African Climes

The Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) released a report last year   about the state of biodiversity in the world. Here are some key takeaways. The opening statement is a look at the all-important role of nature in the world. It documents the functions of nature in supporting human existence and civilization, the role of all other life excluding mankind as well as acknowledgement of how different elements and processes interact in the natural world so as to support the existence of the millions of species on the planet. The report opens by articulating some of the gifts of nature such as   goods and services, food and feed, air regulation and supply, water supply, physical benefits, psychological benefits, provision of medicines, protection and buffering against extreme weather events, genetic resources, provision of fuel and energy, ensuring the health of soils, carbon seque...

  Coral bleaching Coral are marine organisms. Dead and living coral skeletons make up coral reefs like the one found in Watamu or in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. When people talk of coral they assume it is one creature but it is made up of organisms called polyps and algae. In real sense, coral tissue is clear but the algae have various shades of photosynthetic pigments. Thus there are many species of differently coloured coral. It’s a symbiotic relationship where the coral provide anchors and give a constant supply of carbon dioxide while the algae carries out photosynthesis , provides food for the coral and aids in calcification. some of the marine life at the Watamu coral reef - such is now under threat from climate change Coral reefs form the habitat for a very diverse and huge number of marine organisms.   Coral is also very sensitive to temperature changes. Coral lives in the upper layers of the ocean where sunlight permeates and the temperature is ...