Final Draft
Why Aquatic Biomonitoring is important
editAquatic Biomonitoring is important in monitoring marine life and their ecosystems. Monitoring aquatic life can also be beneficial in understanding land ecosystems as well[1]. Before there were tetrapods, there were fish. These fish then evolved into tetrapods that we see today. Because of this, aquatic life still has a major impact on life on land. Aquatic biomonitoring can represent the overall health and status of the environment, detect different environmental trends and how different stressors will affect those trends, and interpret the affect of different environmental activity will have on the overall health of the environment.[2] Pollution and general stresses to aquatic life can have a huge impact on the environment in general. The main sources of pollution to oceans, rivers, and lakes are sewage, oil spills, land runoff, littering, ocean mining, and nuclear waste. These types of pollution cause a huge upset to marine life and can endanger any species in the water or that live close to the water. When aquatic species are affected, it causes a ripple effect. Many aquatic animals are a main food source for many land animals. For example: if a specific species of fish ingest toxins and become sick, the birds that ingest that species of fish will also become sick. Then the animal that ingest that bird will also become sick. This is a problem that can be avoided by monitoring all life and conditions in different bodies of water, including fresh and salt water.
The main draw back on aquatic biomonitoring is simplifying data and making data easier for all to understand.[2] Taking data from monitoring sites and making it available for people to use in the health fields and other environmental fields can be a challenge.
Mechanisms of Aquatic Biomonitioring
editMechanisms that are used for Aquatic Biomonitoring are monitoring and assessing aquatic species and ecosystems, monitoring the behavior of certain aquatic species and assessing any changes in species behavior, and looking at contaminants in the water and their effect on marine life[3]. Water is graded on several scales. One is the water’s appearance. Is the water clear, cloudy, full of algae. Next, water is graded on its chemistry levels[4]. How much of each enzyme or mineral located in the water is extremely important. Any changes in any of these factors can change the water’s environment overall and therefore change how life in the water is. These changes can severely impact aquatic life. Certain contaminants, such as metal and certain organic waste, can cause death of some individuals and which could ultimately cause extinction to certain species[3]. This would be detrimental to not only aquatic ecosystems, but also to some ecosystems on land as well. Extinction of any species can have a ripple effect and can cause disruption in other biomes and ecosystems.
References
edit- ^ "Why Biological Monitoring? -- Monitoring and Assessment, Bureau of Land and Water Quality, Maine Department of Environmental Protection". www.maine.gov. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
- ^ a b "biomonitoring – StraightUp Environmental". www.straightupenvironmental.com. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
- ^ a b Bartram, Jamie (1996-01-01). "Water quality monitoring: a practical guide to the design and implementation of freshwater quality studies and monitoring programmes". ResearchGate.
- ^ "Biomonitoring - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation". www.dec.ny.gov. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
Rough Draft:
Aquatic Biomonitoring is extremely important in monitoring marine life and their ecosystems. Monitoring aquatic life is also important for understanding land ecosystems as well. All life started in the water and slowly moved onto land. Before there were tetrapods, there were fish. These fish then evolved into tetrapods that we see today. Because of this, aquatic life still has a major impact on life on land. Pollution to aquatic life can have a huge impact on all life. The main sources of pollution to oceans, rivers, and lakes are sewage, oil spills, land runoff, littering, ocean mining, and nuclear waste. These types of pollution cause a huge upset to marine life and can endanger any species in the water or that live close to the water. When aquatic species are affected, it causes a ripple effect. Many aquatic animals are a main food source for many land animals. For example: if a specific species of fish ingest toxins and become sick, the birds that ingest that species of fish will also become sick. Then the animal that ingest that bird will also become sick. This is a problem that can be avoided by monitoring all life and conditions in different bodies of water, including fresh and salt water.
Mechanisms that are used for Aquatic Biomonitoring are monitoring and assessing aquatic species and ecosystems, monitoring the behavior of certain aquatic species and assessing any changes in species behavior, and looking at contaminants in the water and their effect on marine life (Bartram). Water is graded on several scales. One is the water’s appearance. Is the water clear, cloudy, full of algae. Next, water is graded on its chemistry levels. How much of each enzyme or mineral located in the water is extremely important. Any changes in any of these factors can change the water’s environment overall and therefore change how life in the water is. These changes can severely impact aquatic life. Certain contaminants, such as metal and certain organic waste, can cause death of some individuals and which could ultimately cause extinction to certain species (Bartram). This would be detrimental to not only aquatic ecosystems, but also to some ecosystems on land as well. Extinction of any species can have a ripple effect and can cause disruption in other biomes and ecosystems.
Why Biological Monitoring? (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/monitoring/biomonitoring/why.htm
Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/23847.html
@. (n.d.). Aquatic Biomonitoring ~ Mainspring Conservation Trust. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.mainspringconserves.org/what-we-do/aquatic-monitoring/
Bartram, J., & Ballance, R. (1996). Water quality monitoring: A practical guide to the design and implementation of freshwater quality studies and monitoring programmes. London: E & FN Spon.
My topic is Aquatic Biomonitoring. I plan on adding the different types of methods used to monitor aquatic conditions such as qualitative, semi-quantitative, or quantitative methods. I also plan on researching and adding why aquatic biomonitoring is so important for the environment and why it is important to know what the changes are in species that live in aquatic conditions. I also would like to add where the most changes have occurred in aquatic conditions and how those changes have affected the overall environment. These changes will include extinction of some aquatic species and the rise of new aquatic conditions and how each of these factors have affected their surrounding environments.
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Why Biological Monitoring? (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.maine.gov/dep/water/monitoring/biomonitoring/why.htm
Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/23847.html
@. (n.d.). Aquatic Biomonitoring ~ Mainspring Conservation Trust. Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://www.mainspringconserves.org/what-we-do/aquatic-monitoring/