Figure 18.1 Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems What is going on and what are we to do about it?

Figure 18.1Figure 18.1Human impacts on Human impacts on Marine EcosystemsMarine Ecosystems

What is going on and what are we What is going on and what are we to do about it?to do about it?

WE LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES

HUMANS AND THE HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT

HUMAN BEHAVIORHUMAN BEHAVIOR– IN LIGHT OF ANIMAL BEHAVIORIN LIGHT OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR– AS AN EVOLVED CHARACTERISTICAS AN EVOLVED CHARACTERISTIC

HUMAN EVOLUTIONHUMAN EVOLUTION– ORIGINS – ESPECIALLY BEHAVIORALORIGINS – ESPECIALLY BEHAVIORAL– AGE – WE ARE A RELATIVELY NEW SPECIESAGE – WE ARE A RELATIVELY NEW SPECIES– LANDMARKS-great achievements-science, medicine…LANDMARKS-great achievements-science, medicine…– RESULTS-life expectancy, infant mortality---but RESULTS-life expectancy, infant mortality---but

BEHAVIORBEHAVIOR WHAT IS IT?WHAT IS IT?

–RESPONSES TO:RESPONSES TO:EXTERNAL STIMULIEXTERNAL STIMULI INTERNAL STIMULIINTERNAL STIMULI

WHAT ARE THE BASIC TYPES WHAT ARE THE BASIC TYPES OF BEHAVIOROF BEHAVIOR

INNATE (INSTINCTIVE)INNATE (INSTINCTIVE)LEARNEDLEARNED

SEAGULL & BIG EGGSSEAGULL & BIG EGGS

GULL WILL SELECT LARGEST EGG GULL WILL SELECT LARGEST EGG WHEN RETURNING TO NESTWHEN RETURNING TO NEST

WHY?WHY? WHAT HAPPENS IF VERY LARGE WHAT HAPPENS IF VERY LARGE

EGGS ARE PRESENTED?EGGS ARE PRESENTED?

WHY?

WHAT INSTINCTIVE WHAT INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIORS DO WE HAVE?BEHAVIORS DO WE HAVE?

FIGHT OR FLIGHT - ADRENALINEFIGHT OR FLIGHT - ADRENALINE SEXUALSEXUAL CULTURALLY-INSTILLED BEHAVIORS?CULTURALLY-INSTILLED BEHAVIORS?

CAN WE OVER-RIDE INSTINCTIVE CAN WE OVER-RIDE INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIORS?BEHAVIORS?

CAN WE OVER-RIDE CULTURALLY-CAN WE OVER-RIDE CULTURALLY-INSTILLED BEHAVIORS?INSTILLED BEHAVIORS?

Hunter-Gather Life StyleHunter-Gather Life Style

For the vast majority of human existence (several million years)

the dominant life style was hunter-gather.

Relatively small egalitarian bands (several dozen individuals)

RECENT HISTORYRECENT HISTORY

AGRICULTURE & INDUSTRIALIZATIONAGRICULTURE & INDUSTRIALIZATION– ABLE TO PRODUCE MORE FOOD ABLE TO PRODUCE MORE FOOD

(overproduction)…(overproduction)…development of classesdevelopment of classes

– ABILITY TO SETTLE LARGE AREASABILITY TO SETTLE LARGE AREAS– WE COLLECT WE COLLECT SYMBOLSSYMBOLS TO REPRESENT TO REPRESENT

THINGSTHINGS MONEY INSTEAD OF FOODMONEY INSTEAD OF FOOD GOLD CHAINSGOLD CHAINS Cars, clothes…materialism…consumerismCars, clothes…materialism…consumerism

ENVIRONMENTAL VIEWSENVIRONMENTAL VIEWS

NO SELECTION FOR SUSTAINABLE YIELD, NO SELECTION FOR SUSTAINABLE YIELD, JUST MOVE ONJUST MOVE ON

RESOURCES ARE STILL SEEN AS RESOURCES ARE STILL SEEN AS UNENDINGUNENDING– LOGGERS IN RAINFORESTS & PACIFIC LOGGERS IN RAINFORESTS & PACIFIC

NORTHWESTNORTHWEST– OCEAN FISHERMENOCEAN FISHERMEN– USE OF FOSSIL FUELSUSE OF FOSSIL FUELS– WASTE DISPOSALWASTE DISPOSAL

NEW EXTRACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ARE NEW EXTRACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ARE AWESOME—sucking the resources out AWESOME—sucking the resources out

TAKE HOME MESSAGETAKE HOME MESSAGE HUMAN BEHAVIOR UNDERWENT HUMAN BEHAVIOR UNDERWENT

SEVERAL MILLION YEARS OF INTENSE SEVERAL MILLION YEARS OF INTENSE NATURAL SELECTION (HENCE NATURAL SELECTION (HENCE EVOLUTION) WHILE WE WERE HUNTER-EVOLUTION) WHILE WE WERE HUNTER-GATHERERS. Collective food gathering, GATHERERS. Collective food gathering, child-raising, hunting…communalismchild-raising, hunting…communalism

MUCH OF OUR BEHAVIOR REFLECTS THE MUCH OF OUR BEHAVIOR REFLECTS THE VALUES AND BEHAVIORS APPROPRIATE VALUES AND BEHAVIORS APPROPRIATE TO CURRENT FORM OF TO CURRENT FORM OF SOCIETY=CAPITALISM.SOCIETY=CAPITALISM.

Toxic ChemicalsToxic Chemicals Industrial by-products dumped in Industrial by-products dumped in

storm drainsstorm drains that lead to the ocean that lead to the ocean

Ozone Depletion, CFCs and legislation

Adverse effects Adverse effects on on phytoplanktphytoplanktoon n (base of aquatic (base of aquatic food chain)food chain)

EEffectsffects of Ozone Depletion of Ozone Depletion

Cumulative Effects of All 3 IssuesCumulative Effects of All 3 Issues Disrupt photosynthesis of Disrupt photosynthesis of

phytoplanktonphytoplankton ““BurnBurn”” damage damage ( (lesions, soreslesions, sores)) to fish to fish

–All caused by dissolved organic All caused by dissolved organic compounds compounds

GLOBAL GLOBAL WARMINGWARMING

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

GLOBAL CHANGE

Sea Level ChangesSea Level Changes Seas are projected to rise up to Seas are projected to rise up to

ONE meter in the next 100 yearsONE meter in the next 100 years Many of the world’s major cities are areas Many of the world’s major cities are areas

would be flooded (many new Venice, Italy)would be flooded (many new Venice, Italy)

Effects on OrganismsEffects on Organisms Decline in local populations Decline in local populations

((California California ZooplanktonZooplankton ))

Shifts in geological Shifts in geological

& geographical & geographical rangesranges

SEWAGESEWAGE PRODUCTS OF HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM PRODUCTS OF HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

– NUTRIENTSNUTRIENTS– BACTERIA AND VIRUSESBACTERIA AND VIRUSES

HEALTH HAZARDHEALTH HAZARD– HUMAN PATHOGENS (HUMAN PATHOGENS (E. coliE. coli))

ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS (LOCAL)ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS (LOCAL)– TOO MANY NUTRIENTS IN ONE AREATOO MANY NUTRIENTS IN ONE AREA– PLANKTON BLOOMSPLANKTON BLOOMS– AREAS WITH NO OXYGENAREAS WITH NO OXYGEN– DEAD ZONES (delta at base of Mississippi river)DEAD ZONES (delta at base of Mississippi river)

DDT IN SEDIMENTS

SEWAGE IN THE OCEANSEWAGE IN THE OCEAN THE GOOD NEWSTHE GOOD NEWS

– PATHOGENS DON’T BREED IN SEA WATERPATHOGENS DON’T BREED IN SEA WATER– MOST DO NOT SURVIVE VERY LONGMOST DO NOT SURVIVE VERY LONG– IF SEWAGE IS TREATED, HEALTH EFFECTS IF SEWAGE IS TREATED, HEALTH EFFECTS

ARE MINIMALARE MINIMAL

THE BAD NEWSTHE BAD NEWS– THEY ARE AROUND FOR A FEW DAYSTHEY ARE AROUND FOR A FEW DAYS– THEY ARE CONCENTRATED NEAR THEY ARE CONCENTRATED NEAR

OUTFALLS AND STORM DRAINSOUTFALLS AND STORM DRAINS– THEY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF THEY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF

DISEASE AND INFECTION TO SWIMMERS DISEASE AND INFECTION TO SWIMMERS FOLLOWING STORMS OR SEWAGE SPILLSFOLLOWING STORMS OR SEWAGE SPILLS

* Do not swim for two days after a rain* Do not swim for two days after a rain

DDTDDT CHEAPCHEAP EASY TO PRODUCEEASY TO PRODUCE KILLS A WIDE RANGE OF INSECTSKILLS A WIDE RANGE OF INSECTS IN ’60’S WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IN ’60’S WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS:ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS:– SUBJECT TO BIOMAGNIFICATIONSUBJECT TO BIOMAGNIFICATION– EGGSHELL THINNING IN BIRDSEGGSHELL THINNING IN BIRDS– BROWN PELICANBROWN PELICAN– BALD EAGLEBALD EAGLE– PEREGRINE FALCONPEREGRINE FALCON

BIOLOGICAL MAGNIFICATION

DDT BANNEDDDT BANNED 1970, PRODUCTION OF DDT BANNED1970, PRODUCTION OF DDT BANNED HOWEVER, DDT REMAINS IN THE HOWEVER, DDT REMAINS IN THE

ENVIRONMENT FOR YEARSENVIRONMENT FOR YEARS SLOWLY BECOMING LESS SLOWLY BECOMING LESS

IMPORTANT AS IT BECOMES IMPORTANT AS IT BECOMES DEPOSITED IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTSDEPOSITED IN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS

NEW SUPERFUND SITE TO BURY THE NEW SUPERFUND SITE TO BURY THE SEDIMENTSSEDIMENTS

DDT Banned

PESTICIDESPESTICIDES NEWER INSECTICIDES HAVE SHORT LIFE NEWER INSECTICIDES HAVE SHORT LIFE

SPANS IN THE ENVIRONMENTSPANS IN THE ENVIRONMENT– BREAKDOWN PRODUCTS MAY BE TOXIC BREAKDOWN PRODUCTS MAY BE TOXIC – SOME ACUTELY TOXIC (poisonous)SOME ACUTELY TOXIC (poisonous)– DANGEROUS TO FARM WORKERS (sprayed on DANGEROUS TO FARM WORKERS (sprayed on

workers while in fields =miscarriages, infant and workers while in fields =miscarriages, infant and pre-mature death. Union fight won!!pre-mature death. Union fight won!!

SOME LEAVE RESIDUES ON FOODSOME LEAVE RESIDUES ON FOOD SOME INCORPORATED INTO FOODSSOME INCORPORATED INTO FOODS

– CHRONIC EXPOSURE IS A CONCERNCHRONIC EXPOSURE IS A CONCERN– Why people eat organic foods. Vs. 5lbs/yr of toxinsWhy people eat organic foods. Vs. 5lbs/yr of toxins

OIL SPILLS AND POLLUTION

Figure 18.7Figure 18.7

Result of an oil tanker spill

Hunting and Hunting and resultant resultant

Extinctions are Extinctions are part of our part of our heritageheritage

Figure 18.14Figure 18.14

TRADE IN RARE SPECIES

Figure 18.15Figure 18.15

Figure 19.4Figure 19.4INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC

SPECIESTRANSPORTATION

THEN

Figure 19.2Figure 19.2NOW

Figure 18 p.422Figure 18 p.422

REEF RESOURCES

FOOD FROM THE REEF

THE AQUARIUM TRADE

Figure 18.3Figure 18.3Coral death-Bleaching-

(sedimentation, pollution, warmer temperatureCoral expels zooxanthellae—soon dies or

survives and re-incorporates

*GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE * RESEARCH ON ENVIRONMENT

But more than research is needed—what should be done…What do you think? Measures to be taken? Enforcement?

Coral reefs in crisis: blast/poison fishing, sedimentation, pollution. 16% lost past 5 years, another 27% threatened globally

Reef Check solution: train volunteer community teams to survey reef health and to manage local reefs on a global basis.

The Reef Check Foundation:Dedicated to Global Coral Reef

Education, Monitoring and Management

Since 1997, surveyed 1000 reefs in 50 countries. 4000 divers participated, 100s of scientists.

Supported by UNEP, GCRMN, US NOAA

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

THE LONG-TERM NEEDSTHE LONG-TERM NEEDS

EDUCATE GLOBAL POPULATIONSEDUCATE GLOBAL POPULATIONS– ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES – CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES– LONG-TERM PLANNING LONG-TERM PLANNING – WHERE MOST POPULATION GROWTH IS WHERE MOST POPULATION GROWTH IS

OCCURING, WE NEED EDUCATION AND OCCURING, WE NEED EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVESECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES

WE NEED TO START AT WE NEED TO START AT HOMEHOME BY BY CREATING A GENERATION OF CREATING A GENERATION OF CONCERNED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE CONCERNED AND KNOWLEDGEABLE LEADERS— LEADERS— that means you!!that means you!!

OUR JOB!OUR JOB!