Marine Experience

THE MARINE EXPERIENCE

              In this week’s virtual field trip experience, we traveled into Florida estuaries, ecosystem, and open ocean  environments to learn more about the connection between them. Also, we learned that there is a direct relationship between local economy and our environment 

 

In class readings we often discuss the human species impact on the rest of the globe. While scientific advancements are useful to developing survival tactics on this planet, some methods are harmful to the natural cycles and patterns of our planet.  In Sustainability Principles and Practice we discovered that the more readily a contaminant is transported and the more resistant it is to being transformed, the greater its pollution potential. The greatest health risks come from contaminants that are highly mobile, highly persistent, and highly toxic. This is said regarding products and chemicals used for construction, technological advancement, and environmental manipulation, such as man-made dams. During the field trip we learned that storm water runoff carrying loads of sediment, nutrients, and chemical pollutants can cause significant damage to estuaries and the organisms that live within them, in areas like southern Florida.  

 

While virtually observing, we realized that climate change poses several threats to coastal communities, primarily through sea level rise. Rising seas have already begun flooding some coastal areas, particularly during times of extreme high tides. As we learned in Sustainability Principles and Practice, environmental preservation methods will vary based on different climates and landmarks. It is not an easy subject to tackle in one conversation. However, sitting idly and continuing to use our sources on the global scale that we do, is not an option. 

 

The land and water that is home to our natural wildlife must be preserved if we are to stand a chance at saving our planet. For instance, the local Eastern oyster serves the important role of filtering sediments from the water. This is an essential component for the life cycle of marine life. As we discovered in the Robertson text, the problem is not that Earth is running out of water; the problem is that humans pull it from the hydrologic cycle faster than it can be purified and replaced and that human activities pollute some of the remaining water so that it is not safe to use. If we risk effecting sea levels, we risk the survival of fundamental species like the Eastern Oyster.