Marine Pollution

1
Marine Pollution
2
Human Effects on the Marine Environment

• Alteration of bottom by dredging shoreline
  alteration and filling
• Introduction of toxic substances
• Eutrophication through nutrient enrichment
• Thermal pollution from power plants
• Invasive or nonindigenous species
• Important Marine Legislative Acts

3
Characteristics of Pollution
4
Acute vs. Chronic Pollution

• Acute (short term) ex. is an oil spill, the
  effects of which diminish with time
• Chronic (long term) ex. is nutrient input

5
Pollution Point and Non-Point

• Point source from a single sewer pipe or
  factory waste-water outfall
• Non-point source effects cannot be attributed
  to any single spot and thus harder to control
  exs. Runoff of toxic substances or fertilizer
  after a rain

6
Using Organisms to Monitor Pollution

• Determining species diversity diversity usually
  declines in strongly polluted habitats
• Bioassay species exposure of certain species to
  varying concentrations of toxic materials crabs
  and mussels often used
• Degree of evolved resistance

7
Biodegradeable vs. Inert Toxic Substances

• Inert toxic substances biomagnify up the food
  chain whereas biodegradeable materials do not
• Substances that biomagnify
• heavy metals - cadmium, mercury and lead
• Pesticides made of chlorinated hydrocarbons
  kepone, DDT, dieldrin, chlordane, dioxin
• PCBs - used as lubricants

8
Biomagnification of Inert Materials
9
Important Toxic Substances

• Sources- mines, sewage, insecticides, fungicides
  and industry
• Oil
• Mercury (methylmercury) see the story in the
  text on Minamata disease
• Cadmium from electroplating and battery
  manufacturing plants
• Lead
• Chlorinated hydrocarbons
• PCBs

10
Oil Pollution - Sources

• Leaks from marine terminals and in harbors
• Leaks from offshore drilling
• Leaks from breakup of oil tankers and barges
• Washout of oil into storm drains

11
Sources of Oil Pollution
12
Some Major Oil Spill Catastrophies
13
The Components and Effects of Oil
14
Minamata Disease see lecture text
15
Potential Results of Pollution

• A reduction in biodiversity
• Stress on populations that are already threatened
  or endangered

16
Endangered or Threatened Marine Species
17
Radioactive Wastes
18
Waste Radionucleotides - Deep-Sea Disposal Sites
19
Nutrient Input and Eutrophication
20
Eutrophication Leads to Dead Zones
21
Human Activity and Dead Zones
22
Nutrient Enrichment Leads To

• Algal blooms which can lead to
• High antiherbivory toxin production such as
• red tides (Dinoflagllates) which effect
  shellfish and vertebrates
• Populations of Pfisteria

23
Dinoflagellates cause
Green Brown Yellow Too!
24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
Opportunistic Highly adaptable Cysts Free-swimming
Parasitic to fish Toxins
24 recognizable life stages! Did these protists
evolve in 1997?
27
Dinoflagellates
Toxic Tides Are these new species of
protists? Are they opportunistic protists?
28
What is common among algal blooms?
29
Dinoflagellates
Toxic Tides What environmental stimuli promote
their growth?
30
Thermal Pollution
31
Invasive Species

• Sources of invasive species
• Ship ballast
• Aquaculture
• Academia and public aquaria
• Pet and aquarium stores
• Recreational boating and fishing
• Special activities transporting dry docks, oil
  rigs and barges

32
Invasive Species in Coastal Regions Questions
Asked

• Questions related to Species Richness
• What species are in our estuaries?
• How many are non-native in each estuary?
• How is species composition changing over time?
• Which regions have the highest rate of new
  invasions?
• Which taxa have the highest proportion of
  non-native to native species?

33
Questions Contd.

• Questions on Impact
• Impacts on ecosystem productivity, biodiversity,
  community structure, and ecologically sensitive
  habitats?
• Which non-native species are a particular threat
  to native communities?
• How does human-mediated habitat disturbance and
  hydrological alteration modify the impact of
  non-native species?

34
Factors That Mediate Invasion Success

• How is propagule pressure related to invasion
  success?
• Which vectors are responsible for the most
  invasions, or those of the most high-impact
  invaders?
• Are different taxa more likely to be introduced
  by different vectors?
• ?????????????????

35
Invaders Intrinsic Traits

• How does the live history stage or genetics of a
  species affect its invasive abilities?
• How does the ecological role of a species affect
  the rate and pattern of its spread?
• Are populations of selected introductions
  genetically isolated from other populations?

36
Marine Legislation
Six Important Acts
37
Important Legislation

• National Marine Sanctuaries Act - (1972) (NMSA)
• Fisheries Management and Conservation Act (1976)
• Clean Water Act (1977)
• Endangered Species Act
• Estuaries and Clean Water Act (2000)
• The Oceans Act (2000)

38
National Marine Sanctuaries Act of 1972

• Authorizes the Sec. of Commerce to designate and
  manage areas of the marine environment with
  nationally significant aesthetic, ecological,
  historical or recreational values as National
  Marine Sanctuaries .
• The primary objective is to protect marine
  resources while facilitating compatible public
  and private uses of those resources.

39
Fisheries Management and Conservation Act - 1976

• The primary law dealing with fisheries resources
  and fishing activities in federal waters (extends
  from edge of State waters out to the 200 mile
  limit).
• Primary goals include conservation and management
  of fisheries resources, development of U./S.
  domestic fisheries and phasing out foreign
  fishing activities within the 200 mile
  conservation zone adjacent to the U.S. coastline.

40
Clean Water Act of 1977

• Unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point
  source into navigable waters unless a permit
  (NPDES) is obtained
• EPA has authority to set effluent standards
• Also unlawful to discharge dredged or fill
  materials into wetlands without a permit

41
Endangered Species Act

• Provides for the conservation of threatened and
  endangered plants and animals and the habitats in
  which they are found.
• The law prohibits any action, administrative or
  real, that results in a taking of a listed
  species, or adversely affects habitat.

42
Estuaries and Clean Waters Act of 2000

• Encourages the restoration of estuary habitat
  through more efficient project financing and
  enhanced coordination of Fed. And non-Fed.
  restoration programs
• Establishes a Estuary Habitat Restoration Council
  to develop a comprehensive approach

43
Oceans Act of 2000

• Establishes a commission to make recs. for
  coordinated and comprehensive national ocean
  policy.
• Issues will include coastal hazards, stewardship,
  marine pollution prevention, enhancing
  marine-related commerce and transportation,
  research and education and the use of technology
  to address coastal issues.

44
FINIS