Human Impact on Oceans

Human Impact on Ocean Systems -

Cause and Effect

​Human Impact on Ocean Systems

CAUSE = What is it

​

​EFFECT = Changes/Modifications

Human Impact - Cause

Overfishing​

• ​Removing fish faster than they can reproduce

• ​Fills human food needs

​Human Impact - Effect

Overfishing​

• ​Population of Earth's fish species is dropping

• ​Disrupts the food web

• ​Causes organisms to migrate

Multiple Choice

What is "overfishing"?

• Fishing out of season

• Catching fish faster than they can replenish

• Catching fish from the top of the food chain

• Catching more fish than what people eat

Multiple Choice

Fisheries renew themselves naturally each year, but __________________ has caused a shortage of fish in some areas.

• Aquaculture

• Fishing regulations

• Overfishing

• Global warming

Multiple Choice

Review the graph showing marine fishing rates.If the fishing rate in Asia continues to grow, what will most likely happen as a result?

• The fish population will continue to rise.

• A wide range in ocean temperatures will be seen worldwide.

• The U.S. human population will decline.

• The overfishing will cause an imbalance in marine ecosystems.

Open Ended

IN YOUR OWN WORDS,  describe overfishing and the effect it has on Earth's oceans.

​Human Impact - Cause

Fertilizer Runoff and Pollution

• ​Toxic chemicals from factories wash into rivers

• ​Fertilizer runoff into rivers and lakes

​​Human Impact - Cause

Fertilizer Runoff and Pollution

• ​Kills fish or makes them poisonous for humans

• ​Creates dead zones

• ​Makes algae grow = "Red Tides

Multiple Choice

What is a fertilizer runoff?

• When fertilizer runs into a body of water.

• When water makes fertilizer.

• When algae grows rapidly.

• The industrial production of fertilizers.

Multiple Choice

What happens when a fertilizer runoff happens?

• Fish get bigger.

• Algae grow rapidly.

• The water becomes very clear.

• The oxygen level in the water increases.

Multiple Choice

What happens to the fish if there is fertilizer runoff?

• The fish thrive because of increase in Nitrogen and Phosphorous.

• The fish die because of lack of oxygen.

• Nothing happens to the fish.

• The fish thrive because there is more algae to eat.

Multiple Select

Which of the following is the cause of dead zones in the ocean? (check all that apply)

• An increase in the number of fish.

• An increase in runoff from fertilizer

• An increase in oxygen

• A decrease in oxygen

Open Ended

IN YOUR OWN WORDS,  describe fertilizer runoff and the effect it has on Earth's oceans.

​​Human Impact - Cause

Artificial Reefs

• Humans sink old ships, oil rigs, and train cars (poison-free)​

​​Human Impact - Effect

Artificial Reefs

• New food webs will develop like in a natural coral reef

• ​Reduces carbon dioxide in the water

• ​Offsets the number of coral reefs lost to pollution

Multiple Choice

Corals die because of ________________

• boat anchors that destroy or break the corals.

• the gradual warming of the ocean's temperature

• irresponsible divers that kick the corals.

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

What is one way humans are trying to positively impact the ocean?

• Fishing

• Drilling for oil and natural gas

• Creating artificial reefs

• Transporting goods in ocean vessels

Multiple Choice

The ______________ natural reefs in some places has led to people building "artificial" ones.

• increase of

• multiplication of

• lack of

• rise of

Multiple Choice

An artificial reef is a man made structure that may mimic some of the characteristics of a natural reef.

• True

• False

Open Ended

IN YOUR OWN WORDS,  describe an artificial reef and the effect it has on Earth's oceans.

Multiple Choice

An oil tanker owned by Exxon Shipping Company struck a reef and spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude oil over the next few days. Which of the following would NOT be a way the oil spill affected the local community?

• Decrease in local tourism

• Increased in local temperatures

• Oil got in the feathers of birds

• Block light from getting to plant life

Multiple Choice

Industries have built many oil and gas platforms off the Texas coast. Coral reefs have formed underwater on many of the platforms.  The formation of coral reefs on the platforms is - 

• harmful because it increases competition between coral reefs

• harmful because it decreases the likelihood that coral reefs will form in flat, muddy areas

• helpful because it offsets the number of coral reefs lost to pollution

• helpful because it prevents coral reefs from forming in flat, muddy areas

Multiple Choice

Which of these human activities is most likely to cause the excessive growth of phytoplankton in the world's oceans?

• The use of chemical fertilizers that are carried by runoff into rivers

• The logging of old-growth forests, which results in erosion

• The spraying of chemical herbicides that reduce carbon dioxide in the air

• The mining of fossil fuels, which requires digging underground tunnels

Multiple Choice

A costal area that once supported a thriving fishing industry is overfished. The number of species found living in the marine ecosystem decreases.

• Building artificial reefs and limiting fishing activity

• Introducing non-native species to fill unoccupied habitats and banning fishing

• Building artificial reefs and increasing fishing activity

• Eliminating non-native species and encouraging fishing for large predatory fish

Multiple Choice

The process of taking fish out of the ocean before they have a chance to reproduce is called?

• Invasive species

• Over-fishing

• Artificial reefs

• Recycling

Multiple Choice

Some areas of an ocean are known as dead zones. These zones form when excess organic material decomposes. This increased decomposition uses up the oxygen from the water.

Which human activity is most affected by the increasing number of dead zones in the ocean?

• Offshore oil drilling, because water in dead zones is toxic

• Commercial fishing, because fish cannot survive without oxygen

• Commercial shipping, because dead zones change the course of ocean currents

• Sand mining, because oxygen is not available to form the sands on ocean beaches

Multiple Choice

How do the oceans contribute to the amount of Oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere?

• Fish in the ocean produce oxygen.

• Phytoplankton in the ocean produce oxygen through the process of respiration.

• Phytoplankton in the ocean produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a source of pollution in the ocean?

• Fertilizers used on land.

• Sand drifting along the bottom of the ocean floor.

• Oils found on city streets.

• Emissions from gas-burning vehicles.

Multiple Choice

What is one way humans are trying to positively impact the ocean?

• Fishing

• Drilling for oil and natural gas

• Creating artificial reefs

Multiple Choice

How can you help impact the environment in a positive way

• recycle

• drive less, creating less pollution

• save water

• all of the above

Multiple Choice

Coral reefs are endangered by

• climate change

• overfishing

• pollution

• all of the above

Multiple Choice

The largest source of pollution in the ocean comes from __________.

• Runoff

• Acid Rain

• Wind

Multiple Choice

How are phytoplankton similar to small trees?

• Both are at the top of the food chain

• Both conduct photosynthesis

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is associated with dead zones in the ocean?

• A decrease in oxygen levels.

• An increase in oxygen levels.

Multiple Choice

Humans depend on the ocean for:

• Transportation

• Oxygen

• Food

• Weather

• All of the Above

Multiple Choice

Coral Reefs provide what to marine life?

• Food

• Oxygen

• Shelter

• Gentle Ocean waves

• All of them

Multiple Choice

How do humans destroy reefs?

• Overfishing

• Pollution

• Both

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is harmful to marine life?

• Artificial Reefs

• Increase in Biodiversity

• Red Tides

Multiple Choice

What are some positive things that we can do to help ocean ecosystems?

• Over-fishig

• creating artificial reefs

• Recycle

• Both B and C