...of the situation. There is also little to no awareness as to the way we humans either intentionally or unintentionally contribute to the worsening situation in our water bodies. This study used the DPSIR model in analyzing the problem of the pacific gyre from a systems perspective. It focused on the impacts of the pacific gyre on the environment, plants, animals as well as the ecosystem. The study also looked at societies responds to this problem of plastic debris and those the author suggest as alternatives. The study found that the total world figure of garbage in the Pacific Ocean is about 10,239,538 pounds and out of this figure plastics contribute the largest share of about 90%. The study also found that about 100,000 sea animals and 1 million sea birds die annually from...
Words: 3857 - Pages: 16
...Natural Resources and Energy Paper SCI/256 July 09, 2013 . Marine Ecosystem Out of all of the large and natural resources available for generating electricity in the United States, it is the ocean. Ocean energy may be the last investigated for its potential. The ocean is so vast and deep, until recently, it was assumed that no matter how many chemicals or how much trash humans dumped into the ocean, the effects would be negligible. Dumping into oceans have even got the catchphrase: “The solution to pollution is dilution” (National Geographic, 2013) Impacts Associated With Agriculture Pollutants from agriculture have affected the marine’s ecosystem in ways that may not be reversible, and may also be slowly harming rivers, streams, and coastal waters. Pesticides and fertilizer are two major components that have disturbed the marine’s ecosystem; both contain harmful chemicals that can be hazardous to living organisms in the water. Fertilizer and pesticide run-off from large farms may have initiated bursts of marine algae which may disrupt the ocean’s ecosystem by causing massive blooms in marine waters (Schwartz, 2005). Winds cause nitrogen and other nutrients from the seafloor to surface, which promote the growth of algae called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a main source of food for many living organisms in the marine waters. Agricultural pollutants may have triggered phytoplankton to produce harmful blooms in tides, which are giving-off poisonous toxins to marine life...
Words: 1602 - Pages: 7
...Microbiology Mid Term Review What contribution did these dudes make to science and what type of experiments were involved in the discoveries they made? Louis Pasteur- Heat pasteurization- 1st vaccine for rabies. Found alcohol only produced in wine if yeast was present. “Swan necked” flasks experiment for spontaneous generation. Robert Koch- Studied anthrax, Koch’s postulates (germ theory) studied and awarded for TB research. Anton van Leewenhoek- Made the 1st lens to observe living microorganisms. The lens magnified up to 300x and were free of distortion. Edward Jenner- Studied small pox. Came up with the first vaccine for smallpox. Alexander Fleming- Discovered lysozyme (an enzyme) was found in tears, saliva, and sweat could kill bacteria. What issues and types of instruments are involved in visualizing bacteria and viruses with a compound light microscope? Reflection- transmission-absorption with florescence-refraction. Condenser-is a lens that serves to concentrate light from the illumination source that is in turn focused through the object and magnified by the objective lens. iris diaphragm-regulates the amount of light on the specimen. objective lenses- magnifies ranges from 10x to 40x, ocular lenses. stage- supports the slide for viewing. focusing knobs-moves the stage up and down for focusing. total magnification- take the power of the objective (4X, 10X, 40x) and multiply by the power of the eyepiece, usually 10X. What are the differences...
Words: 3231 - Pages: 13
...As a result of 3.8 billion years of “research and development” (evolution), nature provides a set of design blueprints that may be used to guide us to create elegant, sustainable, and innovative designs for human technologies (Benyus 1997). The field of biomimicry analyzes nature‟s best ideas and adapts them for human use (Benyus 1997). The built environment could benefit from the integration of a discipline such as biomimicry into the design process. In 1997, Janine Benyus published a revolutionary book called Biomimicry. The word Biomimicry is derived from two Greek words: bios which means life, and mimesis which means to imitate. In her treatise, Benyus describes “a new science that studies nature‟s models and then imitates or takes inspiration from these designs and processes to solve human problems, e.g. a solar cell inspired by a leaf.” (Benyus, 1997). t is said that the need is the mother of invention . People have been inventing whole of their lives to accommodate their requirements. This paper will discuss how men approached to some of their development and what roles did nature and some of its designs play to inspire inventors. The paper will go farther than this to look up at a new scientific method that imitate natural superior system to improve humans' life. It will concentrate mainly on the advancements of communication systems due to researches on this science which is called Biomimetics. Finally it will try to identify any existing similar natural and human-made...
Words: 2649 - Pages: 11
...The Effects of Plastic Bags on Environmentt * | * The effects of plastic bags on the environment are really quite devastating. While there are many objections to the banning of plastic bags based solely on their convenience, the damage to the environment needs to be controlled. * There is no way to strictly limit the effects of plastic bags on the environment because there is no disposal method that will really help eliminate the problem. While reusing them is the first step, most people either don't or can't based on store policies. They are not durable enough to stand up to numerous trips to the store so often the best that citizens can do is reuse them when following pooper scooper laws. * The biggest problem with this is that once they have been soiled the end up in the trash, which then ends up in the landfill or burned. Either solution is very poor for the environment. Burning emits toxic gases that harm the atmosphere and increase the level of VOCs in the air while landfills hold them indefinitely as part of the plastic waste problem throughout the globe. * Plastic Bag Litter * Even when citizens try to manage their plastic bag disposal wind plays a role in carrying them away as litter. This litter is not biodegradable and thus where it lands it tends to stay for long period of time. A bag that is eventually ripped to shreds from high winds or other factors doesn't disappear but instead is spread in smaller amounts throughout the area. This can cause...
Words: 4911 - Pages: 20
...Marine Mycology: An Overview of Pathogens, and Secondary Metabolites Introduction and History The golden age of marine mycology occurred from 1960-1990 with the research and discovery of most of the roughly 500 species of obligate marine fungi. Much of said research was conducted from 1980-2000; this 30 year period saw the report of nearly half of the marine fungal species currently known (Jones et al. 2009; Jones, 2011). That being said, marine fungi are vastly understudied and under rated in comparison to marine plants, animals, and other microorganisms; frequently they are omitted or only briefly referenced in marine biodiversity and ecology text books (Jones and Pang, 2012). The cladistics of marine fungi is currently in a state of flux, with new taxa being discovered as molecular techniques such as DNA and RNA analysis via polymerase chain reactions, and gel electrophoresis are implemented (Ald et al 2005). Even though fungus-like organisms such as oomycetes are not fungi, marine mycologists often study them as they perform similar functions, and until recently most had been classified as fungi based on their morphological similarities (Jones, 2011). These fungus-like organisms are eukaryotic, heterotrophic, zoospores, have chitin containing cell walls, and similar life cycles to fungi (Neuhauser et al. 2012). Conventionally terrestrial or freshwater species are also included in the marine fungal group as facultative species; this is due to their active ecological...
Words: 4679 - Pages: 19
...of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995 and his Ph.D. in geology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1999. He has worked at ExxonMobil, Simon Fraser University, and Maersk Oil and has been a private consultant specializing in carbonate reservoir characterization. He currently works as a carbonate specialist at Apache Corporation in Houston. Richard F. Sunde ∼ EnCana, 500 Centre Street, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2G1A6; richard.sunde@encana.com Richard Sunde earned a D.E.C. degree (Diplôme dietudes Collégiales) at Dawson College, Montreal, in 2000 and a B.Sc. degree in geology at McGill University, Montreal, in 2004. He then completed an M.Sc. degree at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, in 2008; his thesis research focused on the content presented in this article. Richard currently is employed as a Geoscientist at Encana Corporation in Calgary. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT This study presents a lithology-based sequence-stratigraphic framework and depositional model for Lower Cretaceous, mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments of the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain (eastern United States). Lithologic data from cores and cuttings were integrated with wireline logs and twodimensional seismic data to document lithofacies variability and stacking patterns across the Albemarle Basin of eastern North Carolina. Ten facies associations are defined, which are variably present within siliciclastic- and...
Words: 14261 - Pages: 58
...Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century and its projected continuation. Since the early 20th century, Earth's mean surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two-thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. scientists are more than 90% certain that it is primarily caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gasses produced by human activities. A greenhouse gas (sometimes abbreviated GHG) is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. The causes of increasing greenhouse gases are: Burning fossil fuels, thus releasing into the atmosphere carbon that has been safely stored for millions of years by burning coal, oil and natural gas for transport and electricity. An enormous demand for electricity. The growing population of the earth all want cars, refrigerators, air-conditioning and a double garage. Most electricity is generated by burning coal. A constant and growing demand for red meat. Cattle belch out methane, a toxic greenhouse gas, much more dangerous than carbon dioxide. More and more forests and bushland, which absorb carbon dioxide from the air, are being cut down so more cattle can graze. A reduction in the planet's ability to remove...
Words: 4029 - Pages: 17
...The Marine Environmental Impacts of Artificial Island Construction Dubai, UAE By Bayyinah Salahuddin Date: _______________ Approved: _________________________ Dr. Michael Orbach, Advisor Masters project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Environmental Management degree in the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences of Duke University 2006 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ﻷﺟﻞ أهﻠﻲ First, I thank Allah for making my research successful and rewarding. Next, I would like to thank my dear family for their generous, unwavering support and encouragement. Finally, I would like to thank the Student International Discussion Group and the Environmental Internship Fund at the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University for funding my research. -2- ABSTRACT In the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is building three colossal artificial islands— each in the shape of a palm tree—in the Arabian Gulf. This has prompted several other Gulf countries to construct artificial islands. To determine the impacts of the first of these Palm Islands, The Palm Jumeirah, I traveled to Dubai and interviewed governmental agencies, environmental groups, and the developer’s environmental scientists. I analyzed the island’s impacts on marine wildlife as well as the developer’s mitigation efforts and the developer’s compliance with the relevant environmental laws. The Palm Jumeirah has buried and asphyxiated wildlife, increased turbidity, and changed...
Words: 21930 - Pages: 88
...European Seas, from the Shelves to Deep Basins Christopher K. Pham1,2*, Eva Ramirez-Llodra3,4, Claudia H. S. Alt5, Teresa Amaro6, Melanie Bergmann7, ¸ Miquel Canals8, Joan B. Company3, Jaime Davies9, Gerard Duineveld10, Francois Galgani11, 9 12 1,2 Kerry L. Howell , Veerle A. I. Huvenne , Eduardo Isidro , Daniel O. B. Jones12, Galderic Lastras8, ´ ˆ Telmo Morato1,2, Jose Nuno Gomes-Pereira1,2, Autun Purser13, Heather Stewart14, Ines Tojeira15, 8 16 5 Xavier Tubau , David Van Rooij , Paul A. Tyler 1 Center of the Institute of Marine Research (IMAR) and Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal, 2 Laboratory of Robotics `ncies del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain, 4 Norwegian Institute for Water Research and Systems in Engineering and Science (LARSyS), Lisbon, Portugal, 3 Institut de Cie (NIVA), Marine Biology section, Oslo, Norway, 5 Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, United Kingdom, ¨ 6 Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Bergen, Norway, 7 Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum fur Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany, 8 GRC `ncies Marines, Departament d9Estratigrafia, Paleontologia i Geocie `ncies Marines, Facultat de Geologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Campus de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Geocie Spain, 9 Marine Biology & Ecology Research Centre, Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth, United Kingdom, 10 Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Texel...
Words: 10668 - Pages: 43
...| | An Overview of Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution | This page is one of a series of web pages developed by the CAR/RCU on various Environmental Issues in the Caribbean. These pages are a good starting point for research into many of the pressing concerns of the nations and territories of the Wider Caribbean Region. They contain definitions, descriptions, discussions, links to relevant on-line documents and web sites. Read about other Issues. | | * Introduction * Land based pollution sources and their environmental impacts * Sewage * Oil hydrocarbons * Sediments * Nutrients * Pesticides * Solid waste and marine debris * Toxic substances * Planning and management of environmental pollution * CEP and land based sources of pollution * Pollution related CEP reports * Links to pollution related websites | INTRODUCTION | The major sources of coastal and marine pollution originating from the land vary from country to country. The nature and intensity of development activities, the size of the human population, the state and type of industry and agriculture are but a few of the factors contributing to each country’s unique pollution problems. Pollution is discharged either directly into to the sea, or enters the coastal waters through rivers and by atmospheric deposition. In order to mitigate and control the impact of pollution on coastal and marine resources, it is essential that the type and load of pollutants be identified...
Words: 5546 - Pages: 23
...PFII/2007/WS.3/6 Original: English UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS Division for Social Policy and Development Co-organizers Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Government of Khabarovsk Krai and the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) INTERNATIONAL EXPERT GROUP MEETING ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT KHABAROVSK, RUSSIAN FEDERATION AUGUST 27.-29, 2007 The Adverse Impacts of Oil Pollution on the Environment and Wellbeing of a Local Indigenous Community: The Experience of the Ogoni People of Nigeria Paper by LEGBORSI SARO PYAGBARA MOVEMENT FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE OGONI PEOPLE (MOSOP) OF NIGERIA Introduction Crude oil has had profound impact on the world civilization than any single natural resource in recorded history. Oil has become a very decisive element in defining the politics, rhetoric and diplomacy of states. This fact is adumbrated in a public lecture entitled “Oil in World Politics” delivered by a former secretary of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the late Chief M.O.Feyide, when he asserted that “All over the world, the lives of people are affected and the destiny of nations are determined by the result of oil explorations. Oil keeps the factors of the industrialized countries working and provides the revenues,...
Words: 5065 - Pages: 21
...Non-Traditional Security in Bangladesh: Issues and Outlooks Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) Following is an attempt to analyze the challenges in the field of non-traditional security issues and explore relevant outlooks dealing with these challenges in the context of Bangladesh. 1. Threats to Societal Security Inflow of Small Arms and Drug: This is an external or trans-national source. Estimates differ and perhaps will be less than what is happening in the context of India or Pakistan. But it is causing security threats to the state and the society, for at least two reasons: first, the rate is increasing at an alarming pace; second, Bangladesh is a soft state and a soft society, the impact is easily felt.[i] Use of small arms, use of drugs are gaining autonomous proportion in the sense the administration and law enforcing agencies have practically little control over the trafficking and use. Law and Order and Social Violence: The south western districts are again becoming restless following increase in the number of incidences of killings and overrunning of police posts by the outlawed and extremists who seem to be reemerging from the banned parties like Purba Banglar Communist Party and Biplobi Communist Party in the southwestern districts.[ii] The northern districts in recent months have been subjected to terrorist attack.[iii] One of the horrendous crimes in recent times was the slaughtering of six persons in a village...
Words: 2986 - Pages: 12
...A. Introduction Every day, the average person inhales about 20,000 liters of air. Every time we breathe, we risk inhaling dangerous chemicals that have found their way into the air. We as humans depend on the air around us to live, without it we would die. We rely on this as an essential source for living. Air pollution includes all contaminants found in the atmosphere. It is another major problem that is yet to be solved. These dangerous substances can be either in the form of gases or particles. The air is 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and inert gases. Air pollution is a common term meaning the dirtying and gradual destruction of our natural resources, especially our air, water and land. This is referred to as environmental pollution. Once, years ago, the air was fresh and clear and the rivers were clean with fish swimming in the crystal clear waters and streams. This is no longer true today. Air pollution is the dirtying of the air. Where once we had blue skies and fresh air to breathe in, this is no longer the case. The air today is choked with toxic fumes from cars and factories. With more and more cars on the road, the carbon monoxide emitted from the car exhausts has polluted the Earth’s atmosphere. The clearing of land to make way for housing or farms has also lead to forests being destroyed and burnt. But did you know that air pollution also found both outdoors and indoors? It can, Pollutants can be trapped inside buildings, causing indoor pollution...
Words: 3043 - Pages: 13
...games such as Monopoly Junior and Candy Land. As students delve into their activity stations, Mr. Duncan observers his students unknowingly performing algorithms, maybe without a true understanding of why they are doing so yet, but still – applying learned skills correctly to real-world activities. Later that same school year, students in Mrs. Robinson’s second grade class are reviewing the value of money. Zayne’s father gives him $1 for each chore completed during the week. Within a few weeks, Zayne earns and saves $30 dollars and decides to spend his money on a Snakeez, a portable cup with a lid that doubles as a snack container, which he’s seen on a TV ad. Knowing this, Zayne’s dad has Zayne sit down and write on a sheet of paper the cost of the Snakeez, as advertised on the commercial, including shipping and handling fees and then add up the costs to determine the total price. They then proceed to go to a few of the various local retail stores to compare the cost of the Snakeez product...
Words: 4346 - Pages: 18
