Nature's Gem

"The pearl is the oyster’s autobiography"

Pearls reveal the health of the waters they are growing in and are often known as ‘the canaries of the ocean’. They need prestige, clean and pollution-free water at the right temperature to grow. The gemstones can grow in either saltwater or freshwater. Freshwater pearls grow in mussels living in rivers and lakes. On the other hand, saltwater pearls are produced by oysters in oceans. Climate change is threatening pearl farming in several ways such as: 

• Rise in water temperature affects the natural ecosystem of the oysters which results in reduction of their food sources. Studies reveal that water temperatures greater than 30°C and low salinities reduce the oyster growth.
• Eutrophication is an environmental risk to oysters. The water becomes green with the minerals and nutrients which promote  the excessive growth of algae and plants. 
• Burning excessive fossil fuels makes the sea water more acidic. Crustaceans such as crabs, oysters and lobsters have shells made of calcium carbonate which is vulnerable to damage in acidic water. 
• Rising sea levels make it difficult for coral reefs, sea grasses and oysters to survive that generally live in shallower waters.

Pearl farmers protect the environment around them by ensuring that pollutants do not contaminate the farm waters. Their efforts result in creating areas of natural beauty and biodiversity.

A tryst with nature #pearls #environment #climatechange

This post is part of Blogchatter's CauseAChatter

  https://www.theblogchatter.com/causeachatter

 

Fields of Gold

'The earth laughs in flowers.' - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The bright yellow fields of oilseed rape are a refreshing sight during spring and early summer. These flowers belong to the mustard family and they offer several advantages as well as disadvantages to our environment such as:

• Used to produce vegetable oil.
• The seeds can be used for animal feed.
• Plants have a developed root system which can reach the minerals located in the lower layers of soil and also prevent soil erosion.
• The crop can retain moisture well as well as saturate the field with oxygen.
• It is a green manure crop as it helps to fertilise the soil by naturally adding nitrogen to it. This in turn helps to increase the yield of the crops such as wheat which are grown next.
• The plant’s rapid growth and lushness protects the field from wind and weed dispersion.
• Oilseed rape is a ‘break crop’ or a 'secondary crop' as it is grown to interrupt the repeated sowing of cereals as a part of crop rotation there by breaking the cycle of weeds, pests and diseases that build up in the soil.
• Oilseed rape can be used to produce ethanol, diesel and other liquid ‘biofuels.’
• Rapeseed is attractive to bees which are one of the crop’s main pollinators. However, the pesticides used on the crops are dangerous to bees.
• The pungent smell of pollen taints the taste of the honey produced.
• Biodiesel produced from the rapeseed emits nitrous oxide which is a powerful greenhouse gas and is 300 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

In some regions, viability of rapeseed crops is under serious threat due to these challenges.

A tryst with nature #rapeseed

This post is part of Blogchatter's CauseAChatter

  https://www.theblogchatter.com/causeachatter

Stone Stacking

"Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos"

The photograph of balancing stones is pretty as well as very popular. However, this creativity is an act of vandalism which is 'cool' for a social media post but 'cruel' for the environment. The ecological impact of these small towers of rocks is tremendous due to the following reasons:

• Stacking stones disturb foraging as well as the nesting instinct of coastal birds.
• Some organisms like crabs, insects and tiny geckos use the stones as shelter from predators. When these rocks are moved they are left exposed as well as put in danger.
• Balancing rocks causes or accelerates erosion because it exposes soil to elements such as waves, currents, tides and storms.
• Stone stacking ruins the landscape and damages the cultural integrity of some places. 
• Fish lay eggs in cracks between rocks and by moving them the eggs are at a risk of getting washed away or exposed to predators.

These simple constructions have now become problematic and are destroying the environment for clicks and likes on social media! 

A tryst with nature #stopstonestacking

This post is part of Blogchatter's CauseAChatter

  https://www.theblogchatter.com/causeachatter