Many Coastal Wetlands Likely to Disappear This Century ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2010) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101201134256.htm
Image:http://www.wetlands.org/DesktopModules/QuickImageRepository/image.ashx?thumb=1&w=300&fileid=1322
The image shows a destroyed wetland.
When I read this article, I was very suprised. This article is saying that scientist think that many of our coastal wetlands will be destroyed this century. Scientists say that due to the rising sea levels will basically "drown" most of the coastal wetlands. However they say that wetlands with higher sediment availability will have a good chance to survive. This artivle states that if we lose our coastal wetlands, we will be in a lot of trouble in the future. Wetlands absorb energy from storms, clean pollutants out of thew water, and are a home to many different species of birds. If wetlands are destroyed, everyone will face the consequences.
I think that we should do something about this now. This is a serious problem because it can affect humans and animals. If our wetlands do get destroyed, we may be seeing more storms like hurricane Katrina in our country. Also we could see many different species of animals going extinct due to their habitat being destroyed. If I had to try to think of a way to protect these wetlands, I would think about first making sure they are clean and not polluted. Then i would try to put a barrier around the wetland so they cannot "drown". This may cost a little but in the end, it will help us tremendously and maybe save some lives.
If you had to think of something to protect the wetlands, what would you do?
Do you think the wetlands will be destroyed? why or why not
Do you think that wetlands are a valuable thing to have in our country? why or why not?
I think it is very surprising how humans negatively impact the environment in so many ways, despite our good intentions. When we destroy wetlands either directly or indirectly, we only disrupt nature's age old balances even more. What opportunistic landowners not long ago saw as muddy wasteland in need of plowing, we now have discovered to be an essential part of nature's complex system of regulation.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that this type of thinking is going to take a lot of time and work to change. Wetlands are going to continue to be destroyed as long as people look to utilize seemingly unimportant land. Hopefully the information we now have about wetlands will spread in the future and cause people to think twice before they plow over and build.
My family and I often go to Ocean City, New Jersey on vacation, where we like to fish for flounder in the bay behind the island. During class I realized that this area contains a gigantic tidal marsh, a type of wetland that is filled by the ocean and is home to many types of grass-like plants. Navigating through the marsh in search of the fish is a highlight of our vacations and I would like to do it for years to come.
I think it is interesting that the environment that surronds us is slowly falling apart. From the ice caps melting and now the coastal wetlands are being destroyed, humans are in trouble. I agree with Aadit. These wetlands are very important and if we dont save them then there will be alot of negative impacts. Humans might not relize it but wetlands save us everyday by controlling floods and keeping the animals we need safe. Wetlands have served as a vitual part of human adaption and i believe we should help the wetlands out for once. The earth was not made for only humans but for all organisms. We need to learn to share the environment and keep it safe.
ReplyDeleteAs i read this article i kept thinking of the recent tsunami in Japan. Not only were the coastal wetlands destroyed but everything was destroyed by this tsunami. Scientists predict our coastal wetlands will overflow from water and drown. The tsunami in japan could be a way that could take out the wetlands. The damage from the tsunami is crazy and scary. i couldnt imagine it happening to us. We need to save our watersheds from over flowing waters like tsunamis.
I do believe the wetlands will be destroyed. If humans continue to destroy the environment with all the fossil fuels and gases we're putting in the air, the world will fall apart. The ice caps are melting and soon will over flow the seas. This will drown the wetlands. I dont believe will stop their behavior of polluting the earth and soon the wetlands will be destroyed. The only way to save them is to change our entire life style away from polluting so much.
I think this article is a good informer of what is going on. It gives the facts and tells everyone the possibilities of what could happen if we don't do something to help. I do agree with Ryan Moore though when he says that humans need these wetlands more than they think and they are vital to our society. We use them for so many things we didn't realize and without them we would face many difficulties. We need these wetlands to help us, and we need the animals and wildlife thriving in them.
ReplyDeleteSeeing this article did not come as much of a shock to me. I live down the shore in Avalon, New Jersey for the entire summer and i have seen this happen first hand. I've seen the letters that my dad sends to some council members on the town boards and such to try and help our wetlands. Many people living along the shores donate their time and money to help. I wonder though, what the people in charge are really doing to help. I think this is an absolute disgrace because our wetlands are a huge issue, and if we don't do something about them now we will be in a great amount of danger, not to mention the animals and wildlife that use these wetlands as a home.
Honestly, I do think the wetlands will be destroyed. I hate saying this and hate thinking about it but I feel like people really just don't care enough anymore, and don't see the dangers. There are plenty of people out there trying to help but there are so many more who aren't, and that is why I think they will be destroyed. Only when that happens, I think, will the human society realized what it has done.