists hold that the increased concentrations of greenhouse gases caused by thoughtless human activities including combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation are the major factors leading to global warming. ‘The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report’ (AR4) (qtd. Deimling et al) forecasts th at the average global surface temperature may rise from 1.1o C to 2.9o C during the 21st century under lowest emissions scenario, whereas the expected range lies between 2.4o C to 6.4o C under highest emission scenario. Studies have identified that the rising average temperature of oceans has a devastating effect on coral reefs. Coral reefs are underwater forests formed of calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs play a pivotal role in protecting coastal regions. Coral reefs contain a wide variety of fishes and plants among which most of them belong to some of the most fragile ecosystems of the planet. Studies point to the fact that even a one degree Celsius change in average sea temperature would cause dreadful effects on these underwater structures. This paper will discuss the effects of global warming on coral reefs in the context of current beliefs and researches. The paper will also give focus on the potential long term effects of global warming on the human sustainabi lity. Finally it will propose solutions to the issue on the strength of identified causes and effects. Coral Reef Habitat Coral reefs are considered colonies of micro living animals found in less-nutrients contained marine waters. It has been identified that majority of the coral reefs are made up of stony corals and which in turn contain polyps. Most of these underwater structures were formed after the last glacial period and therefore it can be concluded that most coral reefs are not more than 10,000 years old. Coral reefs constitute the most diverse and fragile ecosystems on Earth and they are often referred to as ‘rainforests of the sea’. As stated in the article, Introduction to Coral Reef ecosystems, threats, and solutions, although coral reefs occupy only less than 0.1% of the worlds’ ocean surface, they are rich sources of different marine species such as fish, worms, sponges, crustaceans, and mollusks. As reported by National Wildlife Federation, the stu nning and frail coral reefs found

Are the GMO foods good or harmful to our health Research Paper - 1

Are the GMO foods good or harmful to our health - Research Paper Example Farmers are mainly focusing on cash crops modification such as corn, soybean, cottonseed oil, and canola. Genetic modification is done to help in resistance to herbicides and pathogens. Additionally, genetically modified foods are said to have a high nutrients profile. There are critics of the GMO who focus on environmental impacts and safety. GMOs are reported to damage the environment as well as violation of consumer’s and farmers right as some seeds are subject to intellectual property. Genetically engineered plants are produced in a laboratory. There is alteration of their DNA and assessments done to check whether the desired qualities are achieved. One of the most frequent modifications made is the addition to one or more genes to the plant’s genome. After the production of the desired plants, the producers register for approval so that they can test out in the fields (Skinner & Liang, 2004). GMOs have changing relationships to foods. Some GMO foods are consumed processed to remove its protein and DNA while others are consumed unprocessed. Other are used to generate unmodified foods. Animal and plant relationship differ in all aspects. GMO foods are associated with some advantages in either the consumption or production. They are created with the aim of providing products at lower prices and with significant benefits in terms of durability or nutritional value. The developers of GMO seeds desire that their products will remain acceptable to producers and the developers are concentrating on innovations that will directly benefit farmers. One primary reason for producing GMO is to improve crop protection. The GMO are aimed at raising crop protection through the introduction of diseases resistant crops caused by viruses and insects or plants that tolerate the herbicides (Duvauchelle, 2014). One of the reasons why people like GMO foods is because of their pest resistance. Crop losses from insects have

My Mother Essay Example for Free

My Mother Essay Of all the persons in the world, my mother loves me most, and I also love her from the core of my heart. To me, she is like a living goddess who takes all kinds of pain and care for my sake. When I am sick, she spends sleepless nights by my sick-bed. When I come first in my class exami-nation, she becomes perhaps the happiest person on earth. see more:essay on my father in marathi From my childhood, I have been greatly influenced by my mother. She has always guided me in the right path in every step of my life. She has taught me discipline, manners, and the sense of duty towards others in the family and in the society. I remember that she used to relate to me many oriental and mythological tales, when I was a child and did not know ho\V to read and write. She has taught me to love my country and my countrymen. She helps me every day in preparing my home-work given by the class-teacher. My mother is an ideal woman in my life. I feel myself fortunate for being born as her son. She is very anxious about my health, my education, and my prosperity. I feel that there is no other person nearest to the heart than a mother in this world. My mother is an affectionate and pious lady. She loves me very much. I love her, too. She takes care of all of us. She gets up early in the morning, makes our breakfast, lunch and dinner with her own hands. She looks after the cleanliness of the house and furniture, and also our clothes and health. When I fall sick, my mother passes sleepless nights by the side of my sick bed. Her anxiety and her fear disappear after my recovery from illness. In my eyes, she is really an ideal mother. My mother has taught me the importance of discipline, good manners, honesty, sense of duty and reverence towards the elders in life. She also taught me to defend and help the poor and the weak, and lodge a protest against injustice. When I was just a child, my mother used to tell me many oriental and mythological tales. When I grew up a little, she taught me how to read and write. Even to this day, she helps me to prepare my homework given by my class teacher. In every matter of my life, I depend on my mothers help and guidance: Her blessings are always with me.

Examining The Varied Heritage Of Indian Culture Cultural Studies Essay

Examining The Varied Heritage Of Indian Culture Cultural Studies Essay One thing in which India faces no competition is its varied culture and heritage. The culture of India has been shaped by the long history of India, its unique geography and the absorption of customs, traditions and ideas from some of its neighbors as well as by preserving its ancient heritages, which were formed during the Indus Valley Civilization and evolved further during the Vedic age, rise and decline of Buddhism, Golden age, Muslim conquests and European colonization. Indias great diversity of cultural practices, languages, customs, and traditions are examples of this unique co-mingling over the past five millennia. At all levels India has added great number of languages in to the diverse cultures and traditions. There were 1000 (if you count regional dialects and regional words) languages are spoken by Indians Altogether, but unfortunately now there are 415 living languages in India. The Constitution of India has stipulated the national language Hindi and English to be the two official languages of communication for the Union Government. India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion still plays a central and definitive role in the life of most of its people. India is the birth place of Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the worlds third- and fourth-largest religions respectively, with around 1.4 billion followers India, being a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. The three national holidays in India, the Independence Day, the Republic Day and the Gandhi Jayanti, are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm across India. In addition, many states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga puja, Holi, Rakshabandhan and Dussehra. Several harvest festivals, such as Sankranthi, Pongal and Onam, are also fairly popular. Certain festivals in India are celebrated by multiple religions. Notable examples include Diwali which celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains and Buddh Purnima which is celebrated by Buddhists and Hindus. Islamic festivals, such Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Ramadan, are celebrated by Muslims across India. Well different religions have unlike practices, rituals and all but in these entire dissimilarities one thing common is the way they greet each. Namaskar or Namaskaram is a common spoken greeting or salutation in the India. Namaskar is considered a slightly more formal version than namastà © but both express deep respect. It is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, sikhs and many continue to use this outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication. However, the same hands folded gesture is made wordlessly upon departure. In yoga, namastà © is said to mean The light in me honors the light in you, taken literally, it means I bow to you Food is an important part of Indian culture, playing a role in everyday life as well as in festivals. In many families, everyday meals are sit-down affairs consisting of two to three main course dishes, varied accompaniments such as chutneys and pickles, carbohydrate staples such as rice and roti (bread), as well as desserts. Food is not just important for an Indian family by ways of eating, but it is also taken as a sort of socializing, getting together with a family of many. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into four categories: North, South, East, and West Indian. Despite this diversity, some unifying threads emerge. Varied uses of spices are an integral part of food preparation, and are used to enhance the flavor of a dish and create unique flavors and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the Persians, Mughals, and European powers. Different religions, languages, festivals, cuisine and now different clothing. Traditional Indian clothing for women is the saris and also Ghaghra Cholis (Lehengas). For men, traditional clothes are the Dhoti, pancha veshti or Kurta. Bombay, also known as Mumbai, is one of Indias fashion capitals. In some village parts of India, traditional clothing mostly will be wornBindi is part of the womens make-up. Traditionally, the red bindi (or sindhur) was worn only by the married Hindu women, but now it has become a part of womens fashion As far as Indian art is concerned, music and dance from an integral part of Indian arts. The music of India includes multiples varieties of religious, folk, popular, pop, and classical musicIndian dance and music considered to be just another form of entertainment, traces  its origins back several thousands of years. Music is the language of emotion and is an important part of the Indian culture. Music and dance are  languages   by themselves, capable of expressing subtle thoughts and refined ideas. Few of the Indian dance forms are Baratnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, odissi, Mohiniattam and many more.While naturally evolving with the dynamic forces of history and creative influence of great masters, these traditions have maintained the integrity of their fundamental  heritage.  

Violence as Displacement: The Erotic Gaze in Gladiator and Fight Club :: Essays Papers

Violence as Displacement: The Erotic Gaze in Gladiator and Fight Club On the screen, two men writhe and grapple on the cold concrete floor. One man on top, holding the other from behind in a chokehold that causes the man on the bottom to succumb to the more powerful man. The dialogue by the narrator states that, â€Å"Sometimes all you could hear were the flap, hard packing sounds over the yelling, or the wet choke when someone caught their breath and sprayed† (Fight Club). The soundtrack consists of a few notes repeated over and over again in a steady rhythm to the action that is happening on the screen. The camera focuses on a close-up of the face of the man on bottom as he contorts into an expression of both pain and pleasure and moans loudly. Finally, the two men get up after the action is finished and embrace. Panting and moaning, the last shudders of pleasure leave their bodies as the scene fades out and begins again with another couple struggling on the cold concrete floor. The scene described above sounds as if it should be found in a pornographic video displayed on the shelves of a sex shop located in the back alleys of Soho in London. However, this scene is taken from director David Fincher’s widely popular film Fight Club. Even though the scene has an intense air of the homoerotic, the characters in the film are actually fighting and not having sex. Steve Neale addresses this phenomenon in his article â€Å"Masculinity as Spectacle†. He upholds the view of feminist film theorist Laura Mulvey by maintaining that the spectatorial look in mainstream cinema is always male. A problem arises when the look of the spectator is forced upon an erotic shot of a male figure. The article states, â€Å"that in a heterosexual and patriarchal society, the male body cannot be marked explicitly as the erotic object of another male look: that look must be motivated in some other way, its erotic component repressed† (Neale 14). The e rotic component is repressed with violence or with mutilation of the male body. This repression is often found in the action genre in such films as Gladiator and Fight Club where the female object of the spectator gaze is replaced with male figures.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sing :: essays research papers

What Do Children Feel Guilty About? Christopher Williams and Jane Bybee of Northeastern University were interested in discovering the frequency of guilt provoking events in adolescents. They wanted to establish proof for the hypothesis that age-related changes in children were attributed to developmental changes in cognitive reasoning. Past research has indicted that children with high levels of guilt are less delinquent, more compassionate, and more academic excitable children expressing less guilt in similar situations. It has been sited that at its best guilt can bring about the aforementioned but is can also be attributed to depression and obsessive compulsive disorders. In this study, there were 240 participants (123 male and 117 female). they were grouped according to grade. There were 85 fifth graders (40 male and 45 female), 90 eighth graders (44 male and 46 female), and 65 eleventh graders (39 male and 26 female). The subjects evaluated hailed form ethnically diverse neighborhoods of the northeast. The racial breakdown of the participants was as follows: 94 Caucasians, 110 African Americans, and 36 Hispanic. The study was conducted in each of the student_s respective classrooms. The students were prompted to share three instances when they felt guilty. The investigators wanted to know the specific incidences which evoked the guilt and the reason for feeling guilty. The three dimensions under observation were the type of situation which had occurred, the individuals involved, and the specific instances which led to the guilty feelings. There were seven situation parameters for classifying the guilt. They are guilt over transgression, of inaction, of neglect of responsibilities, of anticipation, over failure to attain ideals, of inequity, and not at fault. The second dimension included the individuals contributing the feelings of guilt and the third dimension detailed the possible guilt producing incidents (lying, truancy, property damage, et.) Analysis of collected data indicated that the type of situation evoking guilt varied with age and gender. From the 5th to 11th grades, there was a dramatic increase in the percentage of students reporting guilt from inaction, neglect of responsibilities, and failure to attain ideals. It was also noted that females sited guilt over inaction twice as often as male students. Responses of students in higher grade levels mentioned girl- and boyfriends as the individuals evoking feelings of guilt. In the younger students, parents and siblings had a greater impact of causing guilt feelings. Unsurprisingly to me, the guilt-producing incidences most common to the 8th

Development of a Home Messaging and Communication System Essay

This is group coursework. Groups should have between 3 to 5 people. Do only one of the assignments described below. Read everything before you decide which to tackle. Assignment 1 – Home Messaging System Many people live in a house or flat with others. People may live fairly independently with different interests and routines, or they may be more closely involved with each others’ lives. Whichever is the case, they will probably need to coordinate their activities with each other. They may benefit from ways of recording and sharing reminders about events such as appointments or significant dates. They may need ways to record and coordinate over tasks such as chores around the place. They may benefit from ways of indicating problems, requests for information or action, ways just saying â€Å"hello† and ‘greasing the wheels’ of communal living, or even ways of addressing conflicts if they occur. The messages people currently leave for each other can take many forms. They may use Post-its, whiteboards, pinboards or other surfaces that can be written on. The practices of information sharing may evolve over many years and are often designed to fit carefully into peoples’ lives. However, written messages may have disadvantages: they tend to be static and not easily updated; they also are fixed in one location, whereas people are mobile and may need access to notes and messages even when they aren’t at the location where the message was created. Coursework Instructions Research, prototype and evaluate a digital Home Messaging device or system that people in a house or flat can use to share the kinds of information they need to coordinate activities with one another and enable good, happy social relations. The details of what they can do will depend on what you find out by doing some user-research. The system you develop should have an interface within a shared space, but may also work in coordination with devices at other locations. Assignment 2 – Mobile Museum or Art Gallery System Museums and art galleries make an important contribution to our cultural landscape. A visit to a museum or art gallery can happen for many reasons. People may want to learn, be reflective, to be entertained or to have a fun day out with friends and family. People may have a deep interest in what they will see there or they may just want something to do on a rainy afternoon. Image by EmilySuran (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons Digital technology can provide opportunities for enhancing these experiences in a number of ways. They may offer information before a visit. During a visit users might want information or to communicate in some way. Mobile devices can be location-aware. For example, this can be done using QR codes. A QR (Quick Response) code (see image below) is a matrix barcode which can be scanned by a device fitted with a camera (such as a smart phone). A user could scan a code next to an exhibit to launch some location-based service. And after the visit there may be some follow-up activities, perhaps using information about what interested them. A QR code Coursework Instructions Research, prototype and evaluate a system that could be used by people to enhance their experiences in museums and/or art galleries in some way. The service could provide information and/or enhance shared experiences. It could help them learn or make things fun. The system could integrate with a web-based system to allow people to do things before or after a trip. Again, the details of will depend on what you find out by doing some user-research. General Instructions Whichever project you do it must involve the following major activities: 1. user-research 2. prototyping 3. evaluation 4. prototype revision In other words, follow an iterative design approach. Each step should inform the next. It should be clear how the research has informed the design, and how the evaluation has informed the revised design. As an alternative to traditional user-research methods you might like to try auto ethnography. Auto ethnography is an approach which seeks to describe and systematically analyse personal experience. If you do this you will be graded on the methods you use to acquire and analyse useful experiences and the quality of the insights that this gives you. For any activity that involves human participants you must complete a Middlesex University School of Engineering and Information Sciences Research Consent (Form C) and a Declaration Form and Ethical Approval Request (Form D). Have your consent form approved by your tutor before you start each phase of user engagement and have them sign your form D. The forms can be found in the ‘Useful Forms’ section of the Middlesex University, School of EIS – Ethics & Research Webpage. Assessment The work will be assessed in parts: Group Progress Review Presentation – 25% of total mark The presentation should describe the work you have done and your plans for completing the assignment. Group members will only receive a mark if they make a reasonable contribution to the presentation, with each receiving the same mark. Individual Final Report – 75% of total mark The final report should be no more than 4000 words (not including appendixes). Each group member will receive an individual mark. The report should be structured as follows (maximum marks awarded are shown in brackets as a percentage of marks awarded for the report): * Introduction (10%) * User Research (15%) * Prototype (15%) * Evaluation (15%) * Prototype revision (10%) * Discussion (10%) * Appendices containing all appropriate ethics forms1 (15%) An additional 10% will be awarded for presentation of the report. All marks will depend on the separate submission of your raw data. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www.eis.mdx.ac.uk/research/groups/Alert/Ethics_Research/forms.html