Summary: The Five Biggest Threats To Our Oceans

654 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: what is the environmental impact of overfishing

Water covers about seventy percent of planet Earth. Oceans are used for a variety of reasons; people use the oceans for travel and trade, but also for a source of entertainment and a basis for food as well as jobs for it is a critical source of income for some. According to the ocean is a boundless deep blue sea filled with thousands of species of fish and mammals’ humanity must learn to conserve and be not wasteful of the products humans acquire from the ocean. The more the world continue to abuse the oceans the farther humanity is setting themselves back depleting our resources causing a spiraling affect throughout the food chains and ecosystems .

According to Stone (2014), Chief Scientist for Oceans, Conservation International state in his article published in ‘Huffington Post” entitled “The Five Biggest Threats to our Oceans” that the top five biggest threats to the oceans are excessive fishing, pollution along the coastline, devastation of environments, climate change and acidification (Stone, 2014). If humans do not begin to take notice of the affects in which they have on the oceans and environment, it could cause permanent devastation of species and water source affecting the entire ecosystem and essentially sending it into a spiraling downfall of destruction. The …show more content…

Wild life authority figure also rely on helpers throughout the community to assist in important duties (WWF, 2015). The WWF also states “particular concern is the current lack of protection for a number of sensitive habitats and areas. These include: coral reefs and mangrove forests, deep seas and high seas” (WWF, 2015). The government must begin to pay close attention to these specific areas in order to preserve these special areas within the

Show More
Related

  • Acidification and the Ocean’s Changing Climate

    638 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ocean acidity will spoil marine ecosystems if it remains persistent. Preserving sustainable fishing industries will become unmanageable if the carbon dioxide absorbed by the world’s oceans is not considerably abridged.

    Read More

  • Ocean Pollution Dbq

    236 Words  | 1 Pages

    Do you know that people are polluting oceans in so many ways, and what we are doing about it. First, my evidence shows that two billion people within thirty miles of the coast create 100 million metric tons of coastal plastic waste (Doc.1). In my own words, this evidence show that all this pollution is really harmful to ocean creatures and us. More evidence is that the North Pacific Gyre has collected lots of these pollutants, so it is nicknamed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (O.I.). This shows how we are polluting the oceans. My next evidence shows that a Beach Act was passed in 2000 saying the EPA or the Environmental Protection Agency will help states test and monitor coastal water pollution to protect swimmers (Doc.2). This evidence

    Read More

  • Water Pollution: Impact on Aquatic Life and Human Health

    1318 Words  | 3 Pages

    Water is an essential part of life for any living organism in the world. People use water every day to drink, do daily housework, or to bathe in; while animals use water to survive. Because of the doings of humans, the water that is so essential to all organisms’ well being is being polluted. The water drink and use every day may have oil from large petroleum companies spilling into it. Debris from sewer plants float into the ocean when they overflow. Even prescription pills are contaminating the water. Not only is the water affecting the humans that drink it but also affects the aquatic life. Aquatic species may have problems reproducing which disrupts the whole food chain and biodiversity web of life. How water becomes contaminated should

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of Ocean Acidification

    1282 Words  | 3 Pages

    Al Gore once said, “CO2 is the exhaling breath of our civilization,” this quote is completely accurate human civilization resolves around the production, consumption, use of entities that contain CO2. Due to our extreme use of CO2 based products we are causing a rapid spike in the CO2 levels in the atmosphere, the Mauna Loa CO2 records indicate CO2 levels has risen from 315ppm in 1960 to 403ppm in 2016 and it is still rising (noaa). This drastic increase of this toxic gas is that it is damaging the world, as we know it. The most talked about consequence of this is climate change, but the other “equally evil twin” is ocean acidification. This effect of this excessive amount of CO2 being released into our atmosphere is the decrease of pH levels of the oceans due to the increase uptake of CO2. The lowering pH level is due to the combination of CO2 and H2O combining and form carbonic acid, which is an acid. This acidification of the oceans is already wreaking havoc on the oceanic ecosystems and the effects will be more devastating in the

    Read More

  • Overfishing Is Destroying the Oceans of the World

    1551 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since nearly the beginning of human history fishing has been an integral part of the culture and survival of coastal communities. These coastal communities and cities have always been some of the most prosperous and successful because of the added resource of the ocean. In the beginning many areas were so densely populated with fish and shellfish that often a day’s worth of food could be caught by simply wading into the shallows. For example, some of the first English settlers to see the Chesapeake Bay described “The abundance of oysters is incredible.  There are whole banks of them so that the ships must avoid them. . . . They surpass those in England by far in size, indeed, they are four times as large.  I often cut them in two, before I could put them into my mouth” (Miller). This abundance had every appearance of being as infinite as the ocean that produced it but the reality was far different. Many fish stocks, including the oyster, stayed near these high levels even into the beginning of the industrial era. However the new rapid pace of technological advancement proved too much for many stocks to handle. Close shore stocks took most damage as they were the easiest to exploit. Those same oyster colonies that were once an obstacle for boats were nearly eradicated by “the 1890s harvests began to decline.  Many oyster beds were destroyed and reefs had been mined away.  By the 1920s, the boom was over…” (Miller). While catastrophes like this inspired many sustainable practices there are still fisheries worldwide that are headed for a similar end. Through ignorance and misinformation from the fishing industry most of the general public does not know that this is occurring. The following will serve to inform about the t...

    Read More

  • Acidification: The Importance Of Coral Reefs In The Ocean

    2261 Words  | 5 Pages

    Our Earth consists of many of many different components, such as land, animals, air, etc. and lately a lot of our attention has been brought to pollution and the state in which our Earth and atmosphere is in. Our ocean covers seventy one percent of the earth’s total surface area and plays a major role in our Earth’s atmosphere. (Hoegh-Guldberg, 2010) Acidification has been one of the many components that has been leading to the destruction of our surrounding oceans. (Doney, 2008)

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography on Ocean Pollution

    3269 Words  | 7 Pages

    "An Ocean Of Trash." Scholastic Action 33.12 (2010): 16. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 31 Jan. 2014.

    Read More

  • Water Pollution: Plastic in the Ocean

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    Water pollution has had devastating effects on the environment, which include irreversible effects on the oceans ecosystem. People often underestimate the importance of the ocean. They don’t realize how much damage pollution has caused to the ocean and the thousands of creatures that inhabit it. Earth is a huge place, but resources are actually very limited and will not last forever unless there is a balance. We must protect the resources we have in order for them to last into the next generation.

    Read More

  • Endangered marine life

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...e effect of what humankind does to the ocean, the implications became far worse than any had individually realized. It is a very serious situation demanding unequivocal action at every level. We are looking at consequences for humankind that will impact in our lifetime, and worse, our children's and generations beyond that

    Read More

  • The Effects of Ocean Pollution on the Environment

    1635 Words  | 4 Pages

    Pollution comes in many forms. In the ocean we dump a variety of substances, including human wastes, chemicals from fertilizers, oil, and trash such as plastic which all contribute to the growing issue of our ocean pollution. In addition to, our usable waters are finite. More than 97.5 percent of the water on this planet is undrinkable salt water; the remaining 2.5 percent has two-thirds of the usable fresh water locked up in glaciers, snow, and permafrost. Of the one-third of freshwater that is available for human use, 20 percent is used for industrial use. (“Water Pollution”) “In effect, water pollution reduces the volume of water available for use by human and other populations.” (Robin Clarke, Jannet King) Knowing that there are approximately 7.2 billion people and growing on this planet with only 0.83 percent of available for our use wouldn’t you want to do everything possible to help put an end to water pollution? (worldometers)

    Read More

  • ocean acidification

    628 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ocean acidification will have harsh outcomes for shelled organisms and coral reefs. But don’t you wonder what type of effect it will have on you! People have a misconception that if the ocean turns into acid that it’ll be hazardous to get in the water. Ocean acidification isn't gonna harm humans directly. As you all know though humans are inextricably linked to the health of the ocean. Ever since i can remember humans have depended on the sea for more things then land. The ocean provides resources like food, recreation, transportation, and medicines. People need to realize they need the ocean for more things then they can imagine. Not to mention the guilt you’d feel if the ocean was extinct and you didn't do anything to help prevent it.

    Read More

  • Imminent Threats to Coral Reefs

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Coral reefs are fragile ecosystems, and even a slight change in their marine habitat could drastically impact the corals, and other marine life too. One of the main threats to the reefs is climate change. As global warming occurs through out the world, the ocean waters will also start to get warmer, which is what is known as ocean warming. Even 2 degrees Celsius change in the water can have a massive impact on the corals. This is because the corals can feel this slight change and will start to feel stressed, and their first natural reaction is to expel their symbiotic zooxanthellae since this algae is not a part of them. The corals at this stage are now hopeless without their symbiotic partner, and will not be able to survive without oxygen and food. The now starving corals will turn into a ghostly white and perish.

    Read More

  • Ocean Protection and Conservation

    1961 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Environmental and Marine Conservation

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Saving marine ecosystems is an important environmental issue that biologists and scientists are studying today. This issue is frequently debated and addressed by several government and nonprofit organizations due to its important impact on human health and well-being. Global warming has complicated the issue because it is causing the oceans to warm up and carbon to be absorbed by the oceans. Reckless and indiscriminate human activity has led to the pollution of the oceans and a decline in the populations of marine animals worldwide. As the apex predator, we need to make a change by conserving marine habitats and ecosystems throughout the world. The Marine Conservation Institute is already trying to create environmentally protected areas by safeguarding marine ecosystems on a global scale. Being eco friendly can also save you money. Doing so will limit further damage to the environment and protect marine ecosystems.

    Read More

  • What are our responsibilities toward the environment?

    1810 Words  | 4 Pages

    We all belong to the same world and all of us have the same responsibilities towards the world and its environment. This fact might be hard to digest, but if we continue to pollute the Earth at the current rate, all of the world’s ocean waters will become one-hundred-thirty percent acidic. This means that the ocean will be unable to sustain most of its marine life and only a few creatures will be able to survive in the water. A big population of people think that they do not or have few responsibilities towards the environment. People think that the governor of a country should take steps to help the environment. They leave it to scientists since they have the technology to prevent pollution, or that is what most people think. There are more responsibilities to the world each individual has than most of realize. The amount of negligence and ignorance of humans towards the Earth is taking a heavy toll.

    Read More

More about Summary: The Five Biggest Threats To Our Oceans

Open Document