Marine Pollution Objectives: 1. Explain how marine debris enters the ocean ecosystem and the impact it has on the marine ecosystem 2. Explain how oil enters the ocean and its impact on marine life. 3. List possible oil clean-up methods. 4. Discuss the concept of Gaia and global ecology.

Sources of Human contamination 1. Agricultural ◦ Fertilizers ◦ Pesticides ◦ Herbicides ◦ Animal wastes from farms and ranches

2. Domestic ◦ Chemicals ◦ Trash and other debris ◦ Sewage

3. Industrial ◦ Chemicals from mines, refineries, and manufacturing plants ◦ Heavy metals ◦ Radioactive wastes

4. Vehicles (automobiles and boats) ◦ Fuel emissions ◦ Oil spills ◦ Trash ◦ Sewage

Impact of Chemicals in the Ocean 1. biomagnification – higher concentrations of chemicals as you move up the food chain

2. Eutrophication – excess nutrients enter the water, cause algal blooms which leads to oxygen depletion

3. Debris harm/kill marine life.

Oil Source of millions of gallons of oil

Oil clean-up methods 1. mechanical clean-up (mop up)- absorbing oil 2. fire 3. high pressure washing 4. bacterial break-down (bioremediation)

Gaia Hypothesis idea that our planet functions as a single organism