Phiesteria: The Unseen Killer
An incredibly scary new type of algae is on the loose on the eastern seaboard of the United States and worst of all not many people know about it. Phiesteria piscicida- Latin for “fish killer” has been living in the mud of rivers for millions of years, but until recently something has jolted its metabolism into overdrive and has caused it to become a fearsome predator. This newly discovered type of dinoflagellate or marine protozoa, which generally has two flagella and cellulose covering, has been living off simple nutrients in the river waters of primarily North Carolina, until now that is. Near the Neuse River in NC, there is a slaughterhouse for pigs and chickens; all of the waste from the pigs is stored in massive lagoons where it is later sprayed onto crops as fertilizer. Unfortunately, a lot of this raw sewage ends up in streams that flow into the Neuse, which in turn enters the Pamlico Sound, a 2,000-mile long estuary in NC. This ultimately brings an immense amount of nutrients to the water thus causing the Phiesteria to shape-shift and enter a state of lethal attack on everything from fish to human. The Center for Disease Control has yet to do anything about this at all, which may be the scariest fact so far.
I learned about this ecological disaster while reading my newest edition (October 2001) of Maxim. As I was flipping through my new magazine I saw a horrifying picture of a fish; it looked as though something took a bite out of its neck. Interested, I continued to read, “The Coming Plague” by Jeff Wise. Basically, Maxim exposes the entire path of this deadly modern-day epidemic starting in 1987, when a veterinary graduate student at
North Carolina State University, named Stephen Smith, originally found Phiesteria. Further into the article it tells about Phiesteria moving north into parts of Maryland and even going south as far as 1,000-miles to the coast of Florida and how not enough action is being done to stop this deadly organism. The entire article is broken down into segmented stories of individual peoples fight with Phiesteria. I felt this article gave a great amount of information and helped to explain all of Phiesteria’s facts. One of the most amazing things I learned while reading this article is that the organism can infect humans even if they don’t come in direct contact with them, in fact, all we have to do is breath the air that is within a close proximity to where the organism is living.
The Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), is a small freshwater mollusk that is an invasive species. It has slowly been making its way into the United States. It has done this by showing up in lakes and in rivers. The mussels get their name due to the striped pattern on their shells. They are a relatively small species, only growing to the size of a human finger nail but there have been cases of larger (“Zebra Mussels,” 2013, para. 2). Mussels live a short life span of 4-5 years and most do not make into adulthood. They live in freshwater at depths of 6 to 24 feet. The female produces 30,000 to 1,000,000 eggs per year starting at the age of two. Zebra Mussels are free moving and can move with an external organ called the byssus (“Zebra Mussels,” 2013, para. 3). But they can be moved around by currents and other objects too. Zebra Mussels are a threat to ecosystems. They damage the natural habitat of lakes and rivers and cause negative effects to the native aquatic life. They multiply in vast majority casing a lake of food and space for other animals. And also the U.S. has spent millions on the removal of these pests from our water (“Zebra Mussels,” 2014, para. 8). The Zebra Mussel has now made its way into Colorado. Just a few has been found in the waters of Colorado but a few is enough to cause a big stir. Extreme precautions have now been put into effect to make sure that the threat of Zebra Mussels is under control.
In the nineteenth century, the Florida manatee population started to decline in numbers due to settlers hunting them for their meat (Pittman 15). In addition, during that time some of the scientists started to notice a decline in manatee sightings in areas they were known to migrate. Since permits were being granted to kill Florida manatees for science, and poachers were hunting them for their meat, government officials and researchers were concerned for the manatee's future (Pittman 17). Currently, there are many factors the Florida manatee is facing that poses a threat to their existence. Unfortunately, the greatest threat to the Florida manatee in the twenty-first century is boating and the loss of their natural habitat (McAullife 18). In fact, many boaters who have businesses have protested that their businesses are more important than the clumsy animals. Currently, another public concern for the Florida manatee is the increase of toxic blooms that cause red tide. In addition, since records have been kept researchers have discovered that red tide has been playing a role in the decline of the Florida manatee as well (Raloff 56). Red tide is a form of many toxins that are consumed by the manatee when they feed on seagrasses causing lung
Admittedly, 2/3 of the world’s population living with water shortages is a scary enough statistic to send a shiver up the spine. Barlow doesn’t stop there however; she goes on to say that only 2 % of the U.S. rivers and wetlands remain untouched. What does that mean for the creatures that lived there? Covered that too, “37% of freshwater fish are at risk of ...
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...
Zebra mussels have now found there way to the United States originating from the Caspian Sea and sought habitation, originally, in Lake St. Claire when ballast water brought them in. From there, zebra mussels have spread and have caused havoc to the environments and its biodiversity, specifically, Presque Isle. Zebra mussels are filter feeders of zooplankton and phytoplanktons, making the water appear clearer, but not cleaner. They have negatively impacted the existence of clams, walleye and several other organisms. In order to preserve the biodiversity of Presque Isle, zebra mussels must be culled and controlled. Several methods that can be utilized to achieve this goal is by chlorination, poison, scraping, etc.
This virus searches for a new vulnerable host in order to survive and carry the disease to the next victim. The critical aspect around the spread of a virus is how drastically the reproduction process occurs. Without being controlled, the contamination throughout any species causes the spread to take place in a toxic way, “On day one, there were two people. And then, four, and then, sixteen. In three months, it’s a billion.
The Chesapeake Bay is the nation’s largest estuary with six major tributaries, the James, the Potomac, the Susquehanna, the Patuxent, the York, and the Rappahannock Rivers, feeding into the bay from various locations in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia (Chemical Contaminants in the Chesapeake Bay – Workshop Discussion 1). These areas depend on the Bay as both an environmental and an economic resource. Throughout the last 15 years the Chesapeake Bay has suffered from elevated levels of pollution. Nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater treatment plants, farmland, air pollution, and development all lead to reduced water clarity and lowered oxygen levels, which harm fish, crabs, oysters and underwater grasses (Key Commission Issues 1). There are other types of pollution in the bay such as toxic chemicals, but because nutrient pollution is the most significant and most widespread in the Bay its effects are the most harmful to fisheries. Nitrogen and phosphorous fuel algal blooms which cloud the water and block sunlight from reaching underwater grass beds that provide food and habitat for waterfowl, juvenile fish, blue crabs, and other species (Blankenship 11-12). Algae plays a vital role in the food chain by providing food for small fish and oysters. However, when there is an overabundance of algae it dies, sinks to the bottom of the Bay, and decomposes in such a manner that depletes the oxygen levels of the Bay (11). The reduced oxygen levels in the Bay reduce the carrying capacity of the environment and these “dead areas” sometimes kill off species that can not migrate to other areas of the Bay, such as oysters (11). Increased abundance of algal blooms also led to the overabundance of harmful and toxic algae species and microbes such as the microbe Pfiesteria, which was responsible in 1997 for eating fish alive and making dozens of people sick (12). The heightened awareness of diseases that can be contracted through consumption of contaminated fish also has an economic impact. Therefore, the excess levels of nitrogen and phosphorous have fueled an overabundance of algal blooms, which has reduced water clarity and lowered oxygen levels, affecting many species within the bay and ultimately the industries that rely on these species.
The bay's harvest and many of its other attractions bring tourists and in turn revenue for the area. Oysters and blue crab are a big part of the culture in the bay area. However, these organisms are in danger and need help. Description of the problem Eutrophication is a concern in the Chesapeake Bay. Eutrophication is caused by excessive amounts of nutrients.
"The Cost to Human Health." How We Save the Bay. N.p., 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
The Chesapeake Bay has faced an excessive amount of pollution over the past century. The water in the bay has become so highly polluted that It is capable of causing harm to humans coming in direct contact with the water. Although algae serves a vital role in the bay’s ecosystem, it also creates a problem that is causing a large amount of the problem.
Hunting over bait is a debated issue across the country. Baiting deer has a negative effect on deer populations as well as other non-target species and habitats. The potential for disease transmission between species is far more prevalent in areas where baiting practices are administered than those that are not. These diseases are not only harmful to deer and other species, they can be fatal. Not only is there potential to spread disease, there are certain behavioral, social, and ecological impacts as well.
"20 Deadliest Effects of Global Warming." 20 Deadliest Effects of Global Warming. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. .
At this moment in time, eutrophication is causing worldwide devastation to not only aquatic life, but the fishing industry. The release of nutrients into fresh water lakes, rivers and reservoirs leads to excessive growth of three different plant species:
American Medical Association. (1997, August 6). Why Should We Be Concerned About BiologicalWarfare?. CDC.gov. Retrieved January 18, 2014, from http://www2a.cdc.gov/nip/isd/spoxclincian/contents