Impact on the Small Coralline Cay

Experiment Number 5 Date December 8,2011. start To assess and analyze bits encounter on the run throughd coralline paint- Lime samara. Apparatus boat Introduction Lime cay is a small coralline cay that is mostly use by humans for their ain entertainment. By visiting this cay, man has had detrimental effects on the environment. In the earlier periods, mans impact was not so prevalent, however, overtime it has increased as agricultural practices and technology has been introduced. The effects stern progress from pollution to global deforestation, which results in the death of m each beingnesss.This burn gratuity to species and genetic diversity being lost and athe ilks of gives rise to extinguishing of some species. The adverse effects will be discussed later in details. Procedure A small boat was used to travel to lime tree cay where the students walked around the small coralline cay and recorded all observations, which indicated mans impact on this environment. Obs ervation Pictures showing the small coraline cay-Lime cay and reason of the presence of mans pollution. Picture showing an less(prenominal)on of an organism that lives on the cay that is affected by mans presence (sea urchin).Table showing the organisms present on the cay and their preys Organisms Being issue On Organisms Feeding Flowers Snails and Bees Snails and Fish Turtle Leaf litter wiggler Phytoplankton Zooplankton alga sea Urchin and Fish Fungi Crab and Sand aviate Wood Wood Boring Beetle Tree Bark termite Woodlouse and Bees Spider Bird Peli squirt Bees and Earthworm Bird Discussion Questions (a) farm a food web of all the organisms present on the cay. Pelican Stingray cheat LizardBird Turtle Spider Fish Wood boring Earthworm Sea urchin Zooplankton Bees Snails Crab Sandfly Beetle Termite Leaf litter Algae Phytoplankton Flowers Fungi Wood Treebark (b) What is the significance of the cay? The significance of the cay is to (1) provide a habitat for a variety of organ isms that were present on the cay (2) to aid in breaking heavy wave and tidal consummation and (3) to serve as a recreational ground for humans. c) What are the slipway that man affects this habitat? Man affects this habitat by pollution when it is used for recreation, by deforestation/slash and burn method, by causing eutrophication, overfishing, crude petroleum peter outs and exposing unwanted predators. (d) Do you see any animals or evidence of any animals? What organisms are affected by mans activities and how? Yes, in that location were animals seen. The animals seen were steer (their tracks and their holes were spotted) ground lizards, pelicans, birds, fishes, sea urchins, spiders (spider webs were spotted) snails, stingray and a turtleneck.Generally speaking, with human activities being practiced on the cay, it resulted in habitat destruction. Changes usually take time for the organisms to adjust. However, when changes occur at a fast pace, there is little or no time f or individual species to react and adjust to new circumstances. This created disastrous results, and for this reason, the rapid habitat loss causes species to migrate to other areas to live. On the cay there was a lot of garbage left behind from human activities. These consisted of mainly plastic materials such as cups and bags.Trash like plastic, can cause death to fishes as plastics take a while to biodegrade and therefore remain in the water. Fishes sometimes mistake plastic for food and ingest it, which results in a block in their digestive systems killing the fish. Plastic can as well as take hold of wrapped around their necks and choke them or it could get stuck in their mouths, reservation it unable for the fish to eat and so it efficacy starve and also die. Another observation made was a traveling cargo ship. This action mechanism released pollutants into the water and also made it prone to oil spills.An oil spill has the most hazardous effect on aquatic and terrestri al life. The oil coats the fishs outer layer and kills it. Also, oil affects sea birds as it sticks to their wings rendering them flightless. Oil settles on top of water and so forms a thick layer that is opaque, which prevents sunlight from reaching marine plants, so photosynthesis is obstructed. Oil spills may result in eutrophication, which feeds algae blooms. When algae dies they exceed to the bottom where they are decomposed. The decomposition process uses oxygen and deprives the deeper waters of oxygen, which can kill fish and other organisms.Also the necessary nutrients are all at the bottom of the aquatic ecosystem and if they are not brought up closer to the surface, where there is more available light allowing for photosynthesis for aquatic plants, a serious business is placed on algae populations. Growth of algal blooms disrupts normal go of the ecosystem, causing a variety of problems such as a escape of oxygen needed for fish and other organisms to survive. Also it may be noted that by human activities, which cause organisms to migrate, makes them more available to predation.Additionally, it can increase competition for food and space between organisms. Another hint that was observed was the presence of fishermen. Overfishing decreases the population of fishes in the area, which disrupts the food chain as terrestrial organisms that feed on aquatic life realize less food to eat. Also human activities affect turtle nesting, as the turtle was seen moving outwards from the cay. This suggested that based on the exposure to unwanted predators, turtles might see the cay as unsafe to lay their eggs.There may turn in also been introduction to pests as a result of the garbage and also pests may come to the cay in boats. Lastly, we can look at the effect of the method slash and burn method. Evidence of the ruin of wood was seen which resulted in the various plants and animals that lived there being swept away. This could also have been the area wher e only one particular species is kept and slashing and burning could result in extinction for that species. This also affects organisms that live in the soil, like the bacteria, that would result in their death. e) Is the only impact by those who visit the cay? No, the impact is not only by those who visit the cay, the impact of the habitat destruction is also by pests as stated before like rats who come on the cay and create mass destruction to the organisms financial support there. (f) As a manager, what would you suggest to minimize mans impact on this environment? There should be provision of proper governance facilities, where the site can be kept clean of litter and the waste and contaminants are not runoff into the water.Implementing in-situ conversation and management practices to avert or eliminate pests, so pesticides are unnecessary and the organisms will be protected is another suggestion for minimizing the impact. With the prevention of pollution, eutrophication will decrease. Plastics can be collected in a container for recycling, so recycling bin can also be put into play. And lastly, rules should be implemented against burning of materials on the cay. Conclusion Man has significantly impacted lime cay and evidence was there to support this theory, which resulted in many detrimental effects to the organism present on this cay.