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Effects of pollution on marine ecosystems
Oil spill case study summary
Sea pollution and the ecosystem
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The Importance of Preserving the Health and Diversity of the World's Oceans
Our oceans are the most productive and more than likely the most helpful environment on the planet today. Oceans not only supply our ozone with life supporting oxygen, control the earth’s weather patterns, it also is home to over a million different species ranging from mammals, invertebrates, to microscopic plankton. The ocean is a very diverse environment and it is very important to keep the ocean and all off its creatures alive and healthy. There are many reasons for this, but the main reason is that what we do in our waters will directly effect the way we live.
So lets start by taking a look at where we a get a major percentage of our food today. The oceans are being over fished and fish populations are dwindling more rapidly than ever. Many people don’t understand the various consequences of this horrible dilemma which we face daily. The reasoning is that killing off the fish doesn’t only effect fish but everything dependent on fish, such as humans, sharks, mammals and other types of fish. You can further understand this if you took a look at a food chain. Every creature is a link you remove one the chain is weak, and susceptible not to function properly.
Oil spills and pollution can be the cause of death too much of the local marine life. An oil slick can cover up to 50 square miles polluting, and damaging all the ecosystems in which the marine life thrives killing thousands. All over the ocean surface and all over the land near the spill will be contaminated with crude oil ruin the lives of many of the animals near or who feed of the animals who were less fortunate not to make it out of the spill un effected.
Even though oil spills are not an every day ordeal, the seepage of toxic chemicals and waste filtrates into our ocean with devastating results. When fish swim through chemicals their bodies don’t repel them but rather absorb them contaminating them, making them a lethal weapon to humankind. If these fish were to get caught and sold at the market, anyone who bought and ate the fish could be in terrible danger of consuming toxic chemicals. But not all contaminated fish are caught. Some die shortly after contamination, and other drudge out the rest of their short lives in agony and possibility of infecting others of its kinds.
The Sea Empress oil spill and the BP oil spill have had major damages to their environment. In both cases, different species have been killed and endangered because of the now polluted waters. Industries, such as the fishing industries, have been closed down because of the oil flowing through the water.
Countries, fisheries, and consumers all need to share the responsibility for conserving endangered marine life. First, governments should base their policies on scientific factors and should look for better economic incentives to stop fisheries from overfishing. Second, fisheries should use methods that are not so destructive to the fish population. Finally, consumers should avoid buying endangered seafood, even if they have to pay a little more. If these parties recognize that it is worthwhile to conserve marine species, then they must accept this responsibility.
Because it is the most highly publicized of the different forms of ocean pollution, oil spills, oil leakages, and general oil contamination are something that we all seem to be aware of. Since the Exxon Valdez incident, the American public in particular has been more and more critical of oil companies.Each year, over 700 million gallons of oil end up in the ocean. Contrary to what you may have thought, most oil pollution doesn't come from tanker accidents. In fact, tanker accidents account for less than 90 million of the g...
In the real world, all this comes down to two serious problems. We are losing species as well as entire ecosystems. As a result, the overall ecological unity of our oceans is under stress and at risk of collapse. The affects the fish that is at the bottom of the food chain to overpopulate. If the fish that are at the bottom of the food chain overpopulate, the food they eat will become scarce This means that the fish that is at the bottom of the food chain will become extinct or endangered because of the lack of food. Another effect of overfishing that is fishing down the food chain. That will affect the species that are at the top of the food chain because the species that are at the bottom of the food is chain are important preys to them. That’s why fishers should be aware, that if they catch too much of the fish that is at the top of the food chain it will affect the whole system of predators and preys. If the fishers catch too much of fish, that’s at the top of the food chain, it would also affect the balance of predators and
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest garbage dump in the world. According to estimates made by experts, the patch holds approximately three and a half million tons of garbage. Majority of this garbage is made of plastic. This waste is a threatening problem to the patch’s surrounding wildlife. Many animals are caught in the floating pieces of trash and it is the cause of the deaths of about one million birds and about one hundred thousand other sea animals. Due to the oceans nature and constant moving currents, the trash is also constantly moving. Therefore the size of the patch never stays the exact same. However, scientists believe it be approximately two times the size of Texas. The plastic is mostly broken down from larger materials into small pieces. The patch has been referred to as one scientist as a, “plastic soup”. This garbage poses such a threat mainly because it does not biodegrade. These plastics will be in the ocean essentially forever. Many plastics also contain chemicals, and absorb other chemicals and pollutants they become exposed to. These newly absorbed toxins are then leaked and distributed back into the ocean over time. The chemicals can directly enter the bodies of the animals which consume them. A study was being conducted by scientists of the fish that inhabit the area around the patch. What the researchers found inside the belly of one fish (that was no larger in size than that of a finger), was eighty four small fragments of plastic. It does not take scientists to recognize the impact of this problem, Zach Gold, who is sixteen, is from Santa Monica California. Zach enjoys s...
When this happens, it could lead to catastrophic harm to marine life. According to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk_WQscLNTM from 1971 through 2009, tankers spilled more than 40 million barrels of oil worldwide not counting oil that was spilled because of wars, sabotage, and terrorist attacks causing global warming. This left the environment with long lasting affects such as loss of marine life. This leads to disruption in the food web and decrease in biodiversity.
Water pollution has had devastating effects on the environment, which include irreversible effects on the oceans ecosystem. People often underestimate the importance of the ocean. They don’t realize how much damage pollution has caused to the ocean and the thousands of creatures that inhabit it. Earth is a huge place, but resources are actually very limited and will not last forever unless there is a balance. We must protect the resources we have in order for them to last into the next generation.
Further research showed that some of the chemicals given to fish pass straight through them and are released into the ocean. Once in the sea, the toxic material does not always dissolve. Instead it floats around the sea polluting the water or will make its way back into the food chain. When aquaculture corporations dump concentrated solutions of fish feces and other dangerous chemicals into the sea, issues begin to arise. The connection with nature is an abusive relationship.
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill has had an extremely negative effect on the surrounding wildlife and ecosystem. The oil spread across the gulf contaminating any living organism that came into direct or indirect contact with it. The oil cuts off the ability of oxygen from the air to move into the water which directly harms fish and other marine wildlife that require that oxygen. The dispersant that the BP is using to try and break up the oil moves the slick into the entire water column which contaminates the ocean floor which would most likely not have seen any damage if it wasn’t for the use of these dispersants. More than 400 species that live in the Gulf Islands and marshlands are at risk and as of November 2 s...
As a result many marine animals are at an increased risk of health issues from fatal compounds once they are absorbed a plethora of health issues arise such as ulcers, liver failure, kidney failure, increased infertility among species, and brain damage (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administraion,2010).Another essential point is that oil rig accidents which occur on open water are much harder to clean up that oil spills on land since the material is spread along coastlines and coral reefs much farther by traveling atop the water thus taking longer for cleanup(Cooper,1992). Subsequently marine wildlife continues to ingest and absorb the crude oil which ultimately take a toll on their bodily functions (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2010). Moreover, countries with a diverse marine ecosystem such as the country of Belize rely on tourism and fishing to generate much of their economy, an oil spill would mean that locals would have to find different sources of food since the fish will be contaminated and the tourist industry will take a huge hit which will take many years for it return to normal statistic and still not return to its original state (Cisneros-Montemayer, Kirkwood, Harper, Zeller, and Sumalia, 2013). It can be seen that oil extraction initially has a high amount of economical outcome, but it’s value decreases exponentially, yet tourism continues to boast a steady number of US$183 Million every year due to a wide range of environment tourism (Cisneros-Montemajor et al,
Ocean Pollution is Destroying the World We are constantly polluting the ocean never realizing the harm that it does. Pollution is creating an environment impossible to live in. Why should animals suffer at our expense? The ocean used to be the most beautiful place in the world, filled with life and color, but now it has turned into a trash filled monstrosity.
“ Effects of Oil Spills on Marine and Coastal Wildlife” Holly K. Ober. WEB. 19 May 2014
Whether it's an oil spilling into the ocean or on land the impact still affects animals and the way they live. Oil spills can cause temporary loss of habitat and can affect organisms most basic functions like respiration, feeding and temperature
The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems are suffer and become endangered along with lives of people and of marine life. Surfrider Foundation recognizes the importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world's coasts because they are truly irreplaceable. There is also historical evidence of ocean pollution being present in the past, but the problem still lingers today. Heal the Bay discovered that,“Did you know there is a DDT and PCB hot spot off the coast of Palos Verdes? This superfund site (which indicates it's one of the most polluted places in the United States), is left over from a 1930's era chemical plant. Because DDT takes so long to break down in the marine environment, it persists to this day, contaminating certain species of fish. There are also highly polluted sediments in the Long Beach area, a sign of the heavy shipping in the port. Heal the Bay works on developing effective capping and removal plans to keep those toxins from spreading” (Heal the Bay). DDT is still highly concentrated in the South Bay area and still contaminating different species of fish. Even after more than 80 years DDT, a toxic insecticide, is still very concentrated and during upwellings, DDT particles come back up and continue to harm marine life. If humans are careless about what is thrown on the floor or sprayed on lawns, it can lead to disastrous affects when it comes to the condition of the ocean's ecosystems, and can endanger life itself leading to a problem that only we can mend.
Every year eight million tons of plastic get thrown into the ocean every year. Once there was a raccoon that had beer cans stuck to his paws. “The cans had been on his limbs for so long that he had tried to learn to walk with them, and both front limbs were completely damaged” (Johnson). There are more than twenty thousand oil spills per year. There is also not an exact number but millions of animals die from both litter and oil spills. This is a quote about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, “Bluefin tuna spawn just south of the oil spill and they spawn only in the Gulf. If they were to go through the area at a critical time, that’s one instance where a plume could destroy a whole species”(Dr. Larry McKinney). This is my second reason why animals are the reason animals are the reason certain animals are near extinction or extinct.