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The (not so) silent world

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Le monde du silence (1956), co-directed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle, filmed in the Mediterranean and Red seas, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, is an icon of underwater cinematography. The film faced strong criticism due to the environmental damage done during the filmmaking. However, far from discussing how environmentally conscious were Cousteau and Malle, we wish to discuss how silent this world truly was.  Pilot whales in the Southern coast of Pico island. In fact, the ocean is a very noisy place. Ambient sound is an important aspect of the marine habitat, and noise in the ocean is the result of both natural –including geological and biological– and anthropogenic sources. These sources, when analysed together, provide insight into the acoustic scene. Today we are going to focus on the natural sources of marine sounds .  Natural sources of noise include processes such as earthquakes, wind-driven waves, rainfall, bubbles, bio-acoustic sound generation –eg. fish or
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Sharks: victims, not perpetrators.

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Overfishing has reduced abundances of sharks worldwide, with functional extinction of some species in former habitat strongholds. The world’s fastest shark, the shortfin mako ( Isurus oxyrinchus ) is globally endangered but remains overfished in the North Atlantic, and in high demand commercially for its meat and fins. There has been management inaction for decades partly because species data is poorly recorded. Unfortunately, despite improvements in data quality and models, regulators are not abiding by scientists’ advice, and nations do not agree to a quota to limit North Atlantic mako catches. However, with a good management, the North Atlantic stick recovery could be achieved by 2070. The mako’s common name is derived from the Maori term “mako”, which translated means “shark”. There are two living species of mako sharks: the longfin mako ( Isurus paucus ) and the shortfin mako. The longfin mako resembles the shortfin mako, but has larger pectoral fins and larger eyes. Makos ar
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The Problems of Earth resume: Loss of biodiversity

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Loss of biodiversity is a decrease in the diversity of life forms within a species, an ecosystem, or the Earth as a whole.   Brazilian Amazon rainforest (International Business Times, 2018) The loss of biodiversity can lead to a breakdown in the functioning of the ecosystem where decline has happened. An area’s biodiversity may increase and decrease following natural cycles. In contrast, human-driven biodiversity loss tend to be more severe and longer-lasting: ecosystems have adapted to the challenges of natural disturbances. However, humans, our crops, and our food livestock take up half of the world’s habitable land, and overexploits 90% of the fishing stocks. This massive conversion of forests, wetlands, grasslands, other terrestrial ecosystems, and the ocean, has produced a 60% decline in the number of vertebrates worldwide since 1970.  The Rockefeller Foundation/Lancet Commission reports that human health depends on natural systems functioning properly. Biodiversity conserv
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The Problems of Earth: The role of agriculture in the soil quality

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By "the role of agriculture in the soil quality" we refer to the  effect that the science, and art of cultivating plants and livestock significantly has on the ability of the soil to perform its essential  functions.  Cropland spraying ( irxp.com , 2018) Soil is an important natural resource supporting plant, animal, and human populations and is a habitat for a diversity of species. Productive soils throughout the world are being degraded rapidly due to human activities. Declining soil quality over the past century has manifested itself in loss of agriculturally productive lands, forests, and wetlands due to overuse.  The quality of the soil is essential because it is the beginning of the quality of the food. That quality of food provides health quality . Therefore, if we grow croplands on poor soil, we will be feeding ourselves with poor food and we will have a poor health. Our health and the health of our planet are connected. In every handful of healthy soil, there
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