Coral Reefs: Ecosystems of Environmental and Human Value

                  Coral reefs boast some of the richest in biodiversity on the planet. Coral reefs cover an area of over 280,000 km² and support thousands of species in what many describe as the “rainforest's of the seas”.

Coral reefs benefit the environment and people in numerous ways. For example, they;

• Protect shores from the impact of waves and from storms;
• Provide benefits to humans in the form of food and medicine;
• Provide economic benefits to local communities from tourism.

The World Meteorological Organization says that tropical coral reefs yield more than US$ 30 billion annually in global goods and services , such as coastline protection, tourism and food.

The US agency NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) puts the economic value even higher and says that  coral provide economic services, jobs food and tourism--estimated to be worth as much as $375bilion each year.1

            At some point we are benefiting from it. We are not just blessed to have this beautiful scenery but also thankful to have this as part of our nature. It is good to see those colourful coral reefs as we see ourselves blessed and thankful to have a colorful life.

               In the past few years, however, global threats to coral reefs have been increasing and in the context of the wider environment, the value of coral reefs may be even greater:

         ''Ecologically speaking the value of coral reefs is even greater [than these estimates] because they are integral to the well being of the oceans as we know them. … picture [reefs] as the undersea equivalent of rainforest trees. Tropical waters are naturally low in nutrients because the warm water limits nutrients essential for life from welling up from the deep, which is why they are sometimes called a “marine desert”. Through the photosynthesis carried out by their algae, coral serve as a vital input of food into the tropical/sub-tropical marine food-chain, and assist in recycling the nutrients too. The reefs provide home and shelter to over 25% of fish in the ocean and up to two million marine species. They are also a nursery for the juvenile forms of many marine creatures.

I could go on, but the similarity with the rain forest should now be clear. Eliminate the undersea “trees”, which mass coral bleaching is in the process of doing, and you’ll eliminate everything that depends on it for survival.''— Rob Painting, Coral: life’s a bleach… and then you die, Skeptical Science, January 13, 2011—2

              As we consider the conservation of our envronment in the land, we should always consider  spicifically the marine life. We humans are not just the only existing creature in the world, we should  consider all  the creatures that we see in order for them to live normally as to the case of every human. Everything has its own value that all of us shoud consider to have an equal treatment in all the aspects of this world.

Biodiversity

          

                The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity, is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. In some way or form, almost all cultures have recognized the importance of nature and its biological diversity for their societies and have therefore understood the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.1

                      This time around we should always think the person who made all of these things in our environment. We are very thankful to get all of these from him, so we should not always think of ourselves but we should also remember that we have the responsibility to protect and give importance to it.

Why is biodiversity Important? 

                 Why is Biodiversity important? Does it really matter if there aren’t so many species?

        Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.2  This not just a simple thing to disregard, but a one thing to consider as big part of our life. As we continue living in this beautiful place, we get some benefits from it. Come to think of it, if this thing is out of our sight, our life will be boring and our life is nothing. It is an eye-opener for all of us to not just benefit from it but also give importance to it.

Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions

             It has long been feared that human activity is causing massive extinctions. Despite increased efforts at conservation, it has not been enough and biodiversity losses continue. The costs associated with deteriorating or vanishing ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable development and consumption would help avert ecological problems.3

                   In our ever changing world, there are many alternatives that will improve and conserve our environment. There are many things that could help us, the only thing that is missing is the voluntary contribution of human kind.  

Climate Change Affects Biodiversity

            The link between climate change and biodiversity has long been established. Although throughout Earth’s history the climate has always changed with ecosystems and species coming and going, rapid climate change affects ecosystems and species ability to adapt and so biodiversity loss increases.

     From a human perspective, the rapid climate change and accelerating biodiversity loss risks human security (e.g. a major change in the food chain upon which we depend, water sources may change, recede or disappear, medicines and other resources we rely on may be harder to obtain as the plants and forna they are derived from may reduce or disappear, etc.).

The UN’s Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, in May 2010, summarized some concerns that climate change will have on ecosystems:

''Climate change is already having an impact on biodiversity, and is projected to become a progressively more significant threat in the coming decades. Loss of Arctic sea ice threatens biodiversity across an entire biome and beyond. The related pressure of ocean acidification, resulting from higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is also already being observed.
Ecosystems are already showing negative impacts under current levels of climate change … which is modest compared to future projected changes…. In addition to warming temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events and changing patterns of rainfall and drought can be expected to have significant impacts on biodiversity.''4

— Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (2010), Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, May, 2010, p.56

Source: http://www.globalissues.org/issue/168/environmental-issues

Environmentalism

                     
                         Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements. Environmentalism advocates the preservation, restoration and or improvement of the natural environment, and may be referred to as a movement to control pollution. For this reason, concepts such as a Land Ethic, Environmental Ethics, Biodiversity, Ecology and the Biophilia hypothesis figure predominantly. At its crux, environmentalism is an attempt to balance relations between humanity and their broader organismic and biogeochemical milieu in such a way that all the components are accorded a proper degree of respect. The exact nature of this balance is controversial and there are many different ways for environmental concerns to be expressed in practice. Environmentalism and environmental concerns are often represented by the color green ,but this association has been appropriated by the marketing industries and is a key tactic in the art of Greenwashing.

Environmentalism as a social movement

                    

                  Environmentalism denominates a social movement that seeks to influence the political process by lobbying, activism, and education in order to protect natural resources and ecosystems. An environmentalist is a person who may speak out about our natural environment and the sustainable management of its resources through changes in public policy or individual behavior. This may include supporting practices such as informed consumption, conservation initiatives, investment in renewable energy, improved efficiencies in the materials economy, transitioning to new accounting paradigms such as Ecological economics and renewing and revitalizing our connections with non-human life. In various ways (for example, grassroots activism and protests), environmentalists and environmental organizations seek to give the natural world a stronger voice in human affairs.

                     Maybe all over the world, there are so many advocates of nature who are serious enough to handle every environmental projects to be an answer to all the environmental problems in our world.Its just easy to engage to this if you have the willingness in your heart and responsible enough to be an environmentalist. To think of not just yourself but also the concerns of the environment.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmentalism

Mining!

                 

               Mining is the extraction (removal) of minerals and metals from earth.  Manganese, tantalum, cassiterite, copper, tin, nickel, bauxite (aluminum ore), iron ore, gold, silver, and diamonds are just some examples of what is mined.  

                 The environmental impact of mining includes erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and contamination of soil, groundwater and surface water by chemicals from mining processes. In some cases, additional forest logging is done in the vicinity of mines to increase the available room for the storage of the created debris and soil. Besides creating environmental damage, the contamination resulting from leakage of chemicals also affect the health of the local population. Mining companies in some countries are required to follow environmental and rehabilitation codes, ensuring the area mined is returned to close to its original state. Some mining methods may have significant environmental and public health effects.

           Erosion of exposed hillsides, mine dumps, tailings dams and resultant siltation of drainages, creeks and rivers can significantly impact the surrounding areas, a prime example being the giant Ok Tedi Mine in Papua New Guinea. In areas of wilderness mining may cause destruction and disturbance of ecosystem and habitats, and in areas of farming it may disturb or destroy productive grazing and croplands. In urbanised environments mining may produce noise pollution, dust pollution and visual pollution.

                     

Why mine?
               Mining is a money making business.  Not only do mining companies prosper, but governments also make money from revenues.  Workers also receive income and benefits. 
What are the minerals and metals used for?
               Minerals and metals are very valuable commodities.  For example, manganese is a key component of low-cost stainless steel.  It is also used to de-color glass (removing greenish hues), but in higher concentrations, it actually makes lavendar-colored glass.  Tantalum is used in cell phones, pagers, and lap-tops.  Cooper and tin are used to make pipes, cookware, etc.  And gold, silver, and diamonds are used to make jewelry. 
Large scale mining versus small scale mining:

• Large scale mining usually involves a company with many employees.  The company mines at one or two large sites and usually stays until the mineral or metal is completely excavated.  An example of a large scale mine is the Serra Pelada mine in Brazil which yielded 29,000 tons of gold from 1980 to 1986 and employed 50,000 workers (Kricher, 1997).
• Small scale mining usually involves a small group of nomadic men.  They travel together and look for sites which they think will yield gold or another valuable metal or mineral.  Small scale mining occurs in places such as Suriname, Guyana, Central Africa, and many other places around the world.  Some researchers believe that small scale mining is more harmful to the environment and causes more social problems than large scale mining.  This will become apparent later in the lesson. 

How does mining affect the environment?
             Mining is generally very destructive to the environment.  It is one of the main causes of deforestation.  In order to mine, trees and vegetation are cleared and burned.  With the ground completely bare, large scale mining operations use huge bulldozers and excavators to extract the metals and minerals from the soil.  In order to amalgamate (cluster) the extractions, they use chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, or methylmercury.  These chemicals go through tailings (pipes) and are often discharged into rivers, streams, bays, and oceans.  This pollution contaminates all living organisms within the body of water and ultimately the people who depend on the fish for their main source of protein and their economic livelihood. 
Small scale mining is equally devastating to the environment, if not more.  Groups of 5-6 men migrate from one mining site to another in search of precious metals, usually gold.  There are two types of small scale mining: land dredging and river dredging:

• Land dredging involves miners using a generator to dig a large hole in the ground.  They use a high pressure hose to expose the gold-bearing layer of sand and clay.  The gold bearing slurry is pumped into a sluice box, which collects gold particles, while mine tailings flow into either an abandoned mining pit or adjacent forest.  When the mining pits fill with water from the tailings, they become stagnant water pools.  These pools create a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other water-born insects.  Malaria and other water-born diseases increase significantly whenever open pools of water are nearby. 
• River dredging involves moving along a river on a platform or boat.  The miners use a hydrolic suction hose and suction the gravel and mud as they move along the river.  The gravel, mud, and rocks go through the tailings (pipes) and any gold fragments are collected on felt mats.  The remaining gravel, mud, and rocks go back into the river, but in a different location than where it was originally suctioned.  This creates problems for the river.  The displaced gravel and mud disrupt the natural flow of the river.  Fish and other living organisms often die and fishermen can no longer navigate in the obstructed rivers. 

How does mining affect the people?

• The people who are exposed to the toxic waste from the tailings become sick.  They develop skin rashes, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.  In fact, the symptoms of mercury poisoning are very similar to the symptoms of malaria.  Many people who can not afford to go to a doctor, or who live in a village where a doctor is not accessible, are often not treated for their illnesses.   
• If the water is contaminated, the people can not use it for bathing, cooking, or washing their clothes.
• If the man of the household is a small scale miner, he often leaves his wife and children in search of work.  This means that the wife and children must work and provide for themselves.  They must also protect themselves from thieves. 
• Theft, drugs/alcohol, prostitution, rape, and sexual abuse are unfortunately some of the effects of mining. 
• Cultural degradation also occurs in mining villages.  For example, mining often destroys sacred sites and cemetaries.  In Guyana, a special fishing event called Haiari Fishing unfortunately can not take place if the river has been dredged for gold.  Remember, the displacement of the gravel and mud obstruct the natural flow of the river.  As a result, fish and other organisms die. 

Where does mining occur?
Mining occurs in many places around the world, including the U.S.  In South America, mining is particularly active in the Amazonia region, Guyana, Suriname, and other South American countries.  In Central Africa, mining devastated a National Park called Kahuzi-Biega in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  South Africa is also very well known for mining diamonds.  Mining also occurs in Indonesia and other S.E. Asian countries. 

                      Mining is fairly good because it creates income or simply gain a lot of money and investments, creates job. But the worst thing behind this is that there are so many factors that affects the people most especially our environment. Environmentally speaking, we should stop this if this will not create much good in every aspect of this world or just lessen it as to what their requirement suggests. We should think not only on one side but also it is pretty much better if we will consider also other aspects that would benefit from it.

                

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_with_mining

http://kids.mongabay.com/lesson_plans/lisa_algee/mining.html

Environmental Friendly Banners

            Last Saturday (October 1) we went to Joroan, Tiwi, Albay to participate in the 29th Marian Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Salvation with my fellow youth at Daraga Parish. Before our journey begins, i have seen a environmental friendly made banner from different delegations, they are from the school, religious organizations and parishes which is good to see that they are advocating to protect our environment. Their banners are made from indigenous materials such as abaca, used newspapers and form it to letters, leaves of coconut tree, and etcetera. The good thing is that, they didn't use plastic as a component of their banner. And the Delegates who made their banner beautiful but environmental friendly got special awards. 

             It is a good idea to do this, simple aut it can help somehow in creating awareness to the people that we need to be optimistic in doing like this environmentally.

Do it legally!

              

  Do it legally! Another form of environmental degradation, the illegal logging. You can do it, but be sure that its legal and not against the law. There's nothing issue about it if you will not do illegal thing like this.

               Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the extraction of timber in excess of agreed limits

Illegalities may also occur during transport, such as illegal processing and export; fraudulent declaration to customs; and the avoidance of taxes and other charges.

            Illegal logging is a pervasive problem, causing enormous damage to forests, local communities and to the economies of producer countries. Despite the economic importance of trade in timber and forest products, major international timber consumer countries, such as the EU, have no legal means to halt the import of illegally sourced forest products, because the identification of illegally logged or traded timber is technically difficult. Therefore, a legal basis for normative acts against timber imports or other products manufactured out of illegal wood is missing. Scientific methods to pinpoint the geographic origin of timber are currently under development. Possible actions to restrict imports cannot meet with WTO regulations of non-discrimination. They must instead be arranged in bilateral agreements.

           
                      Trees is our protection when we experience flooding and also landslide. If we will continue this wrongdoing, expect that we can experience worst thing than what you are expecting. So just see what happen to us right now.If we will not move and do things about it, things like this would be the next big problem that we need to solve and the next to be prioritized. So avoid doing things like this. 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_logging

Blast Fishing

Dead fish and damaged coral as the result of blast fishing

Another form of destroying our nature is the Blast fishing or dynamite fishing.

Blast fishing or dynamite fishing is the practice of using explosives to stun or kill schools of fish for easy collection. This often illegal practice can be extremely destructive to the surrounding ecosystem, as the explosion often destroys the underlying habitat (such as coral reefs) that supports the fish. The frequently improvised nature of the explosives used also means danger for the fishermen as well, with accidents and injuries.

Although outlawed, the practice remains widespread in Southeast Asia, as well as in the Aegean Sea and coastal Africa. In the Philippines, where the practice has been well documented, blast fishing was known prior to World War I, as this activity is mentioned by Ernst Jünger in his book Storm of Steel. One 1999 report estimated that some 70,000 fishermen (12% of the Philippines' total fishermen) engaged in the practice.

Extensive hard-to-patrol coastlines, the lure of lucrative, easy catches, and in some cases outright apathy or corruption on the part of local officials make enforcement of blast fishing bans an ongoing challenge for authorities.

Commercial dynamite or, more commonly, homemade bombs constructed using a glass bottle with layers of powdered potassium nitrate and pebbles or an ammonium nitrate and kerosene mixture are often employed. Such devices, though, may explode prematurely without warning, and have been known to injure or kill the person using them, or innocent bystanders.

Underwater shock waves produced by the explosion stun the fish and cause their swim bladders to rupture. This rupturing causes an abrupt loss of buoyancy; a small number of fish float to the surface, but most sink to the sea floor. The explosions indiscriminately kill large numbers of fish and other marine organisms in the vicinity and can damage or destroy the physical environment, including extensive damage to coral reefs.

Impact on coral reefs

Researchers believe that destructive fishing practices like blast fishing to be the biggest threat to the coral reef ecosystems. Blown up coral reefs are no more than rubble fields. The long-term impact associated with blast fishing is that there is no natural recovery of the reefs. Coral reefs are less likely to recover from constant disturbance such as blast fishing than from small disturbance that does not change the physical environment. Blast fishing destroys the calcium carbonate coral skeletons and is one of the continual disruptions of coral reefs. In the Indo-Pacific, the practice of blast fishing is a main cause of coral reef degradation. As a result, weakened rubble fields are formed and fish habitat is reduced.

The damaged coral reefs from blast fishing lead to instant declines in fish species wealth and quantity. Explosives used in blast fishing not only kill fish but also destroy coral skeletons, creating unbalanced coral rubble. The elimination of the fish also eliminates the resilience of the coral reefs to climate change, further hindering their recovery. Single blasts cause reefs to recover over 5–10 years, while widespread blasting, as often practiced, transforms these biodiversity ecosystems into continuous unstable rubble.

We can do fishing without affecting something like these, without using those explosive materials. We can do it normally with the use of a fish net that can catch fish even it is difficult to use. You should have patience when you do it normally and manually. Think before you do something so that you will not affect something in the nature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blast_fishing