Mrs. Sealy - APES

 Coral reefs  Estuaries  Ocean floor  Near coasts  The tropics  The bottom region of the ocean as opposed to the top levels.  Top level predators are the keystone species

Marine Systems Ecological Services Climate moderation C02 absorption Nutrient cycling Waste treatment and dilution Reduced storm impact (mangrove, barrier islands, coastal wetlands) Habitats and nursery areas for marine and terrestrial species Genetic resources and biodiversity Scientific information Economic Services Food Animal and pet feed (fish meal) Pharmaceuticals Harbors and transportation routes Coastal habitats for humans Recreation Employment Offshore oil and natural gas Minerals Building materials Freshwater Systems Ecological ServicesEconomic Services Climate moderation Nutrient cycling Waste treatment and dilution Flood control Groundwater recharge Habitats for aquatic and terrestrial species Genetic resources and biodiversity Scientific information Food Drinking water Irrigation water Hydroelectricity Transportation corridors Recreation Employment Fig. 24.5, p. 633

 It keeps us alive and supports our economies  Ecological services worth $21 trillion/year  Half of the world’s people (3.5 billion) depend on the ocean as their primary food source.

 Species loss and endangerment  Marine habitat loss and degradation:  Freshwater habitat loss and degradation  Overfishing  Nonnative species  Pollution and global warming

 1,200 marine species have become extinct in the last 100 years  Freshwater species are more at risk  A result of overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction

 Half the world’s coastal wetlands have disappeared  58% of the world’s coral reefs are threatened  Half the world’s mangroves are gone  70% of beaches are rapidly eroding due to coastal development  Bottom environments are being degraded by trawlers and dredgers  Deep sea mining

 Half the world’s inland wetlands have disappeared by being drained for agricultural etc.  60% of the world’s rivers are fragmented by dams which destroys deltas  Flood control and levees alter aquatic habitats

 200 commercially valuable fish species are overfished  This unravels food webs because the animals that depend on these fish starve  Depletes sea turtles and dolphins because they get caught in nets as bycatch  Those fish with long life spans are most threatened – swordfish, sharks and orange roughy

 Bioinvaders are blamed for 68% of fish extinctions  Lake Victoria in Africa is the most polluted with non-native species

 The major problems are: oil, acid deposition, excess plant nutrients, cyanide from mines, DDT, coastal development, and sedimentation from soil erosion  Most problems come from runoff from rivers and coastal development  Global warming could raise water temps and disrupt food chains

 Protect endangered and threatened species  Establish protected areas  Integrated coastal management  Regulating and preventing ocean pollution  Sustainable management of marine fisheries

 Fishery regulations  Economic approaches  Bycatch reduction  Protected areas  Nonnative species  Consumer information  Aquaculture

 Regulations  Mitigation banking  Land use planning  Wetlands restoration  Control of invasive species ( ) () GULF OF MEXICO Naples Fort Myers FLORIDA Florida Bay Everglades National Park Key Largo ATLANTIC OCEAN Miami Fort Lauderdale West Palm Beach Lake Okeechobee Unchannelized Channelized FLORIDA Area of detail Agricultural area Treatment marsh Water conservation area Canal miles kilometers Kissimmee River Fig , p. 651

 Pollution  Invasive species  Water levels  Cultural eutrophication Fig , p. 653

 Pollution  Disruption of water flow  Loss of biodiversity  Invasive species Fig , p. 653

Shrimp trawler Area enlarged right Fig , p. 640