Honors Projects
Abstract
This honors project uses a children’s book format to aid in explaining the importance of saving the coral reefs. This book will be informing the younger generations about important, yet complicated issues at hand in a way that they can understand and relate to. The book explains how coral reefs are important for oxygen production, biodiversity, research opportunities, protection of coastal environments and for the economy. The children’s book explains how human activities and natural stressors can impact coral survivorship. The book explains how overfishing allows for excessive algal growth that smothers corals and tackles how coral bleaching occurs and how global warming drives it. Moreover, the book discusses harmful toxins in products like sunscreen, coral diseases and natural disasters, and how sedimentation and turbidity impacts and lowers coral health. Lastly, the book dives into how younger generations can get involved in reducing their carbon footprint and impact on the environment to help lessen the threats on the corals. This book allows younger generations to understand difficult concepts and understand the importance of taking action to reduce their ecological footprint by living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Department
Biological Sciences
Major
Marine and Aquatic Biology
First Advisor
Holly Myers
First Advisor Department
Environment and Sustainability
Second Advisor
Matthew Partin
Second Advisor Department
Biological Sciences
Publication Date
Winter 12-11-2017
Repository Citation
Maconochie, Marla, "Saving The Planet Begins With Saving The Coral Reefs" (2017). Honors Projects. 398.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects/398
Reflection on why a childrens book was chosen for the honors project