POLLUTION ON MARINE ECOSYSTEMS

The sources of this pollution are: (1) crude transportation (e.g., spills, scrapping of ships, tanker operations, etc.); (2) fixed embrocate installations such as costal refineries, offshore production, and shipboard soldier terminals); and (3) population and urban sources such as municipal and industrial wastes. In addition, there are natural inputs of oil into the sea by means of such mechanisms as biosynthesis of hydrocarbons and production of naval photoplankton.

The environmental group, Space for Species (2005:1-4) has delineate many of the effects of oil pollution on the maritime environment. These are said to include:

1. Subtle changes in marine animals behavior.

2. Toxic effects which can choke to suffering and/or death as intimately as affect the marine population's long term health.

3. Oiling effects on birds which can lead to drowning, poisoning, and toxic damage to organs of marine animals as well as a decline or decrease in their ability to reproduce. Effects can also include pain in the neck or ulceration of the skin, eyes, mouth or nasal cavities, and handout of flight from oil matted feathers.

4. For marine mammals (e.g., sea otters, sea lions, seals, walruses, sea cows, dolphins, porpoises and whales), the effects of oil pollution can wind from hypothermia resulting in metabolic shock, poisoning and toxic effects to, through ingestion of oil, congested

Space For Species. (2005). How oil pollution affects birds and other wildlife. Document gettable: http://www.spaceforspecies.ca/meeting_place/ news program/features/ oil_pollution_effects.htm.

Peterson, J. A. & Cook, L. A. (1997:1-6). Thermal pollution: Some like it hot. Document available: http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/environment/institutes/1997/05/torch/thermal/thermal_pollution.htm

Chen, Shi and Mao (2003: 1559-1668) subject area that excess heat is very harmful to aquatic organisms because the temperature affects aquatic organisms requirements for survival.

For example, cold water lean such as trout request to live in temperatures that do not exceed 24 degrees celsius. As the water temperature increases the metabolism of the search must gear up by performing faster. The next important requirement of fish is oxygen. The fish experiencing an increased metabolic rate now study a greater amount of oxygen to supply metabolic demands. It will now be more difficult for the fish to survive because oxygen is less soluble in ready water than in cold water. Further, the authors note that zooplankton and other comminuted staple food such as, rotifers are also greatly affected. Plankton that provide the foodbase for many aquatic ecosystems amplify at temperatures in the 14-24 degrees celsius range and when the temperature rises above this, the whole ecosystem is disrupted. Blue-green algae thrive with the increase in temperature and crowd out the zooplankton. Total grandness of zooplankton has been decreasing in lakes in the eight state north United States due to warmer waters.

(3) Organochlorine pesticides routinely used in agriculture to protect crops from pests; and

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