Causes of Water Pollution in the New South Wales Estuaries - Essay Example

New South Wales estuaries have faced adverse pollution due to the increased population around the catchment areas of the estuaries. This has greatly negatively impacted to the marine wildlife. It also affects human beings through the food chains. The natural environment of the estuaries has greatly changed due to the change in temperature, nutrient levels and salinity. The changes in nutrient levels, salinity and temperature affect the habitual environment of the aquatic animals. The other form of pollution is oil which greatly affects the marine animals. Preventive measures should be enacted to prevent pollution of the New South Wales estuaries as discussed in the essay. Marine pollution in Australia specifically in New South Wales estuaries An estuary is an enclosed water body having different streams flowing into it. It has an open connection to the sea. They are the most productive natural habitats in the world. This is because the inflow of both fresh water and seawater provides a high concentration of nutrients hence supporting marine life (Levinton, 2006:12). Estuaries are classified according to the water circulation patterns. Because of this, estuaries have different names that are inlets, harbors, bays, and lagoons (Wolanski & Mclusky, 2011:107). Many people live along the banks of the estuaries this has resulted to estuaries suffering pollution especially metals which greatly affect sea creatures. Other effects are soil erosion, overfishing, poor farming practices and excessive nutrients that are from sewage and animals waste. Estuaries of New South Wales are the places of transition. They are enclosed with an open connection to the sea. They vary in size and shape. It is an ecosystem to support different species (Wolanski & Mclusky, 2011:111). Estuaries are very important natural habitats. Research shows that 80% of the state’s population lives in areas surrounding estuaries (Mcclintock, 2003: 4). This has resulted to the pollution of the estuaries. They are relied as sources of tourism, commercial, recreation, and cultural areas. Due to the high population in New South Wales living in catchment surrounding estuaries, estuaries are subject to pressure because of the human activities. Apart from the human activities, natural events such as floods and storms accelerate the rate of sedimentation (Wolanski & Mclusky, 2011:127). Other effects include increased in nutrients due to the sewerage disposal, loss of habitat for the marine world life and biodiversity. Biodiversity is an ecosystem, which supports a variety of plants and animals (Mcclintock, 2003: 23). The contamination rate in New South Wales is because of the increase in urbanization and industrialization. Industrialization activities realize harmful substances which pollute the ecosystem. In the 20th century estuaries, receive threat due to pollution and overfishing. The pollution is because of the high population living along the estuaries. Most of the pollutants are pesticides, plastics, and heavy metals (Mcclintock, 2003: 41). Due to the agricultural activities, land run-off greatly affects estuaries. The fertilizers used in agriculture pollute the estuaries thus affecting the sea creatures. Pollution results to depletion of oxygen due to the growth of algae (Wolanski & Mclusky, 2011:141). Depletion of oxygen results to creation of dead zones, which causes reduction of sea creatures. Marine pollution in Australia specifically in New South Wales is because of the urban and industrial activities. Industrialization pollutes estuaries greatly due to the waste materials that are channeled to the estuaries. The organic chemicals results to change in natural conditions in the water this is temperature, salinity, and levels of oxygen (Mcclintock, 2003: 67). The change in the natural condition of estuaries results to change in composition of the species. Some species of sea creatures cannot survive in high saline ecosystem. However, some have adaptation to support their survival in a saline ecosystem. The high concentration of metals results to high rate of mortality of the sea creatures (Wolanski, 2011:112). This is because metals are non-biodegradable. That is they are indigestible. Contamination of the estuaries is based on distribution of sediment contamination of metals and physic-chemical variables that is turgidity, Ph, temperature and salinity (Wolanski, 2011:17). Their position directly downstream increases the chances of pollution because of the agricultural activities. As earlier stated, the proximity of man settlement near the estuaries has greatly resulted to the pollution of the estuaries. Pollution and contamination of the estuaries has resulted to decrease of invertebrate inhabiting this ecosystem (Mcclintock, 2003: 43). Toxic substance cause development problems and interfere with the productive system resulting to decrease in number of the invertebrates. Physic-chemical change conditions of the ecosystem results to change in distribution of the fish species (Levinton, 2006:22). These conditions are on the bases of turgidity, salinity and the level of oxygen. Dead zones are created because of insufficient oxygen because of this sea creatures migrate resulting to the change in species distribution. The pollution of the estuaries results to decrease in abundance and diversity. Habitats that have a high level of anthropogenic activities result to decrease in species richness. Research shows that high level of sediment Chla results to high level of organic enrichment. Increase in organic enrichment from sewerage has resulted to increase in fertility and in faunal abundances (Eisler, 2010:23). Marine debris in Australian estuaries has increase year by year. This is by the pollution of human generated objects such as plastics. The wide spread fishing activities have resulted to large quantities of the marine debris entering the estuaries. There are varies methods in which the marine debris find their way into the estuaries. Estuaries have an opening to the sea because of this; ocean currents transport the marine debris into the estuaries. When the sea creatures consume them, they entangle the digestive system. The ingestion of marine debris occurs during scavenging or feeding (Eisler, 2010:76). The entanglement of the digestive systems reduces the individual ability to reproduce and individual’s fitness. Ingestion of the marine debris results to blockage or perforation of the digestive system. The high level of the plastics reduces sea creatures’ immunity. An investigation done on the impact of marine debris on Australian estuaries indicates that, a population of 0.8 % suffers entanglement each year (Eisler, 2010:23). This is as a result of the consumption of the marine debris. Several species, which have been affected by entanglement in New South Wales, include caretta caretta Loggerhead, Diomedea exulans, and Macronectus gigantean. The records of the affected and dead are kept in New South Wales wildlife service and parks. The marine debris has affected some of the marine wildlife by the presence of wounds caused by plastic bodies or hooks in the gut. The transportation of oil using the oil tankers greatly influences marine life. Oil reduces chances of oxygen penetration into the sea (Shibayama & Shibayama, 2009:23). Oil in marine is because of accidental spills from ships. The effect of oil on the marine ecosystem depends on the form of the oil, the amount, and composition of the oil and lastly, the duration of exposure. There are different types of pollutants which greatly affect the marine life these includes, oil, sewerage, sedimentation, chemicals such as metals and radioactive substances, non-biodegradable plastics and agricultural pesticides and herbicides (Levinton, 2006:45). The major pollutant in marine is the sledge sewerage from man’s activities. Marine pollutants are toxic and carcinogenic especially to marine wildlife. Sediments are the fine soil particles that form the beds of estuaries. The sediments are harmful when introduced into the estuaries excessively. This is because they affect the natural habitat of the sea creatures and the water quality. Sediments have negative effects on the sea creatures. They include, clogging of the gills of the aquatic organism (Eisler, 2010:56). Fish and other sea creatures use gills for transportation of oxygen in and out of the body. This means that clogging of the gills may result to death due to the lack of oxygen. Suspension of the sediments also affects the visual feeders (Levinton, 2006:78). It also affects the behavioral activities such as migration and movement. Small fish need shelters to survive. The clogging of their shelters by the sediments reduces the chances of their survival. Chemicals such as metals and radioactive substances greatly affect marine wildlife. The metals include mercury, lead, and chromium. Because of their non-biodegradability, they greatly affect the food chain (Levinton, 2006:67). For instance, when the fish consumes them they increase in concentration. Later human beings consume the fish. The metals have great impact on human body and may result to failure in the reproductive system, development deformities, sex changes, and the end result death. The toxic substances are as a result of human activities such as sewerage disposal and industrial activities. The sources of radioactive contamination are the nuclear waste dumps. These include nuclear submarines and nuclear power plants. The existence of excessive nutrient results to massive bloom of algae. Algae rob the water of oxygen living an area where marine life cannot easily exist. The areas without oxygen in the estuaries are referred to as dead zones; they can hardly support marine life. Noise pollution also affects marine wildlife. The increased persistence of sounds from ships and natural forces such as earthquakes disrupts migration, communication and reproductive patterns of the marine animals for instance dolphins and whales (Shibayama & Shibayama, 2009:23). Due to the high rate of pollution, people in New South Wales are discouraged from the consumption of fish. This is because of the presence mercury because as a result pollution. Mercury contains a toxic substance known as methyl mercur). This toxic substance causes memory loss, fatigue, difficult in concentration and hair loss. It is non-biodegradable and due to this, it builds up in the body and eventually affects the nervous system. Research shows that 80% of the marine pollution comes from land (Levinton, 2006:87). There are several measures, which are applied to prevent estuaries pollution. As stated above pollutants are mostly from the land. Human beings are the main causes of pollution due to the increase in population living in the catchment areas around the estuaries (Wolanski & Mclusky, 2011:65). Because of this, they are supposed to take preventive measures to prevent pollution especially New South Wale estuaries. One of the causes of pollution is the oil that spills from oil tankers. Because of this, adoption of fleet of double-hull tankers is important to prevent oil spillage (Eisler, 2010:78). Others ways of oil transportation such as pipelines will also prevent estuaries pollution. Oil is very toxic to aquatic animals as it affects their reproductive and feeding lifestyle even at low concentration. Research shows that, marine pollution mostly comes from human beings. Marine debris and chemicals realized into the estuaries are the main causes of pollution. Human being understands that water is a valuable natural resource, thus it requires protection. This is to say that chemicals ought to be properly disposed and oil should not be spilled on the ground. Recycling is a better option for the marine debris such as plastics. Government should enact strict laws on factory waste disposal. Factories should use better and cleaner ways of waste disposal. Pollution makes seafood unsafe due to the presence of metals such as mercury (Wolanski & Mclusky, 2011:123). Due to this pollution, prevention is important. The New South Wale estuaries should be protected under all cost. Agricultural activities around the catchment areas should be avoided to prevent soil erosion. Use of fertilizers which are hazardous to the marine wildlife should be avoided instead natural manure from the livestock should be used. Yard waste is easily drained away by rains. The waste containing chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides should be disposed in the correct way (Eisler, 2010:56). The chemicals result to increase in the rate of nutrient resulting to growth of algae, which deprave marine animals’ oxygen. The other method to prevent estuaries pollution is by organizing the people for an environmental day. In this day people should collect all waste materials which are carelessly disposed. Plastics waste materials should also be collected and recycled. They should also create awareness and give the people instructions on how to dispose the waste materials. Products like sanitary towels, tampons and diapers should not be flashed into the toilets the reason being that, it damages the sewerage treatment and may end up as trash on beaches (Eisler, 2010:89). The use of environmentally friendly household products like detergents prevents estuaries pollution. In a recap, the essay gives causes of water pollution in the New South Wales estuaries. Pollution is as a result of the high pollution leaving around the catchment areas of the estuaries. The causes of pollution are both long and short term. The essay gives the causes of pollution and their impacts that is how they affect human lives. The activities of the population leaving along the estuaries such as agriculture and industrialization are the major causes of pollution. Measures to prevent pollution in New South Wales estuaries are discussed above to make it a good habitat for the marine world life. Bibliography Eisler, R. (2010). Vertebrates. Oxford, Elsevier. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10391532. Levinton, J. S., & Waldman, J. R. (2006). The Hudson River Estuary. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Mcclintock, J. B., & Baker, B. J. (2003). Marine chemical ecology. Boca Raton, Fla, CRC Press. http://www.environetbase.com/ejournals/books/book_km.asp?id=5605 Shibayama, T., & ShibayamA, T. (2009). Coastal processes: concepts in coastal engineering and their applications to multifarious environments. Singapore, World Scientific. Wolanski, E., & Mclusky, D. S. (2011). Treatise on estuarine and coastal science. [London], Academic Press. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/referenceworks/9780080878850. Read More