Environmental+Issues+Page

Each week I will be putting an environmental issue up on this page as a blog. You are to comment, never say what someone else has said and put the website url that give support for what you are saying. Read the other students comments, if you get real interested in what they have said, comment on their statements, look up the url, too, if interested. Remember to sign your blog with your first name only. I will date each blog and it should be done by Friday each week. You receive a grade for each blog of up to 10 points. Accuracy, critical thinking, use of a suitable reference to back up what you are saying and you receive 10 points. You loose .5 points for each day late.

Week of October 4 (comments due by Friday, October 8) According to Hardin's theory of tragedy of the commons, when a common renewable resource is shared, people tend to exploit the resource since they feel that if they do not use it someone else will. One such resource is fish. Find a fish that is in trouble and explain why it is in trouble and what is being done about it (if anything). Does tragedy of the commons apply? Put your responses below on this page. Sam:The North Atlantic Swordfish: The decline is due to industrial fishing, and its immense popularity as an entree in restaurants. The USNRDC started a campaign in the late 90's, entitled keep sword fish off the plate, it had an impact and over fishing declined to a certain point. The fish is still prone to be over fished at some point (though it has not yet to be declared an endangered fish).

Kim: Short-nose sturgeon:The decline in sturgeon has resulted from a number of factors, all of which relate to tragedy of the commons. First, they have been harvested for their caviar and flesh unchecked all along the Hudson and east coast. Their habitats have also been threatened by rising pollutants in the water from industries and the changes in water flow in the Hudson to accommodate hydroelectric plants and navigational channels. The fish also are easily trapped in the turbines of the electrical plants along the river. Currently, a moratorium (established in 1970) has been placed on fisheries on the east coast to allow sturgeon populations a chance to recover from decades of abuse. NOAA is conducting annual comprehensive studies of sturgeon populations and mating potential as well as protecting and cleaning their habitats by dredging the Hudson river of dangerous pollutants that have decreased oxygen counts in the water.

Mrs. Ashley-- Great example of the tragedy of the commons. Do you know how long they expect it will take the short-nosed sturgeon to recover under the moratorium? Years to maturity, number of offspring that survive would all be factors.

Marli: Blue fin Tuna: Blue fin tuna is one of the most valuable types of seafood in the world. They are in trouble because one of their two known breeding grounds, the Gulf of Mexico, is now threatening their survival because of the BP oil spill in April. The other reason they are threatened is because they only have two populations which travel between Europe and North America and these two populations are overexploited. “ By some estimates, there may be only 9,000 of the most ecologically vital megabreeders left in the fish’s North American stock” (Greenberg, 1). One thing that is being done to help stop the decline in blue fin tuna is being done by Greenpeace. They are defending blue fin tuna in the same way that they have been defending whales for the past thirty-five years. They are entering the waters where the fishing is being done to try and open the fishing nets and release the fish before they can be captured. The tragedy of the commons applies to blue fin tuna because fishing has expanded into what is known as the “high-seas”, the area of the ocean that is beyond nation’s boundaries where no one owns it. This “no man’s land” is an area where anyone can fish and what they catch is theirs; classic of the tragedy of the commons.Mrs. Ashley: I really like how you explained the tragedy of the commons of the high seas. Blue fin tuna is used in sushi so it is good to ask what kind of tuna is in your sushi before purchasing or ordering. The way for Tuna to be saved also is for enough people to refuse to buy until the numbers rebound.

Alec: Thanks for steeling my fish Marli. But another fish that is in trouble and is a perfect example of tragedy of the commons is the Cod Fish. The Cod Fish is a bottom dwelling fish that sticks to colder waters, around the North East Coast, and eats a variety of invertebrates and fish. Cape Cod got its name from the Cod Fish because it was the place to be to go fishing for Cod. Because there were so many Cod, it took very little effort to catch them. The Cod Fish was over fished almost to extinction because just as tragedy of the commons explains, the oceans were being depleted and fishermen wanted to get as many fish as they could before others could take them. Today the Cod population is making a slow come back but is no where near what it used to be before fisheries populated New England's coast.

Mrs. Ashley: What have they done to help the fish come back? How were they able to do it and make it work?


 * CAT**: (Sharks-any species-) There is an estimated 100 million sharks killed each year for their fins alone. Any shark is taken, regardless of their age, species, or size. The finning takes place at sea, so the fisherman have more room on the boat. The actual corpse of the shark is thrown overboard after the fins have been taken. Shark finning has dramatically increased over the past decade due to increasing demand for shark fins for shark fin soup and cures. Experts believe that within the next decade most shark species will be lost because of this.

This issue definitely involves the tragedy of the commons because 1 lb of shark fin is equivalent to $300 USD, and much of the finning is unmonitored, so fisherman are flocking for them.

Unfortunately, not much is done worldwide for shark finning. The US has banned shark finning with the Shark Conservation Act in 2009 and Hawaii is going to be the first state to ban possession, sale, and distribution of shark fins starting July 2011. Some sharks (ie: whale sharks, great white, basking sharks) are listed as endangered species, which 169 countries are legally bound to not hunt. (<- but this doesn't mean much since shark finning is so under-managed/monitored)

Mrs. Ashley: I think that I heard most of the boats are smaller operations. Do you know about how many lbs. of fins a typical boat catches in a day? I like that Hawaii is taking the lead on this.

Christopher: The King Salmon The King salmon also called the blackmouthk, black salmon, Columbia river salmon, chub salmon, hook bill salmon, winter salmon, spring salmon but most refer to it as the Chinook salmon. I like to say King Salmon because they are the largest salmon in the world. Chinook salmon are highly valued, due in part to their relative scarcity compared to other salmon along most of the Pacific coast. In the past few years, the number of king salmon leaving the rivers of the Pacific Northwest have dropped dramatically. Fewer than 5,000 fish were found in Idaho's Snake River in 1998. At one time, a 100 pound salmon was not an uncommon catch in the Pacific Northwest. The king salmon played a significant role in Native American culture as well. Unfortunately, scientists are predicting that the king salmon may very well be extinct by the year 2016. Unless we drastically change our views about our aquatic counterparts, many species will soon be extinct. It's a lot easier for us to keep track of fish like the salmon or trout because they come back to the same stream every year to spawn. But unless we stop destroying their habitat, it won't matter how easy it is to count them. Their populations have decreased drastically and unnaturally by damming rivers. king salmon are highly valued, due in part to their relative scarcity compared to other salmon along most of the Pacific coast which makes them a target by many fisherman. Since chinook rely on fat reserves for energy upon entering fresh water, commercial fish caught here are highly prized for their unusually high levels of heart healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids. However, the high cost of harvest and transport from these exceptionally rural communitys limits its affordability. Mrs. Ashley: I love salmon. Do you know how many dams have been built that affect the salmon's ability to spawn?

Week of November 1, 2010 Organisms that produce large numbers of young and have a short life cycle are excellent organisms to study evolution happening now. Scientists study how evolution is happening in organisms such as bacteria. and how they evolve resistance to antibiotics, The film you watched on camoflauge and mimicry showed some facinating relationshiops related to adaptations. Discuss an organism that has an adaptation that has helped it to survive in its known habitat. Describe the ways in which the adaptation has helped the organism to survive.

Courtney- The arctic fox, also known as the snow fox, can be found in the arctic regions of the northern hemisphere. during the winter season, the entre land becomes enveloped in a layer of snow. the arctic fox, with its white coat, becomes a master of hiding from predators such as polar bears and arctic wolves. the amazing thing is, once the season changes, so does the fox's white pelt. when spring comes arount and the earth begins to show again, the fox's coat becomes a mix of brown and gray to help it blend into groups of plants and rocks. this adaptation helps to keep the arctic fox safe during this time of year(especially young fox pups that could be carried away by golden eagles before they reach maturity.

Marli (I'm not entirely positive that this fits the criteria so I will post another one): Many types of bacteria have the ability to adapt to the changing environment around them. Scientists are now finding that many of these bacteria are able to adapt quickly because they area able to beat the system of evolution. These bacteria are able to trade their genes with other bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, rather than receiving their genes from the parent bacteria. This accounts for the ability of bacteria to adapt so quickly to changes in medications. Mrs. Ashley: I would have to think that this is something that applies to the question above.

Kim: The Alaskan Lemming lives in one of the coldest and most desolate habitats on Earth. They survive in huge boom and bust cycles, reproducing in huge numbers one year and nearly non-existent the next. Since lemmings are a staple food for many of Alaska's predators, they effectively control the breeding of these predators with their availability. The scientific cause of these boom-bust cycles is still unknown. Lemmings have adapted to have long-thick fur to preserve body heat and also have strong front feet and sharp nails that give them traction on slippery surfaces and help them dig for roots in the hard ground. Mrs. Ashley: Kim--great example of an adaptation that relates to the cycles of predator prey relationships that allows for prey survival.

Sam: MRSA, a form of E.coli, is increasingly able to defy the strongest antibiotics. E.coli is a natrual Bacteria found in the human digestive track. But the strain has increasingly gotten out of control. (Why?), This is due to over prescription of antibiotics, and the large use antibiotics in cattle (and mass meat production areas). This stain is a true picture of evolution because it shows how bacteria can evolve in harsh environments (constant bombardment of powerful chemicals). Also its a good example of survival of the fittest. Mrs. Ashley: Thanks, Sam. We saw the video clip on how the reduction of exposure actually leads to less strong strains. How could we do that with MRSA?

Alec: The opossum is an animal that has adapted to "play dead" when it senses danger. This strategy seems to work reasonably well for the opossum. Called "playing possum," the animal will flop down on its side, go limp and begin to drool. Its eyes will then become glassy and motionless, and its tongue may loll out of its mouth, giving the overall effect of a dead animal. However, the opossum is not playing. This behavior is entirely involuntarily, and it is presumed to have evolved as a way to make predators lose interest in the animal, believing it to be already dead. This has helped protect the opossum from predators because predators lose interest in the opossum and leave. Most predators will not eat an already dead animal. If predators cannot find food their populations will die off. The opossum population will rise because of its adaption to lose predators interest.

Week of November 29, 2010 We are beginning to look at how invasives affect a community. Choose one invasive that is found in our area and discuss how it is disrupting native plants or animals. Where is it found? To what extent has it affected native populations? Trace its origins and try to find what keeps its population in check in its native region.

Kim: Japanese stilt grass- This plant is fast-growing with a high rate of seed production and spread. They will germinate in soils where the leaf litter cover has been removed or disturbed within one year for the disturbance. The grass appears to prefer moist, rich soils that are acidic, neutral or basic and high in nitrogen. Stilt grass is considered the most wide-spread invader in the northeast ranging from New York to Florida and continuing on a northerly route. Stilt grass crowds out native understory plants and is slowly changing the relative acidity of soils it grows in. Stilt grass comes from Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia and India. It was introduced into the United States in Tennessee around 1919 and likely escaped as a result of its use as a packing material for porcelain. The plant can be controlled by hand-pulling and the use of herbicidal soaps/sprays. Mrs. Ashley- this is a signigicant invasive in our area. The fact that deer don't eat it, certainly gives it an advantage.

Courtney: Japanese Knotweed- This invasive plant is native to asia and was introduced to the US in the 1800's.this plant is a member of the buckwheat family and was originally brought to the united states for the purpose of being an ornamental plant as well as a way to control erosion. However, it has now been spreading through New York, crowding out and suppressing native species and preventing their growth.Also, because of their incredibly extensive root system and sprouting ability, they are exremely dificult to remove completely, thus their term:creeping perennial.Also, even a small stem or root will grow, once left in water or moist soil long enough or even moved by beavers. Coutney-could you show us a picture? Mrs. Ashley

Marli: Oriental bittersweet – this plant originated in Asia and was brought to the US in the 1860s for cultivation. It can now be found in north eastern and north western states. It is harmful to native plants because it strangles small bushes and trees, can girdle larger trees and cause them to up root by adding so much weight to the crown. It is threatening to eliminate native American bittersweet because it is hybridizing with it. Mrs. Ashley-does anything eat this? Many bird species and small mammals ea t oriental bittersweet and help spread its seeds.

Sam: Japanese Barberry- An ornamental plant from Japan,its population was kept in check by birds. Its found in wet lands well shaded areas. Its having a large effect on the soil: the moisture and pH levels in the soil. Also it competes with other shrubs for better soil. Its found through out the Northeast, and is now making an entrance to the midwest.

Cat: Lionfish- With the lionfishes beautiful color and body, any aquarium owner would love to present it. Unfortunately, too many of those owners released these creatures into the wild, creating destruction. The lionfish has venemous spines that put indigenous species and even divers and anglers that come in contact with the fish. Although it is mostly seen in Southeast US and the Carribean, the lionfish has been found as far up as Long Island, NY and because it has no natural predators, its population has been spreading greatly.

Alec: Northern Snakehead - invasive fish species, //channa argus.// It has no natural predators, and could decimate populations of native fish. About 90% of its diet consists of other fish, though it also eats crustaceans, insects, and plants. The snake head reproduces rapidly and has many offspring. The snake head can move from body of water to body of water on land because it can survive up to 4 days out of water because of it's lung. It was resently discovered in Crofton Pond in Crofton, Maryland. The Northern Snake Head cand survive in most U.S. freshwater bodies of water. They are introduced to the wild by pet owners who cannot care for them anymore because they eat around $8 of goldfish a day. Fishermen catch the snake heads and think they are doing good by taking the snake head out of the water to kill it, but the fish eventually will move to another body of water and reproduce there another population will form. There isnt much that can be done to kill off snake heads other than catching them and killing them.

Week of January 31, 2010 Choose a food product from your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer from home. Figure the distance it traveled from its original location to your table. Once you have figured how many miles the food product (or products if it includes more than one product) it has traveled, figure the amount of fuel consumed, the time from production to your table, and the possible number of government agencies involved in controlling the import and export of the food. Post your results to the wikispaces Environmental Issues page.

Kim: Product: Diet Pepsi. Bottled in Brooklyn at the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group: Brooklyn Plant. Approximately 50 miles away from Ossining stores. The trip would require about 2-3 gallons of gas one-way. It would probably take approximately two days from production to store and then from store to house. Several agencies might be involved in production including the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to some extent.