BYR.AISHWARYA

S.MAHALAKSHMIJBAS COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

The earth consists of land and ocean. Though only25% is land and 75%is ocean they are highly interdependent. The line where the ocean and land meet is called as coastline.

The natural process that shape the coast are highly dynamic, varying in both space and time. Thus the line that joins land and oceans is constantly moving, with the rise and fall of tide and the passing of storms, creating a region of interaction between land and sea.

The common substance that

Falls from the atmosphere

Flows through our bodies

Runs through the soil beneath our feet

Collects in puddles and lakes

Then vaporizes back into the atmosphere in a never ending cycle

As it cycles between land and ocean and atmosphere

forms major link betweenThe terrestrial world [land]AndThe aquatic world [water]

Water has the power to carve out routes to solid rocks, destroy cities and shape mounts and costlines

As on any connection there is both positive and negative sides for the effect of water on land

Water can cause heavier destruction to the terrestrial land

Organisms on land require water for consumption but at the same time overflow of water like floods and tsunami will bring heavier destruction to the land

TSUNAMI, a tidal wave,is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, usually an ocean, though it can occur in large lakes. Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded. Owing to the immense volumes of water and the high energy involved, tsunamis can devastate coastal regions.

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explotions (including detonations of underwater nuclear devices), underwater landslides, glacier calvings and other mass movements, meteorite ocean impacts , and other disturbances above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami.

Tsunami had caused a great loss to life and property in the earlier years. Though prediction methods are invented the loss caused by Tsunami remains to be higher.

Mankind is dependent on the aquatic ecosystem

We drink water everyday and suffer if there is no abundant water

On the other hand the primary and secondary consumers of the aquatic ecosystem are consumed by the human beings.

The major sources of coastal and marine pollution originating from the land vary from country to country.

The nature and intensity of development activities,

the size of the human population, the state and type of industry and

agriculture are but a few of the factors contributing to each country’s unique pollution problems

Pollution is discharged either directly into to the sea, or enters the coastal waters through rivers and by atmospheric deposition.

In order to mitigate and control the impact of pollution on coastal and marine resources, it is essential that the type and load of pollutants be identified.

This involves -1. Determination of the sources and their location, 2. The volume and concentration of the pollutants3. Pollutants from sources and activities within a

drainage area can be carried to the coast by rivers.4. Pollution from distant sources can also enter into

the marine environment through atmospheric deposition.

Based on current information, the land based pollutants constituting the greatest threat to coastal and marine ecosystems and to public health are

SEWAGE

The inadequate number of sewage treatment plants in operation, combined with poor operating conditions of available treatment plants, and the disposal practices of discharging mostly untreated wastewater are likely to have an adverse effect on the quality of coastal waters

OIL HYDROCARBONS

Accidental oil spills from offshore operations are often caused by pipeline breakage, well blowouts, platform fires overflows and equipment malfunctioning. In addition to the accidental oil spills, there is also a significant amount of natural seepage of petroleum hydrocarbons from submarine oil deposits, which contributes to marine pollution. Unlike the previously described sources of oil pollution, natural oil seepages are very difficult to estimate.

SEDIMENTS

deforestation of the river basin watersheds is likely the biggest human activity contributing to sediments entering the coastal zone.

TOXIC SUBSTANCE

Toxic pollutants are organic and inorganic compounds, either synthesized or chemically transformed natural substances. When accidentally released into the marine environment, they can have severe adverse effects on marine ecosystems. Many compounds are very persistent in the aquatic environment, bio-accumulate in marine organisms, and are highly toxic to humans via the consumption of seafood.

The sources of toxic pollutants are primarily industrial point sources, such as the petroleum industry (oil refineries and petrochemical plants), chemical industries (organic and inorganic), wood/pulp plants, pesticide production and formulation, metal and electroplating industries etc.

Toxic substances also enter the marine environment from non-point sources via rivers and streams and through the atmosphere.Precaution-1.Limiting the amount of toxic substances entering the coastal and marine ecosystems usually involves a legislative approach.2. The legislation will have to be not only implemented, but actively enforced to be effective.3. In future planning efforts special attention should be paid for the location of industrial sites in order to limit their effect on important coastal and marine ecosystems.4. Finally, each industry producing hazardous wastes needs to have an effluent and recipient monitoring program in place for compliance control.

Amphibians are animals that live both on land and water

they require both for their survival and hence

They form a huge connection between land and ocean

Amphibians are facing a global crisis. Currently there are over 6,000 amphibian species in the world, and approximately half of those are in danger of becoming extinct! The global amphibian decline is a result of habitat loss, pollution, disease, global warming, among other factors. Without action, the diversity of frogs salmander and toads will pummet.

Frogs and other amphibians are important to their ecosystems. Amphibians are also referred to as environmental indicators because they are one of the first groups of animals that are affected by negative changes in their habitat.

The aquatic ecosystem has four steps The producers( the phyto planktons and zoo

planktons) The primary consumers (e.g. small fishes) The secondary consumers (e.g. large fishes) The tertiary consumers (e.g.seal)

So when the planktons are disturbed the primary consumers have to suffer without food.

This inturn will affect the secondary consumers and then the tertiary consumers.

Moreover organisms on the aquatic ecosystem rely on the planktons for their respiration. Planktons play an essential role in the recycling of the ocean carbon

Due to oil spills and the chemical discharge into the oceans the planktons are the first ones to suffer. Reduction in the number of planktons affects the process of maintaining carbon cycle in the oceans.

In this way human activity disrupts the aquatic life

Moreover, certain primary consumers and secondary consumers are consumed by human beings. Affecting the aquatic ecosystem will also affet this consumption process.

Also, contaminated water and the aquatic foods that live and drink this contaminated water, if consumed by human beings will cause severe health problems.

Two- thirds of marine life is endangered now. There are three main reasons why they are all endangered.

One reason is that with all the trash and chemicals in the ocean water it becomes difficult for the marine life to breathe. That will kill them really

quick.

Next, is that many animals like turtles, choke on garbage because they think its food.

The last main reason is when toxic waste harms one organism; it will end up harming a whole food

chain of marine life.

The well being of any water body is strongly tied to the watershed that surrounds it. A watershed (or catchment) is an area of land from which surface runoff, including water, sediments, nutrients and contaminants, drain into a common water body, such as a lake, river, stream, creek or estuary. Watersheds include all water and water-dependent land features, including wetlands, forests, towns, humans and other living things. Land use is a way of classifying the expected activities occurring around a watershed that can affect its well being.

Land use can contribute all major classes of pollutants to receiving waters, i.e., pathogens, nutrients, and toxic materials. These pollutants may enter waters either via groundwater or surface flows. The relative contribution of pollutants from land use depends upon the pollutant And may depend upon the distance from the receiving waters.

Improper land use practices do not impact just water,but the entire watershed system, whatever its size.  A land use planning decision for site-specific development can influence many watershed management and land use planning issues. The input of environmental objectives and management recommendations to the land use planning process at appropriate stages should promote informed decision making, which will in turn lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness of both processes

When converted from its natural condition, urban land use can cause several impacts on the downstream water body. These impacts include eroding natural streambanks, water quality, elimination of groundwater recharge and its implications on stream baseflows, and the presence of persistent contaminants from urban non-point sources.

Another important impact of urban areas to the hydrologic cycle is the effect of impermeable surfaces. The built-up nature of the city means that asphalt and concrete replace the soil, buildings replace trees, and the catch basin and storm sewer have replaced the streams of the natural watershed. Impermeable surfaces such as roads, sidewalks, driveways and buildings do not allow water to pass through them so it can not infiltrate into the soil. Instead water flows quickly over these surfaces as runoff. Runoff is water that runs along the surface of the ground into nearby stormsewers or directly into water bodies. When water flows as runoff, it picks up oil, salt, dog poop, pesticides and a host of other pollutants. Most of the pollutants that reach our river arrive through runoff. However, modern stormwater management practices can mitigate some of the potential damage on surface water resources.

Farmland applications of pesticides and fertilizers can contaminate surface waters if applied too generously.

- Manure, fertilizers and sewage are major sources of nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria contamination in surface waters.

- Water supplies contaminated with manure contain fecal coliform bacteria, such as E. Coli. 

Added nutrients from sewage, manure, and fertilizer runoff can also lead to Eutrophication, causing algae and pond scum, which interfere with water use for fisheries, recreation, industry, agriculture and drinking.

This type of water pollution can be reduced through best management practices to protect water quality.

 Pesticides, sediments and pharmaceuticals in runoff water from urban and rural land use may also affect water quality.

Agriculture accounts for 9% of total water withdrawals. The water is mainly used for irrigation, but also for livestock watering. Because of the high rate of evapouration from agricultural fields, irrigation is a highly consumptive use (i.e. very little of the water withdrawn for irrigation is returned to its source).

More efficient irrigation methods help to conserve water, and more accurately matching fertilizer and manure application rates to crop requirements also help to reduce surface water contamination.

Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide important ecological services. 

Wetlands help improve water quality, reduce flood peaks and recharge groundwater aquifers.

- They also provide cultural, heritage and scientific values, as well as a rich diversity of plant and animal life, and support a variety of human uses, such as fisheries and recreation.

The water we rely on is the same water that plants and animals need to survive. This is one of the reasons why it is important for people to take great care with the water they use. If either water quality is degraded or water quantity altered, this can have a serious impact on an ecosystem. Everything is connected; eventually our lack of care will affect us too.

Without habitat there is no wildlife. Any threats to the habitat of an animal or plant species are a serious threat to that species existence

Healthy aquatic ecosystems are those where human disturbances

have not impaired the natural functioning or significantly altered the structure of the system.

An unhealthy aquatic ecosystem is one where the natural state is out of balance.

Species loss; Accelerated growth of organisms. One example is algae blooms caused by an excess of phosphorous

and nitrogen compounds in the water. This condition is called "eutrophication"; Increased incidences of tumours or deformities in animals; Changes in chemical properties and species composition. Perhaps one of the most significant has been a reduction of pH in

water caused by acid rain; Increased concentrations of pathogens in water and sediments. The presence of certain organisms, for example Coliform bacteria, may indicate unsanitary conditions. Pathogens can cause a variety of human diseases such as

diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera; and The loss of traditional Aboriginal culture associated with the

ecosystem.

The quality of surface water, as well as coastal and marine waters, is inter-linked with the use of the land and the sea. Because of this, planning and management activities will have to be performed in a multi-sectoral way.

- Coastal and marine planning and management should be seen as processes, which embrace environmental, socio-economic and demographic considerations, including issues such as land-sea interaction, interdisciplinary co-operation, participation of public and private sector organisations, balance between protection and development, and public participation.

The effectiveness of existing wastewater collection and treatment facilities in the region, whether domestic or industrial, is usually constrained by limited capacity and hence should be increased.

proper maintenance practices, process malfunction, with Environmental management presents a demand for improved

management practices and for controls to be put in place for different point as well as non-point sources of pollution.

Attention also needs to be given to land and water use in the surrounding environment experienced or properly trained staff.