Learn About The Clouds (Basic)

The Clouds for Basic
by Fda Widodo

what is The Cloud actually ?

In general, the clouds look like white or gray smoke is a set of steam that the order of water molecules (H2O) and get above of the atmosphere on the surface of our earth.

How can The Cloud be so moisture?

In fact, the air around us contains water vaporize as well. However, if moisture is abundant and will point the water is then followed by hot sun blazing hot air that causes the water vapor will ascend to the sky and then stops to meet with the atmosphere if the temperature is lower. Or it can also occur when the air temperature is normal, but the atmosphere the earth  is lower itself, the nature itself will make the water into steam or lump-string untain cloud.

If the cloud has been formed, from which the small and slightly increases slowly and large weight of course. If this continues to saturate themselves in the cloud. If you have experienced the saturation, the large and heavy clouds, which is well known by the term is clouded will be reincarnated into the rain.

So, Why The Cloud had some form of changes?

Temperature atmosphere is always changing, sometimes hot, normal, or a cold. If the point of water which is in the clouds to meet a hot air, it will cause more evaporation. The cloud missing will be causing to be in pieces and have various forms and types. If it happens, the cloud may not be spelled always provide for foreshadow of the rain.

Have the type of cloud? What are the types?
In general, be some kind of cloud, such as:
Cloud 1

Cumulus clouds, is a type of cloud that cause fruit such as cabbage and have a basic form of a flat. Cumulus clouds themselves divided into several types, such as Strato cumulus (young), Cumulus, and Cumulus Nimbus. Usually, Cumulus Nimbus clouds, this is an omen of the rainfall.

Cloud 2

Stratus clouds, is a type of cloud, which is relatively thin and usually wrap a wide sky.
Cloud 3
Cirrus clouds, which is a type of cloud ice crystals are often found, such as fine wool fibrous and usually the form of clouds, this does not cause rain. This cloud is a cloud of high (more than 8000 meters). Because the region is high, it is often found that ice crystals usually begin above 8000 m.

Well, so little like the introduction to the cloud. Time to go through a more then basically. Hope, it can be useful.
Reading Material:
 id.wikipidia.org; www.pbase.com; abgnet.blogspot.com
photo credit:
@ fdawidodo

The Crown of Thorns Starfish

Overview of Crown of Thorns Starfish
by FDA Widodo

Is it Crown of Thorns Starfish actually?

Wool is one of the thousand kinds of sea animals from the Sea of Stars is the largest among the other types of Sea Stars. Thousand wool or term in the original Crown of Thorns Starfish existence recorded for the first time by George Rumphius year 1705 then by Corolus Linaeus (Mr. Taksonomy) are named Acanthaster planci.

Figure 1. the Crown of Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci)

While the body has coloring of thorns is quite diverse. It Can be found in coloring of the Crown of Thorns Starfish were Blue, Purple, Green, and Grey. In other countries such as Thailand, the color tends Crown of Thorns Starfish to Red-Gray and the same is also found in Australia (The Great Barrier Reef), but were found different in Hawaii, Crown of Thorns Starfish tend Green and Red color. Although it has a diversity of color, but for its name still have only one name, Achantaster planci.

Why do Crown of Thorns Starfish have thorns?

In addition to have color variation, Crown of Thorns Starfish's variation also has a number of arms was between 8 - 21 pieces arms, the variations madreporit 3 - 16 units with the anus is also varied (1 - 6 pieces). Meanwhile, skin the body itself consists of a matrix material Magnesium Calcite. Above the surface of the skin that, thorns grow in the number of lots and tuck in almost all the surface of the skin. This is a form of their defendences to be against their predators. Precisely at the spine a piece of the skin, there are poisons that are anti predator. Poison itself is a form of protein which is often called the substance saponen. In humans that are accidentally exposed to the spine will cause pain that extraordinary, tickles or a blister on the skin of a Crown of Thorns Starfish's punctured .

Just as well as hair, thorns grow in the Crown of Thorns Starfish sweep from their base start. This increase followed by a long dark thorn from the base to tip, so that the spine can be seen on the color difference between dark - bright enough light. The coloring of dark-light is an accumulation associated with substance Crown of Thorns Starfish's thorns saponen.

How do the Crown of Thorns Starfish breed?

At Crown of Thorns Starfish are divided into male and female is not known so that the feathers of a thousand hermaprodit. Thousand feather weight of adult females 0.5 - 4 kg is able to produce eggs of 4-6,5 million eggs to the size reached 0.2 mm. its mating occurs outside the body itself, namely the male will release sperm that reach the size of 0.5 mm in water and also be followed by the female with eggs. Many experts argued that if the process of fertilization occurs outside the body (external) between Crown of Thorns Starfish male and female is influenced by the geographical situation. In the northern hemisphere occurs in May-July and in the southern hemisphere in November - January. However, not much known to the Equator itself.

How was the Crown of Thorns Starfish's growth ?

After the egg and sperm meet, the Crown of Thorns Starfish will be experienced two phases of growth in his life, namely:

1. Plankton phase of up to 16 days and be followed a metamorphosis.
2. Post-metamorphosis phase which is the phase to Crown of Thorns Starfish young born.

After age 2 years, the Crown of Thorns Starfish has become a young parent and ready to perform Maintenance as preceding.

However, the growth of Crown of Thorns Starfish not be separated from environmental factors place to live. Tolerance limit of maximum temperature alone is 33 degrees C and minimum 14 degrees C. Meanwhile, the growth speed of the normal reach 26 mm / month for individuals who still eat seaweed (algae), and will grow quickly when Crown of Thorns Starfish be as a coral predator has begun.

Where does the Crown of Thorns Starfish lives?

Thousand feathers can be found in areas that have coral reef area and wide drifting relatively protected from strong waves. Usually found in the depth of 2 - 6 meters (vertical distribution of), but in the Great Barrier Reef can be found up to 65 meters depth!. Crown of Thorns Starfish have in a unique way to treat the body itself, this is closely associated with the regeneration rate. If Crown of Thorns Starfish lose a third of her body, it will quickly recover as usual. For example, if their hands be broke of, then dropped out of the section will grow back with a speed of 25 mm / month.

Whom is the enemy of Crown of Thorns Starfish's natural?

Although most do not have a predator because there was thorns with saponen on all their body, but Crown of Thorns Starfish also have some natural enemies. In the phase plankton, Crown of Thorns Starfish when eat soft coral and massive coral, they will be the food of coral fish such as Chromis dimidiata. At Crown of Thorns Starfish be a young form, will be a prey of Coral Shrimp (Hymenocera picta), Lobster Panulirus penicillatus, and when the adults will be hunted by the type of worms Pherecardia striata with reef fish species Arothon hispidus, and the type of moluska Charonia tritonis. Almost 5 - 6% Crown of Thorns Starfish deaths caused their predators, while the main cause is the disease (phase planton and young).

Figure 2. the Coral shrimp Hymenocera picta, Lobster Panulirus penicillatus, and Gastropod Charonia tritonis

Why did a Crown of Thorns Starfish become outbreak?

Due to environmental resources to support the weak, then is not marvel if the population is now experiencing Crown of Thorns Starfish exploded anxious enough. This has caused the death of coral reefs in the area of coral reef ecosystems by increasing the result of the Crown of Thorns Starfish.

How do we control them?

Various ways have been made to control the outbreak of Crown of Thorns Starfish, among others, with animals killed at this place the way the body slit-less minimum 4 parts. There was also a way of water and then buried alive in sand. While the third way by using the concentrated liquid of cupri sulphate with doses up to 10 ml / tail as been done in Australia Great Barrier Reef when the population over Crown of Thorns Starfish. But in Indonesia itself?

Reading list.
Public Awareness About Coral Reefs (The Destruction of Coral by Suharsono in Indonesia (LIPI, Jakarta).

Credit photo
Anemon Diving Club FMIPA Biology University of Lampung, http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/1757096361/sizes/s/, and http://www.flickr.com/photos/boogieswithfish/434398686/sizes/s/ .

Duyung - Dugong

To know about Duyung

by FDA Widodo

Duyung, Who is that?

Duyung or the Dugong in foreign language is one of the mammals that live in the sea than like the Lumba-lumba and Pope. There are also animals that is almost similar to Duyung, but he lives in the river waters, he was known as the Pesut or Orcaella brevirostis. The area of Pesut living in rivers like the river in East Kalimantan (Pesut Mahakam is located in the Mahakam River, Kalimantan). While the language in which Duyung (Dugong dugong), marine mammals are included in the family Dugongidae of Sirenia order.










Figure 1. Comparison between Duyung and Pesut Mahakam.


Where can be found the Dugong?

Dugong or Duyung spread from Africa to the coast of Papua New Guinea, including them in Southeast Asia and Australia in the North. In Indonesia alone, Duyung spread from Sumatra to the East Kalimantan region, including South Sea of Java, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, and North Maluku, Papua (Cenderawasih Bay) and the Aru Islands in the South Moluccas.

How Duyung status now?

Based on the regulations of Law No 5 / 1990, Duyung is one of the protected marine mammals and existence has been rare. Therefore, those who violate this rule, then akan dipenjara for 5 years or fine of Rp 500 million.

How is actually of Duyung behaviors?

Duyung is a sea mammal. Although most of his life in the sea water and breathe with lungs, Duyung able to dive in the water for almost a basic 15 minutes. Weight of adult Duyung itself reached 400 kg with a body length of up to 3 meters. Duyung is herbivora animal (plant eater). Main feed is yet Duyung (seagrass), which many found in the area of dunes coastal. Duyung is also a nocturnal animal (active at the night). Duyung was on adult age 9-10 years old, he will be pregnant soon and bear children was always 1. While the distance to both the first pregnancy takes 3 - 7 years. So, it is quite difficult to Duyung Maintenance. Duyung female who gave birth to children will continue to maintain and care for the baby at a time until children aged 2 - 3 years. Duyung will continue it living up to reach the age of 70 years.

Whether this present condition in Indonesia, will it support life of Duyung?

As a result of the development of the region and the increasing number of people in Indonesia have also resulted in increased demand for housing as a place to live. Along with that, does not understand the concept of sustainable development and coastal regions are still many seagrass growth that must be destroyed because of the beach hilling or more often called 'reclamation'. If the lack of which have yet Padang in Indonesia, the indirect Duyung will be very existence threatened. Hopefully the development of current and also to the future get be more prudent.

Figure 2. seagrass is the feed for the sustainability of life Duyung

Photo credits.
• http://marufkasim.blog.com/368507
• http://library.thinkquest.org/26184/dugong.htm
• http://www.kutaikartanegara.com/pesut.html

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