May 16, 2011

Coral Reefs are rich, sensitive ecosystems vital to the survival of one-quarter of all sea life and the economies of many countries. But what are corals really, how do they function and why are they now threatened by rising sea temperatures and increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

World leading Australian marine scientists Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and Professor Peter Harrison answer these and many other questions about corals reefs in two new series of educational video presentations both hosted by Dr 'Kiki' Sanford.

Created in collaboration with Education Services Australia, The Le@rning Federation, Specialty Studios and Plankton Productions, a total of nine insightful video modules with support materials aligned with curriculum standards for education in science are now available.

Enhanced by beautiful and, at times, confronting underwater HD cinematography by David Hannan and also animated sequences, the nine new instructional modules provide a clear introduction to coral reefs, coral ecology and the issues that confront them. Viewers will also learn what a coral scientist does and what it takes to become one.

The first series hosted by Dr 'Kiki' Sanford entitled Coral Reefs and Climate Change features Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and covers four critical areas of concern:

• Introduction to Climate Change and Coral Reefs
• Ocean Acidification
• Coral Bleaching
• The Future of Coral Reefs

The DVD version includes a detailed teachers guide and resources featuring an innovative group discussion format‚ the 'Climate Cafe' to encourage investigative research and student presentations. It also includes a full 28-minute presentation by Prof. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg who details his scientific findings about the impact of climate change on coral reefs, with charts, graphs and other visuals. (See the related news item on David Hannans website here:

→ www.davidhannan.com/news/latest-news/latest-news.php#climatechange

A second series of five video modules entitled Exploring Coral Reefs: Reproduction and Survival features Dr Peter Harrison. He explains how a suite of reproductive techniques such as cloning and mass coral spawning may help corals overcome their current decline and covers:

• The work of a coral reef scientist
• Coral reef reproduction
• Coral reef mass spawning
• Coral repair mechanisms
• Coral survival

Australian & NZ teachers, students and institutions can view the video modules online from state and territory education web portals by starting here:
→ http://www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/for_teachers/

Available on DVD in North America through The Video Project here:

Coral Reefs and Climate Change
→ http://www.videoproject.com/clchandcorec.html

Exploring Coral Reefs: Reproduction and Survival
→ http://www.videoproject.com/excorereands.html

← Back to News  |  Top ↑