Summary:
Marine ecosystems are perhaps the largest of Earth's ecosystems, yet humanity seems to think that it can afford to ignore them. The diverse set of species that live in the ocean are facing bigger threats than ever from overfishing, climate change and pollution. Overfishing is perhaps the biggest threat, since eliminating biodiversity in these communities will result in a more vulnerable world. Humans are using up a food source that will not easily replenish itself, and a fishing tactic known as bottom-trawling is only making things worse. Bottom trawling is causing irreversible damage to coral reefs, as well as reducing the populations of certain species of fish that support a variety marine life. In addition, increased pollution and global warming has led oceans to absorb more CO2 emissions in an effort to provide us with the the oxygen that we need to breathe. The result is that the ocean is becoming more acidic, which threatens to destroy coral reefs and a variety of smaller marine species and plant life. The building blocks of an enormous marine food chain are on the line. However, the world can still save them by turning these political frontiers into marine protected areas that do not favor any nation's economic interests. We can also help a lot by following the advice of marine biologist Callum Roberts, which is to "fish less and in less destructive measures, waste less, pollute less and protect more".
Reaction:
This article introduced me to bottom trawling, and I do not find it appealing at all. However, it does do a good job of representing global behavior today. Every nation is fighting for itself, trying to scavenge as much fuel, "protein", and other resources as they can. Of course, only very few people stop to consider how this affects the abundance and variety of life in the sea. There needs to be more awareness of this issue not only because our food supplies are at risk, but also because our future may depend on the vital processes that marine organisms carry out. I did not know that oceans are responsible for absorbing up to 1/3 of human CO2 emissions and producing 1/2 of all the oxygen we breathe. We cannot put a price on the oxygen that marine ecosystems provide us, so we must protect them while we still have the ability to do so. I think that the best way to do this is by fishing less and cutting back on carbon emissions, so that marine food chains have the opportunity to stabilize themselves. This article definitely disproves the idea that there are plenty of fish in the sea, but it does not say how the world can cut back on fishing without affecting the lives of countless fishermen. Finding a solution in which both the economy and the environment benefit is very difficult, which explains why global warming has sparked so many debates. However, governments should definitely be involved in finding a solution to this issue and in regulating their fishing industries, especially in developing nations, before the world is out of options.
Vocabulary:
Ecosystem- a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
"Bottom-trawling"- an industrial fishing method that drags large, heavy nets across the seafloor.
"Coral reef"- a ridge of rock in the sea formed by the growth and deposit of coral. Known as the highest form of aquatic biodiversity.
Deforestation- the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area.
"Ecosystem services"- natural processes provided by an ecosystem and that benefit humans. Includes provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural benefits.
Phytoplankton- photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae.
"Food chain"- a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
"Marine protected areas"- versatile management tools that can be used to help conserve marine natural and cultural resources, and can be an integral part of an ecosystem approach to management.
"Bottom-trawling"- an industrial fishing method that drags large, heavy nets across the seafloor.
"Coral reef"- a ridge of rock in the sea formed by the growth and deposit of coral. Known as the highest form of aquatic biodiversity.
Deforestation- the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area.
"Ecosystem services"- natural processes provided by an ecosystem and that benefit humans. Includes provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural benefits.
Phytoplankton- photosynthetic or plant constituent of plankton; mainly unicellular algae.
"Food chain"- a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
"Marine protected areas"- versatile management tools that can be used to help conserve marine natural and cultural resources, and can be an integral part of an ecosystem approach to management.
Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/22/world/oceans-overfishing-climate-change/