Sharks are apex predators that control
the diversity of an ecosystem by consuming
various organisms. One of
the most common types of sharks in the Florida Keys is the nurse shark.
Nurse sharks can grow from 7.5 feet to nearly ten feet in length but can reach
up to 14 feet and spend a majority of their time on the sea floor. Although
they appear docile they will bite if disturbed or stepped on. The diet of nurse
sharks consists mostly of fish, squid and shrimp but they will also consume parts
of coral and shellfish. Their bodies are gray-brown in color and have tails
in which the top fin can be a fourth of their body length.
Fortunately institutions such as Nova
Southeastern University conduct research on the diets of sharks that are found
in local waters so they can determine if the food supply is sufficient or not.
They will study the radioactive isotope signatures in the tissue samples that
they collect from the sharks and based on the signatures they can determine
what the sharks are eating. The institution also uses forensic science to
conduct surveys of the largest shark fin market in Hong Kong. Using this
technology scientists can determine where shark fins have originated from when
they are taken from people who illegally smuggle them into the US. As more
research is gathered, scientists can provide evidence that will allow sharks to
be protected from being exploited for soup. Sharks are crucial to marine
ecosystems around the world, without sharks the ecosystems will perish,
henceforth why conservation is important to keep ecosystems alive.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.