Ocean Pollution By: Mahbubar Rahman

                  Ocean pollution, also known as marine pollution, is the spreading of harmful substances such as oil, plastic, industrial and agricultural waste and chemical particles into the ocean. Ocean pollution can harm marine organisms by destroying marine habitats. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), land-based activities are responsible for as much as 80 percent of the pollutant load in coastal waters and deep oceans. Most of the marine pollution enters into the ocean by land runoff. Some of the pollution first runs into a river, and then the river water enters the sea carrying a staggering load of pollutants accumulated along the river’s entire length. In agricultural sites, runoff pollution sources such as livestock wastes, nutrients from fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides can drain from fields into the ocean. In urban areas, runoff carries an array of pollutants; wastes deposited by motor vehicles, including gasoline, oil, grease, and heavy metals, sediment from construction sites; herbicides and pesticides from lawns and gardens, road salts, viruses and bacteria from inefficient septic systems, and spilled chemicals from industrial sites. Shipping spills is another major pollution for the ocean. Ships often carry toxic substances such as oil, liquefied natural gas, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. Shipwrecks can lead to the release of these chemicals and result in serious damage to marine life. Another major pollution source is dumping plastic items into the ocean, which can cause harm to the larger animals of the sea. They can trap mammals, diving birds, or turtles, causing them to drown. Fishing gear lost overboard can continue to drift, snaring fish and entangling seabirds. Marine animals routinely mistake plastic items for food, ingest them, and die.

           

            Most of the debris in the ocean does not decompose and remain there for years. This debris uses oxygen as it degrades. As a result of this, oxygen levels go down. Also, the Industrial and agricultural wastes are considered hazardous for marine life because chemicals from the pesticides can accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals, leading to failure in their reproductive system. Other chemicals from plastic and industrial decomposition do not get fully dissolved and sink to the bottom of the ocean. Small animals ingest these chemicals and are later eaten by large animals, which then affects the whole food chain. Marine pollution also affects human health. Humans consumes animals from the impacted food chain which affects their health as toxins from these contaminated animals get deposited in the tissues of people and can lead to cancer, birth defects or long term health problems.

Citations:

Ocean pollution. By: MacInnes, David F., Jr., Kähler, Karen N., Salem Press Encyclopedia, January, 2015

GregMorrison - Biodiversity

Over the years we hear about various species becoming endangered, or tragically going extinct. Many people will agree that letting an entire species cease to exist is irresponsible, especially when it is at our hand (as part of the human race).  However, there is a much greater concern when a species becomes endangered than just for that one species. This is where bio diversity comes into the conversation.  The following is a short explanation and analysis of what biodiversity is, why it is important and the impacts it has on the environment.

Biodiversity, is variety or variation of life. Biodiversity can be examined on a global scale as well as on a micro scale, such as the biodiversity of a lake. It can also be divided between genetic biodiversity, ecological biodiversity. Genetic biodiversity refers to the variation of genes within a specific species. Ecologically biodiversity refers to the diversity of ecosystems, meaning the diversity of species and their interactions with their environment.  According to the National Wildlife Federation we have identified 1.7 million species, yet current estimates state that there is likely 3-30 million species on earth. Some go as far to say that there are over 100 million species. Figure1 source:  http://www.thebluedotpost.com/why-biodiversity-and-the-interconnected-web-of-life-are-important/ 

 

As we have learned in class biodiversity is very important to the well being of the environment. Biodiversity and genetic diversity make species and environments more stable. It makes it harder for humans or natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes to have a negative impact on species population.  Species are also deeply connected, and dependent on the existence of other species for food, help forming their environment. In class we talked about keystone species such as the crocodile and the wolf. Both of which impact their environment in a variety of ways. The way many crocodiles dig out holes for their own habitat collect water that other species rely on for drinking water in times of drought or the dry season. Biodiversity is also influential to humans. As there are an array of pollinators that help plants. We also have made great strides in medicine thanks to plant and animal diversity.

Personally I see biodiversity is under threat, while extinction has been a natural part of the environment for many years. The rate is increasing and doing so at an exponential rate. As humans increase pollution through fossil fuel emissions and exacerbate climate change, deforest large sections of the rainforest and continue to overfish. We see a grave reduction in biodiversity on a global scale. _________________________________________________________________________________

Citations:

http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Biodiversity.aspx

Keystone XL Pipeline

Currently there is a debating going on in the country whether or not the Keystone Xl pipeline should be approved and allowed to transport tar sand oil across the country to Texas to be refined and then sold abroad. Proponents of the pipeline argue that it will create jobs for the country and will be safe and not cause any oil spills. But those opposing the building of the pipeline argue that no pipeline is 100% safe and that an oil spill in many of the areas the pipeline would pass through would be detrimental to the ecosystems it will go through. Also the jobs that its proponent’s claim it will create will be only temporary and it is not worth the damage it would cause the environment just to create these jobs for a short period of time. And the extraction and burning of this oil could be the tipping point for global climate change some scientists have warned and should be avoided at all costs.

In this course we have looked at how ecosystems react to change and how for many ecosystems small changes in temperature or the population of one of its members can throw it completely out of balance. The changes to the atmosphere and also the possible changes an oil spill could cause will destroy many ecosystems and throw them out of balance. The Keystone pipeline and any other pipelines that looks to transport tar sands from Canada should be stopped. The benefits of this pipeline are all only short term and will have a detrimental impact on the environment going into the future.

We need to seriously explore alternative ways to power our society from renewable sources instead of simply developing finite sources to make a profit without regard for the effect it will have on everyone on Earth. Ultimately it is the structure of the economy and the values that it instills in its participants that drives the exploitation of the planet and people living on it. Without a reshaping of how we distribute goods and services issues such as climate change that demanded action much sooner then our economy is willing to allow us will continue to happen. This is because the profit motive, which is the basis of the economy, causes us to focus only on the short term instead of what is good for all in the long term. 

Work Cited:

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2011/01/transcanada-keystone-pipeline-map

http://wire.kapitall.com/wp-content/image-import/pipeline-430x323.jpg

Hurricanes Assist in Vast Spread of Lionfish

After researching the effects of hurricanes, I quickly learned that hurricanes are not just damaging to land, but to oceans as well. After analyzing the article, it is clear that the Florida ocean current caused by harsh hurricanes are connected to the spread of lionfish. During hurricanes, the Florida Current transports the eggs of the invasive species to the Bahamian waters. By doing specific research on the direction along with the velocity of the ocean currents through Florida, researchers were able to determine that there were a total of 23 cases that lionfish were brought to the Bahamas. In addition, they did extensive research on the ocean climate, reproductive strategy of the lionfish and the larvae clarity. From 1992 to 2006, not only did researchers find that the spreading of lionfish was at 45%, but they also found that the population was magnified by 15%.

 In order to determine the connection between the water currents and the migration of lionfish, researchers recorded monthly, as well as daily during hurricane season, ocean velocity. By placing multiple simulated grids in the water, scientists were able figure out the transition time the larvae took to move from one grid to the next. In total, scientists ran 10 simulations from 2000-2007.

As stated in the article, it was true that the stronger hurricanes, category 3 or higher, including Wilma, Jeanne, and Frances brought stronger modifications in direction as well as velocity compared to weaker storms such as Ophelia, Tammy and Gamma. Seeing as the distance between South Florida and the Bahamas is roughly 87 km, it takes about 24 hours to travel at 1 m/s. For hurricane Ivan, however, the fastest water flow hit 2.14 m/s, which was a higher velocity than the scientists predicted in the first place.
              After reading extensive equations involved in the research of this experiment, it is clear to see the high accuracy and quality that was used while compiling the experiment. I felt the results were presented in a reasonably concise fashion as well as easy to understand. Although the lionfish is an invasive species, this will certainly not be the last ocean species to travel due to hurricane water circulation.

Works Cited: 

Matthew W. Johnston, Sam J. Purkis. Hurricanes accelerated the Florida-Bahamas lionfish invasion. Global Change Biology, 2015; DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12874

Photo Credit: 

http://bugwood.blogspot.com/2015/03/hurricanes-spread-lionfish-far-and-wide.html

Conservation in the Amazon

At a time in history when scientists are recording unprecedented extinction rates and many people feel that the loss of biological diversity and deteriorating natural systems is the defining issue of our time, the west Amazon is ground zero. Nowhere are the stakes higher. --Paul Rosolie Mother of God, pg. 15

The Amazon Rain Forest is, possibly, the last place of pure wilderness. Deep in the heart of areas like the Madre de Dios is a word so unlike anything in comparison to the Western world. Civilization as we know it just does not exist in these remote areas. However, this pristine world is under attack from the Western world. Loggers, miners, hunters, and farmers are all encroaching upon the impressive wilderness, carving deeper and deeper into the jungle. The fires that clear the farmlands also fuel climate change. The Amazon is, however, one of the biggest economic driving forces in areas still lucky enough to have it. Despite that, in our minds, the wilderness is long lived and adamant. The Amazonian ecosystem is actually incredibly fragile. John Muir stated that, “pick[ing] out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” This translates nicely to the Amazonian forest by taking, for example, figs out of the ecosystem, the entire ecosystem can collapse (Rosolie 2014). I bring this point up because, in the Amazon, the rain forest isn't at risk from just the loss of one cog in the ecosystem, it's being systematically attacked from all sides. The biggest danger that the rain forest faces isn't, in fact, from encroaching from the edges (although that does happen), the forest is under attack primarily through the production of roadways.

One of the biggest losses in Amazonian preservation was the creation of the trans-Amazonian highway (currently under construction). Conceived in the 1970s by the Brazilian government, the overarching goal was to mesh the Amazon with the rest of the country (Rosolie 2014). The road damages the rain forest through forest fragmentation. The scar torn apart in the landscape isn't singular. Off the trans-Amazonian highway, other roads and offshoots will develop as farmers and loggers branch off and into the pristine jungle. This is known as the “fish bone” effect. The project itself was funded by the World Bank for the sole purpose of tapping into the immense resources found within the Amazon (Rosolie 2014). The trans-Amazonian highway is the greatest threat to the rain forest today. Likewise, the highway will open tribes to the ways of the West. These tribal tribes have and will be killed or forced into the heart of the ever dwindling forest (Rosolie 2014). It is important to note that, in modern-day conservation, victories are temporary, losses are final (Rosolie 2014).

The true losses that the trans-Amazonian highway and the general deforestation of the rain forest are multifaceted and, potentially, detrimental to life. The Amazon itself is called the “lungs of the earth” because it produces roughly more than 20 per cent of our oxygen (Rosolie 2014). This is a huge problem because, with the seemingly inevitable destruction of the forest, we would have a world functioning with only 80 per cent of the usual oxygen and, logically, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that is not absorbed by the rain forest in the atmosphere furthering climate change. Likewise, the Amazon has housed some of the greatest discoveries known to man. The first cure for malaria, for example, was derived from the rain forest (Rosolie 2014). We have discovered approximately 10 per cent of all species on the earth (statistics vary depending on the source). If the mass extinction that is predicted will happen, who knows what cures, resources, and other values will die before we can discover them. Jane Goodall commented on humanity's treatment of the wilderness beautifully when she stated, “We've just been stealing, stealing, stealing from our children, and it's shocking.” It's like we're playing a generational game of Russian Roulette. However, every generation we replace a blank with a bullet, and fire the gun twice.

The deforestation of the Amazon relates to “Principles of Ecology” because it is a prime and current example of unsustainable living and ecological destruction. Deforestation of the Amazon is driving countless species extinct daily, depleting nonrenewable resources, and destroying a fragile ecosystem. All blame is on humanity's shoulders. All topics we talk about regularly in class.

Personally, I am disgusted with humanity's treatment of the wilderness. I believe in conservation for two main reasons. Firstly, conservation is important because we rely on the systems we so effectively destroy. Secondly, I find personal joy in places that man does not degrade. Wild areas are, in my mind, necessary for the world, our species, and the health of my very psyche; regardless if I explore them or not. They are necessary for a natural, healthy world. For too long, mankind has dominated and degraded the earth. I hope we can change our motto of destruction to one that preaches preservation, biodiversity, and a re-connection with nature. In the words of my personal favorite conservationist, “We are kindred all of us, killer and victim, predator and prey, me and the sly coyote, the soaring buzzard, the elegant gopher snake, the trembling cottontail, the foul worms that feed on our entrails, all of them, all of us. Long live diversity, long live the earth!” (Abbey 1968 pg. 34).

Literature Cited

Abbey, E. 1968. Desert solitaire. Simon and Schuster Inc.: New York City (NY).

Abbey, E. 1968. Cliffrose and bayonets. In Abbey, E. 1968. Desert solitaire. Simon and Schuster Inc.: New York City (NY). 34.

Rosolie, P. 2014. Mother of god. HarperCollins: New York City (NY).

Lungs of the earth. World Wildlife Foundation [Internet] [cited 3 Mar 2015]. Available from https://joyfulgaye.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/wwf_lungs.jpg

Plastic Debris in the Open Ocean and Biomagnification

I recently read an article by Carlos M. Duarte named, “ Plastic Debris in the Open Ocean”. This scholarly article reports on recent research regarding the prevalence of plastics in the world’s oceans. This study was conducted by dragging a 1m by .5m net behind a boat at a speed of 2-3 knots a period of 10-15 min to collect any plastic (Duarte 10243). The team of researchers repeated this process twice at every one of the 3,070 sites to ensure validity. What they discovered was that 88% of the locations contained plastic particles. While it is true that Duarte and the rest of the research team were trying to discover the places where plastics were most prevalent, they were more specifically trying to determine the size of the particles at the sites. While plastics most commonly enter oceans as whole pieces, after long periods of exposure to the sun and seawater they begin to degrade into smaller and smaller pieces. The problem with this is that at a certain point these pieces of plastic become small enough for fish and other marine life organisms to ingest. During their research there was one piece of data in particular that puzzled the researchers. They found a gap in the size of plastic particles, which they quickly attributed to the fact that it was being ingested by fish. This hypothesis was supported by further research showing that, “[the] incidence of plastic in stomachs of epipelagic zooplankitvorous fish ranges from 1 to 29%, and in the stomachs of small mesopelagic fish from 9 to 35%” (Duarte 10241).

            While this article relates to many sections in our class such as sustainability and the need to protect our oceans, it also relates to biomagnification. This is the tendency for top predators to contain higher concentrations of substances that originate at lower trophic levels. This is why the incidence of plastics in the stomachs of small fish is a problem for every organism in the food web, humans included. As humans we consume fish so these plastics are also transferred to us. Due to the health impacts that plastic pose to humans along with aquatic organisms, it is important that we reduced the amount of plastic that enters our oceans. Plastics enter bodies of water primarily through storm water runoff. So, one simple way to positively impact our oceans is to simply recycle and reduce the amount of litter that ends up in streets.

Bircher, Nina. Tear-drops of the Mermaid Land on Our Food-plates. 2013. N.p.

Duarte, Carlos M., and Andres Cozar Et Al. "Plastic Debris in the Open Ocean." Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences 111.28 (2014): 10239-0244. Siena College Interlibrary Loan Service. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.