Watch The Video And Answer

Watch The Video And Asnwerhttpswwwyoutubecomwatchvc3nebjwz2ig

Watch The Video And Asnwerhttpswwwyoutubecomwatchvc3nebjwz2ig

Watch the video and asnwer: When we begin thinking about how energy, nutrients, and toxins flow into food webs, we begin to view environments as an ecosystem ecologist. Pollution from urban runoff is certainly a conservation challenge that can impact entire aquatic communities but there can also be conservation benefits to the densification of humans in cities. In the video, the Shellfish Program Manager makes the statement, "Its a web, and everything is dependant on everything. Any type of pollution that would affect the species of the Puget Sound would, therefore, affect the tribal harvesting." Do you agree with that statement? Explain your answer using an ecosystem perspective? Only one post or reply is required this week!

Paper For Above instruction

The interconnectedness of ecosystem components underscores the importance of understanding how pollution impacts entire food webs within aquatic environments like Puget Sound. Ecosystem ecology emphasizes that all species and their environments are linked through complex networks of energy flow, nutrient cycling, and biological interactions. Therefore, pollution affecting one species can have cascading consequences throughout the system, including human communities reliant on specific resources such as tribal shellfish harvests.

In agreement with the statement made by the Shellfish Program Manager, I believe that pollution in Puget Sound indeed impacts not only individual species but also the broader ecological web. For instance, toxins from urban runoff, such as heavy metals, pesticides, and nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus, often accumulate in lower trophic levels like phytoplankton and bivalves. These contaminants then bioaccumulate and biomagnify up the food chain, eventually reaching higher predators, including humans and culturally significant species like shellfish used by local tribes.

From an ecosystem perspective, every organism within Puget Sound forms part of a highly interconnected network. The health of shellfish populations directly influences water quality, seabed health, and the survival of predators and other benthic organisms. Pollution that hampers shellfish survival not only diminishes a vital resource but also disrupts the ecological balance, affecting nutrient cycling and habitat structure. For tribes, whose cultural practices and sustenance depend heavily on shellfish, the decline of these species due to pollution translates directly into loss of traditional livelihoods and ecological knowledge.

Furthermore, pollution impacts extend beyond direct toxicity; they can alter habitat conditions, such as sediment quality and water clarity, which are critical for shellfish reproduction and growth. When shellfish populations decline, the filtration process they perform diminishes, leading to poorer water quality and increased algal blooms, which can further exacerbate ecological stress. Therefore, the statement by the program manager holds true when viewed through the ecosystem lens: pollution in Puget Sound affects the entire web, including the human communities that depend on this environment.

Holistically, understanding these interconnected relationships emphasizes that conservation efforts must address pollution sources comprehensively. Strategies should incorporate reducing urban runoff, controlling industrial discharges, and restoring habitats to maintain the integrity of the food web. Recognizing the dependency of tribal harvesting on healthy ecosystems underscores the importance of ecosystem-based management practices that consider all species and processes involved in sustaining the environment.

In conclusion, from an ecosystem perspective, pollutions impacts are far-reaching, affecting not just individual species but the entire ecological web. Protecting Puget Sound’s health requires acknowledging these intricate connections and implementing holistic conservation measures to ensure the sustainability of both natural resources and the cultural practices dependent upon them.

References

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• Ruckelshaus, M., et al. (2013). Ecosystem-Based Management for the Pacific Northwest. Marine Policy, 46, 1-11.
• Schindler, D. W. (2001). The cumulative effects of pollution on aquatic systems. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 20(8), 1835-1845.
• Strom, S. L., & Bernhardt, E. S. (2019). The roles of ecosystems in environmental health and sustainability. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(1), 45-53.
• Wooten, R. M., & Lamb, K. (2015). The importance of considering ecosystem services in fishery management. Fisheries, 40(7), 345-358.
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• Naylor, R., et al. (2005). Managing fisheries to conserve dependent species and ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 3(7), 356-362.