JOHN PATERSON Books

The complexity of coral reef ecosystems is not surprising given the great length of time that these ecosystems have been in existence. While the shallow water distribution of coral reefs has varied with the alternation of glacial and interglacial periods, in their broad biological form, coral reefs have existed since the Precambrian and reefs similar to present reefs have existed for around 50 million years.Since the late 1950's, coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific region have experienced population outbreaks of the corallivorous crown-of-thorns starfish. The resultant loss of hard coral cover on some reefs of the Great Barrier Reef was studied during the period of outbreak, and subsequently, so that both the short- and long-term effects of this predator would be known.In addition to starfish outbreaks, the Great Barrier Reef is suffering from recurring coral bleaching events due to global warming and increased nutrient runoff from the adjacent mainland. It will require a sustained effort to understand the impact of these events and how best to mitigate them. In the end, the future of the Reef is up to us to decide.The following Artificial Intelligence (AI) images are derived from the previous pictures using Dream Studio and show the enormous future potential of the Great Barrier Reef's beauty, whether it be related to conservation, ecotourism, or art.

Learn about the water cycle with a bundle of beautifully illustrated kids books that come with educational backmatter, perfect for educators, librarians and parents. Readers young and old will love this balanced collection of books on water and the water cycle: from following a water droplet through the cycle in the classic bestseller A Drop Around the World, to hearing from the rain in beautiful poetic verse I Am the Rain, to seeing all of the animals a raindrop encounters (and politely says hello to) in Pitter Patter. Every book contains educational backmatter with STEM and STEAM activities, more information on the water cycle, its role in human and animal habitats, water conservation tips, and more. The Water Cycle bundle is perfect for: Elementary and kindergarten classrooms as part of science curriculum and STEM curriculum Young nature enthusiasts and future water conservationists Parents and teachers that need books on the water cycle for their home schooling materials

"Teachers, parents, kids explore more resources in the back"--Back cover.