Disappearing Islands

Mining To Blame For Islands To Sink Beneath Waves
By Sivaramakrishnan Parameswaran
 

 

Turtles are among the animals making use of the gulf's plentiful food and shelter.

 

Two small islands in South Asia's first marine biosphere reserve have sunk into the sea primarily as a result of coral reef mining, experts say.

The islets were in a group in the Gulf of Mannar, between India and Sri Lanka.
The Indo-Pacific region is considered to contain some of the world's richest marine biological resources.
The group's 21 islands and islets are protected as part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, covering an area of nearly 560 sq km (216 sq miles).
Fishermen had indiscriminately and illegally mined invaluable coral reefs around the islets of Poomarichan and Villanguchalli for many decades, said S Balaji, chief conservator of forests and wildlife for that region of Tamil Nadu state.
"The absence of any regulations prior to 2002 led to illegal mining of the coral reefs, which came to an end when environmental protection laws were enacted," he told the BBC Tamil Service.
Mr Balaji said rising sea level as a result of global warming was also a factor behind the islands' submergence.
But this was questioned by Simon Holgate from the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in Liverpool, UK, who said observations showed that the sea level in the region had been rising slower than the global average.

"I think that global sea level rise had little impact on the disappearance of these islands and it must be due to other reasons, possibly the mining of coral reefs," Dr Holgate told BBC News.

Though these islets were only 3-5m (10-15 ft) above sea level, their submergence sounded an alarm bell about the danger many more small islands faced in the long run, according to Mr Balaji, who is also director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GOMBRT).
The Gulf of Mannar was chosen as a biosphere reserve by the Indian government in 1989 because of its biological and ecological uniqueness, and the distinctive socio-economic and cultural profile shaped by its geography.
Most of the 21 islands are uninhabited, and the corals were mined for use as a binding material in the construction industry, as they were rich in calcium carbonate.
Rich biodiversity The biosphere reserve is a storehouse of about 3,600 species of marine flora and fauna.

Many more wait to be studied, said Deepak Samuel, marine biologist and project associate with the Energy and Environment Unit of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
"The Gulf of Mannar is a unique reserve with ecosystems like coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass," Mr Samuel said.
"It is a nursery for shell and fin fishes, which means the entire breeding and juvenile raising takes places in these three ecosystems."
More than 300,000 fishermen depend on the Gulf of Mannar for their livelihood. It is also the dwelling place for many endemic species, notably the dugong or "sea cow".
Studies have proved that this gulf is home to 117 species of corals belonging to 37 genera, and 13 out of the 14 species of seagrasses in Indian seas.
The area has also been famous for pearl harvesting for over 2,000 years.
According to marine biologists, a quarter of the 2,000-plus fin fish species in Indian waters are in this gulf, making it one of the region's most diverse fish habitats.

 
Most of the islands are uninhabited, and rise just a few metres above sea level

The loss of these two islands should be a "wake-up call" for all those in the entire Asia-Pacific region, said Mr Balaji.
Though the lost islets were small, he cautioned that a similar fate may happen to larger islands in the long run as a result of global warming coupled with large scale mining.
Losing the reefs may result in migration of fish populations to other regions, which would result in loss of the gulf's biodiversity, according to Dr Samuel.
"Lost islets are indicators, and can even be considered as a warning," he said.
With the threat of climate change in years to come, factors such as coral mining will have an accelerating effects on the submergence of many island, he warned.
People in the area have gone on record many times as saying that the coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar saved them from destruction when the devastating tsunami struck in December 2004.
Experts also point out the need to keep the remaining 19 islands and islets "pristine" in order to offer them some protection them from processes such as climate change.
The Indian National Oceanographic Institute point out that very few of the islands and islets in the gulf are in good shape.
Collection of coral by students for research over many decades, and heavy industrial pollution caused by onshore industries, have inflicted an irreversible damage to the coral reefs in this unique marine biosphere.

Source: BBC - May 13, 2011

The Food - Turmeric, Nature's Priceless Gift To Us

Wonder Spice: Tumeric
By PRIYA MENON

"Let the kitchen be thy apothecary and let food be your medicine" - Hippocrates
SPICES are used in Indian cooking not only for their flavour but also for the health benefits they provide. The spice that is widely used for its curative benefits is the turmeric.
It is classified as a wonder spice. Its healing properties are revered and it is used in daily meal preparation in the Indian kitchen till today.
Benefits of turmeric
Turmeric is known for its medicinal properties. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin which has the same healing power as any other anti-inflammatory medicines.
Indians have been using turmeric to treat internal ulcers for thousands of years. It is used in treating cuts and burns and as a liver detoxifier. Tumeric is also applied on the face to prevent pimples. These are just some of the benefits of turmeric. It’s always a wise to seek advice from an experienced and certified traditional medical practitioner on the correct dosage of turmeric.
My first encounter with this spice was when I was seven and down with chicken pox. My mother would fill a tub with water and add neem leaves and turmeric powder. The mixture would be left to sit in the sun. By mid noon (depending on the strength of the sunlight), the tepid water is brought indoors.
The water was poured over my body and this ritual continued for a few days. I was too young to understand the significance of this ritual.
Years later, out of curiosity, I decided to investigate the logic behind it. Neem has antibacterial properties while turmeric is an antiseptic and antioxidant. Now, it all made sense.
I make turmeric tea once a month by steeping one level teaspoon of pure turmeric powder to one cup of hot water. Let it sit for 10 minutes and drink it. It acts as a detox agent.
Types of turmeric
Turmeric, slightly bitter in taste, is found in all Asian grocery stores. Turmeric is available in whole, powdered and tablet form. I use both powder and fresh turmeric in my cooking.
It’s always important to read the ingredients printed on the packet of your turmeric powder. It has to be pure and not adulterated. It should read pure turmeric powder.
Tumeric in cooking
Tumeric is widely used by other Asian communities in their cooking. I was introduced to Nasi Kunyit and the different versions of Lemak (creamy coconut gravy) by my Malay friends.
The next thing that comes to mind is the yellow tauhu (soy bean cake). You can hardly find them these days. You can eat them as they are. They are so tasty. They are salted, not too much, but just right.
The tauhu was always partnered with taugeh (bean sprouts). Thanks to our Chinese friends, the tauhu and taugeh often showed up on restaurant menus.
Indians tempered the spices before adding tauhu and the taugeh. Here are some recipes that you can make using the wonderful turmeric.
Related recipes
Potato Turmeric Masala
Simple Dhall
Tumeric Fried Fish

Source: Kuali.com - Tuesday, April 19, 2011

******

20 Health Benefits Of Turmeric

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.
The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer's disease.
Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:
1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.
2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.
4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.
5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.
6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.
7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.
8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.
9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.
10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.
11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.
12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.
13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.
14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.
16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.
17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.
18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.
19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.
20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.
Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.
Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it's fun to find new ways to use it in recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a pinch of it to egg salad. It adds a nice flavor and gives the egg salad a rich yellow hue.
Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

Source: Health Diaries