The Destruction of Delicate Ecosystems: Increase in Jellyfish Population

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As human population continues to increase with the current population now exceeding 7 billion people so does human reliance on the ocean, however the ocean is not infinite therefore this means that if we fail to use the ocean wisely in a way that is sustainable and will allow for future generation to still access the resources of the ocean we will see great consequence many of which may be irreversible. Our actions on the ocean are greatly affecting the complex ecology of this vast aquatic environment. In this essay I am going to talk about how human as well as climatic activity is affecting one species in particular and what the outcomes of this are.

Jellyfish are one of the oldest organisms on earth dating back more than 300 million years. At this time the ocean would be vastly different to how it appears now they would be no schools of fish or hunting sharks. There would be little diversity, with the ocean consisting only of simple organisms. Fossil records show that within this 300 million year period that jellyfish have existed they have undergone little evolutionary change they appear almost the same today as they did 300 million years ago. It can be said these organisms are amazingly resilient which is truly remarkable considering these creatures are 95% water and do not have a brain. But even with how resilient these organisms are, are they able to withstand the effects caused by humans and global warming? Could it even be said that these organisms are so resilient that these creature may even begin to flourish under these effects where most species are struggling to survive even facing the threat of extinction.

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...lating pattern with periods where they both increased and decreased, with each one lasting approximately four years.

In conclusion the effects of human and climatic activity are definitely having huge effects on jellyfish which in turn can have just as adverse effects on humans as a result. Such as the death of thousands of fish needed for fishing, jellyfish disrupting nuclear power plants and a decline in tourism. As the ocean continues to undergo an increasing demand due to the increase in the earth’s population it may soon become apparent just how much we are effecting the ocean with the creation of death zones which in the future could reach thousands of kilometres and destruction of delicate ecosystems as well as many organisms in the ocean not being able to adapt and survive to the rapid changes humans and the environment are having on the ocean.

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