Loading ...Here’s a neat story about how glaciers contribute to feeding reefs:
Dissolved organic matter, some more than 4,000 years old, is discharged by the glaciers and, in spite of its age, has proven to be a highly potent food source for microbes in the ocean.
Typically, the potency of organic matter decreases with age. Rick Edwards, a co-author of the recent study, explained that “generally, scientists expect that organic matter decreases in its quality as a food source as it ages, becoming less and less active over time.”
The material discharged from the glaciers, however, contradicts this belief. Researchers found that an astonishing 66 percent of the ancient material was immediately metabolized by marine microbes, forming living biomass that helps to support the entire oceanic ecosystem.
In the hobby since 2001, and has seen all kinds of fads come and go. As he gets older, Jeff is developing more and more of a conscience towards environmental concerns, especially towards reefs. Currently, he writes from Ontario, Canada, but would rather be snorkeling on a reef.