July 16, 2010

Ocean Acidification -- Ever Heard of It?

No? Neither did I, not until fairly recently, anyway.

The gist is this: since the Industrial Age, the oceans have absorbed about 50% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) released from the burning of fossil fuels, resulting in chemical reactions that lower pH levels in the sea. This absorption has caused a roughly 30% increase in hydrogen ion (acidity) since this time, adversely impacting marine organisms everywhere.

I know what you’re thinking: “Hydrogen ion, carbon dioxide, all these percentages—what does it have to do with me?” Well, a ton of things, actually.

NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has been studying ocean acidification for years, and a full report (from which most of the facts and figures included in this article were obtained) can be found at the foot of the piece.*  Basically, what they found is, when the acidity of the sea rises, coral and zooplankton suffer, which leads to a domino effect that can harm not only the rest of the underwater food web, but also life above the waves—namely ocean/fishing-based industries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As ocean acidity climbs… (according to NOAA)

Big Picture: although the long-term effects of ocean acidification cannot be accurately known, the phenomenon could have serious implications for the global carbon cycle and climate, should nothing be done to slow it down.

 

Socio-Economic Concerns (according to NOAA):

The key here is that healthy coral reefs are the foundation most viable fisheries worldwide. They are also the source of tourism and recreation revenues. If coral stability begins to break down, the effects can be economically disastrous; it could even reduce the protection provided to coastal communities against storm surges and hurricanes.

NOAA’s Goals:

What we can do to help:

Support this and other ocean acidification research, as well as technology development and analyses.

* “State of the Science FACT SHEET: Ocean Acidification)” (2008)

“Ocean Acidification: The Other CO2 Problem”

 

June 14, 2010

Sea Turtle Season is Now

For some Floridians, summer simply can’t come fast enough. And no, it’s not because of the beach weather, or the barbeques, or even the vacation from school. It’s because summer signals the start of something they’ve looked forward to for the past six months: the return of sea turtles to southern shores for nesting and, of course, the return of turtle patrolling.

A long-time endangered species, a sea turtle’s nesting season has become an increasingly fragile and critical time in their life cycle. For years, because of pollution, vandalism, thievery for export and a plethora of other threats, there has been a steep decline in the number of turtles successfully emerging from their nests as hatchlings to go on to lead full lives and eventually birth their own eggs. That’s where groups like Florida’s Volusia/Flagler Turtle Patrol come in.

All through the summer months, groups like this monitor coastlines where turtles are known to nest, and they get to work. They educate the surrounding area about the perils of coastal lighting and marine debris; they wake up before dawn to fence off and even relocate nests on the beach to ensure safe incubation and emergence; and they do this, all of it, for nothing more than an abstract sense of accomplishment, so that these ancient and enigmatic animals may live to see another 200 million years.

Thanks to the instatement of national parks and Turtle Patrol-like groups, sea turtles are being given a greater chance to survive. But almost more interesting is speaking to Turtle Patrollers face-to-face, to see for yourself just how they are affected by and attached to this animal’s struggle. And it’s not just in Florida. There are patrol groups in Georgia, the Carolinas, even Costa Rica, where Tortuguero (translated as “Region of Turtles”) is one of the world’s most important nesting beaches. For all of these people, their work isn’t strictly “environmentalist” or “green”—it’s their lives. And they truly love what they do.

“Officially founded in 1984, the Turtle Patrol has existed in some way, shape or form in communities forever. A small yet passionate bunch, they’re the few you see on the shore just before sunrise, watching night fade away as the sounds of their city waking up grow louder and louder around them. They’re the ones with sandy knees and ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), wooden stakes and tee-shirts, sectioning off parts of the beach where life might later blossom. They’re home there, at the edge of the world, standing barefoot in the sand and squinting deep toward the horizon, wondering just how many of the babies they helped birth are out there, swimming, diving and living out there, warm underneath the rippled sheet of ocean tucked just beneath the sun.”

-passage taken from Tracks in the Sand: Sea Turtles and Their Protectors, available now here
http://www.oceanpublishing.org/tracks-in-the-sand.html

Become a Fan of Tracks in the Sand on Facebook and join the TurtleNation - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#!/pages/Tracks-in-the-Sand-TurtleFreaks-Unite/114354058584329?ref=ts

Turtle Threats - http://www.cccturtle.org/seaturtleinformation.php?page=threats

Cool Video -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=somiE24YeHQ

March 22, 2010

Right Whales Moving North

The annual migration of North Atlantic right whales is in its second phase. The whales are moving away from Florida as they begin their return journey to New England and Canada.

Scientists believe that 19 females had calves this year, which continues the double-digit birth rate that started back in 2001. While not nearly as high as last year’s record-breaking 39 calves, 16 is still a healthy number.

This migration season was more difficult for both shore-based and aerial surveyors because the weather created challenging observation conditions. Many days, aircraft were grounded by high wind, rain, ocean surface conditions and other factors. Shore-based teams braved cold temperatures and wind for most days, but they even had to stay in several times because of the wind-chill factor and sea state.

Next stop for the whales will be the copepod-rich feeding area of the Great South Channel off southeast Cape Cod. Juveniles and adults will linger here to stock up on food that scientists believe does not exist south of this location. Calves will continue to nurse on the 40% fat content milk from their mothers.

All in all, this has been a good year for this endangered species, and once again, concerned scientists and citizens came together to gather valuable data. Each observation and photograph adds to the knowledge base about this age-old mammal, which has been studied intently for only about three decades.



January 26, 2010

Right Whales Return to Florida Coast

In an ancient tradition, North Atlantic right whales have arrived off the northeast coast of Florida to the delight of scientists and residents. While once numbering as few as 100 in 1935, this species has made a slow recovery to where their population is now estimated at slightly over 400.  

Scientists have not studied this animal for very long. In fact, most of what is known about right whales was developed during the past 30 years. Prior to that, only a few scientists studied them. Then, through the discovery of a dead calf on Amelia Island, north of Jacksonville in 1979, scientists realized that right whales migrated to northeast Florida in the winter. Since then, a variety of research projects have focused on these 50-ton creatures as they visit Florida's temperate waters each year.  

Scientists learned that pregnant right whales leave their usual habitats off New England and Canada in November to begin a four-month journey of over 3,000 miles through some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Following their instincts, the pregnant females travel south to deliver their calves off southeast Georgia and northeast Florida. Then, over the next two months, the new moms and their calves will roam along the Florida coast in what amounts to an intensive schooling for the calves. During this time, the one-ton newborns are introduced to all of the nuances of being a right whale as they nurse on 40% fat-enriched milk from their mothers.  

Each year the pregnant females often have traveling companions who arrive about the same time. While right whales don't actually travel in groups, as other whales, such as orcas, do, a variety of other right whales make the southern journey at the same time, often arriving individually or in twos and threes. Once off Florida, they might join up for a brief period of playful interaction but, for the most part, right whales are observed in small groups of fewer than four.  

Frequent visitors are juveniles, those whales which have weaned from their mothers but have not yet reached maturity. These often are yearlings, which were born the prior year, or others between the ages of two to eight or so. It is these whales which are most often seen in what are called surface active groups, or SAGs, where they interact, sometimes for hours before moving off to new adventures. Others which make the trip are non-pregnant adult females and occasionally adult males.  

Because of the whales' critically endangered status, the federal government established strict rules to protect right whales from human contact. Unlike most other marine mammals, which have a 100-yard restriction--meaning humans must stay 100 yards away--right whales have a 500-yard restriction for boats, kayaks, surfboards, etc. on the water and for aircraft overhead. One additional point is that, unlike restrictions for other marine mammals, humans are required to move 500 yards away from right whales if the whales approach them.  

While whalers almost killed off this species by 1935, when international protection was established through the International Whaling Commission, at least 50% of right whale deaths today are still caused by human interaction. Some 40% of right whale deaths each year are caused by ship strikes; with another 10% caused by their entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Government, industry and scientific sources are working together to reduce this deadly human impact, yet each year a number of whales die from ship strike or entanglement.  

On the plus side, however, is the fact that since 2001 right whale calf birth rates have been about double what they were in the prior ten years. Added to that is a decreasing birthing interval, the time between births for a single animal, which has dropped from a calf every six years to the current average of a calf every three years. This is good news for a species that was almost wiped out by man just 75 years ago.


If you want to learn more about the North Atlantic right whales, visit www.neaq.org, www.rightwhaleweb.org, or http://marinelandrightwhale.nlogspot.com.

December 09, 2009

"No butts about it... THIS is litter, too!"

Did you know that cigarette butts are actually NOT completely biodegradable?

I didn’t. Paper and treated tobacco, that’s all I thought cigarettes were. But their filters, it turns out, contain fibers of something called cellulose acetate, which looks like cotton but is actually a form of plastic. And like any other plastic, these fibers break down in the environment incredibly slowly. Although researchers have not yet determined an exact timeframe, various sources state that for these filters to completely degrade it can take anywhere between 18 months and 10 years.

10 years! That’s 120 months! That means that some of the cigarettes you step over on the road or on the beach, the butts you find in your lawn or see floating in lakes can be a whole 3,600 days old. Wow….

What got me started on all of this was my visit to the First Annual Right Whale Festival up in Jacksonville last week. On display were gallons of see-through jugs, each one filled to the brim with soggy old cigarette butts that had recently been collected. Next to them were brochures titled “Cigarette Litter” from Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

Inside were some facts:

So let’s all make a New Year’s resolution, a pact. It’s not a huge one—certainly easier than dieting—but it could absolutely be life-changing. If all the smokers out there change their habits, just a little—use car and portable ash trays, ash trash receptacles, think about where they’ll discard their butts before lighting up, and stop throwing butts out the window—Ocean Publishing will follow suit. Starting in January, Ocean will institute and maintain a weekly beach cleanup campaign here on Flagler’s coastline. Personally, I do casual cleanups whenever I’m on the beach, just picking up butts and litter as I come upon it. And sometimes, I come home with two trash bags full of plastic, rubber, balloon remnants and string a week.

Now just imagine the results if there were more people involved.

So what do you say? Are you with me? We can be doing something important here, help the environment, lighten the economic load, beautify our cities—and just by taking a tiny bit more personal responsibility, being the slightest bit more aware. It really is amazing how just a little effort from a lot of people can make such huge differences.

Let’s make 2010 the year when resolutions matter. And remember to write to me about your own projects to help the planet. I’d love to hear about them and share your stories with others right here.

publisher@oceanpublishing.org

 

November 06, 2009

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

An incredibly large garbage dump has formed in the northern Pacific Ocean at what is called the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a clockwise movement of ocean currents created by a high-pressure system of air currents. Millions of pounds of trash, most of it plastic, floats around and around, forming perhaps the largest dump in the world, estimaed to total 100 million tons of human-made and human-disposed trash.

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Actually, there are two separate but connected trash dumps known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches, sometimes collectively called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Eastern Garbage Patch, estimated to be twice the size of Texas, floats between Hawaii and California. The Western Garbage Patch is found east of Japan and west of Hawaii. Each swirling mass of refuse is massive and collects trash from all over the world. The patches are connected by a thin 6,000-mile long current called the Subtropical Convergence Zone, which also has large amounts of trash within it.

Plastic makes up most of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is understandable when one considers that plastic makes up some 90% of all floating trash in the world’s oceans. In some areas, the amount of plastic outweighs the amount of plankton in the oceans by a ratio of six to one. About 10% of the world’s plastic production ends up in the oceans, with the majority of it sinking to the ocean floor, and some making it to coastal beaches. And, as we all know by now, plastic does not biodegrade, but it does photodegrade. This means that a piece of plastic willl be broken apart into many smaller pieces, which will remain in the ocean for years, each one breaking down into smaller pieces. These small bits of plastic end up inside marine life and birds, resulting in death and injury to thousands each year.

To learn more about this huge problem and what is being done about it, visit:

www.oceanfutures.org/of_blog.as

sio.ucsd.edu/Expeditions/Seaplex/

www.projectkaisei.org