Throughout this week I have been researching the topic I will present. I want to put an emphasis on a certain subtopic of Marine and Coastal Biodiversity: Land-based pollution and eutrophication. A major issue that is threatening the Gulf Coast is man made pollutants from nearby refineries and chemical plants. Eutrophication is the ecosystems natural response to the addition of artificial pollutants and/or natural substances that have reach peak levels. I have also been planning my presentation techniques that I will use during my presentation. Below is the definition from the UN decade of Biodiversity website, of the main topic that my subtopic is involved in. In the coming week, I will dive further into my sub-topic and start to research other ways to present my lecture in a interesting fun way.
What is Marine and Coastal Biodiversity?
The oceans cover 70% of the planet’s surface area, and marine and coastal environments contain diverse habitats that support an abundance of marine life. Life in our seas produces a third of the oxygen that we breathe, offers a valuable source of protein and moderates global climatic change. Some examples of marine and coastal habitats include mangrove forests; coral reefs; sea grass beds; estuaries in coastal areas; hydrothermal vents; and seamounts and soft sediments on the ocean floor a few kilometres below the surface.
