MARINE & WETLAND POLLUTION [CSEC BIOLOGY]

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SYLLABUS REFERENCE 

[A6.3] assess the implications of pollution of marine and wetland environments; 

INTRODUCTION 

A couple years ago in Trinidad & Tobago, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) drew international attention to an oil tanker that was threatening to dump tonnes of crude oil into the Caribbean Sea. 

Thanks to their efforts, and extensive talks between governments, the tanker was stabilised, removing the possibility of a devastating oil spill. 

However, this is not the only incident of pollution impacting our marine and wetland ecosystems, as shown in the following video. There are several sources of pollution that are currently threatening ecosystems and, by extension, the livelihoods and economies of our vulnerable island states. 


This article will be exploring the marine and wetland ecosystems in the Caribbean, as well as the types, sources, and impact of pollution on them and, by extension, state economies. 

DEFINITIONS 

Pollutant 

Anything released into the environment as a result of human activity that has the potential to cause harm. 
Apart from the chemical substances that we are familiar with, the heat released from power stations and noise from industrial or domestic sources can also be pollutants. 

Pollution 

The release of substances from human activities that are harmful to the environment. 

Benthic Organisms 

Any living thing associated with or occurring on the bottom of a body of water. The animals and plants that live on or in this location are known as the benthos. 

MARINE & WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS

There are three (3) main types, found in the Caribbean.

1 - Coastal ecosystems, dominated by mangrove trees 



2 - Ecosystems in shallow water where seagrasses are the dominant vegetation 



3 - Coral reefs 




Go to this link for a comparison of marine vs wetland ecosystems. 



SOURCES & IMPACT OF POLLUTION 


About Eutrophication... 




About the manatee die-off as of August 2021. 





SUMMARY 

There are three main types of marine and wetland ecosystems in the Caribbean, namely mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef. 

There are three main sources of pollution that have a negative impact on these ecosystems. These are agriculture, industry, and mismanaged solid waste. Some of the pollutants that interfere with these ecosystems are fertilisers, heavy metals, and sediment. 


 





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