Friday 30 November 2012

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE RECIPE


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My friend recently ate this baked cheesecake dish in New York as part of his Thanksgiving meal and said it was delicious. An avid cheesecake lover, I had to make this Halloween dessert and it tastes yummy.  It is the perfect way of using up hollowed-out pumpkin purée.
Serves 6

Ingredients

12 oz / 340g cooked pumpkin or pumpkin puree
15 digestive biscuits
2oz / 60 g butter
8oz / 225 g caster sugar
3 large eggs
8 oz / 250 g mascarponi cheese
7 oz / 200 g cream cheese
90ml / 3fl oz double cream
1 tea spoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tea spoon ground cinnamon

Method

Heat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

Crush the digestive biscuits to form fine crumbs. Melt the butter and add to the biscuit crumbs.  Place the mixture into a cake tin and push down firmly with the back of a spoon.  Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Place the mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Fold the beaten eggs into the cheesecake mixture.

Pour the cheesecake mix onto the base and bake in the oven for 90 minutes until the surface is  set, but the underneath is still wobbly.

Let the cheesecake cool in the tin and then place on a plate and chill overnight.

Serve with the whipped double cream.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

WHAT IS A STARFISH




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Starfish (also known as Sea Stars) belong to the phylum Echinodermata, and are therefore  related to sea urchins and sea cucumbers. All echinoderms are characterised by their five-point radial symmetry.  There are over 1,800 species of starfish and they vary considerably. Starfish and Sea Stars belong to the class Asteroidea, whilst Brittle Stars or Basket Stars are ophiuroids.  


They are all marine creatures, although some live in the intertidal zone, some in deep water, some in tropical areas and some in cold water. They typically have a central disc body and five arms (or multiples thereof).  Some species have many more arms, such as the 40 arms of the sun star. They are often brightly coloured in shades of red or orange, or blue/grey/brown.

The surface of their skin can be spiny or smooth, depending on the species. A starfish's skin may feel leathery, or slightly prickly. Starfish have a tough covering on their upper side, which is made up of plates of calcium carbonate with tiny spines on their surface. A starfish's spines are used for protection from predators.



While they can't see as well as we do, starfish have an eye spot at the end of each arm. This is a very simple eye that looks like a red spot. The eye doesn't see much detail, but can sense light and dark.

Instead of blood, starfish have a water vascular system, in which the sea star pumps sea water through its sieve plate. Starfish have hundreds of little feet along their arms called tube-feet. These tubes are connected by small canals and allow them to operate a water vascular system which enables their respiration, locomotion, food and waste transpiration.  They move across both land and sea by alternatively contracting muscles that allow water into the tube feet, causing them to extend and contract in order to push them against the ground.



Their mouth and gut is located at the bottom of their central disc. They have a unique way of eating their prey. They eat bivalves like mussels and clams, as well as small fish, snails, and barnacles. Starfish have two stomachs and they can push their first stomach out through their mouth and into its preys shell. This means they can eat something like a clam by pushing their stomach into its shell, rather than trying to get it into their mouth. It starts to digest the animal, then pulls its stomach back in and passes it to the second stomach. This allows the sea star to eat larger prey than it would otherwise be able to fit into its tiny mouth.


Starfish can reproduce both sexually and asexually, although they commonly reproduce by spawning. To increase their chances of fertilization, starfish probably gather in groups when they are ready to spawn, use environmental signals to coordinate timing (day length to indicate the correct time of the year, dawn or dusk to indicate the correct time of day), and may use chemical signals to indicate their readiness to each other. Fertilized eggs  live as plankton, suspended in the water and swimming by using beating cilia. Unlike adults, the larvae are bilaterally symmetrical and have a distinct left and right side. Eventually, they undergo a complete metamorphosis, settle to the bottom, and grow into adults.

Some, but not all, species of starfish can regrow a new limb given time. Some species can even regrow a new central disc from a single arm, therefore creating a whole new starfish. However, often part of the central body is required to be joined to the arm. This fragmentation is often used to evade predators or as an escape response. It often takes a starfish several months or even years to carry out this regeneration, and they are vulnerable to infections during this stage.
Starfish are important ecologically, and are keystone species, playing a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community. Its impact on the community is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass. The carnivorous starfish Pisaster ochracceus feeds on mussels and plays a key role in maintaining the balance of all other species in the community. Without the Pisaster ochracceus the populations of mussels within the community would soon grow unchecked and greatly reduce the community's diversity.

For related articles click onto:

WHAT IS A SEA ANEMONE?




The sea anemones are a large group of soft bodied animals closely related to coral-forming polyps, and belonging to the same phylum as the jellyfish.  

Related to corals, they reach their greatest diversity and abundance on the tropical reefs. Some of the largest sea anemones are found in Australian waters and can grow to over a metre in diameter.

Sea anemones occur inmost of the worlds seas at varying depths, but they are most numerous in tropical waters. They take their name from the colourful wild flowers anemones.

Like all these creatures their bodies have a simple structure consisting of an inner and outer layer of cells.  The inner layer surrounds a central cavity, with one  opening to the outside world through which both food and water must pass.  The outer layer consists of amass of fleshy tentacles radiating from around the mouth.  Each is armed with special stinging cells uses both for defence and attack.


Sea anemones are not capable of any great movement and remain anchored to the sea bed or to rocks and corals.  A special disc on the base of each animal produces a sticky cement that secures it fast, even if it is exposed to the waves in tidal rock pools.

Though they are unable to move sea anemones can draw in their tentacles by contracting muscle fibres.  Those inhabiting tidal zones retract completely when they are out of the water, so they resemble blobs of jelly. Sea anemones have no brain.  Instead its nerve cells simply form a network that connects its sense organs and its muscles.

Sea anemones are carnivorous and use their tentacles to catch prey.  The smaller species draw the minute organisms towards their mouths by beating tiny hairs on the tentacles to create a current.  Larger species prey on fish and crustaceans using their powerful stinging cells to stun or kill and mucus secretions to hold the prey fast.


A sea anemone has a muscular tube leading from its mouth into the body cavity.  Once the prey has passed through gland cells secret digestive juices to break down the food.  This digested product is then absorbed into the sea anemones tissue.

Sea anemones reproduce in various ways.  Some can simply divide their bodies into two new individuals, others split off sections of their basal discs which then develop into a new animal and some sea anemones can also reproduce sexually.

Sea anemones provide some of natures best examples of symbiosis, the relationship in which two types of animal benefit from closely associating with one another.  The cloak anemone commonly lives on the shell of the hermit crab.  The crab gains protection from its predators, which are driven off by the anemones powerful stinging cells, while at the same time the anemone gains scraps of food discarded by the crab.


In tropical waters certain species of fish live happily among sea anemones tentacles.  The most famous of these are the clownfish, which have a covering of protective mucus that prevents them being stung by the sea anemones tentacles.  The clownfish clearly gain protection from predators and the anemones may be able to prey on those fish that chase the clownfish too far or even feed on scraps of fish food.

For related articles click onto:
All about starfish
Can starfish grow back their arms?
How many seas are there in the world?
Is the sea sponge a plant or an animal?
Keystone species
Sea animals: Sea Anemones
Sea cucumber facts
Seahorse facts
Star Starfish
The seahorse
The sea cucumber
What is a sea sponge?
What is a cuttlefish?
What is a sea anemone?
What is a starfish?
Why is the Dead Sea so salty?
What is the difference between the sea and the ocean?
What is the Gulf Stream?

Tuesday 27 November 2012

SEAHORSE FACTS


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Seahorse is the title given to forty-seven species of marine fish in the genus Hippocampus. "Hippocampus" comes from the Ancient Greek hippos meaning "horse" and kampos meaning "sea monster". 


Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Subfamily: Hippocampinae 

Lower classifications: Pygmy seahorse, Fisher's seahorse, Sea pony, West African seahorse, Narrow-bellied seahorse, Barbour's seahorse, Réunion seahorse, Knobby seahorse, Giraffe seahorse, Cape seahorse, Tiger tail seahorse, Crowned seahorse, Denise's pygmy seahorse, Long-snouted seahorse, Pacific seahorse, Jayakar's seahorse, Great seahorse, Common seahorse, Lichtenstein's seahorse, Bullneck seahorse, Japanese seahorse, Longsnout seahorse, Shiho's seahorse, Hedgehog seahorse, Tiger snout seahorse, Flat-faced seahorse, New holland seahorse, Zebra seahorse, Dwarf seahorse, Short-snouted seahorse, Big-head seahorse, Hippocampus histrix, Big-belly seahorse

1. Seahorses are fish 
After much debate over the years, scientists finally that seahorses are fish. They breathe using gills, have a swim bladder to control their buoyancy, and are classified in the Class Actinopterygii, the bony fish, which also includes larger fish such as cod and tuna. The seahorse is a member of the pipefish family, belonging to the order Gasterosteiformes, family Syngnathidae and species Hippocampus. 


 2. There are thirty-five species of seahorse 
There are many species of seahorse ranging in size from a 2.5 cm pigmy variety to the giant 35 cm Eastern Pacific seahorse. 

 3. Seahorses mate for life 
Many seahorses are monogamous. The male and female have an elaborate, daily courtship ritual, involving a "dance" where they entwine their tails, and may change colors. 

 4. Seahorses can change colour 
The seahorse escapes the attention of predators by developing long skin filaments and camouflage colouration to match the marine weed in which it lives. Within a matter of seconds it can change from grey or black to bright orange, vivid yellow or even deep plum. 

 5. The seahorse male has a true reversed pregnancy 
In seahorses it is the male who takes on the responsibility of pregnancy. This allows the females to make more eggs straight away without the need to nurture the last batch. In a reverse of roles, because the male limits the rate of reproduction, the females compete with each other for the attention of the males. The babies are born as perfect miniatures of their parents. 


 6. Seahorses can be found in Britain 
There are two species around British Coastline, the Spiny Seahorse (Hippocampus Guttulatus and the Short Snouted Seahorse (Hippocampus Hippocampus). Seahorses are usually found in warm, shallow water amongst sea grass beds. While some species prefer muddy or sandy areas, others can be found hanging onto corals, sponges, mangrove roots or even wrapped around the mooring ropes of boats. 

 7. They can look forward and backwards at the same time 
Seahorses can move their eyes independently and so can follow the activity of passing tiny sea life without giving their presence away. When they judge that their prey is within range they quickly snap it up or suck it in from as much as 3 cm away. 


 8. Seahorses are poor swimmers. 
 They rely on their dorsal fin beating at 30-70 times per second to propel it along. Pectoral fins either side of the head help with stability and steering. Their tails are prehensile; that is they are specially adapted for grasping. To avoid being swept away by the current they wrap their tails around nearby vegetation. 

 9. Seahorses feed constantly. 
 They feed on plankton and small crustaceans. They do not have a stomach, so food passes through their bodies very quickly, and they need to eat nearly constantly. 

 10. Seahorses have an exo-skeleton 
Unlike most other fish, seahorses do not have scales and their bodies are made up of hard, external, bony plates that are fused together with a fleshy covering.


For related articles click onto:
All about starfish
Can starfish grow back their arms?
How many seas are there in the world?
Is the sea sponge a plant or an animal?
Keystone species
Sea animals: Sea Anemones
Sea cucumber facts
Seahorse facts
Star Starfish
The seahorse
The sea cucumber
What is a sea sponge?
What is a cuttlefish?
What is a sea anemone?
What is a starfish?
Why is the Dead Sea so salty?
What is the difference between the sea and the ocean?
What is the Gulf Stream?

Friday 23 November 2012

KEYSTONE SPECIES


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A keystone species is a species that plays a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community and whose impact on the community is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass. 


The role that keystone species plays in its ecosystem is analogous to the role of a keystone in an arch. While the keystone is under the least pressure of any of the stones in an arch, the arch still collapses without it. Similarly, an ecosystem may experience a dramatic shift if a keystone species is removed, even though that species was a small part of the ecosystem by measures of biomass or productivity.
The concept of a keystone species was first introduced by University of Washington professor, Robert T. Paine in 1969. Paine studied community organisms that inhabited the intertidal zone along Washington's Pacific coast. He found that one species, the carnivorous starfish Pisaster ochracceus, played a key role in maintaining the balance of all other species in the community. Paine observed that if Pisaster ochracceus was removed from the community, the populations of two mussel species within the community grew unchecked. Without a predator to control their numbers, the mussels soon took over the community and crowded out other species, greatly reduce reduced the community's diversity.
Keystone species, because of their proportionately large influence on species diversity and community structure, have become a popular target for conservation efforts. The reasoning is sound: protect one, key species and in doing so stabilize an entire community. But the keystone species theory remains a young theory and the underlying concepts are still being developed. For instance, the term was originally applied to a predator species (Pisaster ochracceus), but now the term 'keystone' has been extended to include prey species, plants, and even habitat resources.

Sunday 18 November 2012

CAN STARFISH GROW BACK THEIR ARMS?


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Starfish (also known as Sea Stars) belong to the phylum Echinodermata, and are therefore  related to sea urchins and sea cucumbers. There are over 1,800 species of starfish and they vary considerably. Starfish and Sea Stars belong to the class Asteroidea, whilst Brittle Stars or Basket Stars are ophiuroids.  


They are all marine creatures, although some live in the intertidal zone, some in deep water, some in tropical areas and some in cold water. These radially symmetrical animals typically have a central disc body and five arms (or multiples thereof). 

Some, but not all, species of starfish can regrow a new limb given time. Some species can even regrow a new central disc from a single arm, therefore creating a whole new starfish.  This is because Starfish house most of their vital organs in their arms. The arm lives off its stored nutrients until it regrows a disc (and mouth) and is able to feed again. However, often part of the central body is required to be joined to the arm.


This fragmentation is often used to evade predators or as an escape response. If a star fish is threatened by a predator it can drop an arm, get away and grow a new arm. It often takes a starfish several months or even years to carry out this regeneration, and they are vulnerable to infections during this stage.

Saturday 17 November 2012

STAR STARFISH




Click here for the 'Seeds of Eaden' seed shop

Starfish (also known as Sea Stars) belong to the phylum Echinodermata, and are therefore  related to sea urchins and sea cucumbers. All echinoderms are characterised by their five-point radial symmetry.  There are over 1,800 species of starfish and they vary considerably. Starfish and Sea Stars belong to the class Asteroidea, whilst Brittle Stars or Basket Stars are ophiuroids.  


They are all marine creatures, although some live in the intertidal zone, some in deep water, some in tropical areas and some in cold water. They typically have a central disc body and five arms (or multiples thereof).  Some species have many more arms, such as the 40 arms of the sun star. They are often brightly coloured in shades of red or orange, or blue/grey/brown.

The surface of their skin can be spiny or smooth, depending on the species. A starfish's skin may feel leathery, or slightly prickly. Starfish have a tough covering on their upper side, which is made up of plates of calcium carbonate with tiny spines on their surface. A starfish's spines are used for protection from predators.



While they can't see as well as we do, starfish have an eye spot at the end of each arm. This is a very simple eye that looks like a red spot. The eye doesn't see much detail, but can sense light and dark.

Instead of blood, starfish have a water vascular system, in which the sea star pumps sea water through its sieve plate. Starfish have hundreds of little feet along their arms called tube-feet. These tubes are connected by small canals and allow them to operate a water vascular system which enables their respiration, locomotion, food and waste transpiration.  They move across both land and sea by alternatively contracting muscles that allow water into the tube feet, causing them to extend and contract in order to push them against the ground.



Their mouth and gut is located at the bottom of their central disc. They have a unique way of eating their prey. They eat bivalves like mussels and clams, as well as small fish, snails, and barnacles. Starfish have two stomachs and they can push their first stomach out through their mouth and into its preys shell. This means they can eat something like a clam by pushing their stomach into its shell, rather than trying to get it into their mouth. It starts to digest the animal, then pulls its stomach back in and passes it to the second stomach. This allows the sea star to eat larger prey than it would otherwise be able to fit into its tiny mouth.


Starfish can reproduce both sexually and asexually, although they commonly reproduce by spawning. To increase their chances of fertilization, starfish probably gather in groups when they are ready to spawn, use environmental signals to coordinate timing (day length to indicate the correct time of the year, dawn or dusk to indicate the correct time of day), and may use chemical signals to indicate their readiness to each other. Fertilized eggs  live as plankton, suspended in the water and swimming by using beating cilia. Unlike adults, the larvae are bilaterally symmetrical and have a distinct left and right side. Eventually, they undergo a complete metamorphosis, settle to the bottom, and grow into adults.

Some, but not all, species of starfish can regrow a new limb given time. Some species can even regrow a new central disc from a single arm, therefore creating a whole new starfish. However, often part of the central body is required to be joined to the arm. This fragmentation is often used to evade predators or as an escape response. It often takes a starfish several months or even years to carry out this regeneration, and they are vulnerable to infections during this stage.
Starfish are important ecologically, and are keystone species, playing a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community. Its impact on the community is greater than would be expected based on its relative abundance or total biomass. The carnivorous starfish Pisaster ochracceus feeds on mussels and plays a key role in maintaining the balance of all other species in the community. Without the Pisaster ochracceus the populations of mussels within the community would soon grow unchecked and greatly reduce the community's diversity.

For related articles click onto:
All about starfish
Can starfish grow back their arms?
How many seas are there in the world?
Is the sea sponge a plant or an animal?
Keystone species
Sea animals: Sea Anemones
Sea cucumber facts
Seahorse facts
Star Starfish
The seahorse
The sea cucumber
What is a sea sponge?
What is a cuttlefish?
What is a sea anemone?
What is a starfish?
Why is the Dead Sea so salty?
What is the difference between the sea and the ocean?

What is the Gulf Stream?

Sunday 11 November 2012

WHAT IS THE GULF STREAM?


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The Gulf Stream is a strong, warm, fast moving ocean current that flows into the Atlantic Ocean and is often referred as originating in the Gulf of Mexico.  It makes up a portion of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre.

The Gulf Stream results in the climate of Western and Northern Europe being warmer than it would be otherwise due to the North Atlantic Drift, one of the branches from the tail of the Gulf Stream.

The waters that feed into the Gulf Stream flow from the west coast of Northern Africa. The Atlantic North Equatorial Current flows from that continent across the Atlantic Ocean. The current splits into two currents when it reaches Eastern South America. One of these currents is the Antilles current which is funnelled through the islands of the Caribbean and between Mexico and Cuba.

The northern stream crosses to Northern Europe, whilst the southern stream recirculates off West Africa. Because these areas are often very narrow, the current is able to compress and gather strength. As it does so, it begins circulating in the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters. It is here that the Gulf Stream becomes officially visible on satellite images so it is said that the current originates in this area.
Once it gains enough strength after circulating in the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Stream then moves east.  It rejoins the Antilles Current and exits the area through the Straits of Florida. Here, the Gulf Stream is a powerful underwater river that transports water at a rate of 30 million cubic meters per second.
It then flows parallel to the east coast of the United States and later flows into the open ocean near Cape Hatteras but continues moving north. In this deeper ocean water the Gulf Stream is its most powerful and splits into several currents, the largest of which is the North Atlantic Current.
The North Atlantic Current then flows further north and feeds the Norwegian Current and moves the relatively warm water along the west coast of Europe. The rest of the Gulf Stream flows into the Canary Current which moves along the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean and back south to the equator.
The northern branch of the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic Current, is deeper and is caused by thermohaline circulation resulting from density differences in the water.
Because ocean currents circulate water of different temperatures all over the globe, they often have a significant impact on the world’s climate and weather patterns. The Gulf Stream is one of the most important currents in this regard since it gathers all of its water from the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. As such, it keeps sea surface temperatures warm, causing the areas around it to be warm and more hospitable. Florida and much of the South-eastern United States for instance is mild all year round.
The greatest impact the Gulf Stream has on climate is found in Europe. Since it flows into the North Atlantic Current, it too is warmed (though at this latitude the sea surface temperatures are cooled considerably), and it is believed that it helps keep places like Ireland and England much warmer than they would otherwise be at such a high latitude. For example, the average low in London in December is 42°F (5°C) while in St. John’s, Newfoundland, the average is 27°F (-3°C). The Gulf Stream and its warm winds are also responsible for keeping northern Norway’s coast free of ice and snow.
As well as keeping many places mild, the Gulf Stream’s warm sea surface temperatures also aid in the formation and strengthening of many of the hurricanes that move through the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, the Gulf Stream is important to the distribution of wildlife in the Atlantic. The waters off of Nantucket, Massachusetts for example are incredibly bio diverse because the presence of the Gulf Stream makes it the northern limit for southern species varieties and the southern limit for northern species.
Although there are no definitive answers, it is believed that the Gulf Stream could be in the future or is already being impacted by global warming and the melting of glaciers. Some studies suggest that with the melting of ice in places like Greenland, cold, dense water will flow into the ocean and disrupt the flow of the Gulf Stream and other currents that are part of the Global Conveyor Belt. If this were to happen, weather patterns worldwide could change.