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Industrial pollution and its effects
Ocean acidification sea change outline essay
Ocean acidification sea change outline essay
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The Chesapeake Bay lies in three states-- Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Although this estuary lies in 3 different states, the tributaries that contribute water to the bay lie in many different states, extending from New York to West Virginia and Virginia. Therefore, the health of the bay is a national problem, as its health strongly depends on our actions that we perform throughout the nation The Chesapeake Bay is a lively and diverse estuary-- it holds our famous blue crabs, oysters, scallops, fish, 87 species of waterbirds, and over 3,600 species of plants. Any impact that we have on the oceans and the bay greatly affect the life and health of not only the bay, but also the many diverse species of seafood and fauna that exist in the bay. …show more content…
One of the major problems affecting, not only oceans around the world, but also many local bodies of water right now is the problem of ocean acidification. You may have heard of ocean acidification, which you may have just disregarded as a problem that affects the large oceans as a whole. However, this acidification also affects the Chesapeake Bay itself. I have come to realize that the acidification of the Chesapeake is a major problem that will affect the diverse ecosystem that all the wildlife is located in, but also the many businesses locally and throughout the state that depend on the health of the ocean and the wildlife located in the
silence. Living from “hand to mouth” induced the gold miners to only be able to
During the 1600's, many people in the American colonies led very many different lives, some better than others. While life was hard for some groups, other colonists were healthy and happy. Two groups that display such a difference are the colonists of New England and Chesapeake Bay. New Englanders enjoyed a much higher standard of living. This high standard of New England's was due to many factors, including a healthier environment, better family situation, and a high rate of reproduction.
This ad is directed to many people in the Chesapeake Bay region because there are tons of pollution each year that are destroying the nation’s largest estuary, or part of a body of water where the fresh and salt water mix, and are also killing the Bay’s crabs, oysters, and fish, which is a huge industry in the area and also something the state of Maryland is known nationally for (Environment, p. 8). Pollution is destroying the Chesapeake Bay every single day, however now people are taking steps in the right direction to fix this problem but many people fear that time has run out.
Being found in a Mid-Atlantic state but south of the Mason Dixon line Maryland can lay claim to a blend of Northern and Southern American traditions. Maryland has been influenced by English, American, and African American cuisine. Seafood is a prime ingredient in Maryland cuisine and is also the state's primary food product. Harvesting seafood in the Chesapeake Bay dates back to the Indians. Many Indians preserved their catches for winter by salting or smoking them. Chesapeake Bay oysters have been eaten for centuries. The Patuxent River has been an importan...
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.
...oceans. Anthropogenic systems such as the combustion of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution have greatly increased the rate of acidification to levels where negative impacts ensue. Negative impacts occur both to marine organisms that rely on certain water conditions to maintain vital functions and the environment which is damaged by highly acidic waters. There is great variation in the acidity of each of the oceans, differences caused by the chemical composition of the ocean and biogeography. Understanding of the potential impacts of ocean acidification is relatively new to the scientific community and therefore little is known on how to counteract anthropogenic influences. Although reducing the amount of carbon dioxide produced will in turn reduce the lowering of the oceans acidity levels and reduce negative impacts on the environment and marine organisms.
Introduction The Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary located on the east coast of the United States. The bay is over 200 miles long and goes through Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The bay has much to offer the locals. Many locals have made a career out of harvesting the bay's sea food.
The Long Island Sound is an estuary, and is in fact one of the largest in the world. An estuary is a place where salt water from the ocean mixes with fresh water from the rivers that drain from the land. Moreover, like other estuaries, the Long Island Sound has an abundance of fish and other waterfowl that add to the natural balance of the island, as well as one of the most important economic factors (Tedesco). Like other estuaries around the world, the Sound provides breeding, feeding, nesting, and nursery areas for many species that will spend most of their adult lives in the oceans (Long Island Sound Study). Despite these similarities to other estuaries, the Long Island Sound is unique from anywhere else in the world. Unlike other estuaries, the Long Island Sound does not just have one connection to the sea but it has two. It has two major sources of fresh water flowing into the bay that empty into the ocean. It combines this two-...
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States .It holds 18 hundred trillion gallons of water. The Bay is about 200 miles long, and is home to more than 17 million people. It has been on earth for millions of years and has survived many different events. The importance of the Chesapeake Bay is incredible; two of the United States’ five major North Atlantic ports – Baltimore and Hampton Roads – are on the Bay. (Chesapeake Bay Program, n/d). The Chesapeake Bay provides shelter and food to all living things in the surrounding area. Both people and animals use the Bays resources every day and have done so for centuries.
The Chesapeake Bay is polluted with agricultural waste. We see things like 1.5 billion pounds of chicken waste that no one wants to take responsibility for. Ignoring standards, a waterway was tested for E. coli; the standard is 125 FCU/100ml of water. Yet this waterway’s level was at 48392 FCU/100ml. An industry that will go to great lengths to make sure that Congress doesn’t impose sanction against them.
Not only are they a critical part of the bays ecosystem, but they serve as a primary food source for humans living near the bay. Some examples of fish from the Chesapeake Bay Program website include: Striped bass, Atlantic Croaker, Atlantic Sturgeon, and even Sandbar Sharks. Fish are at the top of the food chain in the chesapeake bay and they take a large responsibility in keep the ecosystem in check. Some fish feed on almost any living organism they can find while others search the bottom for smaller nutrients. Fish even serve as a food source for scavengers such as birds living along the
Are you a big fan of seafood? Delicious creamy crab cakes,golden under the sunlight and sprinkled with chives. Unlike most crab cakes, this one’s aroma could be smelled from miles and miles around. Or maybe seafood just isn't for you. Then you could take a trip way back, so long ago and visit historical landmarks and historical people. Also known as America in Miniature, Maryland contains many surprises. Full of fun facts and unique places, Maryland is the place for you.
"An Ocean Of Trash." Scholastic Action 33.12 (2010): 16. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.
I do believe that these Invasive and Exotic species have even altered the Chesapeake Bay region and that these alterations aren’t always predictable! For instance, Oysters in the Chesapeake Bay have suffered since their parasites Dermo and MSX were introduced into the area as exotics.(3) Oysters fundamental role is to abolish the algae in the water; yet with the decline of oysters there is a major demolish in the bay ecosystem. (3) This is not just affecting the bay, it is also affecting oyster fishery bringing much economic loss. (3) Other examples would include the mute swan; which acts aggressive towards other birds in the area. (2) Even though there are many downfalls to these species many could bring good.
The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems are suffer and become endangered along with lives of people and of marine life. Surfrider Foundation recognizes the importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world's coasts because they are truly irreplaceable. There is also historical evidence of ocean pollution being present in the past, but the problem still lingers today. Heal the Bay discovered that,“Did you know there is a DDT and PCB hot spot off the coast of Palos Verdes? This superfund site (which indicates it's one of the most polluted places in the United States), is left over from a 1930's era chemical plant. Because DDT takes so long to break down in the marine environment, it persists to this day, contaminating certain species of fish. There are also highly polluted sediments in the Long Beach area, a sign of the heavy shipping in the port. Heal the Bay works on developing effective capping and removal plans to keep those toxins from spreading” (Heal the Bay). DDT is still highly concentrated in the South Bay area and still contaminating different species of fish. Even after more than 80 years DDT, a toxic insecticide, is still very concentrated and during upwellings, DDT particles come back up and continue to harm marine life. If humans are careless about what is thrown on the floor or sprayed on lawns, it can lead to disastrous affects when it comes to the condition of the ocean's ecosystems, and can endanger life itself leading to a problem that only we can mend.