Health Health: a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Therefore, we are all ill to some extent We can also all improve our health to live happier, longer, more productive lives

Disease Disease: a deleterious change in the body’s condition in response to an environmental factor –Types Nutritional Chemical Biological Psychological

Infectious Organisms Pathogens, disease causing organisms –kill 18 million people/year worldwide Different kinds –Respiratory infections: Pneumonia and influenza –Perinatal conditions including surrounding birth take 2.4 million lives/year –2 Billion cases of diarrhea/ year lead to 2 million deaths –AIDS Virus 30 million now affected, 2.9 million die each year

Emergent Diseases and Environmental Change Emergent disease is one that one never knew of before or has been absent for at least 20 years. –Ex: Ebola fever; –Causes

Causes of Emergent Diseases Travelers bring new germs to a naïve population Human densities are very high Expanding populations push into remote areas We are changing our environment –Elimination of predators favors disease carrying organisms such as mice, rats and mosquitoes.

Antibiotic and Pesticide Resistance Careless application by humans –Over use of insecticides Pathogens evolve rapidly –Lead to resistant pathogens Malaria was greatly reduced throughout the world, but now it’s back

Environmental Toxicology –Deals with toxicants that come from or are discharged into the environment –On they affect humans, other animals and the ecosystem –Animals can be ‘canaries in a coal mine’

Toxic Chemicals Hazardous- dangerous –Includes flammables, explosives, irritants, sensitizers, acids and caustics Toxicant- poison to human or wildlife –React with specific cellular components to kill cells Allergens: substances that activate the immune system.

Carcinogens Carcinogens- substances that cause cancer, invasive out-of-control cell growth –A.C.S. : ½ of males and 1/3 of females will have some form of cancer in their lifetime.

Fun at the Beach

Current State of Our Orcas Highline Community College

Dead Orcas

State of Southern Resident Orcas Almost 20% orcas died between 1995 and Reproductive females have not produced young in ten years. Only four adult males in the entire community of 80 whales.

Killer Whales- Orcas Orcinus orca Largest member of the dolphin family, Delphinidae Identifying traits –Tall dorsal fin –Saddle patch behind dorsal fin –White patches on sides, belly and behind eyes

Orca Biology Average Birth Weight: 395 lbs Average Adult Weight: 2.6 – 9 tons –Males are larger than females Lifespan: –Males ~40 years –Females >60 years Sexually mature ~13 years

Orca Natural History Found in all the world’s oceans Travel in pods from 3 to >150 members Feed on fish, squid and marine mammals

Transient vs. Resident Orcas TransientsResidents HabitatOffshoreNearshore FoodMarine Mammals Fish Pod Size3-5>20 VocalizationQuietVery Vocal

Resident Orcas Resident orcas live in coastal areas feeding mostly on fish Live in extended familial units called pods –Pods are matriarchal Northeast Pacific resident orcas are found from Puget Sound to Alaska –Puget Sound orcas are Southern Resident Orcas

Southern Resident Orcas Consists of three pods: J, K and L Summer in the area around the San Juan Islands feeding on salmon runs Winter on outer coast, but do not know where

Puget Sound Orcas and PCBs Highest levels of PCBs in blubber of any marine mammal in the world –Average almost 150 ppm –<10 ppm PCB is known to cause immune problems in seals Dead female transient orca on Dungeness Spit in May 2002 –1000 ppm PCB –12ppm- EPA’s standard for marine sediments

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Cl

PCBs Highly stable oily fluids and solids –Transformers, pesticides, etc Fat soluble –Reside in fatty tissue Block hormone activity –Destroy normal immune function –Cause liver cancer, pituitary tumors, leukemia, and lymphoma Banned in U.S. since 1977

Ecosystem Review Ecosystem –Organisms interacting with environment and each other through a food chain Food Chain –Biomass moves from one organism to another as each eats a lower member and, in turn, is eaten by a higher member

Generalized Ecological Pyramid 2° Consumers 3° Cons g Biomass 100 g 10 g 1 g Primary Producers Primary Consumers

Idealized Puget Sound Ecological Pyramid 1000 g 100 g 10 g 1 g Phytoplankton Zooplankton Salmon Orcas

Pollutants Pollutant –Adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of living organisms –Persistent Organic Pollutant POP Stable, Long Lasting Includes DDT and PCBs

Sources of Pollutants in the Environment Point Source –Specific location of concentrated pollutants Factory Waste, Sewage Nonpoint Source –Scattered or diffuse sources of pollutants Golf Courses, Agriculture

Factors Influencing Impact of Pollutants Solubility –Water soluble pollutants Move easily through environment –Fat soluble pollutants Need a carrier Long-lasting in body’s fatty tissue Persistence –More stable –Longer to break down –More harm it can do

Pollutants in the Food Chain Bioaccumulation –Cells increase the concentrations of molecules relative to the environment Biomagnification –Concentration of pollutants increases as they move up the ecological pyramid –Only 10% of biomass, but most of the pollutant is transferred

DDT in a Long Island Estuary (from Woodwell, Wurster and Isaccson, 1967) Trophic levelOrganismDDT in wet weight of whole organism Primary Producer Green Alga0.08 ppm Primary Consumer Mud Snail0.26 ppm Secondary Consumer Summer Flounder 1.28 ppm Tertiary Consumer Ring-billed Gull 75.5 ppm (1000x initial concentration)

Idealized Puget Sound Pyramid With PCBs 1000 g 100 g 10 g 1g Phytoplankton Zooplankton Salmon Orcas 1 g Trophic Level%PCB Phytoplankton0.1% Zooplankton1% Salmon10% Orcas100%

The ‘Double Whammy’ In blubber, PCBs are not very harmful. Low salmon runs force orcas to metabolize more blubber to survive. The blubber releases PCBs into the blood, destroying the immune system. Therefore, starvation increases the lethality of the pollutant.