leaches out copper, cadmium, zinc, and other heavy metals which flow out of
the seeps and openings of the mine. Much of this acidic mine drainage is
ultimately channeled into the Sacramento River. The pollution from Iron
Mountain will likely continue for another 3,000 years.NOISE
Many marine organisms, including marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish, use
sound to communicate, navigate, and hunt. Because of oceanic water noise
pollution caused by commercial shipping, military sonar, and recreational
boating, some species may have a harder time hunting, detecting predators, or
navigating properly.
OIL SPILLS
Oil is one of the world’s main sources of energy, but because it is unevenly
distributed worldwide, it must be transported by ship across oceans and by
pipelines across land. This can result in accidents when transferring oil to
vessels, when transporting, and when pipelines break, as well as when drilling
for oil. Oil that is accidentally released into a marine environment drastically
affects wildlife in the following ways:
■ The oil penetrates the feathers of seabirds, reducing the feathers’
insulating ability and making the birds more vulnerable to temperature
fluctuations and much less buoyant in the water.
■ It impairs seabirds’ flight and thus their abilities to forage and escape from
predators.
■ As the seabirds attempt to preen, they typically ingest oil that covers their
feathers, causing kidney and liver damage. This, along with the limited
foraging ability, quickly results in dehydration.
■ Since oil floats on top of water, less sunlight penetrates into the water,
limiting the photosynthesis of marine plants and phytoplankton and
affecting the food web in the ecosystem.
Recovering spilled oil is difficult and depends on many factors, including the
type of oil spilled, the temperature of the water, and the types of shorelines and
beaches involved. Methods for cleaning up oil include: