Everything is connected in an aquatic ecosystem, when an ecosystem is out of balance, human beings will begin to suffer as well, together with the other organisms. Our health and many of the human activities are dependent on the health of aquatic ecosystems. Most of the water that we drink is taken from lakes or rivers. If the lake or river system is unhealthy, the water may be unsafe to drink or unsuitable for industry, agriculture, or recreation – even after treatment. Uses of aquatic ecosystems are impaired when these systems are unhealthy.
The frequency of urban beach closures has escalated as a result of contamination by animal faeces and medical waste.
Navigation problems for pleasure craft, caused by the rapid expansion of bottom-rooted aquatic plants, have increased over the years.
The proliferation of non-native species has created problems. One example is the rapidly expanding zebra mussel population, introduced from the ballast waters of a European freighter into the Great Lakes.
Zebra mussels have few natural predators in the area and because of the fact that the female can produce 30 000 eggs in a year, they are expected to spread throughout most of the freshwater systems of North America. This mussel species is already clogging industrial and municipal water treatment intake pipes, coating boats and piers, thus causing beach closures.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Effects of stress
When too much stress is present in the aquatic ecosystem, there will be: loss of species, accelerated proliferation of organisms like algae bloom happening, increased chances of tumours or deformities in animals and change in chemical properties(reduction of pH in water caused by acid rain)
The may also be presence of certain organisms that indicate unsanitary conditions like the Coliform bacteria, a sign that the ecosystem may contain organisms that cause a variety of human diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera.
Human that drinks water from the ecosystem may thus get those diseases and fall sick. Species of fish and other organisms may get extinct or endangered. The people that fish or live near the ecosystem will get affected as well. This shows the importance of a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
Many symptoms of poor ecosystem health will occur at the same time. For example, increased lake acidity may kill certain species, thereby allowing the temporary proliferation of species more tolerant to acidity.
The may also be presence of certain organisms that indicate unsanitary conditions like the Coliform bacteria, a sign that the ecosystem may contain organisms that cause a variety of human diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera.
Human that drinks water from the ecosystem may thus get those diseases and fall sick. Species of fish and other organisms may get extinct or endangered. The people that fish or live near the ecosystem will get affected as well. This shows the importance of a healthy aquatic ecosystem.
Many symptoms of poor ecosystem health will occur at the same time. For example, increased lake acidity may kill certain species, thereby allowing the temporary proliferation of species more tolerant to acidity.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Second Official Post
Organisms living in an aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem contains a wide variety of life forms. Bacteria, fungi, and protozoans which are bottom-dwelling organisms such as insect larvae, snails, and worms, plankton and also fish, amphibians and reptiles. Viruses also play an important role in the nutrient and energy cycles.
Lakes, ponds, oceans, seas, rivers and streams are some of the aquatic ecosystems that can be found.
What is stress?
The health of an aquatic ecosystem will be affected when the ecosystem's stress is too much. Stress on an aquatic ecosystem can be a result of the following: physical, chemical or biological.
Physical alterations are changes in the water temperature, rate of water flow and the light availability. Plants need light to carry out the process of photosynthesis. Without light, plants will die and there will not be enough oxygen for the other organisms in the ecosystem, thus all other organisms may die as a result.
Chemical alterations can be like introduction of toxins at a certain point that is harmful to the organisms by human beings.
Biological alterations can be the introduction of other exotic species of organisms. Human beings can impose stress on aquatic ecosystems by introducing other types of organisms into the aquatic ecosystem and by releasing harmful substances into the ecosystem.
Healthy aquatic ecosystems are those where human activities have not damaged the natural processes like nutrient cycling and changed the structure of the ecosystem by adding in other species of organisms to the ecosystem.
An aquatic ecosystem contains a wide variety of life forms. Bacteria, fungi, and protozoans which are bottom-dwelling organisms such as insect larvae, snails, and worms, plankton and also fish, amphibians and reptiles. Viruses also play an important role in the nutrient and energy cycles.
Lakes, ponds, oceans, seas, rivers and streams are some of the aquatic ecosystems that can be found.
What is stress?
The health of an aquatic ecosystem will be affected when the ecosystem's stress is too much. Stress on an aquatic ecosystem can be a result of the following: physical, chemical or biological.
Physical alterations are changes in the water temperature, rate of water flow and the light availability. Plants need light to carry out the process of photosynthesis. Without light, plants will die and there will not be enough oxygen for the other organisms in the ecosystem, thus all other organisms may die as a result.
Chemical alterations can be like introduction of toxins at a certain point that is harmful to the organisms by human beings.
Biological alterations can be the introduction of other exotic species of organisms. Human beings can impose stress on aquatic ecosystems by introducing other types of organisms into the aquatic ecosystem and by releasing harmful substances into the ecosystem.
Healthy aquatic ecosystems are those where human activities have not damaged the natural processes like nutrient cycling and changed the structure of the ecosystem by adding in other species of organisms to the ecosystem.
My Research Question
How does stress affects the health of an aquatic ecosystem and the effects of it?
I thought of this research question while looking at the fish tank in my house. What exactly affect the health of an aquatic ecosystem? Why do fish die of diseases and of stress? This led me to think about the problems that affect the aquatic ecosystem.
Firstly, what is an aquatic ecosystem? An aquatic ecosystem is a kind of ecosystem that is located in water bodies such as ponds and oceans. Different types of organism living in an aquatic ecosystem depend on each other and their environment. If a type of organism in the ecosystem died, other organisms may not be able to survive as well as they are interdependent. On my next post, I will be focusing on what is stress.
I thought of this research question while looking at the fish tank in my house. What exactly affect the health of an aquatic ecosystem? Why do fish die of diseases and of stress? This led me to think about the problems that affect the aquatic ecosystem.
Firstly, what is an aquatic ecosystem? An aquatic ecosystem is a kind of ecosystem that is located in water bodies such as ponds and oceans. Different types of organism living in an aquatic ecosystem depend on each other and their environment. If a type of organism in the ecosystem died, other organisms may not be able to survive as well as they are interdependent. On my next post, I will be focusing on what is stress.
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