Bermuda
BBSR
St. George's Harbor
John Smith's Bay
Walsingham Pond

Affects of Pollution on Organisms
Nahant Biomagnification Pyramid

Bermudian Biomagnification Pyramid

Methods

Conclusions

"Nine planets around the sun, only one does the sun embrace.  Upon this watered one, so much we take for granted."

-Dave Matthews Band, "One Sweet World"

Introduction

Our oceans and seas cover 70% of the earth's surface.  That equates to 97% of the water worldwide.  It is obvious that these bodies of water play an important role in the workings of our planet.  Oceans help to direct global weather patterns, they provide a carbon sink for the planet, the give families a place to vacation, and they shelter an innumerable amount of organisms.  However, in some places, the oceans and the organisms residing within them are in grave danger.  From what?  Humans.  Human activities are greatly changing the composition of our seas.  Global warming is melting the polar ice caps and raising sea levels, industrial pollution is adding heavy metals to the water, and human excrement is readily being pumped out to sea at an alarming rate.  These are just a few of the numerous practices that are damaging the oceans. 

This project focuses on two specific areas where questionable sewage treatment practices are being carried out.  First there is Nahant, Massachusetts which is a hop, skip and a jump away from Boston Harbor where there was no sewage treatment until the later half of the 20th century.  The second location is the island of Bermuda.  Here there is no sewage treatment at all, and human waste is simply piped off-shore. 

The goals of my research were to determine what the water quality was at these sites, and to determine if it had any impact on the organisms living in the surrounding waters.

Within the pages of this website you will find natural histories, water quality data, and lots of other relevant material for both locations.  ENJOY!!

Data

Photo Gallery