...Oceanic Pollution and its Effects on Society “Around 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year”,(Milman 1). Nowadays in our everyday society, plastic is used constantly from cups and plates, to bags and pencils. It is this same plastic that ends up in the world’s oceans due to various means of transportation, where it then harms the existing life and ecosystems present. Until something is done to combat this issue, the pollution will never cease to increase. Oceanic pollution harms the world’s oceans, it’s marine life, and ultimately ourselves due to the overwhelming influx of pollutants, and lack of action against it. The formal definition of marine pollution is as states, “Oceanic pollution also known as marine pollution is the spreading of harmful substances such as oil, plastic, industrial, and agricultural waste and chemical particles being released into the ocean”,(NOAA). Essentially there is no one cause to marine pollution, therefore there is also no one effect or solution to it either. Marine pollution is the accumulation of waste being emitted into the ocean both via natural, and unnatural means. A few of the most notable causes of marine pollution would include the following: sewage, industrial, land runoff, large scale oil spills, ocean mining, and littering. To go more into...
Words: 1764 - Pages: 8
...Describe how the animal species richness found in the Galeolaria caespitose clump biotype could be affected by pollution Marine ecosystems are known to have rich biodiversity of species and therefore generally thought of as being stable and resilient to natural progressions of the earth (Johnson, Roberts, 2009) Disturbances in the habitat by unnatural means, such as pollution, can harm the balance of these ecosystems as the species are unable to adapt to the unusual contaminants that would not naturally encounter. One part of this ecosystem is the calcareous tubes secreted by the polychaete worm called Galeolaria caespitoa which are found in large clumps on pier pilings and in the intertidal zones of rocky shores (Ladiges et al. 2010). When viewing the calcareous tubes for the first time it appears that there is only one species, the Galeolaria caesplitoa, present but upon further inspection a diverse range of species can be found including annelids, molluscs and arthropods. These species all exist in this clump and benefit from the stability and protection that the clumps provide, but the introduction of a unnatural occurrence such as pollution can affect the way these animal feed, breed and breathe. The main source of pollution that comes into contact with marine ecosystems is sewerage which contains waste materials from everyday human activities such as slaughterhouse wastes, animal remains, domestic wastes, industrial wastes, faecal matter and many others (Islam, Tanaka...
Words: 746 - Pages: 3
...Effects of Water Pollution on Aquatic Ecosystems written by: Sean Fears•edited by: Niki Fears•updated: 1/12/2009 Whether the compounds being added to our watersheds are natural or foreign, they have an effect if the flora and fauna are not adapted to them. Find out some of the ways in which water pollution effects and causes changes in aquatic ecosystems! * Most affected Water pollution can come as a result of natural or unnatural compounds being added to a watersource. These can sway the balance of an ecosystem resulting in danger to natural wildlife of aquatic environments. Some animals and plants are highly susceptible to the effects of water pollution: * Amphibians tend to be very pollution sensitive due to the fact that they absorb chemicals in the water through their skins; this is one reason why many amphibian populations are in distress today. * With addition of detergents to the eco-system, insects that normally have the ability to walk on water will be unable to. * Younger animals also have a greater sensitivity to chemical compounds, especially those that mimic organic compounds, since they are still undergoing the physiological changes associated with maturation. These effects can range from physiological effects such as suffocation and thinning of eggshells to the alteration of neurochemistry. That is why one water-quality monitoring technique involves a survey of macroinvertebrates in the stream; if animals with narrow requirements are present...
Words: 1882 - Pages: 8
... | | | | | | An Overview of Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution | This page is one of a series of web pages developed by the CAR/RCU on various Environmental Issues in the Caribbean. These pages are a good starting point for research into many of the pressing concerns of the nations and territories of the Wider Caribbean Region. They contain definitions, descriptions, discussions, links to relevant on-line documents and web sites. Read about other Issues. | | * Introduction * Land based pollution sources and their environmental impacts * Sewage * Oil hydrocarbons * Sediments * Nutrients * Pesticides * Solid waste and marine debris * Toxic substances * Planning and management of environmental pollution * CEP and land based sources of pollution * Pollution related CEP reports * Links to pollution related websites | INTRODUCTION | The major sources of coastal and marine pollution originating from the land vary from country to country. The nature and intensity of development activities, the size of the human population, the state and type of industry and agriculture are but a few of the factors contributing to each country’s unique pollution problems. Pollution is discharged either directly into to the sea, or enters the coastal waters through rivers and by atmospheric deposition. In order to mitigate and control the impact of pollution on coastal and marine resources, it is essential that the type and load of pollutants...
Words: 5546 - Pages: 23
...Do you think ocean pollution is an issue? Well, over two thirds of Earth's surface is covered by water and all of it has been affected by some sort of pollution. Ocean pollution causes many chemicals and foreign substances to get into our air, water, and food, killing the wildlife and affecting the cleanliness of our waters; it is extremely important for us to all come together in order to stop ocean pollution. "The single biggest problem in reaching international agreement on a topic lies in convincing sovereign nations with different goals, opposing political systems, and fluctuating positions in day-to-day politic that their interests all lie in the same direction" (Cousteau 106). Pollution gets into the ocean from many sources but has...
Words: 1589 - Pages: 7
...Sarah Miyashita English II PAP Huston 8th May 9th, 2013 The Effects of Ocean Pollution on Animals The planet that we live on is made up of a vast majority of water, consisting of five major oceans of the world: The Pacific, The Atlantic, The Indian Ocean, The Southern Ocean, and also the Arctic, making up approximately 71% of the earth’s surface. The largest amount of oil entered into the ocean due to human activity is 363 million gallons, from industrial waste and automobiles. The pollution and littering of the ocean has become a major problem in these times affecting the natural habitat of many animal species. The government and citizens of the country need to engage in actions that will reduce or hopefully banish the amount of contamination affecting all ocean ecosystems. Ocean pollution is a misfortune that could be, without difficulty, preventable if people simply took the time to dispose of waste and trash appropriately. Once an oil spill occurs along a coastline, it will affect the wildlife population living around it for many years to come and leave a lasting impact. Many animals meet their end whenever the slick oil trickles down their fur, feathers, or scales, all while decreasing their surface area so they are no longer sheathed from the cold water ("Ocean Planet"). The animals might also consume the oil or waste, thus becoming ill and eventually unable to produce offspring properly, later affecting their population even more. Since the 1970s, many laws...
Words: 554 - Pages: 3
...Marine Pollution The ocean is the most valued resource in human society. “The oceans provide humans with energy and mineral resources, food, and climate moderation, as well many other commodities and services.” (Desonie 87) Oceans, How We Use the Seas Chapters 8 through 10 of Oceans, How We Use the Seas; Dana Desonie informs the reader about the cause and effects of marine pollution, as well as what pollutes our oceans and how, and the types of pollutants that enter our oceans. Marine pollution is when unnatural substances enter the ocean. Dana explains the type of pollutants that enter our oceans such as plastics, man-made chemicals, heavy metals, oil, sediments, nutrients, and even radioactivity. Many pollutants infiltrate our oceans...
Words: 418 - Pages: 2
...National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, National Geographic, 9 Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/. The National Geographic has been known of posting many articles and videos about the concern and awareness of the water pollution of the Pacific Ocean. The article that is chosen is about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the National Geographic has many photo evidence of the harmful effects of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The article puts in perspective of how serious the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is by using quotes from captains that have sailed by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and statistics of the mass size. The article will be supporting...
Words: 1296 - Pages: 6
...into Marine and Coastal Pollution CONTENTS CHAPTER 2 ▪ BACKGROUND ▪ General ▪ The Problems ▪ Declining water quality ▪ Loss of marine and coastal habitats ▪ Lack of strategic planning and management practices ▪ Lack of marine science policy CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND General As an island continent with a long coastline Australia has many different marine and estuarine environments. These span a wide range of coastal types, climates and geological and biological regions, which house a rich store of biological diversity. Many are far away from major population centres and are little affected by human activities. Large stretches of the coastline are among the least polluted places on earth.Australia's marine environment spans almost 60 degrees in latitude, from Torres Strait to Heard and Macquarie Islands, and 75 degrees longitude, from Cocos Island to Norfolk Island. In November 1994 the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) came into effect, and with it Australia's declaration of its 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The EEZ covers over 11 million square kilometres, one of the largest in the world.UNCLOS provides the rights to exploit the natural resources of the EEZ but also obliges Australia, under Article 192, to protect and preserve the marine environment of the EEZ. The Convention requires Australia to prevent land based and ship sourced marine pollution and...
Words: 2356 - Pages: 10
...offshore drilling continues when considering the pollution caused, how it eliminates the supply of natural resources, murders innocent sea creatures, and actually damages the national economy. There are, however, solutions to this problem. Before solutions can be presented, it is important to discuss the various problems. First, offshore oil drilling results in both sea and land based pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, claims that "with offshore drilling comes substantial routine pollution in the forms of oil and gas." By routine, the EPA means "a near constant flow from oil rigs and derricks" (Sisskin). Nothing is ever done about the pollution, and until something is done about the oil being put into the sea, our oceans are at risk. So just how much oil is put in the oceans? According to a study conducted by the World Research Institute, "...between 3 and 6 million tons of oil are discharged into the oceans every year" (Gorman 48). To put this in perspective, that is approximately 4 football stadiums filled to the top with oil. That is just every year...and this has been going on for more than a decade. In total, 45 million tons of oil in the past ten years that have been put into the oceans. There are several ways that oil ends up in the oceans. One method is through drilling accidents and another is through spillage from tankers and other transports. These large concentrations of oil often devastate marine life, and can lead to extinction of species that...
Words: 1401 - Pages: 6
...Paper SCI/256 July 09, 2013 . Marine Ecosystem Out of all of the large and natural resources available for generating electricity in the United States, it is the ocean. Ocean energy may be the last investigated for its potential. The ocean is so vast and deep, until recently, it was assumed that no matter how many chemicals or how much trash humans dumped into the ocean, the effects would be negligible. Dumping into oceans have even got the catchphrase: “The solution to pollution is dilution” (National Geographic, 2013) Impacts Associated With Agriculture Pollutants from agriculture have affected the marine’s ecosystem in ways that may not be reversible, and may also be slowly harming rivers, streams, and coastal waters. Pesticides and fertilizer are two major components that have disturbed the marine’s ecosystem; both contain harmful chemicals that can be hazardous to living organisms in the water. Fertilizer and pesticide run-off from large farms may have initiated bursts of marine algae which may disrupt the ocean’s ecosystem by causing massive blooms in marine waters (Schwartz, 2005). Winds cause nitrogen and other nutrients from the seafloor to surface, which promote the growth of algae called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a main source of food for many living organisms in the marine waters. Agricultural pollutants may have triggered phytoplankton to produce harmful blooms in tides, which are giving-off poisonous toxins to marine life. These poisonous toxins are...
Words: 1602 - Pages: 7
...known as water pollution (Singer, S. 1970; Akman et al., 2000; Sathyanarayanan, 2007). The aquatic ecosystem are directly or indirectly affected by pollution (Kosygin et al., 2007). Water body must be safe and free of risk factors. Risk factors related to water pollution, can be divided into two basic types: chemical and biological pollutants. Both types can always be linked to waste water resulting from domestic, agricultural and industrial activities (Subramanyam and Sambamurty, 2006; Sathware et al.,...
Words: 960 - Pages: 4
...Arctic oil drilling is a hazardous, menacing, business that is creating a negative impact on this delicate environment. This certain type of business has been damaging the marine animals and ice caps have vanished causing their habitat to be under threat. In addition, as the ice disappears companies and governments drill for oil in the melting waters which have an even greater effect on the Arctic itself as much as it affects the marines ecosystem. These oil companies do this activity of drilling to increase economic growth and to decrease the price of gasoline. Furthermore, by performing this activity, oil companies say this can create jobs. Oil is also a dependable natural source that is highly relied on for many purposes and it can not...
Words: 1010 - Pages: 5
...is not only dynamic but also holistic and seeks to produce results of the complex problems. Systems thinking is the only critical way to solve complex issues impeding sustainability challenges and develop quality solutions. Since its conception in 1920 by Jan Smuts Holism, it has developed and solved many issues (Gharajedaghi p.2013 558). Pollution is a complex issue which is intertwined in different processes and impacts in diverse ways. Thus, the topic is significance in pursuing ways to help solve the pollution. Ocean pollution also referred to as marine pollution is a wicked problem which has been increasing in complexity day in day out. This is because of the increasing population growth which stands at 7.2 billion worldwide (Noga & Wolbring 2013 p.3615). The increased industry establishment is directly proportional to chemical waste which settle in the oceans. It causes death of marine animals and plants hence poor marine ecology. The aim of this essay is to use the knowledge and skills acquired in role of systems thinking to address Ocean pollution as a sustainability challenge. It will explore various sources of ocean pollution, types and elucidate possible strategies which could be adopted as mitigation...
Words: 2407 - Pages: 10
...The article is called “Oceans of pollution” (Al Jazeera, 18 June 2012), Dahr Jamail. He shows the plastic pollution in the oceans on the Earth’s crisis. If the issue is not addressed, it will be unpredictable long-term consequences, with a mass extinction of ocean species. His rhetorical goals of explaining are quotations from scientific experts, cause-and-effect reasoning, and powerful visual imagery. The stimulus for the article was a series of scientific studies that demonstrate the dramatic worsening of ocean pollution in recent years. According to author, massive gyres of plastic garbage are developing in oceans that are harm to fish, turtles and other creatures. “Dead Zones” – where are algae blooms which runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus...
Words: 684 - Pages: 3
