Marine Adaptations

Topics•Exploration Summary•Environmental Group•Marine Pollution In Exploration•Where Pollution Is Most Common•Pollution Impacts To The Ecosystem•Action Steps To Avoid Pollution•Findings Help In Minimizing Pollution

Topics Continued•Life In The Gulf of Mexico

•Top 10 Marine Animals

•Current & Future Coral Adaptation

•Coral Relationships

•Coral Tides &Currents

•Gulf of Mexico Geological Features

Gulf of Mexico Deep Sea Habitats

12-Day Mission

Exploration of deep sea creatures

Various corals especially in areas used by oil industries

Algae, crabs and brittle stars are widely present along with many light requiring plants.

Mission Statement• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

“The enduring mission of the program is to encourage and enable others to act effectively in protecting and restoring the nation's wetlands and associated ecosystems, including shallow open waters and free-flowing streams” (EPA, 2012, para. 1).

Type of Marine Pollution• Runoff/Overflow Pollution

▫ When it rains or snowmelts on land, the water flows towards the rivers and then sea, carrying and bringing pollutants Fertilizers Oils Bacteria

• Oil Spills▫ Caused by accidental leaks or explosions in drilling sites

Excess of PollutionToo much human activities in this area.Areas used for the petroleum industry should be

protected properly in the Gulf of Mexico.Highly polluted are the areas in deep regions

where mining is done too much and also in the shore areas.

What the Marine Pollution Have Impacts On The Surrounding Ecosystem?Runoff Pollution

Bacteria and virusesTrashPesticides and chemicals

Oil SpillsToxic to marine animalsDisturbs feeding, reproduction,

developmentAffects all marine life, from birds to

mollusks

Protection Against Runoff• Overall community level

▫ Protecting strips▫ Ponds preservation▫ Developing wetlands▫ Porous preventing

materials▫ Sediment fences▫ Growing plants▫ Signs on storm drains

• Individual level▫ Growing plants in bare

areas▫ Appropriate dumping of

harmful wastes▫ Careful utilization of

fertilizers and other chemicals on lawns

▫ Dumping of trash appropriately

▫ Organize neighborhood cleanups

▫ Reprocess and reuse of recyclable materials

Protection Against Oil Spills•Different and substitutes of oil, power

sources•Use more resources to develop new

technology •Laws and Rules by government•Prohibit offshore drilling

Minimizing Reoccurring Incidents

• New procedures and steps to stop pollution from reoccurring (i.e. constructed wetlands, recycling)

• Natural resources are needed to be discovered from the areas other than the ocean

• Developing a roadmap for alternatives to minimize water pollution.

Life in the Gulf of Mexico• Mammals

▫ Dolphins▫ Whales▫ Manatees

• Reptiles▫ Sea turtles▫ Alligators

• Fish▫ Sharks▫ Many others

• Invertebrates▫ Shellfish▫ Shrimp▫ Snails▫ Corals▫ Jellyfish▫ Worms

• Others▫ Marine algae▫ Plants

Top 10 Marine Animals• Thunnus thynnus- North

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna• Sea Turtles –Caretta

Caretta• Sharks- Heptranshias

perlo• Marine Mammals• Brown Pelican-

Pelecanus occidentalis

• Oysters- Crassostrea virginica

• Shrimp- Penaeus spp.• Menhaden Fish-

Brevoortia patronus• Beach Nesting and

Migratory Shorebirds• Migratory Songbirds

Adaptation of Coral• Live In Scarce Nutrient Warm Water

▫ Live in shallow tropical waters▫ Hosting symbiotic algae within tissue▫ Require salt water to live

• Develops Hard Substrate For Attachment▫ Develop hard skeletons▫ Development of coral reefs

• Coral & Algae Symbiosis▫ Hermatypic –mutualism relationship▫ Algae provides food, coral provides nutrients

Coral Future Adaptation• Adaptation To Climate

Change▫ Coral bleaching may occur

due to rise in temperature▫ Can possibly adapt the

changing temperature▫ May die

• Increased Ocean Acidification▫ Greenhouse gases creating a

dangerous situation ▫ Change in seawater

chemistry

Coral Associations• Corals as prey

▫ Fish, such as parrotfish, tangs, butterfly fish▫ Sea snails and slugs▫ Marine worms, barnacles, crabs▫ Sea stars

• Corals as predators▫ Corals feed passively on plankton▫ Corals get nutrition from symbiotic relationship

• Symbiotic relationship▫ Zooxanthellae algae

Coral in Tides and Currents• Powerful Waves From

Hurricanes and Cyclones▫ Breakage

• Long Periods of Low Tides▫ Overexposure▫ Bleaching

• Currents Can Bring Pollution▫ Plastics and debris▫ Chemicals and sediment

• Feeding▫ Carry food to coral

• Reproduction▫ Carry eggs and sperm▫ Migration

Geological attributes of the Gulf• A Mediterranean-type Sea

▫ Bordered by United States of America to the North Mexico by the West Cuba to the Southeast

• A Circular Basin Structure ▫ about 1,500 km in diameter

• Water Enters The Gulf Through ▫ Yucatan Strait

Circulates through what is called a loop current Exits the Gulf through the Florida Strait

• Drainage Into The Gulf ▫ Assisted by 20 major river systems

Covers over 3.8 million sq. km of the Continental U.S.

Conclusion

•12-Day mission conducted as a channel to decrease ocean pollution

•Alternatives applied by groups and individuals

•Everyone should strive for reducing pollution

•Eco-friendly resources should be used to minimize pollution for future.

•Marine Life in the Gulf of Mexico

•Coral

References• Biello, D. (2011). Scientific American. How did the BP oil spill affect gulf coast wildlife?

Retrieved 8 June 2012 from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-did-bp-oil-spill-affect-gulf-of-mexico-wildlife-and-ecosystems&page=2

• Chameides, B. (2010). Can coral reefs adapt to climate change? Retrieved from http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/coralreefs-climate

• Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). Retrieved from http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/about_about.cfm#anchor1093687

• Fredericq, S. (2009). The wonderful world of seaweeds. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03mex/background/seaweeds/seaweeds.html

• Freeman, M. (2012). MacGillivray Freeman’s Coral Reef Adventure. Retrieved 17 June 2012 from http://www.coralfilm.com/faq.html

• General Facts About the Gulf of Mexico. (1992). Retrieved from http://www.gulfbase.org/facts.php

• Guam Reef Life (n.d.). Crown of Thorns Outbreaks. Retrieved 20 June 2012 from http://guamreeflife.com/htm/reefcons/threats_acanthaster.htm

• Hickerson, E., & DuPuy, S. (2009). Connecting the dots. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03mex/background/connectivity/connectivity.html

• Kennedy, J. (n.d.). Marine Life in the Gulf of Mexico: Gulf of Mexico Marine Animals and Plants. Retrieved 18 June 2012 from http://marinelife.about.com/od/habitatprofiles/tp/GulfofMexicoMarineLife.htm

References continued• Klein, K. (2010). Voice of America. President Obama promises changes to prevent future oil spills.

Retrieved 8 Jun 2012 from http://www.voanews.com/content/us-attorney-general-to-survey-oil-spill-damage-95319984/118689.html

• NOAA (2012). NOAA Ocean Service Education: Corals. Retrieved 17 June 2012 from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral09_humanthreats.html

• NOAA. (2009). Northern Gulf of Mexico deep sea habitats 2003 . Retrieved from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03mex/welcome.html

• NOAA (2012). Nonpoint Source Pollution. Retrieved 8 Jun 2012 from http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/pollution/05areas.html

• NOAA. (2009). Mission plan: “Gulf of Mexico deep sea habitats.” Retrieved from http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03mex/background/plan/plan.htm

• Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network (2011). The Gulf of Mexico's Marine Mammals. Retrieved 18 June 2012 from http://www.sci.tamucc.edu/tmmsn/29Species/marine.html

• The Nature Conservatory. (2012). Ocean acidification. Retrieved from http://www.reefresilience.org/Toolkit_Coral/COA_OceanAcidification.html

• United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2012). What is nonpoint source pollution? Retrieved from http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/whatis.cfm

• Young, S. (2010). Oil spill affecting marine life, top to bottom. Retrieved from the Human Society website on 8 Jun 2012 from http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2010/06/oil_spill_affeting_marine_life_062310.html