Monthly Archives: February 2021

Welcome to my second entry in my civic issues blog series! This blog entry will discuss the Amazon Rainforest, the threats it is faced with, its importance, and what I think should be done to ensure the survival of the Amazon, one of the most biodiverse locations on Earth.

The mighty Amazon river winding through the dense rainforest.

What is the Amazon Rainforest?

The Amazon Rainforest, or Amazon for short, is a huge area that takes up nearly 40% of the entire continent of South America and is twice as big as the country of India. Incredibly, about 1/10 of the entire planet’s species can be found in the Amazon, which makes up more than half

of all of the world’s rainforests. [1] To further understand the Amazon’s mammoth size, if all of the rivers in the Amazon were placed in a straight line, they would stretch all the way from State College, PA and across the Atlantic to Berlin, Germany (over 4,100 miles).

Map of the Amazon.

Why is the Amazon important?

Among the many endangered residents of the Amazon.

Firstly, and most obviously, the Amazon rainforest is a crucial ecosystem to millions of diverse organisms, ranging from the smallest bullet ant to the largest jaguars. Home to over 3 million species (1/10 of all species worldwide), the Amazon rainforest is perhaps the single most important ecosystem on the planet. Among its residents are the jaguar, golden lion tamarin, pink dolphin, three-toed sloth, and Hyacinth macaw – all of which are classified as endangered [2]. If the Amazon rainforest continues to decline, these beautiful species will be left without an adequate habitat, and will face immediate extinction.

Precipitation caused by the transpiration of the dense Amazonian overgrowth.

One lesser known benefit of the Amazon comes from its precipitation. Through transpiration, the loss of water vapor from plants, “the Amazon rainforest is responsible for creating 50-75 percent of its own precipitation” [3].  This precipitation in turn moves into neighboring areas, helping develop crops and providing local towns with a clean drinking source. In total, these areas that are affected by the Amazon-created precipitation (hence the word rainforest) contribute to “70 percent of South America’s GDP” [3]. Some scientists even think the Amazon contributes to the rain patterns of the western United States, providing valuable rainfall for crops.

Amazonian fires lead to massive carbon emissions.

Thirdly, the Amazon is what is known as a carbon sink. In fact, about “a total of 76 billion tonnes of carbon [are] stored in the Amazon rainforest” [4]. Why is this important? Once again, we circle back to the ever popular topic of climate change and global warming. Carbon emissions are known to slowly heat the planet, adding to the already emerging problem of global warming. The Amazon is thus a natural defense against the speed of global warming. By absorbing huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, the rainforest is able to reduce the effects of carbon emissions and thus slow down climate change. However, when trees in the Amazon die, whether it be due to fires or deforestation, they release their absorbed CO2 back into the atmosphere. So, if the Amazon isn’t conserved and is destroyed, billions of tons of carbon dioxide will be released into the atmosphere, accelerating the already in motion danger of global warming.

Why are rainforests in danger?

Illegal gold mining in the Amazon.

Shocker – the biggest danger to the Amazon is due to us humans. As we have previously discussed, the Amazon rainforest is a crucial ecosystem that houses millions of precious species – but it also houses precious minerals. Among these minerals are gold, oil, and timber (obviously). Although conservation methods are in place, such as restrictions on land usage and laws that make certain harvesting acts illegal, these restrictions are very poorly enforced. Thus, many greedy businesses continue to clear fields of rainforest for timber and engage in unhealthy mining practices that leave many areas polluted and destroyed. The destruction of the Amazonian habitat through deforestation and pollution poses a huge risk to the area as a whole, as well as the millions of creatures that call it their home.

A devastating fire ravaging the Amazon rainforest.

In addition to direct human destruction, the Amazon is also at risk to – you guessed it – climate change. We previously learned that rainforests are huge combatants to changing temperatures, but they are also at risk to the very thing they sought to destroy. As temperatures rise, rainforests are left dryer than ever, leading to huge widespread forest fires. When these fires ravage large areas, the killed trees release carbon dioxide, making global warming even worse, and causing even more forest fires. This terrifying cycle is difficult to slow down, as each forest fire increases the likelihood of another fiery event.

What are current measures in place to help save the Amazon?

As with most ecosystems, there are various protection plans in place to help prevent the destruction of various landscapes. This holds true for the Amazon, where millions of acres of forest are preserved by various organizations. Additionally, various organizations are working with local communities to help create sustainable farming practices in an effort to minimize pollution and habitat destruction. Also, satellite imagery is often used to monitor the status of the area as a whole in order to minimize forest fires and deforestation in heavily isolated areas.

What do I think we need to do to ensure the safety of the Amazon?

The lush vegetation of the Amazon rainforest.

This is a tough question. The issue of preserving the Amazon is so large in magnitude that it is quite difficult to come up with a successful solution. However, I think the major issue with preserving the Amazon comes with the inability for local governments and South American national governments to enforce various preservation policies. With such feeble attempts to control various laws, local business are able to essentially do whatever practices they want, regardless of their impact on the environment. Thus, any conservation efforts are nullified and made useless if they aren’t enforced. Unfortunately, this problem is a huge underlying issue within the governments of various South American countries, which are still considered to be developing. Therefore, personally, I think that if rainforests are to be saved, we must first deal with fixing governmental issues in order to guarantee the enforcement of protection laws. Without doing this, rainforests will continue to be harvested for their resources, and those who reap their benefits will never be held accountable for their actions.

Amazon Protection Agencies:

• Amazon Conservation
• The Amazon Conservation Team
• Rainforest Action Network
• Rainforest Alliance

Works Cited:

1. https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon
2. https://www.palotoaamazontravel.com/10-endangered-species-of-amazon-rainforest-wildlife/
3. https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_importance.htm
4. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191118100834.htm#:~:text=According%20to%20one%20result%20provided,stored%20in%20the%20Amazon%20rainforest.&text=Overall%2C%20the%20rainforest%20still%20constitutes,600%20million%20tonnes%20per%20year.
5. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51464694#:~:text=Up%20to%20one%20fifth%20of,carbon%20dioxide%20in%20the%20atmosphere.

Welcome to my first entry in my civic issues blog series! This series will tackle a very important concept in environmentalism: the protection of our planet’s rich biodiversity. Intended to inform readers about species that are at risk of extinction, this first blog will focus on the importance of coral reefs and the dangers they face.

Coral Reefs are home to a beautiful, diverse ecosystem.

What are coral reefs?

Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems that are largely composed of coral, a group of marine invertebrates that frequently live in dense colonies, forming stone-like structures by expelling calcium carbonate. These corals form a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, a type of photosynthetic algae. In this relationship, “the coral provides a protected environment and the compounds zooxanthellae need for photosynthesis” and “the algae produce[s] carbohydrates that the coral uses for food, as well as oxygen” [1].

Coral polyps

Why are coral reefs important?

Scuba diver viewing coral

Coral reefs are an essential habitat for millions of aquatic creatures, and make up one of the most biodiverse landscapes on Earth (hence the nickname “rainforest of the sea”). In fact, “25 percent of all marine life, including over 4,000 species of fish, are dependent on coral reefs” [2]. These aquatic sanctuaries make the perfect habitat for millions of fish, crustaceans, mammals, and many other unique organisms. These coral create the framework necessary to support a biological paradise, including vast spawning and breeding grounds, hiding places, and plentiful sources of food. Clearly, these reefs are essential to supporting a rich biodiversity – but why should we care? Why should we be concerned about the livelihood of  algae and other seemingly insignificant species?

Firstly, and perhaps least importantly, coral reefs are a major source of income in the tourist industry. Many nations, states, and cities rely on the tourist industry as a major source of their income. This is especially critical to the success of various Pacific economies, including but not limited to, Hawai’i, Samoa, Palau, and Fiji. Coral reefs are a huge part of the tourist industry in these places, and draw thousands of visitors to their shore, helping to aid their relatively small economies. Coral reefs contribute around $9.6 billion dollars yearly [2] to various tourist industries worldwide, providing thousands of citizens with jobs and a source of income. The extermination of these reefs would leave many unemployed, and hinder the economy of those who benefit from the beauty of reefs.

A small fishery that benefitted from the plentiful fish supply of a nearby reef

Coral possess many unique biological defenses that are being studied for future medicine.

Next, reefs are an important source of food worldwide, especially in small Pacific island communities. Reefs provide the resources for a large part of the fish market, helping to feed millions of individuals. As long as fishing isn’t excessive (thus harming the natural balance of the ecosystem), reefs are a necessary source of seafood worldwide. In fact, “some estimates say that over 1 billion people depend on food from coral reefs” [3].

In edition to providing us with a large source of food, coral reefs have been an important resource in medicine. This makes sense, considering corals are immobile and have no defense mechanisms other than through the use of passive biological substances. These substances are incredibly adapted to combat various pathogens, and are thus the subject of intense research in the medical field. In the future, reefs might hold the key to curing cancer, Alzheimer’s, AIDS, or other troubling diseases.

Finally, coral reefs are an important protection of the world’s coastlines. Coral reefs act as a natural barrier, protecting the coast from dangerous waves and storm surges that would otherwise cost billions of dollars in property damage, and even take the lives of humans. In total, over 200 million people [4] rely on reefs to protect them against dangerous waves, which are predicted to become more dangerous over time due to climate change.

Chart demonstrating the importance of reefs in protecting our coasts.

Why are coral reefs in danger?

Coral reef bleaching.

Coral reefs, along with most other species, are mainly in danger due to the ignorant actions of us human beings. Overfishing and pollution are important threats to coral, and have attributed to the recent decline in the coral populations. However, the most dangerous threat to reefs are the “carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels that leads to ocean warming and acidification” [5]. As the oceans get warmer, reefs are more likely to die from bleaching – a process whereby the reefs dispose of their important zooxanthellae, which causes the reef to die and turn white. Apparently, according to one of the leading coral biologist Charles Veron, “unless CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are reduced to below 350 parts per million soon, coral reefs and reef-dependent marine life will be committed to a terminal and irreversible decline.” This means that if nothing is done soon, it will be too late, and the reefs and their associated marine life will be doomed.

What are current measures in place to help save the reefs?

Coral reef monitoring.

In order to protect the reefs, many various organizations are working to minimize many of the main contributors to reef damage. Some of these initiatives include monitoring reefs, building awareness, restoration of streams that runoff into the ocean, and implementing more restrictions of fishing practices. First and foremost, reefs need to be closely monitored in order to directly pinpoint the problem at hand. All reefs are different, and a proper solution can only be implemented if we know what is wrong with the reef. Once the problem is identified, then various measures can be done, such as restoring streams that lead to the ocean. Heavily polluted streams that pour toxic materials into the ocean can damage corals, so these watersheds need to be cleaned. In addition, many organizations are working with governments to better manage local fishing businesses that could be a source for overharvesting. Finally, a huge part of conservation is in raising awareness for this issue. Without the community as a whole, funds won’t be sufficient to support large scale initiatives to save the reefs. We need to inform as many people as possible about the importance of our reefs and the dangers directed towards them if we want to make a difference. This leads me to my final point: my suggestion for the protection of reefs.

What do I think we need to do to ensure the safety of our reefs?

I believe the most important thing we can do to save the reefs is to spread the word and teach others about this issue. This blog was actually intended to do just that. Rather than primarily voicing my opinion on this matter, I found it more beneficial to inform you, the reader, about this topic. Of course, I could have just said what I think scientists need to do to help the reefs, but what would that realistically accomplish? No scientist is going to read this blog and seriously consider changing their practice because of what I wrote. I know this. So, I decided to do something far more beneficial, and decided to inform the reader about the issue at hand. One person cannot save the reefs. But if together, we use less water, recycle appropriate items, minimize use of fertilizers, and reduce carbon emissions, we can actually make a difference in the future of coral reefs.

Coral Reef Protection Agencies:

• Save the Reef
• Global Coral Reef Alliance
• Coral Restoration Foundation
• Ocean Conservancy

Works Cited:

1. https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/marine-life/coral-reef-ecosystems
2. https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/basic-information-about-coral-reefs#:~:text=Coral%20reefs%20are%20among%20the,point%20in%20their%20life%20cycle.
3. https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/saltwater-science/why_are_coral_reefs_important/#:~:text=Coral%20reefs%20provide%20food%20to,marine%20animals%20that%20humans%20eat.
4. https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/why-care-about-reefs/coastal-protection/
5. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/coral_conservation/index.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiApY6BBhCsARIsAOI_GjZ9cPURU1Z3YSJlNknWNOOvEVXpvibc6yOVQ9x33VLyegzf0gyAABwaAnh7EALw_wcB