Anthropogenic Factors Associated with Jellyfish Blooms (Draft #1)

This topic submitted by Kristie Shubin ( kristiebuchnoff@hotmail.com) at 10:53 PM on 4/20/08.

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ABSTRACT
Recently there has been much evidence of abnormal jellyfish blooms around our coasts. What has been causing the increased frequency of these jellyfish blooms? It is hypothesized that there are many factors contributing to jellyfish abundance such as drought, increased salinity on the coast, overfishing and decimation of top predator species, and rising sea temperatures. Although the formation of blooms depends on natural forces such as ocean currents, I expect to find through the course of my research that the increased frequencies of jellyfish blooms are resulting from anthropogenic causes.

OUTLINE
1) Introduction
2) Challenges
i) Data Collection
ii) Ecology of the Polyp
3) Anthropogenic Factors Associated with Jellyfish Blooms
i) Climate Change
ii) Overfishing
iii) Eutrophication
iv) Low Oxygen Concentrations
v) Water Salinity
4) Problems Associated with Jellyfish Blooms
i) Fishing industry
ii) Tourism
iii) Seawater Cooling Systems
5) Conclusion

REFERENCES
Malakoff, D. (2001). Interest Blooms in Growing Jellyfish Boom. Science, 293(5527), 29. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from Academic Search Premier database.

McFarling, U. L. (2006). Altered Oceans. A Chemical Imbalance. Growing seawater threatens to wipe out coral, fish and other crucial species worldwide. Los Angeles Times. August 3, 2006.

Mills, C. E. (2001). Jellyfish blooms: are po;ulations increasing globally in response to changing ocean conditions? Hydrobiologia. Springer Netherlands. 10.1023 (55-68).

M¿ller, H. (1984). Effects on jellyfish predation by fishes. Proceedings of the Workshop on Jellyfish Blooms in the Mediterranean, Athens 1983. UNEP 1984: 45-59.

M¿ller, L. F., & RiisgŒrd, H. U. (2007). Impact of jellyfish and mussels on algal blooms caused by seasonal oxygen depletion and nutrient release from the sediment in a Danish fjord. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 351(1-2), 92-105.

Omori, M. & E. Nakano, (2001). Jellyfish fishery in southeast Asia Hydrobiologia 451 (Dev. Hydrobiol. 155): 19-26.

Purcell, J. E. (2005). Climate effects on formation of jellyfish and ctenophore blooms. Western Washington University, Shannon Point Marine Center. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 85(461-476).

Rees. J. T. & L. A. Gershwin, (2000). Non-indigenous hydromedusae in CaliforniaÕs upper San Francisco Estuary: life cycles, distribution, and potential environmental impacts. Sci. Mar. 64 (Suppl. 1): 73-86.

Weiss, K. R. (2006). Altered Oceans. A Primeval Tide of Toxins. Runoff from modern life is feeding an explosion of primitive organisms. This Ôrise of slimeÕ, as one scientist calls it is killing larger species and sickening people. Los Angeles Times. July 30, 2006.

Whiteman, L. (2002). The Blobs Of Summer. Swarms of Jellyfish are Invading Coasts Around the world. Natural Resources Defense Council. On Earth, Environment, Politics, People. http://www.nrdc.org/onearth/02sum/jelly1.asp


For Further Info on this Topic, Check out this WWW Site: http://faculty.washington.edu/cemills/.
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