[HarryStottle]

Finding firms, centers and establishments near you that are devoted to recycling plastic waste, so that we eliminate the amount of waste heading to the oceans. more

[hritzen]

Warm waters are also increasing coral bleaching events, causing the coral reefs to shed the zooxanthellae, which gives them their brilliant colors. here

[brucebuck1]

But marine plants and animals that could not adapt or survive, died and others took over. Some can thus argue that it is safe to say that the ocean has never died and will not die in the future. Of course, the oceans are vast and has its way of continuing to support marine life. here

[Anthonyse]

Some fish and marine mammals move to or away from sources of sound. Noise pollution thus changes the vocalization, diving and swimming patterns of the said animals and fish. As a result, some of the animals can be harmed because of behavioral changes. [links]

[sizewraps]

There are a myriad of organizations, groups and individuals who participate or strongly pursue ocean clean-ups, including cleaning the beaches. You can join them and help prevent more waste from entering the waters. It is a direct and rewarding way of fighting plastic pollution. more

[seoservicesus]

Common trash items littering the oceans. Image credit: M.Malinika/Shutterstock.com

[federk]

Referred to as non-point pollution, runoff is caused when the soil is infiltrated with water to its maximum extent and the excess water then flows from the land into the ocean via the drainage systems like rivers and streams. This runoff water carries with it the harmful toxins: the litter dumped in towns and cities, fertilizers, pesticides, and other soil contaminants. All these toxins are then dumped into the ocean along with the runoff.

[chyraski]

Rain and winds carry macro plastics including plastic bags, bottles, and other wastes into storm drains and rivers which act as conveyor belts dumping about 1.15-2.75 million metric tons of waste into the oceans every year. The sunlight and the ocean waves help to breakdown the macro plastics into smaller pieces of microplastics, which have now become a ubiquitous component of the marine and freshwater ecosystems. These microplastics are spread throughout the water column and have even reached the Mariana Trench, thereby underscoring the breadth of marine pollution. [links]

[protein87]

Ocean pollution refers to the introduction of toxic materials and other harmful pollutants such as agricultural and industrial waste, chemicals, oil spills, and plastic litter into the ocean's waters. The ocean provides humans with several resources and economic benefits, yet it is treated as a worldwide trash basin. This pollution of the world’s oceans is mainly caused by careless human activity that poses a serious threat to the oceanic ecosystem and in turn to several species of marine flora and fauna that are solely dependent on it.

[foxhunter]

Oil spills result in the change of chemical composition of the marine ecosystems and also kill beneficial marine micro-organisms that generate oxygen. Such ecological imbalances lead to the smothering of the ocean’s biodiversity and result in reduced reproduction and migration, and the death of fish. here

[matonis]

Researchers have noted that the increased concentration of harmful chemicals in the ocean leads to eutrophication. The presence of nitrogen-rich fertilizers, animal wastes, and human sewage triggers the explosive growth of marine algae and other life-threatening microorganisms that subsequently disrupt the ocean ecosystem. The depletion of oxygen due to eutrophication will also cause the death of marine fauna, resulting in the formation of dead zones in the ocean waters. more

[Remizor]

Scientists explain that when there is higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, the water absorbs much of it. The water gets contaminated and the level of heat in the water rises beyond the expectations of life. When the ocean temperatures rise; there are other associated adverse impacts that are experienced in the aquatic environment.

[EricJ2190]

Eutrophication can be understood as the process where the fertilizers from land are washed off into the waters. These fertilizers always contain phosphate and nitrate ions and when they come into contact with the waters; they form basic and acidic compounds thereby leading to dense growth of algal blooms, which in return create intolerable environment that cannot support aquatic life. more

[jacobpayne]

When the marine habitat is destroyed and is at the brink of vanishing, there various effects that would be likely. The first major impact that acts as the determinant and influences the outcome of the others is that oxygen concentration in the water gets to the lower level, to the extent that it can barely support aquatic life. This can be as a result of water or air pollution which even makes the water to be contaminated. The resultant situation of such destruction is that most plants and animals disappear through death. more

[dtvan]

Fishing is one of the most significant drivers of declines in ocean wildlife populations. Catching fish is not inherently bad for the ocean, except for when vessels catch fish faster than stocks can replenish, something called overfishing.

[SearchMan555]

The number of overfished stocks globally has tripled in half a century and today fully one-third of the world's assessed fisheries are currently pushed beyond their biological limits, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Overfishing is closely tied to bycatch—the capture of unwanted sea life while fishing for a different species. This, too, is a serious marine threat that causes the needless loss of billions of fish, along with hundreds of thousands of sea turtles and cetaceans. more

[unsolicited]

The damage done by overfishing goes beyond the marine environment. Billions of people rely on fish for protein, and fishing is the principal livelihood for millions of people around the world. more