Question

13. Imagine a large inland sea located in a semi-desert region that supports a booming fishing and shipping trade. Through various lines of research, the following facts about this sea have been uncovered: .

e. Thirty years ago, upstream irrigation systems were introduced to supply surrounding farms.

a. About twenty years ago, the water level of the sea began to drop noticeably. Today, over half the water volume has been lost.

b. Salt content of this inland sea has nearly doubled. Strong winds are blowing the salt, which accumulates along the shore, into nearby agricultural lands.

c. Pesticides and other chemicals used in agriculture and adjacent industries have seeped back into the sea.

d. The lack of proper sewage facilities has resulted in the dumping of waste into the sea.

what effects would you expect these factors to have on this ecosystem? Explain your answer. What would you propose as solutions to this potential ecological catastrophe?

Answer 1

Effects on the ecosystem:

Because of the excess salinity of the sea water, the top soil in the nearby areas becomes saline. This makes the groundwater and freshwater unfit for use. The water may become highly brackish because of the salinity. The sea becomes highly polluted because of the waste dumping. Industrial and sewage wastes such as cryolite, mercury, and DDT may accumulate, which has numerous negative effects. Pesticides, pollutants, harmful chemicals and other harmful contaminants are picked up by the sea which makes the water unfit for other purposes. The agricultural land also becomes saline and the top soil becomes highly saline in this ecosystem. Poor drainage causes salination of the irrigational water. Most of the crops and plants are highly sensitive to salinity, which limits the productivity.

Solutions to the ecosystem:

To help overcome salinity stress, efficient resource management and mitigation strategies are required. Crop and livestock improvement can help. Microorganisms can be used to replenish and improve the soil quality as some microbes are tolerant to salinity. Rhizosphere microbes including fungi and bacteria are beneficial and can improve crop performance. Management and minimization of the dumping into the sea is necessary to treat this ecosystem. Regulations and laws also play an important rule that will protect the sea from sewage wastes, dumping and industrial wastes. Growing trees in the nearby areas after treating salinity can increase the chances of rainfall. This can improve the water levels and soil quality in the ecosystem.