Heather UR- The ocean's Natural Defense

            For this past week or two I have been debating what I would like to do for my project. I am interested in the ocean's (and earth's) natural ability to filter out all of the toxins and pollutants that we so carelessly introduce into the ecosystem. My first thought process was to study the rising pH of the ocean and the effects it has on shell fish's abilities to develop their shells. Oceans filter out the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and it lowers the pH of the water. There has been research conducted that the lowered pH has created an environment where the water is so corrosive that it eats away at young oyster shells before they can form. The lowered pH of the waters makes it harder for shell fish to extract the calcium carbonate from the water to develop their shells, causing the shells to be thinner, their growth slows down, and it increases death rates. If this continues what do you think the effect on the fishing industry would be? How much money will communities loose when populations of shell fish and some fish die off? this is the type of research that interests me; however, I am not quite sure what experiments I can do to go along with this. More information found here.

a Pteropod’s shell when placed in sea water with pH and carbonate levels projected for the year 2100. Photo credit

 

After reaching a dead end with plausible experiment ideas (other than sacrifice some poor shell fish in the name of science) I started thinking about instead of doing research on what is happening to the ocean I should try to do research on what isn't happening to the ocean and what is it that is preventing it from becoming a toxic waste.

 Sea grass and mangroves are responsible for limiting erosion, habitats for marine life, and they slow down the ocean's currents keeping sediments from being kicked up. They also work to filter out the pollutants that inadvertently find their way into the oceans from sources like drainage run offs.
*sea grass information

Storm water can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants and wash then into waterways. These foreign bodies can have a negative effect on the water and the organisms that live there.  

• An increase in sediment can cause the water to become cloudy, blocking out sunlight for aquatic plants to survive.
• Extra nutrients from fertilizers can cause the algae populations to bloom and when they die and decay they leech oxygen out of the water killing aquatic organisms.
• Trash like plastic bags wash into the ocean where animals can be entangled or choke on the debris.
• chemicals from cars or cleaning supplies wash into the water way that are poisonous to the aquatic life.

*more information found on the EPA website

I would like to do research on several of the most common pollutants from this list.

How many chemicals does one cigarette butt introduce into a water source? What if there are hundreds of them?

Your car leaks oil onto the drive way and then the rain washes it away, what effect is that having on the plant life and the fish that rely on the plants for shelter?

I feel that this may be an easier topic to have a controlled experiment. I would also like to go to several areas where there are noticeable drainage areas and take samples of the water and plant life; as well as, document any noticeable pollutants or debris. I will also like to have several tanks where i can introduce some of these pollutants and monitor the plant life and water quality.  I would hope to find at the end of this research project exactly what the effects do some of these pollutants have on the ocean.