Marine ecosystems are among the largest of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. It covers almost 70% of the earth’s surface. They include oceans, salt marsh and intertidal ecology, estuaries and lagoons, mangroves and coral reefs, the deep sea and the sea floor. They can be contrasted with freshwater ecosystems, which have a lower salt content.
Why is the Marine Ecosystem important?
Marine ecosystems are very important in to the overall health of both marine and terrestrial environments. According to the World Resources Centre, coastal habitats alone account for approximately 1/3 of all marine biological productivity, and estuarine ecosystems (i.e., salt marshes, sea grasses, mangrove forests) are among the most productive regions on the planet. In addition, other marine ecosystems such as coral reefs provide food and shelter to the highest levels of marine diversity in the world.
Causes of degradation of the Marine Ecology
1) Global warming
2) Acidification of water
3) Pollution
4) Oil spills
5) Marine Fisheries
Acidification of water
Ocean acidification is the name given to the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by their uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Dissolving CO2 in seawater increases the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in the ocean, and thus decreases ocean pH.
Acidification of water will harm calcareous animals and corals it can cause coral bleaching and can affect the propagation of sound shipping and the noise made by the ships will be louder and will more severely damage the hearing of marine animals such as dolphins, seals and whales.
Pollution
Dumping of untreated sewage into the oceans pollutes it suffocates marine life as non biodegradables like plastic and Styrofoam prevent oxygen from getting dissolved in the water. The fertiliser runoffs from nearby farms and factories promote algal growth which absorbs a lot of dissolved oxygen and minerals from the water. It also