Upshots Of Coastal Pollution

It is a known fact that the most sensitive areas in the world are coastal areas. They are constantly under the threat of pollution. Coastal pollution has led to the loss and even extinction of many marine species. There are many sources of coastal pollution.

Some of the major contributors to coastal pollution include the direct discharge from marine activities and ships. The waste oil dumps and garbage from ships also add to the contamination. Ships dump their waste water in the sea water. This has a negative impact on the marine environment.

Another source of pollution is from the adjoining countries. They dump their wastes and untreated effluents into the coastal regions. This disposal of land generated waste into the coastal waters adds to the pollution of the marine waters.

Terrestrial activities have also led to an indirect pollution of the coastal waters. The discharge of effluents into the environment eventually finds its way to the ocean. The untreated drainage levied out of the large establishments like hotels and industries are mostly responsible for coastal pollution. Scientists all over the world are worried about this increasing acidification of the oceans.

It has been recently predicted by the scientists in the United States that there can be a considerable reduction in the level of pH due to the coastal pollution. This will be caused due to rise in Co2 levels in oceans.

The rise will cause the oceans to become acidic even further. This decrease in the pH level will also change the chemistry of the sea surface.

The calcareous planktons, the coral reefs and other such organisms will be the ones getting most affected by the process of acid erosion. Their shells and skeletons contain calcium carbonate.

Even though most of the change in the pH is expected to occur near the surface of the ocean, the organisms presently living in the deep seas may also be affected. They may become sensitive to any of these pH changes.

Thus, it is likely that many layers of marine food chains would be affected. They may even become extinct because of this process of acidification.

It may be too early to predict the direct impacts of an increase in the level of carbon dioxide to the marine life. But, the concern over the after effects of acidification on some specific cetacean species is increasing. Squids, in particular, are extremely sensitive to the increase in the external carbon dioxide.

A potentially gigantic problem can arise due to coastal pollution. Thus, it is urgently required to warn the people about the current crisis. This is the only way to save many marine species.