The contamination of seas and oceans is a growing reality in these times and this has serious consequences for marine life, such as disorientation problems, alterations in food chains, toxicity for marine fauna, destruction of marine ecosystems and, even, there is also consequences for the human being.
In this ecology article, we will see exclusively How water pollution affects marine animalsbecause it is necessary to become aware of the damage that this great environmental problem supposes for all and not only for people.
What is marine pollution or seas and oceans
Contamination is defined such as the introduction of harmful pollutants in an ecosystem where they are not common. Greenpeace calculates that every year they reach the oceans between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic, something equivalent to the weight of 800 Eiffel towers, 34 times the extension of the island of Manhattan or the weight of 14,285 Airbus A380 aircraft). Every second more than 200 kg of garbage they go to the oceans and already exist up to 5 microplastic garbage islands (mostly) in the terrestrial oceans: two in the Pacific, two in the Atlantic and one in the Indian. Most of this garbage (up to 80%) comes from terrestrial ecosystems and it is estimated that by 2020 the 500 million tons can reach.
These microplastics are of different typesbut fundamentally of four classes:
- Polyethylene: such as plastic bags, bottles or microspheres from cosmetic products.
- Polyester: such as the fabrics of clothing garments.
- Polypropylene: such as the material contained in appliances, garden furniture or vehicle components.
- Polyvinyl chloride: as the material of the pipes or windows.
Many of these plastics are not incinerated or recycled and end up floating on river routes and reaching the oceans.
But not all Marine pollution They are plastics. Pesticides, fertilizers or herbicides of intensive agriculture are also filled on Earth and contaminating aquifers, until they finally reach the sea. Other pollutants are the purines of livestock farms, the dyes used in the textile industry, chemicals, heavy metals, radioactive materials of factories or some home products.
Another type of Pollution of the marine environment It is acoustics. This contamination may be due to the increasingly common presence of sounds of great power from sounds, oil facilities, ships or natural sources, such as earthquakes, which can spread great distances without losing intensity and that negatively affect fauna.
Know more about this great environmental problem in this other ecology article about marine pollution: causes and consequences.
How water pollution affects marine animals: consequences
All this mixture of chemicals in the sea is ideal for the development of plants such as sea lentils, lemna or algae and bacteria, protozoa and dangerous fungi, which can be harmful to marine organisms.
For example, the development of ALGAS ON THE SURFACE of the water that They restrict the passage of light to marine depths, what is known as Eutrophication processwhich is used by plants to produce oxygen, which in turn depends on invertebrates and other marine animals. Other species of green algae produce Toxic substances that kill fish and other aquatic organisms. Other animals such as dolphins, migratory whales, sea turtles, sharks, stripes or seals are injured or die from the ingestion of marine waste or for being trapped with them, especially by plastics.
Some cetaceans, such as whales, are especially affected by Swiss pollution In our oceans. This is because in their long migrations, many sounds use to orient. Due to this pollution, they can be disoriented by increasing, for example, the number of VARATORS.
How many marine animals die a year due to water pollution
For water pollution, Every year at sea 1.5 million birds die, fish, turtles and whalesbut although they do not kill them, it is estimated that in the northern Pacific, up to 30% of the fish have ingested plastic at some time in their life cycle.
For example, the Northern Franca whale is particularly affected by entrapment and is currently in danger of extinction. Four other species of whales, such as the common rorcual, the humpback whale, the Blue Whale or the Rorcual of Bryde, are among the vulnerable species. Up to 65% of whales have been able to suffer some entrapment in their life, of which up to 20% die. In the puppets, in addition, the ingestion of these wastes crushes them the intestines and the whales toothed, they usually ingest them when they play, explore or feed. In the seals, plastics have been found by up to 11% of the seals of the North Sea. Baltic gray seals, for example, presented a high content of PCB, chemical and industrial products in their body, which damaged their immune system and is believed to be the cause of massive mortality by a virus in the late 80s.
In short, in addition to animals that die directly due to The entrapments or the ingestion of pollutantsthey should be added those that die more indirectly, due to accumulated damage for years or variations.
Possible solutions to marine pollution
Possible solutions to marine pollution They can be:
- Reduction of emissions in the means of transport.
- Reduction or greater control of industrial discharges.
- Control of agricultural activities to reduce discharges.
- Discard, recycle or incinerate waste properly.
- Filter the water.
- Raise public awareness about their activities in water.
Here are more solution options for water pollution.
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