Female blue crabs lay 600,000-8 million eggs at one time. By definition, an ecosystem is all the living things and nonliving things that live in a specific area or environment and interact with each other. The Neritic Zone is located on the continental shelf. Much of sea life lives in this zone because it has well-oxygenated water, low water pressure, and a stable temperature. The Neritic zone goes down 200 meters or 656 feet. Like most animals, the blue crab’s ecosystem affects all the things in their lives, whether it be their adaptations or environmental threats that they face in their day to day lives.
To begin, the blue crab 's ecosystem, the neritic zone, affects the adaptations it needs to survive in areas like the Chesapeake Bay. Deep
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Another thing that effects the blue crab 's ecosystem is its environmental threats. To begin, one of the environmental threats that blue crabs face is pollution. In the text, it states, “Approximately 6.4 million tons of plastic and other debris enter the oceans each year. And every year., more than 1 million marine animals die from eating or getting caught in this debris,” (Dignan 13). This shows that an environmental threat that blue crabs face is pollution because if about 1 million animals are dying each year because of pollution, we have a serious problem. Furthermore, another ecological hazard that this incredible animal faces is fishing and it’s equipment. According to the text, “Modern fishing methods have created some serious problems for the ocean. The populations of almost all fish species that we eat have shrunken,”(Dignan 14). This proves that another environmental threat that blue crabs faces are fishing because they may not be a type of fish, but, like most crabs, they are fished, caught and sold. This allows overfishing to be a problem. Not to mention, another environmental threat that this fascinating animal, the blue crab, faces is climate change. Corresponding with the text, “Climate change is another major threat to life in the oceans. Warming ocean waters, rising sea levels, and violent storms disrupt the lives of many species and affect fragile marine ecosystems,” (Digan 14). This confirms that another ecological peril that this fascinating animal, the blue crab, faces is climate change because the blue crab resides mainly in the Chesapeake Bay. They are threatened by climate change as it creeps closer like a cat stalking its
In the article, Sufficiency of Horseshoe Crab Eggs for Red Knots during Spring Migration Stopover in Delaware Bay USA, it is argued that the survival of Red Knots is reliant on the nutrition of horseshoe crab eggs. However, it appears that the overharvesting of the horseshoe crab eggs dictate the Red Knot population during their spring stopover. The management of horseshoe crab eggs will ensure the availability to Red Knots, which are dependent on them for endurance during their migratory flight to the Artic.
Ecological Succession Report of Conrad’s Beach Anthony Cormier (B00719104), SCIE 1505X October 23rd 2015 Abstract – The study to prove that ecological succession occurred at Conrad’s beach took place at Conrad’s beach in Nova Scotia. Species richness, height and amount of organic material was sampled by using a 1m x 1m quadrat. As predicted the abundance and size of the organisms were larger further as the groups got further from the sand dunes.
Horseshoe crabs, marine arthropods known for their horseshoe like shells have been roaming the Earth long before the dinosaurs. These living fossils only inhabit the Eastern Shore and can be found on Delaware beaches such as the Delaware Bay, but these living relics may be in for extinction. Due to this exact reason Delaware has begun studying and protecting these species. Horseshoe crabs are vital to the Delaware Bay ecosystem,
Andy Dehart, Discovery Channel Shark Advisor, spoke about the North Carolina shark over fishing problem. The shark populations on the East Coast were extremely over-fished which lead to the over population of sting rays, a main food-stock for sharks. The stingrays in turn decimated the shellfish populations on the East Coast, leading to calm and shellfish shortages. This shows that sharks are necessary for every eco-system and their destruction affects us in more ways then we can imagine. Sharks are very at-risk for over-fishing because they take a long time to reach the stage where they can reproduce and in general only have a few pups when they give birth.
Introduction For two days, on the 14th and 15th of April, a field excursion to Hastings Point, New South Wales was conducted. At Hastings Point, topography, abiotic factors and organism distribution were measured and recorded, with the aim of drawing links between the abiotic factors of two ecosystems (rocky shore and sand dunes), the organisms which live in them, and the adaptations they have developed to cope with these conditions. Within these two ecosystems, multiple zones were identified and recorded, and this report also aims to identify the factors and organisms associated with each zone. Lastly, using data and observations from the past, predictions for the future of the rock pool ecosystem were made.
As you may know, blue crabs help support the fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay. However, over-harvesting has taken a toll on the population. Over-harvesting is most affecting the female species of blue crabs. According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, in
The Louisiana coast has wetlands and estuaries and several ecosystem services for habitat for breeding, spawning, feeding and nursery for many species of fish. The same marshes for the winter habitat
As we progress through the course, a complex yet clearer picture is forming regarding how impacts as a result of changes to environmental systems extend well beyond impacts to the wildlife that inhabit those systems. It has become increasingly apparent that environmental changes influence social and economic dynamics as well. The visibility of environmental issues affecting consumers and wildlife alike is very present when we examine estuaries, also know as bays, sounds, or lagoons. Estuaries are mixtures of freshwater and seawater and are created within the indentations found along coastlines. All along the coast of California, where I reside, there are several bays to be found.
This article presents the impact of climate change in the Chesapeake Bay. Scientists predict climate change will increase the water temperatures, CO2 levels, and stream-channels which will affect the Chesapeake 's physical, chemical, and biological processes. Greater CO2 levels will increase the water temperatures and the precipitation amount and precipitation intensity. Excess precipitation will create stream-channels to the bay, and increase the fluxes of NPS sediment, phosphorus pollution, and nitrogen. Stream-channels deliver sediments and nutrients to the bay, driven to non-point sources.
It is a source of livelihood for anglers, crabbers, and boaters, generating billions of dollars in revenue each year. The Bay also fosters a unique ecosystem, home to more than 2,700 species of plants and animals that rely on it. An unhealthy Bay will lead to the extinction of species and ecosystem collapse. Additionally, the Bay's health has public health implications. Poor water quality can cause diseases such as shellfish poisoning, which can be
The Board doesn't think enough ocean habitats are safe. They support this with “only 1 percent of marine habitats (are) strictly protected” (par.12). This last statistic allows the reader to realize just how much needs to
Crab fishing is mainly done around Alaska and around oceans with a colder climate. If the fisherman catch to many crabs and make them go extinct it will be horrible because I love crab and I wouldn’t want to not be able to eat it
Negative Impacts Environmental Environmental impacts for example, Climate change, especially the rising ocean temperatures and Ocean Acidification is as of now influencing the Great Barrier Reefs Ecosystem. Coral bleaching coming about because of expanding ocean temperature and lower rates of calcification in skeleton-building life forms, for example, corals, because of sea acidification, are the impacts of most concern and are as of now obvious. Agricultural sources are adding to the waterfront and inshore territories of the Great Barrier Reef by expanded Nutrients, Sediments and different Pollutants in the catchment runoff. With the coastal population continuing to grow the coastal development grows which contributes to the modification
Harmful fishing methods are unnecessarily killing turtles, dolphins, and destroying critical habitats. Global warming is increasing the temperature of the ocean water, reducing the generation of the base of the food web, plankton. The reducing of the plankton generation is causing major marine ecosystem change. Pollution is also a significant environmental issue HAL is facing. More oil reaches the ocean each year, a massive amount of oil has been accidently spilled from ships, which in turn is destroying animal and aquatic plant life.
The tides are reaching higher, and tidal flooding is expanding because sea levels are rising, and sea levels are rising faster as global warming heats up the planet. Hotter temperatures are melting glaciers and ice sheets into the sea, even while global warming is heating up the ocean itself. The ocean is getting warmer and bigger, while more frequent and severe heat waves, growing wildfire risks in the mid-west area of the USA. Species include human beings are under threatened. Although there are many different legislative proposals for substantial reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, there is no operational or tested suite of technologies that can accomplish the goals of such legislation (Cato Institute,