Is Overfishing Affect The Destruction Of Ocean Ecosystems?

In recent years the amount of Phytoplankton (Plankton) in our oceans have seen such a dramatic decline that in the future it will pose a great threat to the ways in which our world functions. Specifically speaking, all living beings from microscopic algae to marine mammals, seabirds, fish and humans will meet a great demise. From Dalhousie University a research was conducted where lead author Daniel Boyce said: ‘Phytoplankton is the fuel on which marine ecosystems run. A decline in phytoplankton affects everything up the food chain, including humans.’ Many people are unaware of the major contribution to our survival that the phytoplankton provide for us. Alone, it is responsible for 50% of the oxygen we breath in our atmosphere while tropical

Anthropogenic activity has led to greatly increased emissions of greenhouses gases. Increased temperatures, acidification and stratification are all affected by increased carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. These symptoms of climate change have direct and indirect effects on to marine ecosystems, all of which start at the major primary producers of the oceans: phytoplankton.

People often take the ocean for granted due to its vastness since it makes up over seventy percent of the Earth, however the integrity of the ocean is deteriorating. One of the major, worldwide threats to the wellbeing of the ocean and its inhabitants is overfishing. Overfishing affects not only the ocean, but also the land dwellers. Many countries around the world depend on fish as their main source of food. Tons of fish are caught out of the sea daily, however, the rate that fish are being hauled is far too high where fish stocks are incapable of naturally recovering. There is a decline in population size of affected fish and some species have even faced extinction. Overfishing is the leading cause of ecological extinction, foregoing any other human disruptions to marine ecosystems, such as pollution, water degradation, and climate change (Jackson, et al). Overfishing causes an overwhelming devastation upon the oceans because it depletes food resources, disrupts the food web, and destroys habitats of aquatic organisms, due to this, overfishing causes an oceanic ecological collapse worldwide.

Ocean acidification is the decrease in the acidity levels of the Earth 's oceans, caused by the intake of carbon dioxide emitted in to the environment and atmosphere. Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuel-powered machines have increased human technology and advancement. However, this has caused the emissions, large amounts of carbon dioxide, deforestation, and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Ocean acidification, in turn, has created a benefit to us by slowing down climate change by absorbing the emissions in the water that have remained in the air. However, studies are now starting to show that the massive amounts of carbon dioxide in the water bodies are altering the water chemistry and affecting the biodiversity and life cycles of many marine organisms, especially those at the lower end of the food chain. Other organisms living off the food chain would be part of a symbiotic relationship involving nutrient cycling: where all other organisms are feeding off of the larger one, yet are providing some benefit to the overall host.

As I swam back from the deep abyss I observed no fish or coral in the reef, gliding through the crevices I examined a black residue coating the rocks, oil, A City has died along with all of its inhabitants. Claimed by many scientist, coral reefs are at the brink of extinction. How could something worth so much to us whether it be its aesthetic or money value, receive so little attention? How could something so abundant die off in fifty years? The main culprit of the death of coral reefs you may ask, humans. The pollution and overfishing caused by humans has created a lethal environment that the corals cannot escape. If we do not change our ways, the sea and all industries based off it will cease to exist. The biodiversity that reefs supply is what fuels the seas. If the reefs were to die the sea, economies, and eventually countries would too. If we do not change our unsustainable ways the damage we do to reefs could just as easily harm us too.

Oceans play an important part in global food security and were instrumental in determining the 1.5°C and 2.0°C limits (Meissner, Lippmann and Sen Gupta, 2012. The major effects of an increase in temperature on oceans relates to coral reef ecosystems, ocean acidification and artic ecosystems (Frieler et al., 2012). At 1.5°C acidification and increases in temperature will put heavy stress on global water ecosystems. At

What is an ocean? What do oceans do? How do oceans affect people? About how many species of fish live in the ocean? What kind issues do oceans have? Some people wonder these questions. All of these questions will be answered in this research paper. What is a ocean, what they do, how they affect someone, how many species live in the ocean, and what kinds of issues does the ocean has will be addressed in the research paper.

The demand for food across the globe continues to increase as the human population continues to increase. For human populations, particularly people in the poorest countries across the globe, fish is an important source of nourishment and food given the increase in the demand for food. As a result, fisheries catches represent a huge export of energy and mass that can no longer be utilized by trophic levels that are higher than those fished. Since fishing has been used one of the major ways by humans to meet the ever-increasing demand for food, it has contributed to widespread overfishing. The widespread overfishing has in turn resulted in the decrease in the global catch of fish. Furthermore, increased overfishing has become a huge threat to every species in the ocean and has largely contributed to the huge migrations by marine mammals in their quest for the left over fish. While the use of fish by human beings is not wrong, the whole eco-system in the ocean can be severely impacted when human take too much. In order to deal with this issue effectively, it's important to examine its causes, effects, and proposed solutions.

Water is without a doubt the most important matter on the planet. Earth is more than seventy percent water, and it is hard to believe that the Earth would exist without all of that water. Being the most important matter on the planet, it should be protected. Over the past years, oceans are increasingly dying out across the world. The main reason this is happening is due to us, the human race. Life inside the ocean is being drastically harmed by our tendencies to litter, pollute, contaminate and even fish. Fish are extremely important to the sea, and without them our oceans would be dying out even faster. Fish breathe in the oxygen in the water, and let out carbon dioxide allowing them to survive under water along with helping corals and many other sea creatures as well. A huge issue going on across the world are the number of corals that are dying. Coral depend on fish to help them survive, and the main reason they are dying is because the fish are dying. Fish across the world are increasingly being wiped out, and soon enough there will be no fish left at all. The main reason these fish are being wiped out, is because of our fishing habits. Across the globe we are fishing at a more than efficient rate, and it seems as if there is never enough fish to have stored up. Excessive overfishing is one of the many

The colorful and diverse sights that the ocean puts on for visitors is nothing short of spectacular, and underwater destinations all around the globe feature these sights. Reefs have become a popular tourist attraction all around the world because of the beautiful colors and the unique marine life that inhabits these reefs. However, these wonderful attractions are in peril and will remain so unless current trends change. The greenhouse gases humans release into the air are trapping heat and causing the ocean temperatures to rise (Emerging, 2015). However, with ocean temperatures on the rise, these beautiful sights are diminishing. Ocean water is becoming too warm for coral to survive and for other marine life to continue living comfortably. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average temperature change occurring between 1901 and 2015 was 0.13℉. Meaning, if this trend were to continue, the average ocean temperature in 2050 would be 0.195℉ higher than in 1901, which may seem minute, but impacts the ocean due to its sensitivity (Climate, 2016). Raising water temperatures will eliminate much of the coral in the oceans, thus having a domino effect on all other life on the planet, because basis for most food chains in the oceans that exists today by the year 2050.

Since 1880, Earth’s global temperature has increased 1.4℉. A nearly one and a half degree shift in temperature may not seem very detrimental, but it has contributed to several main impacts on marine environments. These impacts include coral bleaching, altered behaviors, rising sea levels, and increased ocean acidity. The ocean

Did you know that in thirty-two years the ocean is expected to be completely empty? In 2048 the whole ecosystem will be wiped out with no sign of life. This is incredibly alarming; the ocean is a huge resource for the world. Biodiversity is key to the survival of the ocean, however over the last few years the ocean has experienced an accelerating loss of species. Biodiversity is essential to the ecosystem, diversity of species enhance ecosystem productivity and stability. Marine ecosystems are a primary resource for increasing population, it provides vital food resources and services. The most unique feature on earth is diversity over 1 million species live in our oceans Changes in biodiversity are directly caused by exploitation, global warming, pollution, and loss of habitat. It is important to not only consider the problem, but also the history on how we got into this current crisis and consider what is currently being done to stop the loss of biodiversity.

Increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) have created problematic oceanic conditions that are detrimental towards the livelihood of coral reefs and other marine biota. The high levels of CO2 lead to a decline of ocean pH among other issues such as dramatic changes in oceanic make-up and chemistry. Statistics and data collected has shown that ocean acidification will not only increase but accelerate over the next century. The ocean takes in about 1/3 of anthropogenic carbon added to the atmosphere. Anthropogenic carbon refers to the excess CO2 added to the ocean and atmosphere from human fossil fuel combustion, agriculture, and deforestation. Although much of the damage from human fossil fuel combustion is irreversible, if emissions are decreased dramatically ocean acidification may be constrained.

As far back as the history of man, humans have been dependent on the ocean and water resources for food and survival. While hundreds of years of single handed fishing rods in coastal and inland water channels have not alone been the root cause of overfishing, these common practices today still impact the environmental balance. Ocean overfishing is the removal or taking of wildlife from the oceans and seas at rates too high for fished species to replace themselves and is a threat that exists to our way of life. Overfishing can occur by commercial fishing, single person excessive fishing in a particular area of a body of water, or by other natural predatory activity. A recent report by scientists said that if commercial fish species – the fish caught for food – continue to decline at the current rate, by the year 2048 most commercial fish species will be in danger of never recovering because of the break in the natural ecosystem which would affect the diversity of wildlife in the ocean (Kurlansky, 2011). As a human species, we are responsible for educating each other on this worldwide concern to help save our planet. If this isn’t a reason to begin efforts of worldwide education on overfishing, what is? The impact of overfishing has long term consequences on the human race and the animal population as it threatens our biological balance and our ecosystem. The good news is that there are currently organizations, governments and entities working hard to make a

It doesn’t take more than a glance at the news to notice an article related to climate change. I think that most people in the United States are aware of climate change, but many choose to blow it off as something of little importance. One of the areas where climate change is most impactful is in our oceans. Entire ecosystems of our oceans are changed when molecules like carbon dioxide are added into the mix. Carbon dioxide is a killer in the world’s oceans. Not only does this molecule acidify the ocean, but it also has direct consequences on many types of coral and sea plant life. Acidification of planet earth’s seas affects all living organisms under water. I think it is time to address some of the issues that climate change and ocean acidification bring to earth’s healthy oceans and discuss possible ways to cut carbon emissions.