(ORDO NEWS) — From space, the famous Red Sea appears blue, but that belies its name. Where did it come from then?
The Red Sea from space looks like everything else – dark blue. But why is it called Red? In fact, there are several answers to this question.
Perhaps the answer to this question may be related to algae – in this case, the species Trichodesmium erythraeum.
Sometimes referred to as “sea sawdust,” this type of cyanobacteria (aquatic bacteria that survive through photosynthesis), belonging to the blue-green algae group, is responsible for about 60%-80% of nitrogen conversion in the ocean, according to NASA‘s Earth Observatory.
Why is the Red Sea called red
T. erythraeum is prolific and occurs in most of the world‘s tropical and subtropical oceans. It grows profusely in the Red Sea and is subject to periodic flowering.
When the algae die off, the water takes on a reddish-brown color as the dying algae spread across the surface of the sea.
However, it is also possible that the Red Sea is named after the red mountains that line parts of its coastline, such as those along the Jordanian coast.
But the Red Sea is defined not only by its name. It is a biodiversity hotspot with many endemic animals found only in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden.
The Red Sea has one of the longest continuous coral reefs in the world. This reef stretches for 4000 km and contains a rich variety of marine life.
The reef’s unique characteristics make it one of the rare marine sanctuaries that have kept many species safe from climate change.
The corals that settled there at the end of the last ice age were the only creatures that could tolerate the very high temperatures and salinity of the Red Sea at that time.
They have adapted and today live in conditions that many other corals would not have endured. Therefore, it is believed that they may be the last corals in the world.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.