Todays Article With Discuss The Oceans Surrounding Andros Island Which Is An Island That Makes Up The Country Bahamas. We Will Discuss The Oceans Themselves, The Ecosystems Within A 5 Mile Vicinity Of The Shoreline & The Marine Creatures That Roam The Andros Barrier Reef. It Is Incredibly Important That We Preserve & Conserve These Oceans As Climate Change Is Taking Its Toll On Our Oceans. Andros Island Is A Stunning Island That Should Have More Research Conducted Concerning It. These Oceans Are Beautiful & Are One Of The Travel Destinations Of A Divers Dreams. Now Let Us Delve Into This Island Paradise’s Oceans & Marine Ecosystems.
The Marine Climate & Habitat Of Andros Island
The waters surrounding Andros Island are widely tropical with the highest temperature being 30.2° Celsius (86.4 Fahrenheit). However in January it may get down to 23.3° Celsius (73.9° Fahrenheit). The waves are usually 1-4 feet in size & the current is safe for swimmers as of 2022. Andros Island sits in the Atlantic making the salt concentration significantly higher. Due to the water temperature being much higher this also means there is less oxygen meaning the creatures there most likely won’t grow as large as creatures in say the Arctic Ocean. There is evidence to believe that the oceans surrounding Andros Island can get as deep as 2,000 meters (6,561.68 feet). With so much ocean Andros Island has 200 small “blue holes” which are mostly unexplored cave systems. These blue holes are small vertical caves, however they aren’t officially called blue holes. This is an amazing step for marine exploration. Hopefully one day all of these cave systems will be explored or grafted.
The waters are relatively calm which attracts many species of marine animals. A contributing factor to this is that pollution is minimized because of the stopping of importing or exporting of coal. This also makes the air quality pristine compared to New York’s air quality or say London’s air quality. The Andros Barrier Reef can be seen from certain docks & piers on the island. The Andros Barrier Reef is 164 miles long & is the 3rd longest coral reef in our oceans. These areas are flooded with all sorts of exotic marine vertebrates & invertebrates. These are absolutely beautiful, diverse, & officially healthy oceans that are some of the best scuba diving spots in the world.
The Marine Ecosystems Of Andros Island
Every ocean has its marine ecosystems with none being the same as another one. There are numerous marine ecosystems of Andros Island, however some can be much more eye-catching than others. A quite namely example is the Andros Barrier Reef which is along & close to the coastal areas of the island. The 2 main marine ecosystems of Andros Island are coral reefed areas & coastal/tidal areas. These areas have their respective characteristics. Now let’s delve into these intricate & complex ecosystems.
Coral Reef (The Andros Barrier Reef)
Coral reefed areas are areas with coral shelfs, which the Andros Island has a lot of. The Andros Barrier Reef the 3rd coral reef in the world. it contains the Tongue Of The Sea which is a deep water basin around Andros Island & the rest of the Bahamas. The Andros Barrier Reef is incredibly important as it is a large percentage of our world’s remaining coral. It spans the entire circumference of Andros Island. It ranges from being 2.5 meters deep to 1.8 kilometers (8 feet to 5905.51 feet deep) in depth. The Andros Barrier Reef has the following species of coral: Giant Tube Sponge Coral, Sea Rod, Smooth Brain Coral, Deep Water Gorgonia, & Staghorn Coral. However it may have other undiscovered species of coral. The Andros Barrier Reef is one of the healthiest coral reefs in the world making it a very appealing area for animals. This reef doesn’t have very many societies restoring it as it does not need much restoration.
Coastal/Tidal Areas
The coastal/tidal areas of Andros Island are relatively calm. They are similar to most tidal areas as they have tide pools, & small invertebrates such as crabs & anemones. Cuttlefish also enjoy these areas as less predators & more food is found in these areas. These areas typically don’t have as many plants as the coral reefed or open ocean areas. This area is also typically colder than coral reefed areas & has a higher level of salinity. These areas are not usually very inhabited by vertebrates.
Mangrove Forests
The mangrove forests consist of large trees with stems & roots extending from 1.8 feet to 1.2 meters underwater. Andros Island’s mangrove forests are between the south & north island. However it is significantly farther south. Its salinity levels are significantly higher than those in other habitats of the island. It is also significantly more dangerous due to wildlife in the waters, one of those dangerous creatures are sea snakes.
The Marine Flora & Fauna Of Andros Island
There are numerous types of marine plants & animals with not all of them being documented. A large percentage of the marine flora & fauna live in the mangrove areas or the coral reefed areas. There is an incredible amount in diversity in the Andros Barrier Reef & in the other ecosystems, all of which deserved to be acknowledged. Now let’s delve into the marine flora & fauna of .
Marine Animals
There are a plethora of marine animals the reside or migrate through the waters around Andros Island. A large chunk of them being either whales, sea turtles, or exotic fish. There are 164 known species that live in the Andros Barrier Reef. However unfortunately this list is not public domain so we cannot disclose the animals on that list.
Marine Plants
Marine vegetation is incredibly important to marine biological research. Unfortunately there is not a well-documented list of any of the marine plants of Andros Island. However we do know that there are at least 33 species of moss from 28 genera. This was documented in by Elizabeth G. Britton in 1921. There are 7 known types of coral as well as 1 species of mangrove tree. Unfortunately any other information is not public domain or has not been published at all.
How Ocean Acidification Had Affected The Andros Barrier Reef
Ocean acidification has affected many coral reefs by causing them to bleach. Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, and deforestation, for the past 150 years. When carbon dioxide contacts sea water, it forms carbonic acid. Carbonic acid gives off positive H+ ions, which causes increased oceanic H+ concentrations and decreased oceanic ph. The increased carbon dioxide is causing the coral to bleach with can kill small coral reefs entirely. The effect that ocean acidification gives off has been minimized or eradicated due to the fact that the Bahamas are carbon free. This is why the Andros barrier reef is one of the healthiest in the world. This gives marine biologists hope that hopefully one day, all if not most coral reefs will be restored.
Our Conclusion
The oceans & ecosystems surrounding Andros Island are extremely diverse & tropical waters. They contain all sorts of marine flora & fauna, as well as having numerous ecosystems with no ecosystem being the same. These oceans deserve more thought & research effort from marine scientists & oceanographers. Andros Island is beautiful, biologically diverse, & all together one of the prettiest islands.
Strategic Partnerships
Reel Guppy Outdoors
Our Loyal Patrons
Ms. Ochoa
Comments