A variety of events characterize the world's constantly changing environment in which all organisms dwell. These variables paint a picture of the world's shifting dynamic state. As a result, in any preparation for living in the actual coexistence in the world now and beyond, these elements must be carefully considered. This paper, on the other hand, examines two facets of the world's always changing status. Tsunami inversions and hippo trading are examples of this.
Tsunamis are large waves of water that are created by high magnitude disturbances on the water's surface. Sources of disturbance in the water may be due to the occurrence of earthquakes on the water body or volcanic eruption underneath the water surface. A number of changes arise in the world in any occurrence of this factor(Urabe, Suzuki, Nishita, & Makino, 2013). According to the article on the earthweek (Week ending Friday, October 6, 2017), in the year 2011, the tsunami that occurred in Japan in March that year resulted to the transportation of the marine species entirely across to North American shores, a place that such species had never occurred or existed. This is in addition to other species, about 289 according to the article. That has migrated to other areas as a result of this, and having their origin from Japan. Due to this, the ecosystem is disturbed and hence a change is initiated(Urabe et al., 2013).
In addition to this, tsunami occurrence interferes with the flora and fauna including the coral reefs which have the greatest effects on the mangrove stand and coastal plantations which may take a number of years to be restored back to normal. This results in diverse effects on the organisms whose lives depend directly or indirectly on this kind of ecosystem. For instance, the occasion experienced due to the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in the year 2004 left a number of sufferings and frustration especially to the habitats that are around the shore(Kathiresan & Rajendran, 2005).
Hippo Trade
Every species of the organisms in the world have different aspects that distinguish them from each other. These include the environment in which they live or found in(Lewison, 2007). Another aspect that is unique to nearly all the living organisms is the rate of their reproduction. For instance, most hippos are found in Africa, especially on the east side of the continent according to the article (Week ending Friday, October 6, 2017). The hippo also is only able to calve after every two years. This indicates that their population is not very many in a given ecosystem due also to the conditions that also favors their calving.
As a result of this fact, when the species is subjected to any kind of trade, the population is threatened to extent of extinction. For instance, according to the article on the earthweak (Week ending Friday, October 6, 2017), the population of this species in the east part of Africa in the countries such as Uganda and Tanzania is threatened by the trade from China. The article also quotes that the species is prone to extinction if this kind of international trade is not monitored effectively by these countries.
Also, the lives of hippo are threatened by this kind of quest of ivory and trunk for the trophy. Approximately hundreds of hippo land victims of this kind of mission on a daily basis(Ripple et al., 2015). This gives a rough estimate of many thousands every year. Comparing this to the rate of reproduction of this animal, the population is to a critical extent if this phenomenon is not properly looked into.
Reference
Kathiresan, K., & Rajendran, N. (2005). Coastal mangrove forests mitigated tsunami. Estuarine, Coastal and shelf science, 65(3), 601-606.
Lewison, R. (2007). Population responses to natural and human‐mediated disturbances: assessing the vulnerability of the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). African Journal of Ecology, 45(3), 407-415.
Ripple, W. J., Newsome, T. M., Wolf, C., Dirzo, R., Everatt, K. T., Galetti, M., . . . Lindsey, P. A. (2015). Collapse of the world's largest herbivores. Science Advances, 1(4), e1400103.
Urabe, J., Suzuki, T., Nishita, T., & Makino, W. (2013). Immediate ecological impacts of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake tsunami on intertidal flat communities. PloS one, 8(5), e62779.
