Research Part 5 Final Draft: A Changing Arctic

A Changing Arctic
The Arctic Sea is an undiscovered beauty with its crystal blue-green waters and sculptures of ice that look as if Picasso himself created the massive bergs. With such natural beauty, it is hard to believe what lies beneath this surreal waterscape are the greatest killer this world has ever seen. Usually the grand flows of sea ice that freeze in the winter keep these black and white mammals at bay longer. Over the years the shift in the weather has provided for them an earlier season to explore the Arctic waters. Although the melting sea ice is allowing for an increase of killer whale presence in the Arctic, the whales are damaging the ecosystem of the Arctic Sea because they are dominating the top of the food chain, they are competing with the Inuit (Inupiat) for their marine food supply, and they are causing marine mammals to become endangered and possibly extinct.

The killer whale or orca is one animal that can be found in almost any of the oceans or seas around the world, from Antarctica to the Arctic (Pitman, Perryman, LeRoi, & Eilers, 2007; Zerbini, 2007). Their presence in the Arctic Sea has increased over the years due to the warming of the Arctic region.  In just the Hudson Bay area alone, from 1990 to 2000 there have been reports of an increase of 79 killer whale sightings (Hidgon & Ferguson, 2009).  The killer whales usually make an appearance in July and begin their move back into warmer waters around the end of August. Since the waters have become warmer they are staying a lot longer, even into December.  Killer whales are not the only factor in reshaping this ecological environment, but they are becoming a very devastating one.  Due to the fact these rather large marine mammals live in such an expansive territory, they do not have a stable food source but eat whatever is available to them. There have been studies done on large whale pods that have suggested that they will stick to one diet, but that particular diet is not the same for each pod (Ferguson, Higdon, & Wetsdal, 2012; Laden, 2012). Most studies have been done on whale pods not living in the Arctic, but with the help of the Inuit (Inupiat) people of the Arctic, researchers have been able to get a little better picture of what these whale pods are devouring.  One might think these giants would have an appetite for fish, but marine mammals are what they prefer. Many of the Inuit that have been interviewed as to the eating habits of the killer whale have stated they have not seen them eat fish but have gone after seals, sea lions, otters, walrus, and other more docile whales, such as the bowhead, beluga, and the narwhal (Morell, 2012). The killer whales have been observed as not being very humane in their killings.  They tend to play with their food, tossing it between them as if the animal were a rag doll (O’Harra, 2012).  They have also been seen taking an unsuspecting polar bear for a meal, too.  These adaptable mammals pick and choose their prey depending on the area they are in and tend to go after the more vulnerable marine mammals.  An example of an unsuspecting marine mammal would be a seal sunning itself on a piece of floating ice.  The whale pod will then works together to create a massive wave knocking the seal from its safe location, giving the whale pod a chance at their prey (Ferguson, Higdon, & Wetsdal, 2012).  The Inuit have seen many killer whale pods slaughter other members of a different whale species family, such as the very rare narwhal and the bowhead whale along with the beluga (Morell, 2012). The Inuit or the Inupiat are known as the “People of the Whales”, and since they are not the only ones who use the whale as a food source this increase of killer whale presence gives them a reason to be concerned (Sakakibara, 2010).

The killer whales are now coming into the Arctic much earlier and staying much later than they have in the past. The local native people now have to compete with these pack hunting killers for one of their native ancestral food sources, the whale. Orcas or killer whales have been called wolves of the sea because of their pack like hunting skills (O’Harra, 2012). As a researcher for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Freshwater Institute, Steven Ferguson has made a very scary observation.  Because of the climate change, the killer whales could be the cause of an irreversible change that is being seen in the Arctic ecosystem.  Steven Ferguson also states that, “This change of what animals live in the Arctic is likely going to happen with the warming but we didn’t anticipate that killer whales might be removing certain susceptible prey and maybe temperate species will move up to take their place” (Puxley, 2012). This is a very real outcome that could start to take place. The native whales of the Arctic are not the only marine mammals the killer whales are affecting.   The killer whales are causing the Inuit to become worried about the seals and walrus populations as well (Mead, Gittelsohn, Kratzmann, Roache, & Sharma, 2010). With the killer whales trespassing into the Inuit way of life, these giants cannot be met with open arms who are trying to take over the Inuit hunting grounds.  The Inuit live in an area of the world where they have to rely on the animals of the sea for nutrition.  They live in a tundra area where wild plants just don’t want to grow.  “In our society, it is always the whale that brings us together,” said Mae Ahgeak, whaling captain’s wife, in her personal interview with Sakakibara in Barrow, Alaska, June 18, 2005. Whales are a very important part of the Inuit subsistence. As Sakakibara stated in her article, “Cetaceousness and Climate Change Among the Inupiat of Arctic Alaska,” “The cultural survival and social ethics are all based on intimate relationships with the whale, and the whale symbolically and physically lies in the heart of human subsistence” (Sakakibara, 2010). This leaves the only option for the Inuit culture to survive is to hunt the hunters who are depleting their way of life (Lougheed, 2010).  With the invasion of the killer whales, a shift in the Inuit cultural pattern is again taking place.  This time it is not because of the introduction of other peoples and ideas but from an animal that cannot be controlled (Mead, Gittelsohn, Kratzmann, Roache, & Sharma, 2010). A way in which the Inuit people have survived for thousands of years may become harder and harder to pass on to the next generation. Some might suggest that with the introduction of Euroamerican ideals, the significance of the ancestral ways is not as important.  But it should not be due to the ancestral food sources being over hunted by the killer whale (Lougheed, 2009). Concerns of the Inuit way of hunting are also being called in to question with the increase of the killer whale presence.  Some feel it may not be safe for both the Inuit and the killer whale to be hunting the same areas and hunting the same animals, sometimes at the same time (Ferguson, Higdon, & Wetsdal, 2012). It is not just the Inuit that the killer whale is having a great impact on but all life up in the Arctic north.  It seems that all marine mammals that depend on the ice for protection, are trying to find other places to hide, not just from the Inuit but from the killer whales, too. The bigger problem however, is how to keep the killer whales from over killing. Since these marine wolves do not have any natural predators, it is hard keep their numbers under control. This is where the Inuit really come in to help keep the balance. In Canada and Alaska, aboriginal whaling is still legal, and because these great giants can become overwhelming killers, the Inuit are doing their part in the circle of life (Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, 2007). Some may argue that that is exactly what the killer whale is doing also, just doing their part of the circle of life.  It has been suggested that when the food source of an animal runs low, that species will be affected and their numbers will start to drop.  In this way giving their prey a chance to reproduce, and get their populations back up to allow the circle to continue as it always has. But what about the animals who are being hunted to their extinction?

Before the longer seasonal appearances of the orca in the Arctic region, researchers tried to get an accurate count of marine populations but were not very successful. They were unable to get an assessment of the climate change that has affected their population numbers.  The killer whales’ extended appearance in the Arctic has been a great shock to this very fragile ecosystem. With the melting sea ice, many changes have occurred. One change can be seen with the migration of the beluga whales.  The beluga whales prefer to spend their winters in an area where there is a light and moveable sea ice flow.  Researchers are now finding where some of these whales have now moved into areas that have deep ice coverage to try to escape becoming the prey of the killer whale (Laidre, Stirling, Lowry, Wiig, Heide-Jorgensen, & Ferguson, 2008). This global change is something everyone needs to be more aware of. The narwhal whale is another one of the animals that are being affected by the killer whale. The area of the Arctic where the narwhal can be found most frequently is around the shores of Greenland.  This area, too, has seen an increase in killer whale activity over the years (Heide-Jorgensen, Laidre, Burt, Borchers, Marques, Hansen, & Fossette, 2010; Kwok & Untersteiner, 2011). The narwhal whales rely on the densely packed sea ice flow during the winter months. They have adapted to this type of habitat and with the melting of the sea ice it is disappearing fast (Laidre, Stirling, Lowry, Wiig, Heide-Jorgensen, & Ferguson, 2008).  If future generations are to have the experience of seeing one of these unique creatures, more needs to be done to insure the sea ice does not completely disappear (Campbell, Yurik, & Snow, 1988). The narwhals are not the only animals at risk of their populations decreasing. The bowhead whales, which are the most important source for the Inuit subsistence, have had eye witnesses to their killings by killer whales.  In 1999, there were a greater number of killer whales in the Arctic since sea ice flows were minimal. A group of Inuit reported discovering at least eight dead whales, one in which was a recent kill which they could still use (Ferguson, Higdon, & Chemelnitsky, 2010).  Many other mammals are affected, too, such as the sea otter, stellar sea lions, along with the ringed and bearded seals (Ferguson, Higdon, and Wetsdal, 2012; Kuker & Barrett-Lennard, 2010; Durban, Ellifrit, Dahlheim, Waite, Matkin, Barrett-Lennard, & Wade, 2009). During the spring and summer months, the Arctic waters come alive with marine mammals. The Arctic areas are their breeding grounds and where in the next year their young will be born.  When this very delicate balance is interrupted, “with earlier spring break-up of sea ice and reduced snow cover for birth lairs” this has a direct result in reducing the amount of offspring born each year (Higdon & Ferguson, 2010). What happens if these animals are over hunted by other animals, how will they procreate and continue generation after generation? With native Inuit hunting these same animals as part of their subsistence and cultural practices, their culture like the many marine mammals do not stand a chance at being around for much longer.

Researchers are discovering everyday new information regarding the impact of the killer whales on the Arctic.  With these new findings, they may be able to find ways to decrease the killer whales effects on this fragile ecosystem, while helping to preserve the culture of the native people and help to bring back the dwindling marine mammal populations that they have affected. With the help of conservationists, along with the people of the world, maybe one day it might be possible for each creature on earth to find that middle ground and coexist.

References

Campbell, R., Yurick, D., & Snow, N. (1988). Predation on Narwhals, Monodon monoceros , by killer whales, Orcinus orca , in the Eastern Canada. Canadian field-naturalist. Ottawa ON [CAN. FIELD-NAT.]. Vol. 102, no. 4, pp. 689-696.

Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. (2007). Archives. Status of Knowledge on Killer Whales (Orcinus) in the Canadian Arctic. Retrieved from http://www.biblio.uqar.qc.ca/archives/30137701.pdf

Durban, J. J., Ellifrit, D. D., Dahlheim, M. M., Waite, J. J., Matkin, C. C., Barrett-Lennard, L. L., & … Wade, P. P. (2010). Photographic mark-recapture analysis of clustered mammal-eating killer whales around the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. Marine Biology, 157(7), 1591-1604. doi:10.1007/s00227-010-1432-6

Ferguson, S., Higdon, J., and Wetsdal, K. (2012). Prey items and predation behavior of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Nunavut, Canada based on Inuit hunter interviews. Aquatic Biosystems, 8:3 doi:10.1186/2046-9063-8-3

Heide-Jorgensen, M, Laidre, K., Burt, M., Borchers, D., Marques, T., Hansen, R., & Fossette, S. (2010). Abundance of narwhals on the hunting grounds in Greenland.  Journal of Mammalogy, 91(5), 1135-1151. Doi: 10.1644/09-MAMM-A-198.1.

Hidgon, J., & Ferguson, S. (2009). Loss of Arctic Sea Ice Causing Punctuated Change in Sightings of Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) Over the Past Century. Ecological Applications, 19(5), 1365-1375.

Kuker, K., & Barrett-Lennard, L. (2010). A re-evaluation of the role of killer whales Orcinus orca in a population decline of sea otters Enhydra lutris in the Aleutian Islands and a review of alternative hypotheses. Mammal Review, 40(2), 103-124. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.2009.00156.x

Laidre, K., Stirling, I., Lowry, L., Wiig, O., Heide-Jorgensen, M., & Ferguson, S. (2008). Quantifying the Sensitive of Arctic Marine Mammals to Climate-Induced Habitat Change. Ecological Application, 18(2) Supplement, S97-S125.

Laden, G. (2012). What the Inuit Taught Scientists about Killer Whales. Surprising Science. [Web log post] Retrieved from http://www.Smithsonian.org.

Lougheed, T. (2010). THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF ARCTIC TRADITIONAL FOOD. Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(9), A386-A393.

Mead, E. E., Gittelsohn, J. J., Kratzmann, M. M., Roache, C. C., & Sharma, S. S. (2010). Impact of the changing food environment on dietary practices of an Inuit population in Arctic Canada. Journal Of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, 2318-26. doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.2010.01102.x

Morell, V. (2012). Killer Whale Menu Finally Revealed. Science Now. Retrieved from

http://www.news.sciencemag.org

O’Harra, D. (2012). Killer Whales are the Sea Wolves of Arctic. Alaska Dispatch. Retrieved from http://www.alaskadispatch.com

Pitman, R.L., Perryman, W.L., LeRoi, D., & Eilers, E. (2007). A Dwarf Form of Killer Whale in Antarctica. Journal of Mammalogy, 88(1), 43-48.

Puxley, C. (2012).Disappearing Sea Ice Enticing More Killer Whales to Arctic.
[Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www. Winnipegfreepress.com

Sakakibara, C. (2010). Kiavallakkikput Agviq (Into the Whaling Cycle): Cetaceousness and Climate Change Among the Inupiat of Arctic Alaska. Annals Of The Association Of American Geographers, 100(4), 1003-1012. doi:10.1080/00045608.2010.500561

Zerbini, A. N., Waite, J. M., Durban, J. W., LeDuc, R., Dahlheim, M. E., & Wade, P. R. (2007). Estimating abundance of killer whales in the nearshore waters of the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands using line-transect sampling. Marine Biology, 150(5), 1033-1045. doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0347-8

 

Response # 6: Negleted Water Laws

Throughout the world people have become seriously ill and sometimes even died due to lack of clean drinking water. Most people may assume that this only a problem for third world countries; however it also happens in developed countries. Although the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed almost forty years ago, much of the tap water in the United States is unsafe to drink because of an overwhelmed regulatory agency, inadequate fines to prevent violations, and new threats that are currently unregulated.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for enforcing standards set by Congress and The Safe water Drinking Act. However according to Charles Duhigg, in his article “Clean Water Laws Are Neglected, at a Cost in Suffering,” it has become more difficult for the EPA to do their job due to downsizing caused by cutbacks. In addition, today’s EPA has more to inspect and even fewer personnel to do so. Many corporations have benefited a great deal because of the EPA being overwhelmed. With the EPA overwhelmed, this decreases the chance of fines, and increases the chance of violations. When companies do receive fines, they are often less than adequate to prevent further infractions. For instance, some fines are so low in comparison with the corporation’s profit that the loss can be made up within 10 hours. Furthermore, it has become even more difficult for the EPA, and other groups to prevent water contamination because the corporations have become effective lobbyist. It’s not uncommon for former EPA agents to switch sides for higher pay. Besides the difficulty of enforcing an effective preventive water pollution program, the EPA faces the additional challenge of unregulated sources of Pollution. For instance, water runoff from farms have contaminated many waterways, but are not currently included in the Water Protection Act.

In the End, without support, and backing of the larger government agencies the EPA cannot effectively maintain a safe water supply. The fines are so small and infrequent that they have little or no impact. Unsafe drinking water, and the health risks that accompany it, will continue as long as the corporations are the ones that decide if the drinking water should be safe. After all, there is much more money in polluting water, than keeping it clean.

Essay #1- Cause/Effect: Food Inc. Change, Powerd by Choice

Since the industrial era businesses have been able to cut production costs and provide mass quantities of products at lower prices. Typical families are now capable of putting meat on the table, not only once a week, or even once a day, but every single meal. The reduction of meat prices is due to the industrialization of the farming industry, or commonly called factory farming. Although factory farming has produced large quantities of food at low-cost, factory farming causes problems for the environment because biodiversity is lost in the development of pastures, farms produce too much animal waste, resulting in polluted waterways, and the overuse of antibiotics has resulted in the development of superbugs. The documentary Food Inc. touches on many of these topics and unveils just how little consumers know about what they eat and where it comes from.

As pointed out in the film, most people are under the illusion that their food is grown on the cute little farms often depicted on the packaging of the products themselves. In all actuality, few of these farms exist, as most of them have been replaced with large factory farms (Kenner, 2009). The factory farms have over-crowding of livestock causing problems for the environment due to a loss of biodiversity. When acres of land are cleared for pastures, it limits the vegetation in that area to a monoculture, leading to an eco system cannot support many of the native species that once thrived there (Kenner, 2009). Not only does mass land clearing for pastures disrupt the balance in the local eco-systems, the deforestation cuts down our planets ability to deal with the green house gasses attributed to climate change. Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gasses which is absorbed by plants that in turn give off oxygen as a byproduct. Additionally, the over-crowding of livestock in factory farming creates large amounts of animal waste, leading to the degradation of the soil. In traditional small family farming, less animal waste is produces allowing for the soil to absorb and use the animal waste without being overwhelmed.

In addition to harming the soil, the over accumulation of animal waste in factory farms has also contributed to water pollution. Chemicals and antibiotics are used so frequently to prevent and deal with illnesses caused by overcrowding, that the soil itself has become contaminated. To deal with excess waste generated on factory farms, many farmers store animal waste in manmade damns or lagoon like structures. When one of these structures breaks it can have devastating effects on the environment. For example, in 1995 the New River hog waste spill in North Carolina, introduced 25 million gallons of waste into the water causing the spread of disease and killing most of the fish; as a result, 364,000 acres of coastal fishing beds had to be closed down (Warrick, 1995). Spills are not the only way that the soil contaminates the water supply. Many of the antibiotics, chemicals, and bacteria found in animal waste ends up in the soil, and eventually into the water table below. Furthermore, the agriculture used to feed these animals have been grown with fertilizer and pesticides which has contaminated the soil, and polluted the water ways when it rains with toxic runoff. Again, as with soil contamination, the water contamination is caused by trying to produce too much product in an area too small to maintain a safe balance for the ecosystem.

Soil contamination and water pollution are not the only concerns when dealing with the overcrowding of the farm animals. With the use of antibiotics, and unsanitary conditions caused by excess waste, the bacteria that live in the waste have become resistant to many types of antibiotics creating superbugs. These superbugs disrupt the balance of the ecosystem and create health hazards. A University of Iowa study found that 70% of the hogs, and 64% of the workers had contracted a resistant strain of methicilin resistant staph, known as MSRA (Couric, 2010). The overuse of antibiotics has created superbugs that have disrupted the balance of our ecosystem and has created health hazards.

The cost to our health and environment are hidden when purchasing many of the foods that come from factory farmed animals. Though many packages are labeled with cute family fresh farm scenes, the reality is quite different. Animals are being forced to live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions that have led to a degradation of our soil, water, and health. Although factory farming drives down the prices at the register, the overall cost to the environment is much higher. In the end, the film Food Inc. points out that the consumers demand for cheep food has led to the industrialization of farming; and in turn, it will be the consumers demand for sustainable eco-friendly food that will be responsible developing the environmentally safe farming techniques of the future.

References
Couric, K.. (Executive Producer). (2010, February 9). Animal antibiotic Overuse Hurting humans?[Television series episode]. New York: CBS Evening News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/09/eveningnews/main6191530.shtml .

Kenner, R. & Pierce, R. (Directors). (2009). Food Inc. [Motion Picture]. United States: Magnolia home Entertainment.

Warrick, J.& Leayenworth, S. (1995, June 29). Waste spill receives hog legislation, House looks again at farm regulations. The News Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-recent/6271 .

Response # 4: Earth911.com

The website, Earth911.com, reaches beyond teaching its visitors how to recycle. At the top of the website is a recycling center locator. This is not just a listing of places that recycle items, it’s has a search section that allows visitors to look up exactly what they want to recycle. Additionally, the locator has a convenient feature that povides mapping information, phone numbers, addresses, and even curbside drop off sites.

Beyond the locator, there are many articles discussing environmental topics. These articles have comment sections allowing for more in-depth dialog. Furthermore, there are multiple links to other environmental friendly sites. These sites offer additional information and tips, for instance, organizational fundraiser opportunities involving recycling. Many of the sites visited had the Better Business Bureau stamp of approval on their pages. Earth911.com, and many of its linked sites, can be followed on Facebook and Twitter with weekly newsletters to keep visitors informed about current issues.

Overall, Earth911.com is a website designed to educate and assist those seeking to lower their carbon footprint, and live in a more sustainable lifestyle. With easy to find recycle centers and tips on how to live green, Earth911.com takes the stress out of wasting less. Earth911.com has something to offer both those that are new to recycling and the seasoned veterans as well. I highly recommend visiting and bookmarking Earth911.com.