Gulf Ecosystem Services And How They Serve Us

Of the coral communities studied, at least half of the reefs were dead. This presents a huge problem for the entire ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico as coral reefs are the base of said ecosystem. Reefs provide organic matter and shelter for several benthic organisms (sponges, worms, clams, crabs, lobsters, etc.). The destruction of shelter poses threats to all of the organisms who live on coral reefs.

Although it supports a number of different organisms, Nudgee Beach lacks many of the fundamentals that make up a healthy and successful ecosystem. The first indicator of this is from the lack of birds present in the area. Although it has been noted for terrestrial bird species – such as kingfishers, pelicans, ibis, egrets, jabiru, stilts and heron – and wading bird species – such as golden plovers, curlews, tattlers and godwits – to have been spotted at Nudgee Beach and surrounding areas in the past; after a day’s worth of extensive observation and research, it was found that the birds observed were limited to magpie, ibis, great knot and eastern curlew species. To intensify this factor, at the time by which this lack of species was recorded, Nudgee Beach was expected to have started seeing tens of thousands of birds arrive for the migratory season [21]. This blatant lack of bird species diversity and quantity may have been due to the lack of small organisms within the ecosystem. The restricted number of small organisms at Nudgee Beach is detrimental to the entire ecosystem as these organisms make up the bottom levels of the food web and provide higher-level organisms with adequate amounts of food to consume. The smaller organisms expected to be observed – including; crustacean, shell, mollusc, lizard, frog, fish, worm, arachnid and insect species – was limited to the infrequent observation of crustacean, shell,

The message of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment’s Governing Board is that human impacts on this resilient natural world are so unprecedented and extensive that we crossed the line into unsustainable consumption some time ago and are now depleting ecosystem capital stock instead of living off its sustainable goods and services.

Preserving coastlines is important for the economy and the environment. The fact that the business world and the preservation world are on the same page is a good indicator that maintaining beaches are important for both people and animals. The data that has been collected by both parties, thus far will hopefully bring a more cost effective and more long term solution for beach replenishment. So the beach bums and the sea life may continue to enjoy one of the most beloved landscape for generations to

One of such resources that are exploited by a human being is south Florida ecosystem in the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades ecosystem is water resource. Most of the water in the river the Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee have been converted to the canal of agricultural water. As a result, ecosystem within the river and lake- terrestrial ecosystem was destroyed as some of the surrounding wetland were destroyed and this destruction had an impact on the survival of the ecosystems without sufficient flowing water to support it. The result of this destruction was the loss of 20,000 acres of the wetlands. Another exploitation that occurs in this ecosystem is clearing of forest for timbers used for construction and agricultural land (Kiker, C. F., Milon, J. W., & Hodges, A. W.

The variations of tidal levels have created different degrees of sun and air exposure that have resulted in three zones, generally, the supra-littoral zone, littoral zone and the sub-littoral zone (See Appendix A, Figure 3). Diverse animal and plant organisms excel at surviving and dealing with different degrees of abiotic and biotic factors and as a result the rocky shore ecosystem is comprised of a series of bands known as vertical, or in this instance, intertidal zonation (See Appendix A, Figure 1). Abiotic stresses such as light intensity and wave action typically set the upper boundaries where as biotic stresses set the lower boundaries and limit the distribution of many organisms to particular strata (See Appendix A, Figure 2). It is due to the species distribution among the different zones that the rocky shore ecosystems cannot be defined as a uniform habitat, rather a dynamic and complex one (Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, 2013).

In the piece “Selling out on nature” (McCauley, 2006), Douglas J. McCauley describes how conservation efforts are fueled by the economic advantages it possesses and are carried out solely for the purpose of benefiting our economic markets. McCauley states that ecosystem services are “economic benefits provided by natural ecosystems” (27), arguing that the only incentive for mankind to save nature depends on how profitable nature can be. He emphasizes that our attention should not be put forth in commodifying nature but rather, inculcating respect and love for it so that we can preserve it for many years to come. I oppose McCauley’s argument because it’s impractical and unachievable. Humanity will

The rich habitats of the Gulf of Mexico help make it one of the most ecologically and economically productive bodies of the water in the work. The meeting of land and sea along more than 16,000 miles of coastline from Texas to Florida creates a wealth of ecosystems (National Geographic Society, 2010). The dynamic mixing of saltwater and freshwater and the daily infusions of sediments from rivers nourish areas that provide habitat for wildlife and protection from pollution and storms (National Geographic Society, 2010).

An ecosystem is the inclusion of all living and nonliving things, in a given area, interacting with one another. Each organism in the ecosystem has a specific role to play. Anytime, an external factor is introduced to an ecosystem there is a chance of a disaster or possible threat of a disaster. Unfortunately ecosystems have been destroyed or disrupted by volcano eruptions, floods, storms, and fires. Sadly, activity of humans has contributed negative affects to the disturbance of countless ecosystems. Nevertheless, Louisiana is known for their abundance of wetlands, and swamps, Louisiana’s fragile wetlands cover 10,000 square miles. Marshes, swamps, and bayous extend 30 miles inland from the mouth of the Mississippi river, and represent 10

The ocean is one of, if not, the largest biome on earth. There are more than one million species of marine life. Covering over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is our planet’s largest habitat, containing 99 percent of the living space on the planet. This area holds the life of nearly 50 percent of all species on Earth. Like lakes, oceans are subdivided into separate zones: intertidal, pelagic, abyssal, and benthic. All four zones have a great diversity of species. The intertidal zone is the region along the shoreline between average low tide and average high tide. In other words, this region goes through cycles of submergence and exposure to air. Animals in this zone must be able to survive the extended periods

Furthermore, estuaries are generally influenced by the tides, yet still remain protected from the powerful ocean waves, winds, and storms that the land forms as barrier islands or peninsulas. In fact, one of the most productive on earth are estuarian environments that create more organic matter each year than comparable areas of forest, grassland, or agricultural land. The tidal waters of estuaries also support unique communities of plants and animals especially adapted for life at the margin of the sea. A numerous of different habitat spieces are found living in estuaries, including rocky shores, sandy beachs, oyster reefs, shallow open waters, freshwater and salt marshes, swamps, mud and sand flats, seagrasses, tidal pools, mangrove forests, and even river deltas.

At the very beginning of the report, “the functioning of natural ecosystems and the health of the human economy have been intrinsically linked”

The intertidal rocky shore of Caloundra Beach is inhabited by diverse range of biodiversity of animals and plants, many of which have developed high levels of adaptations throughout their existence. The very boundary of marine and terrestrial ecosystem, this environment is subjected to extremes of the physical environment such as temperature, desiccation, wave turbulence as well the ecological interactions that commonly occur in biotic communities (e.g. competition, predation). However Rocky intertidal shores are easily accessible by humans and provide an enjoyable opportunity for passive recreation and for science and environmental education as well.

Seagrasses are essential primary producers that provide habitat and refuge to fauna. Anthropogenic influences have caused global loss of seagrasses and a major contributor is eutrophication, which increases phytoplankton and algal populations, reduces light availability, and causes daily hypoxic conditions. Eutrophication is commonly linked to declines in temperate conditions and is more difficult to link to tropical systems since decreases are typically related to physical damage and diminishing light conditions from runoff. Climate change, herbivore declines, disease and overfishing, along with anthropogenic impacts from coastal development, run-off, eutrophication, and aquaculture have caused declines in coral reefs and mangrove systems. These three systems are interconnected and when one system is impacted, secondary impacts are observed in the other systems; coastal ecosystems will be adversely effected and decline. Additional research, conservation, and ways to reduce anthropogenic impacts have been discussed. Restoration is used to reverse habitat loss, although success is varied. Coastal systems and the biological and ecosystem services they provide, may take decades to establish. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are instituted to protect systems from further degradation, restore communities and allow them to flourish naturally. However, local residents are affected by MPAs and may become displaced, have restriction placed on their livelihood, or elimination of their

Mangroves are the centre of a very intricate ecosystem. As a whole, mangroves are sometimes considered to be the most complex and productive ecosystem on earth (Frost, Emily). Many individuals consider the mangrove trees to be where the sea meets the land, since it benefits animals of all kinds. There are four different species of mangroves located in Belize, these include: the red mangove (Rhizophora mangle), the black mangove (Avicennia germinans), the white mangrove (Laguncalaria racemosa), and the buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus). The red mangrove is usually found along the water on the cayes and waterways, the black mangroves are found farther from the waters edge, followed by the white mangrove and buttonwood being found furthest inland.