27/02/2014Ocean pollutionEnvironmental operations and other human activities are the main causes of stress on natural ecosystems. Among the numerous sources of surface water pollution, agricultural activities have been identified as those that contribute most to ecological stress, which affects all ecosystem mechanisms. In water, agricultural contaminants are most noticeable when they produce immediate and dramatic toxic effects on aquatic life. When the ocean becomes polluted, it not only affects the species under the water, but also the people who live near the water. “Marine pollution has been studied based on the following groupings of effects; damage to living resources, risks to human health, reduction of services and interference with other sea users,” (Cole, 17). Products thrown into the water will sooner or later return to shore. There are several ways to look at pollution inputs into our ecosystem. Ocean pollution also affects diseases that spread through contamination from oil spills, sewage and especially runoff. Heavy metal contamination is also a growing problem. Mercury levels in some seafood species, particularly tuna, are currently higher than average and even some places around the world have tried to warn people against consuming it. Ocean pollution can overwhelm marine life and alter the dynamics of the food web. It can also endanger human health and cause serious economic losses for workers in fishing, tourism and others. There are many different ways that people can get sick from ocean pollution. “Some human diseases can be contracted through recreational contact with polluted waters (swimming and diving); some microbial diseases that affect humans can be contracted by eating raw or improperly cooked seafood tak... middle of paper... do not contain the highest concentration of mercury, it is the fish we tend to eat the most. This poses greater health threats to humans. Although water is an effective solvent, most human-generated toxic pollution ends up in the ocean sooner or later. After entering the marine environment, many chemical materials distill into the sediment and surface layer of the ocean. Humans are therefore exposed to toxic pollution from a variety of sources, including waterborne diseases. “Marine pollution is a global problem in many ways. It affects the health of oceans in all parts of the world; it affects all countries, both developed and developing; and all countries contribute to some aspects of the problem,” (Schachter, Serwer, 84). It's definitely important that we do our best to keep the ocean and beaches safe. a very serious matter that should not be taken lightly.