CSB #3: Ocean-life Populations Are Dropping

Image

Definitions

Over-fishing: when the fish in a given area are depleted due to excessive fishing in that region

Plankton: very small, free-floating organisms that constitute a huge part of the ocean population, produce most of our oxygen, and are the basis for the marine food web (phytoplankton are plankton that go through photosynthesis and create their own food)

metabolic rate: one's rate of metabolism, or the rate of energy that is used in a given time

hotspot: a place in which the oceanic temperatures have risen and biodiversity is high

speciation: the creation of new species

Summary

Many marine animals’ populations are dropping due to numerous reasons, the main ones being the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, rising sea-surface temperatures rising, and increased over-fishing. Because of these reasons, many species are in danger, including, for example, the eastern North Pacific basking shark, which the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, designated as a “species of concern,” due to the dramatic drop in numbers, regardless of the immense protection they had from fishing. In addition, researchers in Canada found out that the phytoplankton population has decreased by 40% since 1950 in 8 out of 10 of the largest oceanic areas. The researchers blamed this decline on the rising sea-surface temperatures, though there may be other factors that are also affecting the drops in population. However, these rising temperatures can also be beneficial to the environments. Studies show that heat encourages animals to rearrange in order to get accustomed to the climate change, which includes them moving to more concentrated areas, thus creating more biodiversity. Scientists believe that the increased diversity of organisms is connected with their increased metabolic rates, which may cause higher rates of speciation. Anther reason could be that more species are able to tolerate a warmer environment. Unfortunately, most of the hotspots, or places in which temperatures have risen, are also places where humans over-fish, alter habitats, and heavily pollute, which could cause an even more detrimental drop in marine population.

Discussion

I chose this article because it seemed important that the number-one contributor to not only the entire marine food web, but also to our oxygen, as it produces most of it, is in high danger due to human mistreatment of the ocean. Phytoplankton, the bottom of the food chain, is important to all marine life because it is the largest producer, and if it is heavily affected by human destruction more than it already is, then we are in danger. Without plankton, a huge amount of our oxygen will be lost and most of the marine animals will be in danger, some of them maybe even becoming endangered or extinct. Ultimately, we should all be aware of this problem in case we need to figure out a way to cope with marine life population drops.

Questions

Why are the sea-surface temperatures rising exactly?

Are there any scientists working to lower temperatures of the surface water and/or jump-start the plankton population?

Resources
Image

   the image was in the article

   URL: http://images.iop.org/objects/erw/talkingpoint/thumb/4/7/3/ERWreef_1009_10.jpg

Article

   Kalaugher, Liz. "A Sea of Troubles." Environmental Research Web. IOP Publishing,
     Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. <http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/
     article/opinion/43719>.