Oceanography final

Greenhouse Gases

  • Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

    • A significant greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change.

    • Primarily emitted from burning fossil fuels.

  • Methane (CH4)

    • A potent greenhouse gas with a higher warming potential than CO2.

    • Major emissions are from agriculture and natural gas production.

  • Water Vapor (H2O)

    • Naturally present in the atmosphere, enhances the greenhouse effect.

  • Eunice Foote

    • Notable scientist whose experiments demonstrated the warming effects of CO2 and water vapor.

  • Glacial Ice

    • Formed from accumulated snow, it traps ancient air bubbles, providing historical data on past CO2 levels.

  • Albedo

    • Reflectivity of the Earth’s surface. A reduction occurs when ice melts, leading to increased solar radiation absorption and warming.

  • Arctic Sea Ice

    • Melting has significant implications for climate, ecosystems, and shipping routes.

  • Continental Ice

    • Loss from glaciers and ice sheets contributes to rising sea levels, impacting coastal communities.

  • Whale Ear Wax

    • Provides historical records of ocean conditions, including stress hormone levels in marine life.

  • Global Climate Change

    • Involves long-term alterations in temperature and weather patterns.

  • Industry and Mining

    • The second largest contributor to environmental pollution.

  • Urban Runoff

    • Rainwater runoff from urban areas that collects pollutants and chemicals, eventually rejoining water sources, caused by hard, non-permeable surfaces.

Environmental Pollution and Impacts

  • Neurotoxins

    • Harmful chemicals affecting various organisms, leading to the death of pests and wildlife, including pollinators.

  • Mississippi Drainage Basin

    • Covers 41% of the contiguous USA; fertilizer runoff creates substantial phytoplankton blooms due to nutrient excess (phosphorus, nitrate).

  • Causes of Beach Cleanliness Issues

    • Influenced by:

      • Littering

      • Tourism

      • Urban runoff

      • Agricultural runoff

  • Sewage Treatment

    • Primary Treatment: Initial physical filtering of sewage (e.g., septic tanks).

    • Tertiary Treatment: Further specialized techniques to reduce specific pollutants, often inexpensive.

  • DDT Pollution

    • Montrose Chemical Plant: Major DDT producer (1950s-1970s) that discharged waste in sewage, leading to long-lasting ocean contamination.

  • Garbage Patches

    • Large regions in the ocean where marine debris accumulates, including plastics.

  • Toxic Chemicals

    • Chemicals such as DDT and PCBs adsorb onto plastics, entering marine food webs through ingestion.

  • Ocean Currents and Pollution

    • Pollution disperses via ocean currents; denser plastics sink, while lighter ones remain afloat.

Geologic and Oceanographic Concepts

  • Law of Superposition

    • In sedimentary rock layers, each layer is younger than the one below and older than the one above.

  • Isotopes

    • Variants of elements differing in neutron numbers; e.g., 16O preferentially evaporates, influencing glacial formations.

  • Dropstones

    • Stones deposited on the ocean floor by melting ice, providing evidence for past glaciations.

  • Ocean Warming

    • Increased ocean temperatures contributing to rising sea levels and shoreline erosion, threatening ecosystems.

  • Carbonic Acid (H2CO3)

    • Contributes to ocean acidification, negatively affecting marine organisms such as corals.

  • Carbon Dioxide Emissions

    • Documented increases since the late 1950s, linked to industrial activities.

  • Tipping Point

    • A critical threshold where environmental issues result in irreversible changes to systems.

  • International Agreements

    • Efforts like the Paris Agreement aim to stabilize carbon emissions globally, requiring diverse strategies and technologies.

Ocean Pollution Types and Effects

  • Ocean Pollution

    • Any harmful change in water quality impacting living organisms.

  • Water Pollution Sources

    • Include gases (e.g., CO2), liquids (e.g., agricultural runoff), and solids (e.g., plastics).

  • Point Source Pollution

    • Identifiable origins of pollution, e.g., sewage outfalls.

  • Non-Point Source Pollution

    • Diffuse pollution sources that are not easily traced, like urban runoff.

  • Agricultural Runoff

    • Non-point source nutrient pollution causing eutrophication and harmful algal blooms.

  • Eutrophication

    • Nutrient over-enrichment leading to excessive algae growth and ecosystem disruption.

  • Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

    • Toxic algal growths that endanger marine life and local ecosystems.

Specific Case Studies and Impacts

  • Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

    • Resulting from nutrient runoff, leading to low oxygen levels and algal blooms.

  • Sewage Treatment Processes

    • Removal of impurities through primary and secondary treatments.

  • DDT and Marine Life

    • Banned pesticide causing bioaccumulation and health issues in species like White Croaker.

  • Biomagnification

    • Concentration of toxins like DDT in organisms as they ascend the food chain, impacting top predators.

Effects on Wildlife

  • California Condor

    • Endangered due to DDT leading to thin eggshells and breeding failures.

  • Oil Pollution

    • Caused by accidents and urban runoff, notably the Deepwater Horizon disaster, affecting vast marine areas.

  • Plastic Pollution

    • A significant threat to marine organisms, with plastics persisting for hundreds of years in the environment.

Environmental Studies and Principles

  • Paleoceanography

    • Investigating ancient oceans using proxies (sediments, fossils) to understand past climate changes.

  • Greenhouse Effect

    • The trapping of heat by atmospheric greenhouse gases, essential for maintaining Earth's temperature.

  • Ocean Acidification

    • The ocean's increasing acidity due to CO2 absorption, detrimental to carbonate organisms and reefs.

  • Bacteria in Urban Runoff

    • Pollution spikes harmful bacteria levels significantly post-rain.

  • EPA efforts

    • The Environmental Protection Agency's initiatives, including Superfund sites, aim to remediate pollution.

  • Pollutant Persistence

    • Carbon dioxide's extended atmospheric presence due to long-term removal processes.