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Marine biodiversity is essential to life in Atlantic Canada. It affects not only the economy, but also the culture of Atlantic Canada and has many threats that endanger its well-being and diversity. Marine biodiversity does not have the attention it requires by the people for it to function properly and needs to have a higher level of protection. This leaves people asking what is marine biodiversity and its importance to Atlantic Canada, and what must be done to protect it?

Biological diversity (biodiversity) is the whole interacting variety of life on Earth; referring to the different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms and the genes they contain. (www.epa.qld.gov.au) Biodiversity branches into sections pertaining to terrestrial and aquatic environments. Marine biodiversity depicts the three domains of life with about 230 000 species of plants and animals and thousands of species of bacteria and archea (www.epa.qld.gov.au). Within Atlantic Canada, the climate is favorable to marine species with cool summers and slightly warmer winters than the rest of Canada, allowing for broad marine biodiversity (www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca).

The marine biodiversity of Atlantic is quite broad and includes a diverse amount of species. Aquatic mammals found in Atlantic Canada include the harbour seal, gray seal, hooded seal, harp seal, orca, northern bottlenosed whale, and blue whale. There is a large variety of marine bird species including the great cormorant, double-crested cormorant, Atlantic puffin, common murre, thick-billed murre, black guillemot, razorbill, herring gull, spotted sandpiper, common snipe, and killdeer. There are only three species of marine reptiles, those being the loggerhead turtle, leatherback turtle, and the Atlantic ridley. The species of marine fish in Atlantic Canada include the sea lamprey, Atlantic sturgeon, alewife, Atlantic salmon, and the American eel. Lobster, crab, and shrimp make up the crustaceans of Atlantic Canada and the brown mystery snail, valve snail, ordinary spire snail, eastern physa, and easter elliptio make up the mollusk species (www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca).

With the Earth consisting of 70% water, and most of that water being marine, marine biodiversity helps provides the earth with food, minerals, and recreation (Understanding Marine Biodiversity). Marine biodiversity is also key in the production and mineralization (the conversion of matter to minerals) of organic material, the storage of carbon, pollutants, and waste products from land, the stabilizing of climate change, and coastal protection (www.eoearth.org). Therefore, the marine biodiversity in Atlantic Canada is not only important for economy and culture, but for the environment and the well-being of the biodiversity of Atlantic Canada as a whole. Marine biodiversity is one of the major influences to Atlantic Canada’s economy as one of this region’s most important natural resources have been aquaculture and fisheries (www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca). Agriculture is poor in these areas, except for Prince Edward Island’s potato farms, as the proper farming soil is in short supply. There is also the controversy of green shifts that have made the Atlantic Provinces forestry industry suffer drops in revenue (www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca). Aquaculture and marine biodiversity provides this region with solid infrastructure and a resource-based industry, and has also influenced Atlantic Canada to pursue ocean research and develop over half of Canada’s ocean technology. This research has helped to manage marine life more efficiently than in the past and presents promise for future marine biodiversity and its survival (www.elements.nb.ca).

Concerning the culture of Atlantic Canada, marine biodiversity has greatly influenced the lifestyles and tourism of the region. Rural regions on the coastlines have a greater relationship with the ocean and marine life then inland communities (www.signatureattractions.com). People tend to develop a lifestyle that reflects their environment, such as in the Atlantic Provinces where the marine environment influences hobbies, job opportunities, and the attraction of the region to tourists. (www.signatureattractions.com) Such interests and hobbies that have branched from the marine ecosystems and the species within it are recreational fishing, diving, whale-watching,, and strolling beaches where colourful mollusk shells wash up and sea birds gather (www.signatureattractions.com).

Unfortunately, there are many threats that endanger Marine Biodiversity, more so than most terrestrial environments but with many causes unknown to scientists. (Understanding Marine Biodiversity) Examples of threats to Marine biodiversity are as diverse as the biodiversity itself and include ocean dumping, marine debris, water contamination, climate change, and the overexploitation of marine species stock.

Ocean dumping or disposal at sea, is a permit issued by the government of Canada that allows companies to dispose of their waste materials into surrounding waters (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). This activity can have devastating effects on marine wildlife causing not only death but sometimes mutations within mainly fish species. This contamination not only destroys these animals’ habitats, but can lead to algae blooms that can ultimately kill a whole ecosystem of species (www.atl.ec.gc.ca).

Marine Debris is similar to ocean dumping; however it consists of everyday waste and rubbish that is selfishly discarded (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). These objects include anything from fast food containers to motor oil bottles. Marine debris may also contain the accidental loss of materials and equipment, such as plastic pellets and car engines (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). These objects do not biodegrade in the oceanic environment as they were designed to be long lasting, thus these objects can remain in a marine environment for 3 to 5 years (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). Marine debris harms species by taking up space for breeding in their habitats, providing the transportation for invasive species, introducing harmful materials that may poison species, and some of these objects find their way to inhibit the function of species such as balloons that get ingested by the animals and cause suffocation (www.atl.ec.gc.ca).

High water quality is a must for marine biodiversity, especially for bivalves that feed by filtering water. Because of this feeding method, these bivalves accumulate chemicals and bacteriological pollutants, even if they are a considerable distance form the pollutants (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). The build up of pollutants is not only unhealthy for the bivalves, but is also dangerous for the animals that prey upon them (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). Water quality is also important for fish and other marine organisms that use gills to filter the oxygen from the water. Toxins within the water tend to remain in their bodies much like the bivalves, endangering the fish in much of the same way.

Common toxins that leach into marine environments and disrupt the water quality include harsh cleaning chemicals that were ejected from factories, oils from vehicles and engines in small, motorized machines such as lawnmowers, and chemicals used to enhance the appearance and safety of the human world such as calcium chloride to melt ice in winter (www.atl.ec.gc.ca). When these toxins make their way into marine environments, they can affect the water by increasing or decreasing ph levels, affecting the purity of the water, or causing chemical reactions within other chemicals that the environment may have already been exposed to (www.atl.ec.gc.ca).

Climate change, liken to other ecosystems, has strong effects on marine biodiversity. Coral bleaching and ocean acidification are among the most relevant threats that target marine organisms (Feely, Richard A.). Coral bleaching takes a toll on coral population when water temperatures increase. This causes the tiny dinoflagellates that live within the coral in a symbiotic relationship to search for further food sources then what they can find around the coral (Feely, Richard A.). During this time, the coral’s body becomes damaged from overexposure to its environment. This damage can destroy a high percentage of coral population within only months (Feely, Richard A.). Ocean acidification works in a similar fashion, only on marine organisms with calcium shells. As the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, it also increases in the water. This increase of carbon dioxide wears away the calcium shells of organisms, exposing their soft flesh to the environment and removing their protection from other organisms that prey upon them (Feely, Richard A.).

The overexploitation of marine species stocks can drastically decrease the population of a particular species, sometimes driving them to extinction (www.mta.ca). In some cases, such as with a species of anemone in the Caribbean, the species is over fished in its various habitats, but not so much that are none of the species left in each habitat. However, with the species dispersed over such a wide span of large, it becomes impossible for their sperm and egg to reach each other during reproduction that the species cannot reproduce (Knowlton, Nancy).

Although there are many constant threats to marine biodiversity, most of these threats are human generated and can be taken control of with the right protocols. First of all, there needs to be a substantial decrease in the expulsion of pollutants into the waters, both waste materials and common litter from the streets. This will ensure safer, cleaner waters for marine species to live and to reproduce. In Atlantic Canada, Nova Scotia has a pollution prevention plan that will greatly decrease the amount of pollutants the province expels (www.gov.ns.ca). It is clear that Atlantic Canada is concerned about pollution, but have not implemented plans as of yet; plans that will help to curb the destruction of marine biodiversity.

Secondly, there is a need for better-managed fisheries within Atlantic Canada. There has already been an unprecedented drop in fisheries due to over fishing in the past, leaving very few of a species left, and causing the Atlantic Provinces to rely on other resources (www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca). However, fishery management has failed deeply in the past for Atlantic Canada due to little cooperation and apathy to the consequences of over-fishing. There are plans implemented by the government of Canada to help manage fisheries, though with the decrease of reliance on this resource, these implementations may prove useful (www.mta.ca).

Atlantic Canada also needs to take action against climate change. Not only is it affecting the climate, but the marine ecosystems are very vulnerable to these changes (Feely, Richard A.). With more action taken towards helping prevent drastic climate change, Atlantic Canada’s marine biodiversity will be protected from coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and change in water temperature, all factors contributing to the death of marine species (Feely, Richard A.).

Lastly, the most important method of protection and prevention is to increase awareness among the public. Many people are unaware as to how endangered our marine biodiversity is, and especially unaware as to what they can do about it. The basic plans of action for the public is to stop littering in the waterways and oceans and keep a watch on carbon dioxide emissions. This will prevent global warming and, in time, climate change. Providing the public with general information on this subject in the form of seminars or television programmes has been the most effective means to increase awareness (www43.statcan.ca).. Such programmes are the “Hinterland’s Who’s Who”, “The Nature of Things” with David Suzuki, and the “Simple seminar for high school students.

Atlantic Canada’s fisheries are in a unique position concerning marine biodiversity; not only do they have the means to conduct research upon many of the marine species in their natural habitat, but they are able to monitor breeding habits, feeding habits, and the change in species populations (www.mta.com). Many of these fisheries have already shared most of their statistics pertaining to the afore mentioned areas. Fisheries also have an opportunity to provide safe environments for endangered fish species, such as those that were previously over-fished (www.mta.com).

Although there have not been as noticeable effects as of late from the loss of marine biodiversity, it is becoming more noticeable through studies and research that marine biodiversity is has adverse effects on ocean ecosystems (Feely, Richard A.). Research shows that there may be a collapse of all species currently being fished by the mid- 21st century, completely destroying aquaculture and posing a threat to global food security, a decrease in coastal water quality, and unstable ecosystems (Understanding Marine Biodiversity). These effects will not affect both current and future generations and the longer there is no action towards this, there is a lower chance of reversing the effects.

Marine biodiversity plays a crucial role in the economy and culture of Atlantic Canada, and especially plays an important role in the environment. There is a large variety of threats towards marine biodiversity in Atlantic Canada and is need is protection by the people who have been harming it. By protecting marine biodiversity, we not only ensure the safety of the species within that ecosystem, but the well-being of future generations and the Earth itself. Basically, without the fish in the sea, humanity itself could cease to exist.

Works Cited

Wilder, Robert J., Tegner, Mia J., and Dayton, Paul K. “Saving Marine Biodiversity”. Issues in Science and Technology, Volume 15, Spring 1999.

Eddy, Steven. “Marine Conservation Biology: The Science of Maintaining the Sea’s Biodiversity”. Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 5, 2006.

“Economy”. 29 October 08. www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca

‘Signature Attractions”. 29 October 08. www.signatureattractions.com

“Canadian biodiversity”. 29 October 08. www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca

Rainer, Rob. “High quality Biodiversity Information”. 29 October 08. www.elements.nb.ca

Menon, Amar. “Shellfish Water Quality”. 29 October 08. www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

“Canada’s Troubled Fisheries”. 29 October 08. www43.statcan.ca

“Disposal at Sea Permits”. 29 October 08. www.atl.ec.gc.ca

“Bounties of the Deep”. 29 October 08. www.mta.ca

“Marine Biodiversity”. 29 October 08. www.epa.qld.gov.au

Feely, Richard A. 29 October 08. www.youtube.com

“Marine Biodiversity”. 29 October 08. www.eoearth.org

Knowlton, Nancy. 29 October 08. www.youtube.com

National research Council. “Marine Biodiversity is Changing and it Matters.” Understanding Marine Biodiversity. National Academic Press, 1994.

“Nova Scotia Pollution Plans”. 26 November 08. www.gov.ns.ca