Essay Example on Marine Pollution: Impact on Biodiversity and Public Health

In the contemporary world, pollution has become common, influencing both the public and environmental health, including biodiversity. Currently, marine pollution has become a significant issue attracting numerous discourses among various entities. Notably, marine pollution relates to a combination of chemicals and trash, many of which originate from land sources, and are washed by surface water runoffs or blown into the open ocean waters. Anthropological activities, including industrial operations, burning of fossil fuels, agricultural activities, among others, are significant contributors to marine pollution (Abdou et al., 2020). This negatively affects the quality of ocean waters and subsequently, ocean biodiversity, to include the health of marine life and economic structures founded on marine operations. In that context, that marine habitants have significant contributions and imperative roles in ecological cycles, biodiversity, and human social-economic activities, and it is essential to comprehend factors aggregating to marine pollution, and determine measures of curbing marine pollution for sustainable marine environment management.

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Marine habitats approximately cover 71% of the Earth's surface, comprising 90% of the Earth's biosphere. Due to its vastness, the oceans were perceived to have the capabilities of diluting pollutants and, in part, eliminate their impacts (Chan, 2006). However, it is now generally acknowledged that pollutants can significantly affect or alter marine habitats, resulting in significant harm to ecological cycles and environmental hazards to species web chain (Loureiro et al., 2011). Generally, pollution relates to the occurrence and impacts of external substances in a particular natural environment. Marine pollution entails the direct and indirect introduction of elements or energy into marine environments through anthropological activities, resulting in harmful impacts including health hazards, hindrance of aquatic activities, and reduction in quality of seawater, among other vital influences.

About 10 billion gallons of ballast water, 10 million gallons of sewage water, 3.24 million metrics of oil spills, commercial chemicals, and millions of tonnes of solid wastes find their way into marine habitats each year (Raoand Mohanchand, 1988). These contribute to critical impacts on marine ecosystems; it is estimated that plastics contribute to the death of 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, in addition to the motility of one million sea birds each year.

Plankton is a diverse group of organisms residing in marine bodies. The animals cannot swim against currents of water. The only living things comprising of plankton are referred to as plankters (Rose and Webber, 2019). Plankton is usually a food source for various aquatic animals. The groups consist of full of a wide range of animals such as bacteria, archaea, algae, and protozoa. It also includes the drifting or floating animals occupying the pelagic zone of oceans and freshwater bodies. Biologically, the plankton is known by its ecological niche rather than any phylogenetic classifications. A significant percentage of planktonic species are microscopic, but we have those with a wide range of sizes.

Plankton is divided into broad groups comprising of the Phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacterioplankton, Phytoplankton, and mixotrophs (Zhang et al., 2012). The Phytoplankton consists of either eukaryotic algae or autotrophic prokaryotic living near the surface of the water. The organisms usually survive in climatic conditions with sufficient sunlight to facilitate photosynthesis to ensure an adequate supply of food (Byllaardt et al., 2018). The essential groups of the Phytoplankton comprise of the cyanobacteria, diatoms, coccolithophores, and dinoflagellates. Zooplankton usually feeds on other plankton. The phytoplankton class consists of fungi, such as the bacterioplankton. Such organisms are essential in remineralization and nutrient cycling (Abirhire, 2015). The mixotroph is a term used to refer to the plankton species, which benefits from more than one trophic level. The organisms are either producers or consumers of plankton, depending on the conditions they are exposed to.

The abundance of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton is directly influenced by environmental factors as well as chemical variables. Large-scale species distribution can be equated to different water masses, which reflects the interaction of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in the water bodies (Ren, 2013). The depletion of nutrients has been reported to be related to the phytoplankton biomass. However, there is no single inorganic nutrient of the measured compounds comprising sodium nitrate, and Silica has been said to be essential. The ratio of silicon and potassium has been identified to be a crucial ecological aspect in determining the abundance of Phytoplankton (Abdel-Halim and Khairy, 2007). Grazing by krill as well as other zooplankton has been reported to have a significant impact in the process of resolving the differences in phytoplankton biomass and phaeopigment content. Grazing near water bodies also hurts the abundance of Phytoplankton.

There are some species of Phytoplankton that consume other plankton during adverse conditions. Sunlight is required to facilitate the photosynthesis process through which organisms manufacture their food (Hoglander et al., 2013). Lack of the sun indicates that the organism will start consuming their colleagues for nutrients a factor, which will lead to a reduction of the plankton abundance (Thronson, 2010). The abundance of zooplankton is therefore affected by predation, biological interactions, and their specific competition for food resources. The assemblages of zooplankton are sometimes considered as bioindicators of eutrophication coupled with environmental factors. This leads to rapid changes compared to fishes and is easier to identify compared to Phytoplankton.

Previous studies have reported seasonal variations of Phytoplankton due to the fluctuations of environmental factors in water bodies. The changes in water temperatures significantly determine the plankton abundance in water bodies (Bailey et al., 2003). Global warming, which has been reported in various parts internationally, happens to be a significant threat to the abundance of both Phytoplankton. The chlorophytes increase under high temperatures, and their percentage is usually high during spring and summer in freshwater bodies. Plenty of Phytoplankton sharply falls in winter (Lei et al., 2018). Although water temperature and nutrients increase during summer, the diversity and abundance of phytoplankton decrease due to grazing by zooplankton. The abundance of Phytoplankton and zooplankton varies periodically. This is explained by the changes in environmental factors, thus the nutrients. Human activities in water bodies are also significant determiners of the abundance of planktons.

The primary rationales surrounding pollution of the phytoplankton community by sewage are mainly founded on oxygen demand theories. Oxygen demand relates to the amount of oxygen by bacteria to degrade the sewage wastes (Liu, 2008). Oxygen demand equal to, or higher than the available oxygen, results in significant impacts. Sewage wastes contain a high amount of minerals, including phosphates and nitrates, which can produce in eutrophication, including algae and phytoplankton bloom (Chatzinikolaou et al., 2018). This results in high oxygen demand, depleting oxygen in marine waters, and mass death of aquatic life forms. Besides, algae bloom produce toxins, which may result in shell-fish poisoning, and subsequently, public health via the food chain.

Among the pollutants, trace metals are the most critical. Although all-natural minerals occur lesser and in part, more significant quantities in sea waters, surface runoffs, untreated factory effluents, and sewage wastes have been shown to increase the amounts of trace metals in seawater (Cabrini et al., 2019). It is reported that the developing world accounts for 90% of industry discharge and 70% of untreated sewage discharge. Some metals, like copper and zinc, among others, are essential in small quantities in marine ecosystems (Hallegraeff, 1998). In excess amounts, trace elements result in heavy-metal poisoning, which is critical to health, including public health.

Chemicals, including pesticides, have become an integral part of contemporary, especially agriculture. Excess chemicals from agricultural sources are customarily introduced into marine habitats through surface runoffs, ground slippage, or blown by winds (Walsh, 2012). Chlorinated hydrocarbons, including DDT and the PCBs, have raised serious concerns, because they have serious environmental consequences, including the food chain. With current globalization, marine transport has become a standard mode of shipping large parcels across continents. However, this has resulted in the pollution of ocean waters with oils following accidental spillage or linkage (Ytreberg et al., 2019). It is approximated that 0.05-0.1% 0f the sea surface is covered with oil, which affects the survival of the phytoplankton community. Recent studies note that the tar bar concentrations of numerous coastlines around the global measures, studies show that in many shores of the world, the tar-ball strengths now falls under kilograms per meter area.

Conclusion

Conclusively, pollution has become common a common, affecting both the public and environmental health, including phytoplankton biodiversity. Port and harbor activities, including industrial activities, and the burning of fossil fuels, are major contributors to marine pollution. However, it is imperative to comprehend factors aggregating to marine pollution, and determine measures of curbing marine pollution for sustainable marine environment management. The primary factor instigated in marine pollution can be summarized as chemical, heavy metals, trash, radioactivity, and sewerage pollution. These pollutants have significant impacts on marine life, ecosystem, biological cycles, and, subsequently, human life.

Reference List

Abdel-Halim, A.M. and Khairy, H.M., 2007. Potential impact of some abiotic parameters on a phytoplankton community in a confined bay of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Eastern Harbour of Alexandria, Egypt. Mediterranean Marine Science, 8(2), pp.49-64.

Abdou, M., Gil-Diaz, T., Schafer, J., Catrouillet, C., Bossy, C., Dutruch, L., Blanc, G., Cobelo-Garcia, A., Massa, F., Castellano, M. and Magi, E., 2020. Short-term variations of platinum concentrations in contrasting coastal environments: The role of primary producers. Marine Chemistry, p.103782.

Abirhire, O., 2015. Trophic State and Factors Relating to Phytoplankton Community Composition and Distribution in Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan, Canada (Doctoral dissertation, University of Saskatchewan).

Bailey, S.A., Duggan, I.C., Van Overdijk, C.D., Jenkins, P.T. and MacIsaac, H.J., 2003. Viability of invertebrate diapausing eggs collected from residual ballast sediment. Limnology and Oceanography, 48(4), pp.1701-1710.

Byllaardt, J.V., Adams, J.K., Casas-Monroy, O. and Bailey, S.A., 2018. Examination of an indicative tool for rapidly estimating viable organism abundance in ballast water. Journal of sea research, 133, pp.29-35.

Cabrini, M., Cerino, F., de Olazabal, A., Di Poi, E., Fabbro, C., Fornasaro, D., Goruppi, A., Flander-Putrle, V., France, J., Gollasch, S. and Hure, M., 2019. Potential transfer of aquatic organisms via ballast water with a particular focus on harmful and non-indigenous species: A survey from Adriatic ports. Marine pollution bulletin, 147, pp.16-35.

Chan, T., 2006. Phytoplankton dynamics in a seasonal estuary. University...