The Oceans Surrounding The Island Of Nanumanga, Tuvalu
Todays article shall be to discuss the oceans surrounding the island of Nanumanga, Tuvalu. Nanumanga is an island in the South Pacific, it belongs to the country of Tuvalu. It has a very small population as it is only 1 square mile in total. There are approximately 491 people
who inhabit the island. It is approximately 3556.56 Nautical / Marine Miles (4092.816154 miles or 6586.74912 kilometers) from mainland Asia, specifically the country of China. It is also approximately 1706.54 Nautical / Marine Miles (1963.851159 miles or 3160.51208 kilometers) from Australia. The island is known for their beautiful coral reefs & scuba diving experiences. The country of Tuvalu is most well known for being built on massive coral atolls, with a large percentage of their ocean having some presence of living coral. This attracts many other marine species which in turn diversifies the area. The area also has a quite favourable climate, with it being quite warm for the entire year. The oceanic temperature changes very slightly through the seasons, so this may attract species that require lots of prey as prey will be available year round. The species that are attracted, form new ecological structures & make others more feasible, an example where this is seen is seagrass meadows. The oceans have many small scattered atolls in the region that belong to Nanumanga. Atolls, are a kind of ring shaped coral reef that protrudes from the surface of the ocean, or a ring shaped island with a coral rim. This shows that the coral is healthy enough for these atolls to be sustained. There are dozens of many small islets that exist around the island. The oceans are also very clear & as pollutants are not very present in most areas. For this reason, many recreational activities commonly take place along the surface, such as swimming, kayaking, scuba diving & snorkelling, & surfing. In this article, we shall be discussing the salinity, tides, temperatures, marine geography, & basic Information about the oceans surrounding Nanumanga, the most prominent marine ecosystems of Nanumanga, the documented marine flora & fauna of Nanumanga, & finally how the marine resources of Nanumanga were utilized & how ocean acidification has affected Nanumangas ecological health. With that being said, let us delve into this reef island paradise.
The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Basic Information Of The Oceans Surrounding Nanumanga, Tuvalu
Unfortunately, the exact salinity of Nanumanga or Tuvalu has never been measured. Since Nanumanga rests in the Pacific ocean, it has a lesser salinity then the Atlantic. Salt deposits or brine pools have not been proven to be found around the island in higher concentrations then other areas. However, this could change. Since the average salinity of the water in the southeastern Pacific is 35 parts per thousand at any given time, it can be assumed that the salinity level is somewhere around that. Salinity is measured in 1,000 grams. For every 1000 grams of water there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. There are also zero current on going factors that would affect the salinity levels in such a harsh way that the salinity would change. The temperatures can be found on a plethora of webpages but the best for navigation, are https://www.tideschart.com & https://www.meteoblue.com. The oceanic temperatures for Nanumanga go between 76° Fahrenheit & 85° Fahrenheit (24.4444° Celsius to 28.3333° Fahrenheit). The tides go can also be found on said webpage & usually don’t reach higher then 2.1 meters (6.88976 feet). There is a high riptide so it is important that you stay safe in order to not get sucked out by the current. There are no randomly forming currents other then the harsh riptide. This makes it very good for surfing as waves reach somewhat high. It is unknown what the deepest oceanic point within 5 Nautical / Marine Miles of Nanumanga is. There are very few sea mounts within close proximity of Nanumanga. There sea floor around Nanumanga largely consists of Coral & Sand.
The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of Nanumanga, Tuvalu
Fringing Coral Reefs
Fringing coral reefs are the coral reefs that are found along the coast. These are the coral reefs that are not coral islands. These coral reefs are the most attractive to fish & other marine species. This is because the fringing coral reef provides a hunting ground, fish nursery, & home for many species. It acts as a refuge for thousands of species. It is one of the most important marine ecological features of Nanumanga. These fringing reefs are found scattered around the coast line. They do not have 1 specific area around the island. It is unfortunately, unclear as to what exactly the coral species are. These fringing coral reefs, may also completely line the coasts to the point where the island is considered a “Reef island”. Nanumanga is at that point. Specifically, Nanumanga has beautiful & colourful coral reefs.
Coral Atolls
Coral atolls are circular coral reefs that encompass lagoons. Tuvalu has very many of them, the majority of them are near Nanumanga. These coral reefs are usually very small & do not protrude farther then a few feet. There are currently 6 atolls in Tuvaluan jurisdiction. These atolls were largely formed by oceanic volcanoes. These atolls usually are somewhat polluted, as the above ground areas are some of the only places were Tuvaluans can live. By them moving in, they begin polluting the area. Atolls are usually not found directly off the coast of another island.
Seagrass Meadows
Seagrass meadows often embellish coral reefs. Seagrass meadows are large amounts of seagrass forming patches or meadows. These are fairly common as seagrass congregates in the area due to the favourable conditions. These areas are most commonly fish nurseries as fish will lay their eggs in these areas. These areas can be coastal or further out. These areas are extremely delicate as they do not have a hard exterior like the coral reef. The actual species of seagrass that make up these coral reefs will be discussed in the subsection below known as “The Marine Fauna Of Nanumanga”.
The Documented Marine Flora Of Nanumanga, Tuvalu
There are very many different species of marine flora found around Nanumanga, many of which are foreign. During an assessment, it was discovered that there are algae approximately 59 species of algae from 4 different Phyla. It is unfortunately, unknown what exact species of seagrasses there currently are on the island. The Marine Flora unfortunately, is very under documented. There also is a semi-small patch of mangrove forest near Tonga which is the main village on the island. The main mangrove tree species found there is known was Rhizophora Styloza (Small-stilted mangrove). Since Nanumanga is a very low island, these trees are sinking & so is the land. This puts them at a great disadvantage & soon most likely, these mangrove forests will no longer exist.
The Documented Marine Fauna Of Nanumanga, Tuvalu
The marine fauna of Tuvalu is strange & expansive, so for the purpose of this article we will not be discussing plankton or things of that nature. One of the main creatures found around this island is known as the diamondback squid, who we covered in the article prior to this one. Since the island had many coral reefs & a stable temperature year round, it attracts many species seeking favourable climate & food. Many of the creatures are migratory & will migrate to other islands & back, this is for the purpose of catching food usually. The locals on the island also make sure that the island stays relatively unpopulated so this keeps the ecosystems undisturbed. Also since the population of this island is very low the pollution output from the locals is minimal. This specific island does not have much to offer other then fishing. What is meant by this, is that there are not many other marine resources to utilize, other then the wildlife. The island also does not have much of a harbour, so boat emissions are minimized as well. There have currently been 12 species of Cetaceans spotted in Tuvaluan waters. There have been a total of 69 main marine species spotted in this specific area, many of which are predatory sea snails belonging to the genus “Conus”.
How The Marine Resources Of Nanumanga Were Utilized & How Ocean Acidification Affected Nanumanga’s Ecological Health
Many of the marine resources that have been taken out of Nanumanga, have been fish. Fishing is a somewhat common practice around the island. These are usually personal fisherman rather then commercial fisherman. This causes a population decrease, however it also causes a different issue. This issue is that when a species decreases in population, its prey is no longer as likely to be eaten. This causes the prey population to increase, which can cause issues. A good example of this happening is the crown of thorns environmental disaster on American Samoa, which is just a few islands away. Ocean acidification has also affected the coral reefs around the island. 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, & 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 & decreased oceanic Ph. This PH difference, is causing coral to bleach at a rapid rate. This is devastating the coral reefs of Nanumanga & surrounding islands.
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