Marine Pollution: Causes and Solutions

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As the world develops and the human population grows there is more pollution being dumped into the oceans, causing major problems to marine life and ecosystems. Major causes of marine pollution involve non-point pollutants, marine garbage, toxic ocean pollutants and sewage disposal in oceans. From heavy metal poisoning including lead and mercury killing predators such as sharks and whales, to waste getting trapped in the digestive tracts of marine animals, this essay focuses on how human interference causes horrifying problems to the marine life, but also how to fix it. It will also explore the normal activities of people including farming and how this can cause an imbalance in an ecosystem. Everyday activities can cause massive nutrient loading in an ecosystem, but by reducing the amount of washing you do within the week, or using earth friendly washing detergents and fertilizers, this problem can be reduced.

Marine Pollution: Causes

Aquatic Biodiversity

Biological diversity is the variability among living organisms from many different sources including marine and aquatic ecosystems, and the diversity within species and of ecosystems. (Gray 1996) Some of the major components of marine biodiversity include genetic diversity, species diversity, functional diversity, community and ecosystem diversity, and habitat diversity. There are numerous amounts of living creatures and plants under the water’s surface that have not been identified. 90% of fish live off the coral reefs, although only 1% or 17,650 of the life forms and species of the sea have been properly identified and studied. (Miller & Spoolman 2012).

Toxic ocean pollutants

One of the major causes of marine pollution is toxic ocean pollutants. Heavy metals such as ...

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..., Biological Institute, University of Oslo, Norway, viewed on 28 April 2015, http://www.avesmarinhas.com.br/20%20-<%20marine%20biodiversity%20%20patterns,%20threats%20and.pdf>

Harrison, RM 2001, Pollution: Causes, Effects and Control, 4th edn, The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, UK.

Marine Polution: Causes and Consequences, 2003, EMCBTAP-ENVIS Newsletter, Department of Geology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom, viewed 27 April 2015,

Miller, G & Spoolman, S 2012, Living in the Environment, 17th edn, Brooke/Cole, Cengage Learning, USA.

Nixon, SW 1995, Coastal Marine Eutrophication: a Definition, Social Causes, and Future Concerns, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, USA, viewed on 28 April 2015,

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