Marine Pollution
By:
Anna Boyd
Table of Contents
Bibliography……………… page 2
Introduction……………… page 3-4
Chapter 2 ………………… page 5-9
Conclusion………………..10-11
Bibliography
“National Geographic.” Marine Pollution. 1996. National Geographic
Society.4,October,2012 http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/criticalissues-marine-pollution/:.
“Pollution Articles.” Marine Pollution Facts. 2011. Ned Haluzan. 4, October,
2012 http://polltuionarticales.blogspot.com/2011/05/marine-polltion.html:.
“Wikipedia.” Marine Pollution. 2012. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4, October,
2012 http://en.Wikipedia.org/wikiMarine_pollution:.
“Thinkquest.” Ocean Pollution. 2002. Oracle Thinkquest Education
Foundation.4,October,2012
http://library.thinkquest.org/CR021547/ocean_polltuion.htm:.
Introduction
Oceans have suffered at the hands of mankind for millennia. Common man
made pollutants that reach the ocean include pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers,
detergents, oils, sewage plastics, and other solids. Many pollutants collect at the depths
of the ocean and is consumed by small marine mammals, fish, birds, and sea turtles
that mistake it for food. Agricultural runoff and shipping are big sources of marine
pollution.
Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects can
result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural, and
residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine
pollution are land based. Wind blown debris and dust are also big sources. Potential
toxic chemicals adhere to tiny particals which are taken up by plankton. Since the
chemicals are concentrated upward within the ocean food chains. When pesticides are
incorporated in the marine ecosystem they quickly become part of marine food webs.
Once inside the food webs the chemicals can cause mutations, as well as diseases it
can be harmful to humans as well as the entire food web. Toxic metals can also be
introduced to marine food webs. The metals can cause a change to tissue matter,
behavior, and suppress growth in marine life. Many animal feeds have a high fish meal
or fish hydro state content. In this way, marine toxins can be transferred to land animals
and later in meat and dairy product.
Types of Pollution
One type of pollution could be solid pollution. Solid pollution would be
plastic bags, paper, any plastics, or anything that is a solid could pollute the
ocean.
Solid pollution could mostly be caused by what’s left from
destroyed buildings or debris from a tornado or hurricane. Pollution could
even be oil left by ships.
Another type of pollution could be noise pollution. Noise pollution is
sound waves carried for miles in large bodies of water. The increased
presence of loud or persistent sounds from ships, sonar devices, oil rigs,
and even from natural sounds like earthquakes can disrupt the migration,
communication, hunting, and reproduction patterns of many marine
animals, particularly aquatic mammals such as dolphins and whales.
Causes of Marine Pollution
Some causes of pollution are the noise of barges and submarines. The
submarine’s sonar interferes with the sonar tracking for dolphins and
whales. Barge’s sound waves travel through the ocean undiminished for
miles. The noise is more than just annoying to the marine life it can
cause physical damage leading to major trauma or even death. The noise
pollution has double every decade in the past 60 years.
Another type of cause could be the waste and solids we throw away.
The trash that could be recycled ends up in the ocean while the little marine
organisms eat the trash. Once they eat the trash the bigger marine life
consume the organisms making the trash go up in the food chain as the
wildlife eat the animals the first consumed the garbage. The wildlife
sometimes even consume the trash directly mistaking it for food.
Oil spills also cause marine pollution. The oil is spread by boats and
ships that pass by. The oil is consumed sometimes by sea turtles and fish
because they think its food. When the oil spreads it kills the marine life that
are supposed to clean it up leaving the oil as a problem to the fish and
marine life because it’s no longer clean.
The affects on people and animals
One affect is on the fish that swim in the water. Since the water isn’t
clean the fish and marine life breathe in the contaminated water. The fish,
sharks, and turtles are forced to move to different places because their
food is dying in the polluted water.
Another affect is on the food we and animals eat. The trash is often
mistaken for food. Such as plastic bags, the sea turtle mistake that for sea
weed and try to eat it but the get caught and suffocate. The seafood we eat
my also soon affect us because some of it may have little bits of oil on them
or in them.
Marine pollution also affects animal behavior. The pollution from
noises affect the migration pattern of whales.
Solutions
One solution would be cleaning the oceans and the shores. Someone
one could simply pick up trash along the shorelines or organize a group
and help clean the ocean. You could even encourage people to clean the
oceans by making posters, telling people about pollution and its affects on
people and animals.
Another solution is recycling. If we recycle the trash then it won’t end
up in the ocean. The solid item we need to recycle are plastic bags.
Conclusion
If pollution continues many fish will become inedible. It could also have a
toxic effect on the organisms themselves, affecting the behavior, and with
top predators being the most affected. Pollution in the oceans will directly
affect ocean organisms but indirectly affect human health and resources.
When pollutants in enormous amounts are added to a body of water the
water’s free oxygen supply is depleted killing off beneficial organisms.
The water is no longer self cleansing, other forms of life die out, and it
eventually
becomes
biologically
dead.
Some
pollutants
are
non-
biodegradable. Examples are certain pesticides, agricultural fertilizers,
radioactive material, oil charges from ships and boats, and various
chemicals. 2 chemical pollutants make a reaction causing acid rain. The 2
pollutants are nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide.
Many pollutants are released into the environment way upstream
away from coastlines. Nitrogen rich fertilizers used by farmers inland and
end up in rivers, ground water, and local streams and are eventually
dumped into estuaries, bays, and deltas. Scientist have counted 400 such
dead zones around the world. Now you know about marine pollution. So
are you going to help?