Other Threats to Marine Biodiversity Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 5 main threats to marine biodiversity?
A
- Overexploitation
- Physical alteration
- Pollution
- Introduced species
- Climate change
2
Q
Extinction
A
The process which leads to the dying out / extermination of a species
3
Q
Local Extinction
A
A species is no longer found in a particular area / ecosystem
4
Q
Functionally Extinct
A
Few organisms remain but they are so reduced that they have a negligible impact on their ecosystem
5
Q
Biological Extinction
A
Species is no longer found anywhere on Earth
6
Q
Background Extinction
A
Gradual extinction
7
Q
How does extinction occur?
A
When the environment changes more rapidly that the species can adapt
8
Q
What populations are the most vulnerable to extinction?
A
Small and narrowly specialized populations (specialists)
9
Q
Specialists
A
- Narrow niches
- Less adaptable
- More likely to become extinct
- Use a specific set of resources
- Easily affected by changing conditions
- Advantages when things are more constant
More K-selected species
10
Q
Generalists
A
- Broad niches
- Adaptable to many environments
- Less likely to become extinct
- Use a variety of resources
- High range of tolerance
- Advantageous when conditions change
11
Q
How many mass extinction events have there been on earth?
A
5
Most catastrophic was the Permian extinction
12
Q
What is the biggest threat to the Vaquita Porpoise?
A
- Illegal gill net fishing for totoaba swim bladders (used in traditional Chinese medicine)
The totoaba is protected by CITIES but illegal trade continues
13
Q
Describe Vaquita Conservation Efforts
A
- 2017: Mexican. government places a permanent ban on gill net fishing
- December 2017: National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) sues Trump administration seeking an immediate response to petition for a ban (lawsuit was dismissed in 2019)
- March 2018: NRDC filed a second lawsuit against the U.S departments of commerce, homeland security etc. for failing to follow the Marine Mammal Protection Act
2019: There were still 70 boats illegally setting gill nets in the vaquita habitat
2020: NOAA Fisheries banned all seafood caught in the vaquita’s natural habitat
December 2022: NRDC filed third lawsuit to ensure that the U.S was doing everything in its power to save the vaquita
14
Q
Invasive Species
A
A species introduced to a habitat where they aren’t native
negatively impact ecosystems
15
Q
What threats do invasive species pose?
A
- Outcompete / out-reproduce natives
- $1.4 trillion in damage annually
- Threaten endangered native species
16
Q
Introduced Species
A
Brought to an area (where they are not originally from) by humans
17
Q
What are some characteristics of invasive species?
A
- R-Selected
- High fecundity and dispersal rates
- Generalist feeders
- Wide range of conditions
- Previous invasions
18
Q
What makes a habitat invasible?
A
- Disturbances: agriculture, deforestation etc.
- Habitat Fragmentation: create edges and openings that facilitate the spread
- Altered Environmental Conditions: things like climate change or pollution, can create new opportunities for invasive species to thrive while stressing native species
- Absence of Natural Predators or Competitors: lead to rapid population growth and spread
- Human Activities: international trade, transportation, and travel spread invasive species
- Lack of Biological Resistance: native species in some habitats may lack the evolutionary history or biological defenses to resist invasion by non-native species
19
Q
What are some hot spots for invasive species?
A
Estuaries
- Ports (origin and destinations for ships)
- Frequently disturbed by anthropogenic influences
20
Q
How do invasive species affect biodiversity?
A
- Outcompete native populations for food and space
- Restructure established food webs
- Import diseases, pathogens, and parasites (ex: European green crab)
- Hybridizations
- Interbreed with native species (ex: Blue mussel and mediterranean mussel)
21
Q
Where do invasive species come from?
A
- Vectors
- Pathways
- intentional or accidental release
- Ships
22
Q
Vectors
A
Mechanisms responsible for the physical movement of invasive species
23
Q
Pathways
A
The routes or channels through which invasive species are introduced and spread
24
Q
How can ships contribute to the spread of invasive species?
A
Ballast water
25
How can invasive species be introduced accidentally?
- Live bait
- Aquarium releases
- Aquaculture
- Recreational fishing
26
What is an example of an invasive species that can be found on Long Island?
Lion Fish
- Introduced in the 1980s (dumping from aquariums)
- Venomous spines
- Can spawn up to every 4 days
*Die in winter due to cold temperatures*
27
Describe Lionfish Ecology
- Up to 200 adults / acre
- Generalist carnivores
- Can eat prey up to 1/2 their body length
- Consume 70+ species of fish and invertebrates
- Site fidelity
- Few native predators or parasites
28
What has NOAA Fisheries proposed to control invasive Lion fish populations?
A food market (fishery)
29
Ballast Water
Water that is put into a ship to provide stability and maneuverability
30
How can ballast water contribute to the spread of invasive species?
- As water is being loaded into the tank of the boat, larval species (fish, algae etc.) could potentially be picked up
- As the ship travels and ballast water is discharged, any larval species that were present in the ballast tanks will be released
31
What is an example of an invasive species that was spread by ballast water?
Zebra Mussels
32
What are some effects that zebra mussels have on marine life and infrastructure?
- Clog water intake and infrastructure (increased maintenance and operational expenses)
- High filtering rates that lead to the depletion of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations (vital components of aquatic food webs)
- Alter habitat structure by attaching themselves onto hard surfaces, rocks, docks, and native mussel shells
33
What can be done to control the invasive zebra mussel populations?
- Physical removal by mechanical scraping
- Use of chemical treatments like molluscicides
- Introduction of natural predators
*What are some problems that may arise*
34
What are some examples of invasive species that are found on Long Island?
- Mute Swan
- Phragmities
- Asian shore crab
- Chinese mitten crab
35
How has phragmites affected ecosystems on Long Island?
- Introduced from Europe in the 1800s
- Changes marsh hydrology
- Produces thousands of seeds each year
- Roots can spread up to 20 feet
- Can reach over 15 feet in height
- Monopolize entire marine ecosystems
- Interfere with marsh plants ability to hold on to sediments
36
What are some pros to phragmites?
- Holds onto soil and sand, preventing erosion
- Carbon sequestration (stores carbon)
37
What are some things that can be done to manage phragmites populations?
- Prevention:
- Mowing (will leave behind root systems)
- Hand pulling (this is not feasible)
- Herbicides
- Prescribed burns (temperature must be hot enough to kill rhizomes in the soil)
38
What is NY iMapInvasives?
An online collaborative database and mapping base that serves as the official invasive species database for New York State
39
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Occurs as a result of runoff (ex: septic tanks, vehicles, farms etc.)
40
Point Source Pollution
Pollution that comes from a single source (ex: an oil or chemical spill)
41
What source of pollution has a large impact?
Point source pollution
*Occurs less often*
42
How can high concentrations of substances lead to pollution?
Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are essential elements to plant growth but if they are too abundant to can stimulate the overgrowth of algae (Eutrophication)
43
Marine Debris
Can range from tiny micro plastics to derelict fishing gear and abandoned vessels
44
Where does marine debris come from?
1. Land sources: littering, poor waste management etc.
2. Ocean sources: derelict fishing gear, littering, cruise ships
45
Plastics
- Invented by Alexander Parkes in the mid 1800s
- Dormant until WWII (Americans utilized the technology around the wires found in war machinery)
*Do NOT Biodegrade*
46
How many pieces of plastics make their way into our oceans every day?
8 million
47
How many pieces of plastics are dumped into the ocean every year?
12 million tons
48
What percentage of marine debris is plastic?
80%
49
How any seabirds are killed by pollution each year?
1 million
50
How many marine mammals and sea turtles are killed by pollution each year?
100,000
51
What are hurdles?
- Microplastic pellets (2-5mm in size)
- Building blocks for most plastic products
- ~600 hurdles = one small plastic disposable water bottle
- Nearly impossible to remove from the ocean once they have entered it
52
What happened in 2021 with the X-Press Pearl?
The X-Press Pearl shipwreck spilled 1,680 girdles into the ocean off the shores of Sri Lanka
*The largest recorded hurdle spill at sea*
53
How are plastics utilized in the textile industry?
- 70% of clothes are made of synthetic fibers
- Polyester, elastane, and nylon are plastics made from fossil fuels
- Laundry of synthetic textiles contributes to one-third of global primary micro plastics
*Synthtic textiles are cheap, durable and versatile*
54
Fast Fashion
- Made of synthetic materials
- Low quality
- Account for high levels of fiber loss
-
55
Microbead-Free water Act of 2015
Prohibits the manufacturing, packaging and distribution of rinse-off cosmetics containing micro plastic beads (ex: face washes)
*Passed the Senate unanimously among both democrats and republicans*
56
Plastic Immortality
It will NEVER fully decompose (only break-up into smaller pieces)
57
Photodegradable
- Decompose when exposed to sunlight
- Split into increasingly smaller fragments over time releasing harmful chemicals and greenhouse gases in the process
58
How can microplastics impact human health?
- Microplastics can be found in tap water, beer, salt etc.
- Chemicals used in the production of plastic are carcinogenic
- Microplastics were recently found in human placentas
- Contaminants enter organisms digestive systems and accumulate throughout the food web
59
How can marine debris impact humans?
- Deterrent Effect on tourists
- Damage to ships (dented hulls, broken anchors, propellers etc.)
- Fishery losses (torn nets, polluted traps etc.)
60
What is SIDS
Small Island Developing States
61
What are some characteristics on small island developing states?
- Depend on fishing and tourism
- Produce only 1.3% of plastic waste
- Heavily impacted by pollution
62
Where are the five gyres in the ocean?
- Indian Ocean (1)
- Atlantic Ocean (2)
- Pacific Ocean (2)
63
Where is the largest accumulation of plastic in the world?
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
64
What are some of the critiques regarding the ocean cleanup solution?
- Cleanup strategies produce pollution
- Remove animals and ecosystems from the ocean
- Doesn't address the root of the problem (which is humans)
*You need to target the source of pollution in order to stop it*
65
What is the Save Our Seas Act of 2018?
- Promotes international action to reduce marine debris
- Authorizes cleanup and response actions needed as a result of severe marine debris events (ex: hurricanes)
66
What amendments were made to the Save Our Seas Act of 2018?
- The United States domestic programs to address marine debris
- International engagement to combat marine debris
- Domestic infrastructure to prevent marine debris
