The Critical Nature of Water Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Critical Nature of Water - Essay Example The fireweed has only recently been observed and has been analyzed at the University of Queenslands marine botany lab by scientist Judith ONeil. Fireweed is a hairy strain of ancient bacteria that flourished on earth 2.7 billion years ago. The poisonous weed, cyanobacteria, has appeared in at least a dozen locations around the globe. According to Weiss, the bacteria has devolved in response to the pollution of the worlds oceans. In an evolutionary sense, bacteria are very adaptable and can quickly mutate to adapt to new conditions (Campbell & Reese 2002 p.340). It is a result of "...overdosing the oceans with basic nutrients--the nitrogen, carbon, iron and phosphorous compounds that... wash into the sea from fertilized lawns and cropland, seep out of septic tanks and gush from sewer pipes". These are not the deadly carcinogens such as dioxin or PCBs. These are the basics of life and demonstrates the critical balance of the quality of our water supply. According to Goudie (1994), this will eventually lead to severe oxygen depletion and result in massive fish kills (p.214). Further destruction is evident in the coral beds of the Caribbean where as much as 80% have been lost in recent years. Weiss says that this "quiet creep of environmental decay" has gone unchecked and largely unnoticed for decades. Scientist Jeremy Jackson stated that, "Were pushing the oceans back to the dawn of evolution, to a half-billion years ago when the oceans were ruled by jellyfish and bacteria". Biology has discovered the problem and biology can prescribe the remedy. The article was a factual account of the destruction of the oceans water. It drew from first hand experiences and quoted biology experts that had researched the problem.