Preview

Marine Ecosystem

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1619 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Marine Ecosystem
The earth's oceans provide an enormous range of resources and affect the quality of life as we know it. The oceans cover approximately 70 percent of the surface of the earth and have a cyclical effect on weather, e.g. temperature, precipitation and air quality. Regardless of your views on global warming, the fact remains that humans have an impact on the marine ecosystems through waste from chemicals and debris polluting this vast renewable resource. Based upon current scientific evidence, emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are projected to cause significant global climate change during the 21st century. Such climate change will create novel challenges for coastal and marine ecosystems that are already stressed from human development, land-use change, environmental pollution, and over-fishing. (Eileen Claussen, 2002)Ocean and coastal marine systems are also affected by changes in climate, through increases or decreases in water levels. When water levels are altered naturally or unnaturally, nutrients and oxygen levels vital to the maintenance of marine organisms, are changed. A myriad of marine species including some birds, are impacted by the availability of marine food sources and will have long term implications regarding freshwater and seafood supply for humans as well as animals.

Due to increases in CO2 introduced into the atmosphere, resulting climate changes will cause additional stresses on oceanic circulation. CO2 levels have been estimated at double the earlier measurements of pre-industrial periods. These CO2 increases also lower the pH in ocean waters, thus creating negative effects on the organisms' habitat. Add to this, the level of oxygen being reduced in the water and the biochemical changes, marine and aquatic species are forced to migrate for survival or potentially be eliminated.

Acid rain is caused by natural sources, such as, volcano eruptions and decaying vegetation, as well as unnatural sources from auto and industrial


References: About (2008). A Discordant Sea: Global Warming and its Effect on Marine Population. Retrieved February 20, 2010 from http://geography.about.com/od/geographyintern/a/globalmarine.htmAcid Rain. (2007, June Friday). Retrieved Feb. Wed., 2010, from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/what/index.htmlBurke, L. (2005). Technical Notes on the Reefs at Risk. World Resources Institute. Retrieved from http://pdf.wri.org/technote_belize_reefs_threat_analysis.pdfEileen Claussen, P. (2002). Coastal and Marine Ecosystems. Pew Center. Nutall, N. (n.d.). Overfishing: a threat to marine biodiversity. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/events/tenstories/06/story.asp?storyID=800World Resources Institute. (n.d.). Projects in People & Ecosystems. Retrieved from http://www.wri.org/projects/ecosystems
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    How Ocean Acidification Affect Jellyfish
    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Ocean Acidification Affect Jellyfish

    Climate change’s equally evil twin seems to be ocean acidification. 25 percent of the CO2 dissolves into the ocean instead of being in the air. When the industrial era started over 525 billion tons of CO2 were absorbed (22 million tons per day). Scientists at first thought that we were good because it warms the planet, but that’s not the case. The ocean is becoming more acidic than ever because of the CO2. 200 years later the water temperature increased by 30 percent. Rivers usually keep the ocean stable because they have to carry all of the chemicals, but they haven’t been able to keep up with all of this CO2. As a matter of fact some of these animals’ shells dissolve in this acidic seawater which doesn’t help at all. With…

    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Sci/275 Marine Habitat Research Paper
    • 1224 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Sci/275 Marine Habitat Research Paper

    Marine habitats are in grave danger due to humans and Mother Nature. Hurricanes, typhoons, storm surges, and tsunamis are factors in which contributes to the destruction of marine habitats and are caused by Mother Nature. Human’s destruction to these habitats is much worse due to the fact that Mother Nature’s destruction is mostly temporary, while humans leave more of a lasting footprint on the habitats because of our persistence. (National Geographic, n.d.). Marine habitat destruction caused by humans are wetlands being filled for further development, runoff water which carries chemicals, pollutants, and wastes are pumped back into the water without…

    • 1224 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Summary Of The Devolution Of The Seas
    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Summary Of The Devolution Of The Seas

    Through commercial fishing many of the ocean and seas marine life is caught and killed unnecessarily through netting and a lot of the marine life is not consumed, but discarded, in turn depriving many other of earth’s creatures their natural food source. As an alternative to declining marine life humans have begun raising their own fish. Although fish farming can be beneficial, it can also be harmful to the environment by spreading disease and other pollutants into other waterways affecting other habitats and wildlife (Sielen). In many other ways we are affecting the decline of our oceans.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity: Notes
    • 2831 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity: Notes

    Marine systems provide a variety of ecological and economic services. Conservative estimates value their ecological services at $21 trillion per year with at least 3.5 billion people—more than half of the world’s human population, dependent on seas for their primary source of food.…

    • 2831 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Describe the spatial patterns and dimensions of one (1) ecosystem at risk, and analyse the negative impacts of human activity on this ecosystem.
    • 1355 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Describe the spatial patterns and dimensions of one (1) ecosystem at risk, and analyse the negative impacts of human activity on this ecosystem.

    On-going climate change will have and has already caused many consequences for the Great Barrier Reef. This change will and has directly impacted many species of fish, invertebrate, mammals and birds along with many aquatic and terrestrial plants. There are also substantial impacts on the functioning of the reef. The biggest concern about climate change and the Great Barrier Reef is the rise in sea temperature which will affect the movement of water around the reef and the nutrient cycle on the reef which also means the chemical structure which will be altered because of the increased amount of CO2 dissolved into the water. With…

    • 1355 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rocky Shores Issues
    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Rocky Shores Issues

    Climate change is a major issue for rocky shores and the habitats and the species that live amongst it. A certain issue under climate change is ocean acidification, and this refers to a reduction in the PH levels within the ocean over an amount of time, caused mainly by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the surrounding atmosphere. For 200 years or even more the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased in bigger amounts due to the changes in the land use and the burning of the fossil fuels has had a major impact on the atmosphere. The big problem with this is the fact that 30 percent of the carbon dioxide produced is absorbed by the ocean. When the carbon dioxide is absorbed by the sea water, a chemical reaction occurs, which results in an increase of hydrogen ions. The ocean acidification impacts all species differently it can either help them or effect their living conditions. Algae and seagrasses can actually benefit from higher percentages of carbon dioxide in the ocean, as being a plant they require more CO2 just like plants that are on land. The species that have the most effect on them would definitely be calcifying species, when these are risk it impacts the food web because they are the primary animals…

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ocean Acidification Research Paper
    • 1304 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Ocean Acidification Research Paper

    Also, there are certain species such as photosynthetic algae and sea-grass that could potentially benefit from the increase of carbon dioxide; Since, carbon dioxide is mandatory for the survival of this species just like it is for plants on land . None the less, an excessive amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the ocean changes the chemistry and affects marine ecosystems.…

    • 1304 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Our Oceans Are Turning Into Plastic. Are You?
    • 1197 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Our Oceans Are Turning Into Plastic. Are You?

    This sea is predicted as how the oceans of the planet will look like within the next century. The acidification that might happen throughout the oceans of the world is mostly caused by the carbon dioxide emitted from smokestacks and tailpipes. (527) Thirty percent of the carbon dioxide released by man has been soaked in the oceans. Many marine organisms cannot survive in these high carbon dioxide concentrated conditions. The evidence from Castello Aragonese proves that this polluted sea is missing thirty-three percent of marine organisms that live outside the vent system. Another significant organism of the chemistry of the ocean is the coral reef. Coral reefs are essential for the ecosystem of the ocean. Ocean acidification is a threat to their existence. According to Jane Lubchenco, ocean acidification is global warming’s “equally evil twin.” (qtd. in…

    • 1197 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Climate Change Affect Coral Reefs
    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Climate Change Affect Coral Reefs

    The sea levels rising could destroy ecosystems by removing or increasing certain species in a certain area of the ocean. Especially coastal areas. “Rising water levels will have serious impacts on marine ecosystems. The amount of light reaching offshore plants and algae dependent on photosynthesis could be reduced, while coastal habitats are already being flooded”(Climate change impacts on the marine environment, pg 3, par 3). The flooding of these habitats is dangerous because it disrupts the flow of a lot of organisms that keep the ecosystems in balance. “Wetlands normally grow vertically fast enough to keep up with sea level rise, but recently the sea has been rising too fast for wetlands to keep their blades above water. Coral reefs and sea grass meadows are also in danger of “drowning” since they can only photosynthesize in relatively shallow water” (Fujita, pg 2, par 4). With the sea levels rising so fast, it could also begin to effect more than just…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    work cited
    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages

    work cited

    Warmer ocean temperatures are also now understood to cause coral bleaching. Rising levels of carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas emissions) are also decreasing the pH level of the ocean, known as ocean acidification. Evidence suggests that this will have a profound effect on the entire marine ecosystem.…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Climate Change: Saving Coral In The Florida Keys
    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Climate Change: Saving Coral In The Florida Keys

    Coral reefs are home to many fishes and plants. Because of global warming, 16% of the world’s coral reefs were wiped out in one year alone (“Global Warming and Coral Reefs”). Ocean temperatures have also risen by 1.3 ° Fahrenheit since the last 19th century (Coral bleaching and ocean acidification are two climate-related impacts to coral reefs). The increasing carbon dioxide levels lead to coral bleaching. This occurs when coral responds to the stress of the temperature warming. This expels the colorful algae that live within most of the coral dies, so the entire ecosystem disappears. Warmer waters are expected to increase the chance of coral diseases such as black band disease, white plague, and white pox. All of the diseases lead to the killing of coral reefs and the entire ecosystem is supports.…

    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of Ocean Acidification
    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Summary Of Ocean Acidification

    The National Geographic article “Ocean Acidification; Carbon Dioxide is Putting Shelled Animals at Risk,” argues that the drop in surface pH could have a devastating effect on not only the organisms living in the ocean, but the environment that surrounds us. Research has shown that at least half of the carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere has been absorbed by the oceans over time. This has benefited our environment because by reducing the amount of CO2 and greenhouse gases being emitted into the environment, it has slowed down the climate change that would have occurred if those gases were still present in the air. The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the ocean has been thought to cause reproductive disorders in…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ocean Acidification Effects
    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ocean Acidification Effects

    Ocean acidification impacts marine organisms to varying gradations. For example, photosynthetic algae and seagrasses may benefit from higher CO2 conditions as they require CO2 to live much like plants on land. On the contrary, studies have shown that a more acidic environment has a negative effect on calcifying species, such as oysters, clams, sea urchins, corals, calcareous plankton and many more. When shelled organisms are at risk, the entire food web is also at risk. Currently, over a billion people worldwide rely on food from the ocean as their primary source of protein. Many jobs and economies throughout the world depend on the fish and shellfish in our…

    • 634 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    The Great Hammerhead Shark
    • 2863 Words
    • 12 Pages

    The Great Hammerhead Shark

    Life on earth is greatly influenced by oceanic habitat. All species are directly and indirectly impacted by the choices made by today’s existing generations. Often times humans outweigh anthropometric value from intrinsic value of habitats they’re not familiar with or exposed to every day. Human decision making functions in a way that focuses on determining costs and benefits of a particular situation, which often leads to the perception of natural resources being seen as available resources solely there to benefit humans. When aesthetic values are neglected, species readily become endangered or extinct and natural ecosystems depleted. Species diversity can be defined as a measure of diversity within an ecological community that considers species richness and evenness of species abundance. Over 80% of life on earth lives in the ocean. Large oceanic beings have experienced a horrific decrease in population over the past century due to majority of the world’s societies living by a ‘Frontier World View’ mentality. Recent human exploitation of Elasmobranchii in particular has had an even greater impact globally than majority of society is aware of.…

    • 2863 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Effects Of Ocean Acidification
    • 224 Words
    • 1 Page

    Effects Of Ocean Acidification

    Oceans, lakes and rivers absorb 30 to 40% of the carbon dioxide produced by the human population. Ocean acidification has been a rising issue for the last three decades, and oceanographers have been studying the carbon dioxide effects on the ocean throughout that time. It is becoming increasingly problematic because the levels of carbon dioxide being emitted into the environment are greater. In the last 200 years, the ocean has become 30% more acidic because as more carbon dioxide is dissolved into the water, the more acidic the water gets. This is destroying the marine life that has had a stable pH level of ocean water for thousands of years. The oysters have been highly affected by the ocean acidification.…

    • 224 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics