Biodiversity and Conservation

Questions 1. Why are estuaries, such as the Pamlico Estuary, so important? 2. How would you be able to determine from where nutrient infux comes? Could you prove this? 3. High levels of nutrients moving into the estuary have been linked to Pf esteria outbreaks. What nutrient sources might contribute to this problem? You should be able to list several potential nutrient sources. “Te Fish Kill Mystery” by Erica F. Kosal Page 4 NATIONAL CENTER FOR CASE STUDY TEACHING IN SCIENCE 4. Te Environmental Protection Agency (epa) has regulations to manage water pollution. Examine those found at. Given that nutrient infux can be considered a form of pollution, do you think additional regulation is needed? How could this agency regulate all nutrient infux (e.g. suburban runof )? 5. Summarize the two diferent camps of thought on the life cycle of Pf esteria. Which set of arguments do you fnd more appealing? Defend your answer. How would you go about resolving this controversy? What studies and/or fndings are needed to help in this process? Given there is an active controversy in the scientif c community on the Pf esteria life stages, should public policy decisions be made when the scientif c community is not in agreement? What would happen if action on this problem were delayed until the controversy was resolved? What if action were taken without all the “facts” known? 6. Under which circumstances should we try to control the population numbers of Pf esteria? If human health was not threatened, but commercially valuable fsh species were harmed, should we control Pf esteria? If the f sh species harmed were not commercially signifcant, should we control Pf esteria? Justify your answers in each case. 7. What will scientists need to do before they can develop a test for sampling water for the toxin? 8. What concerns may non-scientists have regarding a test for the toxin? 9. Why might other biologists be interested in studying this organism or its toxin? What other applications might there be?