The Best Top 20 Web Sites Related to Group 3's topic :

The effects of over population on Aquatic life

 

 

 

Showing an overview of what is happening to aquatic ecosystem

This is an overview of the horrors of overfishing and how to help.

 

 

 

Web Site 1: 38 Million Sharks Killed for Fins Annually, Experts Estimate.

Location: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061012-shark-fin.html

Description:

This is an article written by National Geographic that puts in detail the number of sharks killed for their fins. The significance of this report is that the number of sharks killed is 4 times more then estimates of the United Nations. The article also explains how that a growing demand for shark fin soup (as a result of a growing Asian population) mixed with the fact that sharks mature, reproduce, and grow slowly, that shark populations cannot keep up with the number of sharks killed. It also states briefly that since a shark is the top predator of its environment, that the whole system would be damaged and destroyed without a predator to keep other populations in check. This can also be linked to the 5th web site further down this page.

The Good: 

• National Geographic is a very reliable source that shows both sides of the argument.
• Explains the issue very well in a simple and quick way.

The Bad:

•  This is more of an informative article. Meant to get the basic information sent out quickly and easily. No real scientific tests or studies explained in detail.

 

 

 

 

 

Web Site 2: Trawled fish on endangered list. The Sidney Morning Herald.

Location: http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/trawled-fish-on-endangered-list/2006/11/09/1162661830462.html

Description:

This short article is from a local newspaper in Australia. It discusses that the Orange Roughy, a very popular fish in the market, is the first commercially fished species to become endangered in Australia. With population growth, demand for fish has obviously increased as well. With the finding of Orange Roughy in global markets, this slow growing fish cannot keep up with the number of animals being caught and eventually would result in a crashed fishery or worse extinction.

 

The Good: 

·         This article is quick and to the point.

·         Contains information from different agencies.

The Bad:

·         This is very short and has no experimental data.

·         As a newspaper article, it may be bias to appease a certain group of people.

 

 

Web Site 3: Federally Endanger: Shortnose Sturgeon.

Location: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/species/endangered_species/pdfs/shortnosesturgeon_88_89.pdf

Description:

This is a very useful page from the Maine department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It describes the Shortnose Sturgeon, a fish native to Maine. It gives some information about the fish itself, such as range and life cycle. It also discusses how the fish has become an endangered species. The main causes are pollution and overfishing. Due to a growing population, the demand for caviar which is sturgeon eggs and the fish’s meat has increased. Yet another species that grows and reproduces slowly, the sturgeon fishery is now protected but if not for state and federal laws, the sturgeon could have been made extinct. It also has recommendations on how to help the sturgeon recover.

 

The Good: 

·         This page is very informative and easy to understand.

·         It is a government document and also has credible sources of information.

The Bad:

·         This article was from 2003 so it is possible some things have changed.

 

 

Web Site 4: The Number of Blue Crabs in bay remains below long-term average

Location: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080728_bluecrab.html

Description:

This article comes from NOAA which is an acronym for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It reports that the Chesapeake Bay blue crab populations are at an all time low. It also predicts that 67% percent of the adult blue crab population will be harvested in the 2008 crabbing season. With human populations growing, along with a very sick and polluted Chesapeake, the crab populations are having a hard time restoring their numbers and the fishery, at least in the Chesapeake, will be gone forever if current trends are maintained.

 

The Good: 

·         This page is very informative and easy to understand.

·         It is a government document from NOAA. NOAA is known for its accuracy and not holding any information back.

·         Was released very recently so the information is up to date.

The Bad:

·         Not a lot of information on how the average person can help blue crabs in the Chesapeake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Web Site 5: Shark Declines Threaten Shellfish Stocks, Study says.

Location: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070329-sharks-shellfish.html

Description:

This National Geographic article is a great companion to web source one and the issue of the consequences of overfishing as a whole. This article discusses that with no top predator sharks around because they are being overfished for their fins, their prey, smaller sharks and rays, have had a population explosion. Since there are more of these animals, their prey, shellfish, have taken a dive in population numbers. It is reported that some scallop fisheries in danger of completely collapsing. Once the shellfish are gone, the rays and small sharks will starve to death, resulting in the whole food chain being destroyed. This article is living proof that overfishing, aside from killing and wiping out a species, can also destroy a whole ecosystem.

 

The Good: 

·         This page is very informative and easy to understand.

·         National Geographic is known to be a good source about current events affecting the planet.

The Bad:

·         There are no scientific studies or experiments explained in detail in the article.

 

 

 

Web Site 6: Seamount fisheries in New Zealand. Effects on high-value target fish species and non-target invertebrates.

Location: http://www.unep.org/bpsp/Fisheries/Fisheries%20Case%20Study%20Summaries/Smith(Summary).pdf

Caution: the link here does not work properly. But copying and pasting the URL into the search bar works.

Description:

This is an article made by a researcher, Dr. Smith, whom is employed by the United Nations. He discusses how current fishing practices of New Zealand on sea mounts are very damaging. Not only are huge numbers of Orange Roughy and Oreos (not the cookie), but the deep sea trawlers are also ripping the reefs to shreds, leaving nothing left for the fish to live in even if a ban on fishing these fish was placed. Also lots of non target animals are being killed just for being caught in the nets of the deep sea trawlers. With humans asking for more fish as their numbers increase, less care for an animal’s environment is held and every fish will be caught until none are left to reproduce.

 

The Good: 

·          This is a United Nations document and has very good information.

·         Offers some suggestions to help stop the damage on sea mounts.

The Bad:

·         This article is from 2000, so things may have changed in the last 8 years. 

 

 

Sadly, this video shows that 5 years after this publication, New Zealand still has not made any major strides in protecting the sea mounts it fishes.

 

 

 

Web Site 7: Alum Curbs Phosphorus Runoff and More

 

Location: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/nov06/alum1106.htm

 

Description: Jim Core describes methods of fertilizing using poultry litter and aluminum sulfate to reduce nutrient runoff into surrounding bodies of water.  It is important to keep nutrient deposits to  a minimum because they cause algae blooms which deplete oxygen levels in the water and kill aquatic life.  Poutry fertilizer consists of chicken manure, bedding, food remnants, and feathers; the reason it is used as a fertilizer is because of the high nitrogen and phosphorus levels. The article expalins that if excess nutrients are in the soil it is easy for them to escape into water bodies in the form of runoff.  When aluminum sulfate is incorporated into the fertilizer, it binds to te phosphorus  and creates a larger  more complex molecule capable of fertilizing  crops  but less likely to  leave the soil as runoff. This was a very brief article with limited information that looked as though it was a condensed version to fit into a magazine.  It is not a website but more a reliable resource to learn about agriculture and the consequences of agrcultural intensification.

 

The Good:

• It is imperative that we find new methods of growing crops so as not to harm the environment. The method of accomplishing this in the above article is by no means perfect, but it is a start.  This technique bridges the gap between poor farming practices and sustainable, environmentally friendly farming practices yet to be developed.
• Short article packed with information
• Discusses other impacts of farming practices
• Low Cost solution
• Long term study (20 years)

 

The Bad:  

• The author was previously associated with the group that did the study. 
• No references provided with where they obtained their information.
• The actual study details were not provided with this small article because this was a brief article developed for a magazine type format.

 

 

Web Site 8: Ocean ecosystems plagued by agricultural runoff

 

Location: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/march16/gulf-030905.html

 

Description: This website from Stanford Univewrsity descirbes a study that the University conducted to find a direct link between the deadly algal blooms in the Sea of Cortez and agricultural runoff from large farms. The site provdies links to related sites and presents a lot of facts.  However, there is little information present regarding what we can do in the immediate future to stop the algal blooms and help species that have been drastically reduced in population size.  Furthermore, the site posted a large number of quotes that are useful in the discussion but seem to be restating the same facts over and over again.  Overall this is an informative website that will be able to educate people on human degradation of aquatic ecosystems.

 

The Good:

• From a prestigious school: Stanford University
• Related Links
• Good informations
• Relevant Quotes

 

The Bad:  

• No reference on the page as to who said the quotes
• Overuse of Quotes
• Not very many informative diagrams
• Future Solutions...? Not present

 

 

 

Web Site 9: Agricultural Runoff

 

Location: http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/locations.php?id=1

 

Description: This website describes what agricultural runoff is and how it adversely affects bodies of water.  This page is very short and provides limited information, however the reason it was included in this presentation is because it is a credible source with numerous related links links.  The links can be found underneath the text of the article and include a lot of information from issues such as drinking water and water pollution to the types of chemicals found in agricultural runoff and the negative impacts they can cause.

 

The Good:

• Credible source, "...nih.gov"
• Tons of links thast provide information that is lacking in the rest of the page
• From the National Library of Medicine
• Links in the text to describe terms used

 

The Bad:  

• Very short article
• Little information in the article
• No references or authors given

 

 

Web Site 10: The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

 

Location: http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/deadzone/

 

Description: The website focuses on "Dead Zones" which are an extremely relevant topic with regard to agricultural runoff and pollution.  The website has a great layout and is easy to use when trying to learn about Aquatic Populations.  Further into the website you notice that there are a couple interesting diagrams with related/descriptive links.  This website was produced by Monica Bruckner from Montana State University and it seems she posted this page under a larger focus of Microbial Life.  This is actually very important to the study of aquatic populations because a large portion of human impact to marine and freshwater environments cannot be seen with the naked eye.

 

The Good:

• Short informative article that was to the point.
• Links to sites with additional information
• Focuses on a specific aquatic environment and doesn't try to focus on a broad scale that is based on generalizations
• Supported by the National Science Digital Library

 

The Bad:

• Don't know how credible Monica Bruckner is, is she a student or professor? One link has her listed under staff - can it be inferred that she is a professor?
• Is Montana State University a reliable source?
• No references for information are provided

 

Web Site 11: Ocean Dead Zones Growing; May Be Linked to Warming

 

Location: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080501-dead-zones.html

 

Description: This is another website devoted to idescribing "Dead Zone" throughout the worls.  It is from a very creible source, National Geographic and the information is found on a page that incorporates a great many links to find related information.  The author is from National Geographic News and provides reliable and accurate information about "Dead Zones."  The advertisements and extra unrelated links that are associated with NAtional Geographic's website are a pain and clutter the screen.  It would be easier to locate information if these were removed.  In addition to the advertisment pop ups, there are links to shop at an online National Geographic store which distract readers from the site.  Overall the purpose of this site is not solely devoted to  learning and could be a much better educational resource if the focus was constricted. 

 

The Good:

• Credible site with reliable author
• Good information presented with good diagrams and visuals
• Has a printer friendly version
• There are three links to related websites
• Can search National Geographic Website from this page to learn more information

 

The Bad:

• Advertsement links
  • National Geographic Store and others
• Contains sponsor links and unrelated video links which can distract readers from pertinent information

 

Algal growth... Harmless?

 

 

Location: http://earthsave.org/news/fishwhat.htm

 

Description: This website from Earth Save Healthy People Healthy Planet is a great source of information pertaining to human impact of the Earth.  The reading is rather long but provides all the critical points someone needs to understand how detrimental the human race is to the planet.  There were very few related links on this page and with the amount of information present, there should have at least been some links to help describe terms or give definitions.  Furthermore, there were no diagrams to explain the text which could hinder people without a pretty substantial background knowledge.  The subtitles of the website were informative, humorous and put into perspective the dire need to improve the health of our planet.

 

The Good:

• Numerous References, well cited and easy to locate
• Tons of information about human impact on aquatic animals and environments
• .org site, usually reliable sources of information
• Links at top of page to related information

 

The Bad:  

• Only one link in the text portion of the website
• No information provided about the author Steve Lustgarden... how reliable is he?
• A lot of details and facts to cover

 

Web Site 13: Regional Water Issues

 

Location: http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/nationalassessment/newsletter/1998.12/frame7.html

 

Description: This website from the United States Global Change Research Program is a well organized site that presents a unique set of data.  This website is unique because it breaks down bodies of water into regional areas and decribes the condition and health of the environment for each.  Although some of the problems affecting these bodies of water do not directly relate to human agriculture and the associated negative impacts, they do pertain to environmental health and the health of the aquatic populations that live in them.  The website is setup rather oddly because it was from a magazine called Acclimations and is somewhat out of date because it was last updated on October 12, 2003.  There a re a few related links at the bottom of the page and menu links at the top of the page that are sources for more information but all in all there are not many links provided.   The author is stated at the bottom of the page and is a member of the USGS but provides no further information.

 

The Good:

• Quality information presented in a unique manner
• Uncluttered page
• Easy reading

 

The Bad: 

• Not the most relevant information to agricultural runoff
• Few related links provided for more information

 

Obtained from http://www.dutchess29.org/dcsw/DCSW_Poster3.jpg

 

Web Site 14: Field Listing Environment Current Issues

 

Location: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2032.html

 

Description:

This site was created by the Central Intelligence Agency, therefore I believe it to be very informative and trust worthy about different current issues around the globe. It clearly states how much danger countries are in regarding their environment, by talking about countries from Afghanistan all the way to Zimbabwe. Regarding aquatic life the article tells which countries are in danger of limited natural fresh water, endangering marine species, water pollution from sewage, etc. The most shocking information presented on this site is that even the rich countries, like Germany, are in trouble regarding aquatic life because they have problems with sewage and industrial pollutants going into the Baltic Sea. Not only are the 3^rd world countries in danger, but so are the more developed countries, therefore everyone is affected by overpopulation on aquatic life. This site is very helpful with my group’s topic because it not only shows the problems regarding water in the United States, but it is a global view of all of the different aquatic problems happening worldwide.

The Good:

• Central Intelligence Agency
• Global overview of Aquatic life
• Alphabetical Order

The Bad: 

• Very brief descriptions about each countries problems

 

Web Site 15: Population Growth in Global Terms

Location: http://www.earlham.edu/~pols/17Fall96/mutioke/homepage.html

Description:

This source is from a college website where overpopulation is discussed as a whole and then it is broken up into subject matter on how overpopulation affects each topic area such as water, soil, global warming, and epidemics. Most of the sources discuss some sort of pollution in water, decline in species in water, etc, as well as addressing how water is running out in aquifers. Earlham College states that water is being used at a “faster rate than it is being replenished by nature.” People are failing to see that water is running out of some communities and out of the available water a god portion of that is polluted due to overpopulation. The section on water discussed also says that “nearly half of the people in the world suffer from diseases related to contaminated water supplies,” which is a scary figure that is not brought up in any of my other sources.

The Good:

• Informative
• Breaks up environmental information into sections
• Site Sources
• Lot of statistics used throughout article

The Bad:  

•  Don't know who created the site I.E: Students or Professors
• Large blocks of information may be harder to read through
• Don't give a work cited for their intext citation

 

Web Site 16: Population and the Envionment: The Global Challenge

Location: http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/hinrichsen_robey.html

Description:

This source goes along with our group’s topic because within the first line of the article it says “population growth can lessen our quality of life because it: destroys resources such as water…” A reliable .org discussing how the environment is getting worse by overpopulation and with regards to water the environmental harms in the areas of fresh water, coastlines, and oceans. The topic discussing fresh water claims that by 2025 3 billion people will face fresh water shortages, an alarming statistic that is suppose to occur not that far in the future. Regarding coast lines and oceans this web site opens your eyes to the pollution rising in the seas, which has resulted in  less fish being caught, a food resource for many people. It is already being 2008 and in a few months 2009 slowly but surely our environment is running out of what we need to survive, water.

The Good:

• concise
• easy to read
• right to the serious facts
• Statistics throughout, but also some displayed on the sides of the website
• Links given for educators and students
• From a Johns Hopkins University Report
• updated in 2008

The Bad:  

• Not sure about reliability about other sites displayed

 

Web Site 17: Aquatic Scientists Divided on Role of Sea Lice From Salmon Farms in Decline of Native Salmon in B.C.

Location: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/200403/nrco-asd030304.php

Description:

As the population increases the demand for food increases as well and in this Canadian article they discuss how parasitic  sea lice is affecting their Salmon, which in return is affecting other fish in the water ways. With the food demand many fish farms are opening up, but because they are set up in waterways with wild fish the fish that get parasites in the fish farms get out and contaminate wild fish. In order to stop the sea lice from spreading the fish farmers need to separate both fish, a costly task when the fish farms are suppose to be bringing the price of the fish down. Overpopulation puts a demand on food, but also food that is reasonably priced and high in protein, unfortunately many fish farms are causing more environmental damages resulting in many of them being shut down. This article expresses the serious problems with parasites affecting our waterways as a result of high demand for food due to overpopulation.

The Good:

• Scientific Article
• Contacts available incase theirs any questions on the article
• Given Credentials on Contacts
• Statistics

The Bad:  

• From 2004 and no update since (maybe something has been done since 2004? ....hopefully)

 

 

 

Web Site 18: Water Environmental Management in Japan

Location: http://www.waternunc.com/jp/history_jp.htm

Description:

  The University of North Carolina created a page telling the public about environmental management in Japan. The first line of the article relates to our group topic because Japan was the first country to have water pollution affecting the population with improperly disposed waste. The water pollution has not become any better than what it was in 1868 with the improper waste dumping because till this day there is pollution because of the industrialization due to demand for goods with overpopulation. In the 1960’s Japans population grew along with their increasing water pollution problem, but the government has tried to do something to regulate pollution problem. Unfortunately, UNC findings report Japan still is having pollution problems with their waters regardless of how many water pollution control laws they passed throughout the 70ies. The water pollution is so bad that the ground water is having affect on the soil pollution causing more problems for Japan.

The Good:

• Reputable College created the site
• Few links off of this page
• Interesting information
• Shortened version of Japan's environmental history within a page and a half
• Quick Read

The Bad:

• Last updated in 2006 and maybe astonishing feats have been done since this was created
• Don't know if students or professors created this
• No work Cited from the page of how they collected their resources

 

Web Site 19: Ocean "Dead Zones" Become Worldwide Problem

Location: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/14/ocean-dead-zones-become   w_n_119077.html

Description:

This news article expresses the dangers of dead zones, a result of overpopulation on aquatic life in a local news paper. Dead zones are not just localized environmental problems, but a serious global matter that needs to be rectified before anymore dead zones are created. A dead zone is when not enough oxygen is at the bottom of a water supply that no life form can grow there, a result from fertilizers being washed into the ocean from regular farms or fishing farms. This article has disturbing facts compiled to give the reader a realization that our environment is in some serious trouble if nothing is done. For example two years ago there were only 200 dead zones, but two years later there are now 400 dead zones globally. On the other hand the article does say that some dead zones always existed, but scientists did not know that until recently with more research being conducted on the different affects from the overpopulation.

The Good:

• Honest report on statistics (scientists still discovering dead zones making statistics larger than normal)
• Short read
• Statistics/ quotes help article flow and give it some validity
• 3 additional links for information

The Bad:  

• That dead zones are happening

 

 

 

 

 

Web Site 20 The Earth's Life-Support System is in Peril- a Global Crisis

Location: http://www.overpopulation.org/impact.html

Description:

The World Population Awareness site has no hidden agenda, but to provide readers with what is going on in the world. They present the facts, laws, court cases, Supreme Court cases, and many other forms of articles. All of the articles compiled discuss impacts of overpopulation among a variety of topics. Frequently brought up on the site is the impact of overpopulation on aquatics. Discussing destruction of the coral reef, dead zones, species dying out, pollution in the water, dangerous run off into the water, and many other topics regarding water are discussed all regarding what overpopulation has done to our water ways/ life forms living within them. The information on the different topics is repetitively brought up throughout the different articles ranging from court cases to news paper articles. One of the interesting articles on this site is as the population increases there is a demand for more military, but the effects of that on the water is mass amount of water pollution. Military causing pollution so bad that the EPA is fining The Defense Department until military changes their policies to start cleaning up all of their pollution they are causing in the waterways. On the site is an interesting table that shows how many people are born every 2.8 seconds and how many wild lands are lost every 1.6 acres/ second.

The Good:

• No hidden agenda
• Court Cases, News Articles, Scientific Journals, etc all stating the same things and building upon one another
• Numerous links that support the information
• From a span of time so you see how things have changed/ gotten worse
• Great information [if you can sift through it all]

The Bad:  

• LONG website and some people may not want to have to read the whole site to get information
• The site could have been broken up better by topic as well as by the variety of sources given
•   LONG site could have been broken up into better categories that have links within each category instead of listening every single article  and link on one page
• Not everyone is going to want to peruse through this whole site and their missing out on a lot of good information!