Kiera Jefferson
Oceans cover more than 70% of our planet and are among the earth's most valuable resources. They are home to most of the life on earth, from microscopic algae to the blue whale. However, human activities continue to bombard the oceans with pollution. If we don't take measures to stop polluting the oceans, the costs will be catastrophic biologically, economically, and geopolitically. Oceans absorb a significant amount of man-made carbon emissions, which leads to acidification. This problem is worsening, with oceans acidifying faster than they have in 300 million years. Marine ecosystems and the coastal economies that depend on them will be severely impacted. Plastic pollution, oil spills, chemical discharges, sewage, and stormwater runoff are all contributing to the degradation of marine life and habitats. Noise pollution from shipping and military activity is also harming and killing marine species worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Impact on marine life | Marine life is harmed or killed by ingestion of pollutants, entanglement in debris, and damage to their habitats |
| Impact on humans | Marine debris can interfere with navigation safety and threaten human health |
| Impact on climate change | Oceans absorb carbon emissions, leading to acidification, which affects marine ecosystems and coastal economies |
| Impact on biodiversity | Plastic pollution is a major driver of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation |
| Impact on coral reefs | Coral reefs are pushed towards extinction by pollution, climate change, and overfishing |
| Sources of pollution | Nonpoint source pollution, runoff, littering, poor waste management, stormwater discharge, natural disasters, and ocean-based sources like derelict fishing gear |
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What You'll Learn
- Marine life will continue to ingest plastic waste, causing starvation and death
- Greenhouse emissions will increase ocean acidification, threatening marine life
- Oil in the ocean will continue to poison marine ecosystems
- Noise pollution will continue to harm and kill marine species
- Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation will be accelerated
Marine life will continue to ingest plastic waste, causing starvation and death
Marine life is already suffering from plastic pollution in the oceans, and if this issue is not addressed, the consequences will be dire. Marine debris, of which plastic is the majority, comes from human activities, such as littering, poor waste management, and industrial runoff. This waste is ingested by marine animals, causing internal injury, starvation, and death.
Plastic waste in the ocean is often ingested by marine animals, who mistake it for food. Sea turtles, for example, are known to eat floating plastic bags, thinking they are jellyfish. Seabirds also frequently ingest plastic, as they feed from the surface of the ocean and scoop up small plastic fragments along with their usual food sources. This plastic takes up room in their stomachs, leading to starvation as the animal feels full from the plastic but lacks proper nutrition.
Young sea turtles are especially vulnerable, as they drift with ocean currents and are less selective about what they eat. Research indicates that half of sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic, and this number is expected to rise. Plastic waste kills up to a million seabirds annually, and scientists predict that by 2050, 99% of seabird species will have ingested plastic.
The problem of plastic ingestion is not limited to turtles and seabirds. Fish in the North Pacific ingest 12,000 to 24,000 tons of plastic each year, and a recent study found plastic in the guts of a quarter of fish sold in California markets. This plastic is then transferred up the food chain to larger fish, marine mammals, and eventually humans.
If we do not address the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans, the problem will only worsen. Scientists predict that by 2050, the weight of plastic in the oceans will exceed the combined weight of all the fish. This will have catastrophic consequences for marine life, with increasing numbers of animals dying from ingestion and entanglement in plastic waste.
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Greenhouse emissions will increase ocean acidification, threatening marine life
Greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, are the primary driver of ocean acidification. The oceans absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, currently estimated at around one-third of all carbon dioxide emissions related to human activities. As the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increase, so does the amount absorbed by the oceans. This absorption process lowers the pH of seawater, making the oceans more acidic.
The increasing acidity of the oceans poses a significant threat to marine life, particularly organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons. This includes coral reefs, shellfish like oysters, clams, and lobsters, as well as some plankton. The acidified water can dissolve the shells and skeletons of these organisms, making it difficult for them to survive and reproduce. This, in turn, can disrupt marine food chains and affect seafood supplies for humans.
The impacts of ocean acidification are already being observed in various regions. Coral reefs, for example, are weakened by acidification, making them less resilient to other stressors like climate change and pollution. The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its living corals in the past three decades, reducing fish habitats and the overall resilience of the reef system. Similarly, in the Caribbean and off the coasts of Scotland and Norway, cold-water reefs are facing the threat of ocean acidification.
If greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, the rate of ocean acidification will accelerate. Projections indicate that by the end of this century, the surface waters of the ocean could be nearly 150% more acidic, resulting in a pH that hasn't been seen for over 20 million years. This rapid change in the chemical balance of ocean and coastal waters will have far-reaching consequences for marine ecosystems and the services they provide, such as storm protection, tourism, and fisheries.
To mitigate the impacts of ocean acidification, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide, is crucial. This can be achieved by transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and adopting sustainable practices such as recycling and reducing waste. Additionally, protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves and seagrass beds, can help absorb carbon dioxide and provide natural buffers against the effects of acidification.
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Oil in the ocean will continue to poison marine ecosystems
Oil pollution in the ocean is a major environmental problem, with oil spills receiving considerable public attention due to the obvious environmental damage they cause. Oil in the ocean will continue to poison marine ecosystems, causing both short-term and long-term harm.
Oil spills can affect marine life on a variety of time scales, from days to years or even decades. During an oil spill, oil coats shorelines and wildlife, causing immediate and often fatal damage. Seabirds and marine mammals, such as dolphins and whales, are particularly vulnerable to oil ingestion and inhalation, which can lead to poisoning and respiratory issues. Juvenile sea turtles can become trapped in the oil and mistake it for food, resulting in fatal consequences.
In addition to the immediate effects, oil spills can have long-term impacts on marine ecosystems. Oil can persist in the environment for extended periods, creating chronic exposure for marine organisms. This chronic exposure can lead to reduced growth, enlarged livers, changes in heart and respiration rates, fin erosion, and impaired reproduction in adult fish. Fish eggs and larvae are especially sensitive to the lethal and sublethal impacts of oil pollution.
Oil also poses a significant threat to coral reefs, which support entire marine ecosystems. Oil can "suffocate" coral reefs, blocking the light necessary for photosynthesis and jeopardizing the survival of the corals. Mangroves, which provide crucial coastal protection from floods and absorb carbon, are also highly susceptible to oil pollution. Oil spills can smother mangroves, threatening their ability to thrive and provide essential ecosystem services.
Furthermore, oil pollution can have indirect effects on marine ecosystems by contaminating the food chain. Oil can enter the water column and be ingested by fish, shellfish, and corals. This contamination can lead to health issues and population declines in these species, disrupting the delicate balance of marine food webs.
The impacts of oil pollution in the ocean are complex and far-reaching. It is essential to address this issue through measures such as reducing offshore drilling, regulating oil and gas production, and implementing protective policies for marine protected areas. By taking action to prevent and mitigate oil pollution, we can help safeguard marine ecosystems and the countless species that depend on them.
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Noise pollution will continue to harm and kill marine species
Marine debris, such as plastic pollution, derelict fishing gear, and abandoned vessels, is a significant issue that negatively impacts hundreds of marine species. It can harm or kill animals through ingestion or entanglement and damage their habitats. While marine debris is a well-known issue, another often overlooked form of pollution is noise pollution, which has also increased dramatically and poses a severe threat to marine wildlife.
Noise pollution in the ocean is caused by ships, seismic surveys, explosions, construction, and sonar devices, which have transformed the once peaceful environment into a loud and chaotic space. This type of pollution interferes with the key life functions of marine mammals and can lead to temporary or permanent hearing loss, behavioural and physiological changes, masking (the overlapping of sounds), injury, and even death. The loudest underwater noise comes from naval sonar devices, which work similarly to echolocation used by whales and dolphins, travelling hundreds of miles underwater.
The use of naval sonar has been linked to mass strandings of beaked whales, with post-mortem examinations revealing physical trauma and internal bleeding. Noise pollution disrupts the natural migration routes of marine species, pushing them into regions with insufficient food or unsuitable thermal conditions, or even into more polluted waters. It can also affect their ability to communicate, locate mates and prey, avoid predators, and defend their territories.
As most marine species are highly dependent on sound for survival, noise pollution is extremely detrimental. The constant drone of cargo vessels masks the natural soundscape of the sea, interfering with important biological and ecological processes. While some measures have been proposed, such as the International Maritime Organization's guidelines for quieter ship designs, more comprehensive policies and quieter technologies are needed to reduce propeller noise and mitigate the sounds of sonar equipment and construction.
If we don't address noise pollution in the ocean, it will continue to harm and kill marine species, causing behavioural and physiological changes and disrupting their natural life functions. With marine species already facing pressures from climate change and overfishing, reducing noise pollution is crucial to mitigating the negative impacts on marine ecosystems and enabling the recovery of marine life.
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Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation will be accelerated
However, human activities have been causing significant harm to marine ecosystems. Marine debris, such as plastic pollution, is a persistent problem that reaches throughout the entire ocean. Plastic pollution, in particular, is a major driver of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. It affects all land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, with visible impacts including the ingestion, suffocation, and entanglement of species. Wildlife such as birds, whales, fish, and turtles mistake indigestible plastic waste for food, leading to starvation and internal injuries that reduce their ability to survive.
In addition to plastic pollution, chemical discharges from factories, raw sewage, and agricultural runoff contribute to water pollution. These pollutants can cause algal blooms and aquatic dead zones, resulting in mass die-offs of marine life. Noise pollution from shipping and military activity is another issue, causing cellular damage to invertebrates like jellyfish and anemones, which are a vital food source for many marine creatures.
The effects of ocean pollution are not limited to marine life but also extend to coastal communities and economies. Coral reefs, for example, provide important protection from storm surges, but they are already being pushed towards extinction by pollution, climate change, and overfishing. If we don't take measures to protect our oceans, the costs will likely be catastrophic biologically, economically, and geopolitically.
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Frequently asked questions
The costs will likely be catastrophic biologically, economically, and geopolitically. Oceans govern the weather, clean the air, help feed the world, and provide a living for millions. If we don't stop polluting the ocean, we will lose marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and the coastal economies that depend on them.
Marine debris can harm or kill animals when ingested or when they become entangled. It can also interfere with navigation safety and pose a threat to human health. Ocean acidification, caused by greenhouse emissions, makes it difficult for bivalves such as mussels, clams, and oysters to form shells, decreasing their likelihood of survival and impacting the food chain.
The majority of the garbage that enters the ocean each year is plastic. Unlike other trash, single-use plastic items won't biodegrade and can persist in the environment for a millennium. Other sources of ocean pollution include oil from boats, airplanes, cars, trucks, and even lawn mowers, as well as chemical discharges from factories and agricultural runoff.
