Tides and Water Power Honors

Perhaps one of the biggest resources in the ocean is through marine life, particularly found in the fish below. Like most resources however, there are both positives and negatives that have to be considered.

Positives-Helps boost the economy because of an increase in jobs--consumers and productions
-Provides to be a beneficial food source
-Provides a gateway for recreation through fishing and other tourism activities

Negatives-Has to deal with multiple variables in the industry like fish populations, drought, availability, and consumption. For example, if a fish begins to decline in population, it may become endangered and then unable to be fished, hurting profits
-Depending on what is consumed, the fish could have high levels of mercury or other properties that are detrimental to human health
-Overfishing can disrupt the ecology of an environment altogether.

Fish interact with the hydrosphere and atmosphere because fish live in the hydrosphere, and have to have the proper amount of oxygen levels in the ocean in order to live. As humans pollute the ocean, traveling through the atmosphere into the hydrosphere, the water below is also negatively affected by its impact.
Fish are found in rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, and the ocean.

Fish are an important energy resource because of their role in the food cycle. Because they play such a key part in other animals ability to consume fish, if they were to be extinct, those animals would have to find an alternative food source, which would increase competition in the ecosystem and probably contribute to the extinction of many other fish.

Using the ocean as an energy resource definitely benefits the world that we live in, but because resources in the ocean are scarce, we have to be careful how we extract and handle them, as well as how much we take. It is important to remember that what we take, we cannot readily give back.

We need to keep fish safe, and in order to do that, we have to make sure that overfishing does not occur, that people are aware of their actions, and that pollution levels do not get too abundant.

Works Cited

"Fish: Friend or Foe?" The Nutrition Source. Harvard University, n.d. Web. 06 June 2014.

Mumbai, Swati. "Overfishing, Sewage Killing Marine Life on City Shores | The Asian Age." The Asian Age. N.p., 5 June 2014. Web. 06 June 2014.

Ossola, Alexandra. "Tackling the Overfishing Problem." » Scienceline. N.p., 20 May 2014. Web. 06 June 2014.

5_05 Ocean Interactions

Coral reefs, otherwise known as the rain forests of the ocean, is a community of living organisms made up of plants, fish, and a wide variety of other creates. Coral reefs is one of the most diverse, fragile, ecosystems in the world, and is home to nearly 25% of all marine life. Coral reefs play an important part for both marine life and people, as they bring in roughly 30-172 billion U.S dollars per year, providing food, protection of shorelines, boost tourism, and even can be used to make certain types of medicines.

Coral reefs also play a large role in breaking the power of waves during hurricanes, typhoons, storms, even tsunamis!

Coral reefs interact with the spheres of the universe as well.

HydrosphereThe hydrosphere consists of all the water on Earth, distributed through the water cycle. Coral reefs, being in the water, play an important role in the hydrosphere by staying intact and being healthy. Because corals obtain nutrients from plankton and other algae, they are able to distribute these substances into the water which help keep it filtered and wonderful. Water temperature affects corals tremendously because if the water gets too cold, then the coral will die, and if coral die, it will affect the hydrospheres ability to be fully productive.

GeosphereThe Geosphere is made up of all the Earth's layers, crusts, and rocks. Coral reefs serve as the barriers for large incoming waves, and as a result are able to prevent beaches from being damaged. If the coral reefs are threatened by beach erosion, this correlates with the geosphere's ability to be successful.

CryosphereThe Cryosphere is composed of all the ice on Earth. If the ice starts to melt into the water below (hydropshere), it will change the overall temperature of the water which could kill the very fragile coral reefs below.

BiosphereThe Biosphere is made up of all the living organisms on earth. Coral reefs are home to many organisms like fish, sponges, crabs, sea turtles, and a wide variety of other marine life. These coral reefs also provide shelter and food, while creating a balance in the water below. By having a thriving coral reef, the animals in the biosphere are able to thrive as well.

AtmosphereThe atmosphere is all the gases on Earth. Coral reefs have a symbiotic relationship with Zooxanthellae, algae, and are able to create oxygen that can go back into the atmosphere. When the algae pulls CO2 from the air, the carbon that is extracted from the air sitting on the ocean floor is able to be turn into oxygen used for respiration, which allows a cycle of oxygen flow.

While coral reefs provide a deal of benefits for our world and our economy, it is essential that they are protected, making sure they stay healthy and aren't destroyed by dredging or coral bleaching. In addition, making sure the water stays unpolluted and the erosion on land going into rivers lessens, the balance of the reefs can remain strong and healthy.

Works Cited

"Coral Reef Protection: What Are Coral Reefs?" Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014. <http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/habitat/coral_index.cfm>.

"Coral Reefs." Coral Reefs. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2014. <http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/oceans/coral_reefs.cfm>.

"NOAA's Coral Reef Information System (CoRIS) - What Are Coral Reefs." Coral Ecosystem Publications RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 June 2014. <http://www.coris.noaa.gov/about/what_are/>.

Mining Resources in the Ocean

The practice of deep sea mining is a new way to get the most out of the oceans abundant resources. While it has been great in obtaining minerals and other valuable items, it can have a negative impact on the Earth as well. 

deep sea mining in Nambia 

The practice of mining began in the mid 1960's because of J.L. Mero's book, "Mineral Resources of the Sea", which claimed that the ocean was filled with an infinite amount of mineral deposits. Although this concept was a little too premature, within the last decade the need for new sources of precious metals has pressed many countries to engage on a new wave of deep sea mining. 

deep sea mining 

mining in the hydrothermal vents

Seafloor mining provides a wonderful combination of physical, chemical, biological, and geological processes that are complex, but provide a wide range of minerals. Particularly in hydrothermal vents, valuable deposits are found as well as beneath the ocean surface.

The ocean is filled with nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, platinum, zinc, silver, and gold. 

copper mining in the ocean

Obviously with all the benefits, there has to be some negative aspects to mining. Because deep sea mining is a new concept, the full consequences are unknown and must be avoided. Most researchers argue that the removal of these valuable sources of the ocean directly effects the benthic layer as it increases toxicity of the water column and the sediment plumes. Because the  benthic layer is being affected, the benthic organisms could also decline as the chemical makeup could become unbalanced. In addition, sediment plumes face the biggest danger as the mining causes an increasing turbidity which negatively affects the surface plumes. Thesse plumes help zooplankton which play a large role in the food web for many ocean organisms. Therefore, too much mining just like any extraction of a resource, can cause a disturbance in the ecological and chemical system of the ocean.

Works Cited

"Global Ocean Commission." Global Ocean Commission. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 June 2014. <http://www.globaloceancommission.org/issues/seabed-mining/>.

Goldenberg, Suzanne. "Marine Mining: Underwater Gold Rush Sparks Fears of Ocean Catastrophe." The Observer. Guardian News and Media, 02 Mar. 2014. Web. 02 June 2014. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/02/underwater-gold-rush-marine-mining-fears-ocean-threat>.

" ." OceanLink. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 June 2014. <http://oceanlink.info/ocean_matters/undersea_mining.html>.

Seabed Mining. Digital image. Subseaworldnews.com. Sub Seaworld, n.d. Web. 2 June 2014. <http://subseaworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Namibia-Sets-Three-Year-Ban-on-Seabed-Mining.jpg>.