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.
Humans have a very large effect on the ecosystems of coral reefs. Sensitivity of coral reefs causes them to be more susceptible to harmful anthropogenic practices. Some of these are sedimentation, global warming, recreational activities, poison fishing, blast fishing practices, water pollution, and coral mining. All of these very different practices can effectively end up with the same results; the mortality of coral reefs around the world. Coral reefs are an important ecosystem of the world, and support many different industries and millions of people.
This article discusses how important the organisms symbiotic with coral reefs are, as well as how important coral reefs are to our environment. Also explained is how natural and non natural things things like hurricanes and overfishing affects them. A study is quoted about how water acidity also plays a role in the bleaching of corals. Lastly, restoration and conservation efforts are discussed and how we could possibly help our oceans.
Stone, Richard. "Massive Outbreak of Jellyfish Could Spell Trouble for Fisheries." Yale Environment 360. Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 01 May 2012.
Jellyfish are monsters of a sort. Jellyfish can distort things and shut down whole systems of government when they come in swarms. There are several types of jellyfish but one can have devastating effects. The everyday monster of the jellyfish causes fisheries to lose money, clogs power systems to shut down due to the masses of them and can shut down water filter systems. Jellyfish affect other fish and will kill people easily with their sharp points. Their tentacles are deadly weapons when jabbed with their points. The problem can be solved when the natural ecosystem is the same and jellyfish eats their prey.
Imagine a lush underwater place. Beautiful structures colorful animals and places that would never have been thought of before. In reality that's not what it really looks like, really the ocean is a desolate place that is barren like a desert. Many marine species have been lost by as much as 49%.(seeker) A big part of that reason is because of coral bleaching which causes as stated above a decline in species that depend on the coral as there home. Coral bleaching is a serious problem that could cause problems for everyone if we don’t fix it.
Obura, D. & Grimsditch, D. (2009). Coral reefs, climate change and resilience : an agenda for
In closing we have looked at the history, habitat, lifecycle and ethical issues of the jellyfish. And though the jellyfish has been around for centuries now more than ever its presence is being notice. Despite its simple anatomy and short life span the jellyfish has begun to take over the waters around the world. It is no more the small menace that may sting the occasional beach goer but an ever growing threat to the marine ecosystem.
AAAAHHHH, What’s that jelly feeling, OOOOWWWW, Something stung me, MMMMOOOOMMMM!!!! That would be a Mnemiopsis jellyfish, they are actually dangerous to the environment, lately they have caused ecological problems. The growing numbers of the Mnemiopsis jellyfish causes problems, they affect power plants in Japan, but there is a solution being worked out as we speak.
Jellyfish are an oviparous species, meaning that are able to lay eggs rather than having to carry their young. Because they lay podocysts in the sediment, a jellyfish’s’ environmental perception is key to the lineage in species of jellyfish due to survival through natural selection. The jellyfish species central nervous system ability for common perception of their environment is the essence of its existence. If the jellyfish does not correctly utilize its perceptions of its habitat its offspring may not survive. It may seem trivial; however, perception of different spectrums and magnitudes of light, temperature, salinity of the water, and wind allow the jellyfish to select ideal environments for their offspring. Podocysts are the cause of jellyfish bloom or non-bloom years the situations of the locations in which the podocysts are laid determine the success of an offspring of jellyfish. A study showed a significant difference in two environment conditions; very rare in well-aerated seawater at constant temperature and a setting with exposure to abnormally high temperatures low salinities, and burial in organic-rich mud. The extremities of higher temperatures and lower salinities were the ultimately the cause of massive blooms of the Nemopilema nomurai jellyfish (Kawahara et al.
...e effect of what humankind does to the ocean, the implications became far worse than any had individually realized. It is a very serious situation demanding unequivocal action at every level. We are looking at consequences for humankind that will impact in our lifetime, and worse, our children's and generations beyond that
A big change that has occurred in the oceans all over the world is the Coral Reefs are dying and are predicted to be dead by the end of the century due to the rising acidity of the oceans caused by many different threats to marine ecosystems. Coral reefs cover less than 0.2% of our oceans but they contain 25% of the world’s marine fish species according to Endangered: Biodiversity on the brink, 2010: pg.45). If this is the case that means by the time the end of the century comes around we will have lost close to 25% of the worlds marine ecosystems.
Climate change has been affecting coral reefs in a negative way. If the climate continues to get warmer more of our coral reef become bleached, the structure of the reefs will become weak, and algae that keeps coral healthy will die. In the essay, “A framework for understanding Climate change impacts on Coral Reefs” by Joshua Clinner (2016), he emphasizes our climate change has become one of the long-term threats to coral reef. The article “Climate change and human impacts are damaging the world’s coral reefs”, which didn’t include an author (2001), states that the sea temperatures throughout the tropics has increased dramatically leaving much of the coral unhealthy. Spencer Hall (2008), discussed in his article “Coral Reefs and Climate Change”, how the increase in climate change puts a lot of stress on coral reefs because they are very sensitive to the change of temperature. Rigel B (2003) states in his essay, “Climate Change and Coral Reefs”, that coral reef has already been negatively impacted by
Oceans are such so vast that people underestimate the impact their actions —seeming so insignificant— have on them. Humans have by and large taken the oceans for granted; not considering how important a healthy ocean is to our survival. A popular mind-set is that the oceans are a bottomless supply of fish, natural resources, and an infinite waste dump. There are myriad reasons why the oceans should be saved and the most obvious one is marine life. With 71% of the Earth being covered by water, it is obvious that sea creatures are predominant form of life, making up 80% of the species of life on Earth. However, as important as marine life is, that is not the only reason why saving the oceans is crucial. The ocean floor provides natural resources such as, oil, natural gas, petroleum, minerals, medications, and ingredients for foods and products. The economic benefits of the oceans are huge and significant, as well. Fishing and fish products have provided employment to 38 million people and have generated about $124 billion in economic benefits. However, oceans are on the verge of crisis, marine life, natural resources, transportation, the economy, and important ingredients are at risk due to overfishing, pollution, and acidification. Thus, in this essay I will argue that, oceans are not impervious to human activity and threatening the health of the ocean threatens the health of humanity, since oceans key to our survival.
...d chain, such as whales, are affected the most and carry the highest amount of toxins in their bodies. Over time these toxins can cause immune and reproductive disorders as well as chronic disease and death (Intro to Cetacea, no date). What we do affects the ocean environment, and all the living organisms inside of it.
Did you know that more than 90 percent of all organisms that have ever lived on Earth are extinct? According to Pandey, the author of Humans Pushing Marine Life toward ‘Major Extinction’, nearly 10,000 species go extinct each year, and this rate is estimated to be 1,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate (1). Human beings are causing irreversible damage to the oceans and their wildlife, which is being led by two major reasons: Commercial fishing or over-fishing, which damaged the marine environment and caused a loss in the marine life diversity, and pollution, which is a primary way of the extinction causes that drastically modifies the marine life habitat. As a result of the commercial fishing and pollution, many of the marine species will start disappearing of the oceans. Briggs emphasizes that over-fishing “has induced population collapses in many species. So instead of having less than a hundred species at risk, as was the case some 30-40 years ago, there are now a thousand or more (10).”