Understanding Chemical Contaminants in Bull Sharks: An Important Step for Florida’s Marine Ecosystems – Tech Cyber Web

Susannah Cogburn is a Grasp of Environmental Science pupil at Florida Gulf Coast College, the place she research the results of chemical contaminants on bull shark physiology and their implications for Florida’s marine ecosystems. She was awarded the Florida Sea Grant Man Harvey Fellowship in 2024.

After I suppose again to my earliest recollections of the ocean, I can nearly really feel the sand between my toes and listen to the light crash of waves breaking in opposition to the shore. I grew up in Pensacola, simply minutes from the water, the place my fascination with the ocean formed my path towards a profession in marine science.

Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are an essential species in Florida’s coastal and estuarine ecosystems,  and a prime predator that performs a significant function in marine meals webs. Nonetheless, their habitats – resembling  rivers, estuaries, and coastal zones – overlap with areas of excessive human exercise and contamination.

My work focuses on a hidden however rising concern: chemical contaminants. Understanding the forms of contaminants and its results in bull sharks isn’t just about defending a single species — it’s about preserving the well being and resilience of Florida’s total marine ecosystem.

Why Research Bull Sharks?

Bull sharks are distinctive amongst sharks for his or her skill to tolerate recent, brackish, and saltwater environments, permitting them to thrive in Florida’s rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters. This adaptability makes them a beneficial species to check as a result of they will encounter a wide range of pollution as they transfer between habitats. In contrast to different shark species, bull sharks often occupy estuaries close to populated areas the place agricultural runoff, wastewater, and anthropogenic discharge accumulates. By finding out the presence and results of those chemical compounds in bull sharks, we achieve perception into the well being of our water methods and the challenges going through different species that share these waters.

My analysis, which includes sampling bull sharks from completely different areas in Southwest Florida, helps us monitor contaminant ranges over time. Every tissue pattern tells a narrative of what bull sharks encounter as they transfer by means of ecosystems. Understanding these chemical accumulations helps scientists and environmental managers make knowledgeable selections that have an effect on not solely marine life, but in addition the coastal communities that depend on these waters for recreation, fishing, and tourism.

The Risk of Chemical Contaminants in Florida’s Marine Ecosystem and Communities

Chemical contaminants can enter marine environments by means of varied sources, together with agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, and concrete wastewater. Contaminants don’t simply have an effect on bull sharks on the prime of the meals internet; they influence your entire ecosystem, offering perception into the state of the marine meals internet, as prime predators accumulate toxins from their prey. Contamination may also have an effect on the survival and reproductive success of bull sharks, which is regarding for the general well being of Florida’s marine ecosystems.

Florida’s waters assist not solely wealthy marine biodiversity but in addition a thriving financial system based mostly on tourism, fishing, and leisure water actions. Chemical contamination in bull sharks is an early warning signal of broader ecosystem well being dangers, which may cascade right down to fish species focused in business and leisure fishing. Detecting these contaminants in bull sharks alerts potential dangers for human shoppers and the necessity for stricter environmental safety measures.

By my analysis, I goal to boost consciousness in regards to the interconnectedness of those points. Contaminants in marine predators like bull sharks influence all the pieces from native economies and meals safety to neighborhood well being. By monitoring contaminant ranges in bull sharks, we are able to higher perceive the sources and impacts of air pollution in Florida’s essential estuaries.

What’s Subsequent for Bull Shark Conservation?

My analysis is only one piece of a bigger puzzle. The presence of those chemical contaminants raises essential questions on Florida’s environmental practices and the way forward for our waters. To handle these points, we’d like an interdisciplinary strategy that mixes analysis, coverage, and neighborhood engagement.

Considered one of my targets as a researcher is to make my findings accessible to my neighborhood. Educating the general public in regards to the results of contaminants and the function of apex predators like bull sharks is important for creating long-term optimistic change. The extra we all know, the higher we’re outfitted to make decisions that profit the environment and communities. As I proceed my analysis, I’m grateful for the assist of the Florida Sea Grant and the chance to contribute to a higher understanding of Florida’s marine ecosystems.