Chitral Goal national park is a hub to several rare species, especially famous for snow leopards and Kashmiri Markhor has been on IUCN’S Red alert list since 2015. Last year in Oct, it was widely reported in mainstream media of Pakistan that the incidents of Kashmiri Markhor hunting have increased to an alarming level, and the culprits were none other than local communities who should be the protector to rare species having the threat of extinction for a long.
Here, the question arises whether the local communities in Chitral and nearby are aware of the significance of a national park? Declared as a national park in 1984, under Protected Area Management Project (PAMP), Chitral Goal national park has provided a safe habitat to many rare species of flora and fauna in the region. The government has also introduced a trophy hunting program as an effort to involve the local communities in the conservation process. As per official announcements, approx. 80 percent of the money raised from the trophy hunting project was distributed among the local community. Still, the project wouldn’t bear fruit, and the Markhor population is dwindling in Chitral Goal national park.
According to KPK’s wildlife department, the population of Kashmiri Markhor had reached a higher number of 2868 in 2019. As per available resources, 23 watchmen were recruited in 2016 to safeguard rare species in Chitral Goal national park, and each watchman was getting paid a monthly salary of PKR 15,000 (USD 90). This strategy worked in biodiversity conservation, and a slight increase was observed in the number of Markhors. There has been a dramatic decline in their population under PTI’s government, mainly because the government has stopped paying these forest watchers.
The financial crises of staff led to more incidents of poaching with the alleged involvement of the wildlife department and local communities. Consequently, the population of these species has dropped to one thousand or even less; however, no accurate official statistics of authorities are available so far.
Declared as a national park in 1984, under Protected Area Management Project (PAMP), Chitral Goal national park has provided a safe habitat to many rare species of flora and fauna in the region.
In a recent report published in Express Tribune on 29 Oct 2021, an official of KPK’s wildlife department (the name is hidden) told that “the responsibility should be fixed and Chief Conservators since 2016 should be made an example for others because due to their negligence the population has dropped to less than 800 animals. The department has issued wrong figures of 2,000 animals to cover the wholesale destruction of the animal in its native habitat,” he said, adding that funds should be released by the government for Parks Association and an independent survey should be conducted to ascertain the actual numbers of Markhor in the protected forests.”
Located in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Chitral Goal national park covers about 77.5 sq kilometer area, is surrounded by high mountains, and provides protection to four of our national symbols, namely, Markhor (national animal), Deodar (national tree), Chakor (national bird) and Jasmine (national flower).
The department has issued wrong figures of 2,000 animals to cover the wholesale destruction of the animal in its native habitat. ~Express Tribune
According to the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category VI, “a national park is a protected area with sustainable use of natural resources that conserve ecosystems and habitats, together with associated cultural values and traditional natural resource management systems.”
National parks are generally large, with most of the area in a natural condition, where all the proportion is under sustainable natural resource management. The low-level non-industrial use of natural resources compatible with nature conservation is seen as one of the main aims of these protected areas. They may be set aside for public recreation because of their natural beauty, historical and scientific interest.
William Wordsworth was the first person who sketched a model for national parks in 1810, and the very first national park of the world was established in the US in 1872, named as “Yellow Stone national park”. At the moment, worldwide, there are approx. 6555 national parks, among them Park Greenland national parks are the largest comprising about 972000 Square kilometers.
Detailed pictorial map of Yellowstone National Park from 1904
Pakistan has around 29 national parks; 22 are under government control, whereas the remaining 7 are managed by the private sector. Pakistan’s landscapes have been famous for their rich biodiversity. A report of the World Bank released in 1999 alerted the authorities to conserve Pakistan’s natural resources. The inappropriate urban planning, factories and industries near localities and natural habitat of animals, air and water pollution, and most notably, climate changes have negatively impacted the natural ecosystems in Pakistan. Still, the sheer effort was undertaken to save the natural habitat of several rare species of flora and fauna.
Meanwhile, in 2001, the government launched the Protected Areas Management Project (PAMP) in Chitral Gol, Hingol, and Machiara national parks. Hingol National Park is the largest national park in Pakistan, covering an area of about 619,000 acres. It is located 190 km from Karachi comprises three districts of Balochistan, Gwadar, Lasbela, and Awaran. The stretched area was declared a national park in 1988. Hingol National Park park is unique from other national parks of Pakistan due to its six entirely different ecosystems.
Dr. Shoaib Kiani, a marine sciences expert at Karachi University, said that the coastline of Balochistan and Sindh are the best habitat for green and olive turtles. Some rare species like Indo-Pacific Dolphin, Olive Ridley turtle, and Marsh Crocodile are also found in the coastal areas adjacent to Hingol National Park. Green and Olive turtles visited this beach in August to lay eggs. But due to increasing plastic pollution on the shores, they found difficulty digging holes in the sand. Now the female turtles leave the beaches without laying eggs. Since then, a slight decline in the population of green and olive turtles has been observed. Dr. Kiani showed his concern and demanded immediate efforts to preserve these shores and marine life from the devastating impacts of plastic pollution.
The Hingol national park, Hazar Ganji, and Chiltan national parks in Balochistan provide a safe habitat to several endangered species of flora and fauna. A few months ago, the Wildlife department of Balochistan had discovered a rare species of Persian Leopard in the Chiltan Mountains. Illegal poaching and hunting is the primary reason for the extinction of several rare species, especially Markhor, leopard, and migratory birds. The government had introduced a trophy hunting program in these areas as well to preserve wildlife, but the efforts are not sufficient as the widespread climate changes are altering the geographical composition and ecosystems of every part of Pakistan.
Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad saw its first Science Exhibition on 3rd December 2021, at the heart of the campus at the backside of the Central Library. QAU is Pakistan’s no.1 ranked university with over 13000 students currently enrolled from every corner of Pakistan.
The event was organized by the newly established QSS, the first scientific society of the university. Students from all departments of the university were invited to participate and showcase their projects. Here are a few glimpses of the events and promotions of the Fair:
The posters and decorations for the event.
Some members of QSS along with volunteers for the arrangement of the event.
This amazing science model by a student was about an automatic lawnmower driven by solar energy. A lot of effort was put into the model, and a very practical idea too!
This creative piece of hard work was about the mitochondria and the Kreb cycle.
This model was about the impact of climate change on the planet.
All the other projects were a creative combination of science and art as well, all prepared by groups of 2 or 4 students.
The judges had a hard time evaluating the projects as each one was a masterpiece. The results are yet to be announced in the closing ceremony of the event next week.
All the participants of the Science Model exhibition were gathered for a group photo with Dr. Mariam Anees, head of the Directorate of Student Affairs.
This picture shows the teams being questioned for the Science Quiz, which included questions from General Science. The winning team had the incentive of a cash price, whereas a certificate of participation will be given to everybody.
Scientia got a chance to interview the senior vice president of QAU Science Society, Hifsa Shadeed. She is also a student at the National Centre for Bioinformatics, QAU.
Q1. What were the main highlights and events of the Science Fair?
QAU Science Society organized “SCIENCE FAIR” under DSA Peace and Culture Festival QAU on 03 December.
Science Fair arranged two activities:
1) Scientific Model Exhibition (theme; Science in daily life)
2) Science Quiz Competition (theme; General Science)
Students from biochemistry, microbiology, electronics, and physics took part in the science model competition, and students from all departments of QAU visited and interacted with the science model presenters and appreciated them while for quiz competition students of diverse fields including natural sciences, biological sciences, and social sciences participated
Q2. How many people were included in the organizing team and how many days did it take you?
The organizing team consisted of 5 cabinet members and 7 volunteers of the QAU Science Society. It took us 2 weeks in promotions by arranging helping desks and other arrangements.
Q3. Which event was the most popular?
Both events were audience engaging and went very well but our main event was the science model exhibition. As the Science model exhibition was the first-ever scientific activity organized by any student society in QAU so it attracted a lot of audiences interested in science.
Q4. Who were the judges?
Dr. Jamil Aslam-Incharge QAU Science Society and Dr. Marium Anees-Director of Student Affairs QAU were the judges for the evaluation of science models. Apart from them Dr. Syed Sikander Azam-Chairman National Center for Bioinformatics also graced the event with his visit.
Q5. What problems did you face in organizing the event?
There is the least interest in students towards Science and as our society is aiming to promote science in university so being the founding year of society we are facing the audience problems because it might take a while to promote it in university. So, the engagement of students in scientific activities was a major difficulty in organizing this event.
Q6. Who came up with the initiative of making the society? How long did it take?
QAU Science Society (QSS) is the first student scientific society registered under the Directorate of Student Affairs (DSA) at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. It was founded in October 2020 under the supervision of Professor Dr. Jamil Aslam-Assistant Professor Physics QAU. The current cabinet came up with the idea of the QAU Science Society with the aim to increase scientific engagement both at the on-campus and national levels.
Q7. How much struggle did you have to face for the popularity of this Society?
Since QAU Science Society was founded in October last year and the university was closed soon after that due to COVID conditions, so we could not conduct any activity on campus to make it popular. Society increased its followers by conducting educational webinars and online poster competitions and as soon as educational activities resumed we organized a book reading session and symposium on campus to popularize our society. Finally, Science Fair was the first main event of our Society, so we tried our best in promoting it by arranging helpdesks in different spots of the university to assist students in registration and we promoted it department-wise as well to make it more successful.
Q8. What are the upcoming plans for the development of this Society?
Our upcoming events are Astronomy night and ABDUS SALAM SCIENCE FORUM. Astronomy night with activities (moon sighting, telescope handling, night sky observance) is expected to take place soon. And ABDUS SALAM SCIENCE FORUM is expected to be the biggest annual event of QAU Science Society at the national level, the 3-day event is set to be an unforgettable experience in the QAU Science outreach history.
The concept of STEAM learning, teaching, and advocacy has always been crucial; the focus on learning both scientific concepts following the development of skill sets required for application to real-world concepts is much-needed. Pakistan’s educational system has been under criticism for a long due to an entirely inappropriate method of teaching, specifically science subjects, where teachers emphasize cramming without practical demonstration of complex concepts of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, mathematics, and other emerging fields of science.
After realizing the severity of this situation, the government of Pakistan has recently placed focus on science and technology learning at the forefront of the education agenda, with announcements being highlighted that 456 schools in Pakistan had to be converted into STEM schools in 2020, and the number has doubled this year.
Still, the governmental efforts are not enough, and the significant contribution goes to non-profit organizations for spreading scientific literacy and awareness among the masses. The Dawood Foundation is one of many which came forward a step ahead and founded Pakistan’s first interactive science center named “TDF magnify interactive science center.” The center was opened for the public in Sep 2021 and officially inaugurated by Mr. Arif Alvi, President of Pakistan, on 13 Nov.
The MSC opened on 25 September 2021 to people of all ages and backgrounds. Photo TDF Magnifiscience center
Our Editor-in-Chief Saadeqa Khan has recently interviewed its Director Mr. Christoph S Sprung, where he briefly shares the background, objectives, and future plans for the interactive science center. Below are excerpts of his conversation.
Saadeqa: What was the objective behind the establishment of Magnify science center? When was the project completed and opened for visitors?
S. Sprung: The MagnifiScience Centre (MSC) is the product of a five-year-long journey.
It all started in 2016 with a science exhibition at the Dawood Public School, Karachi. The Magnificence exhibition went on and reached out to all sorts of schools in Karachi and some districts in Sindh and Punjab. It was meant to provide science literacy to pupils and students in a relatively informal educational way. Due to its success and fantastic response, The Dawood Foundation (TDF) opened in 2018 the MagnifiScience Studio on a floor of the Dawood Centre in Karachi with hands-on learning experiences. One year later, driven by the incredible response from schools and other visitors, it was decided to build a MagnifiScience Centre. The foundation stone was laid in May 2019. Because of Covid-19, it took TDF two years to open the doors of the MSC to its first visitors. The intention is to function as an inclusive science hub by offering “edutainment,” igniting an interest in science, and empowering people to understand scientific principles and think better.
The MSC opened on 25 September 2021 to people of all ages and backgrounds, and the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, officially inaugurated the MSC on 13 November 2021.
TDF will not stop dreaming of a society where the need to invest more in technology, innovation, and quality education will reach a level to let Pakistan reach its full potential. ~Christoph S. Sprung
Saadeqa: What is the overall response of children and parents when they visit the center? How much do they learn from science models?
S. Sprung: The overall response of children and parents when visiting the MSC is very positive. This place usually takes children and adults reacting with joy from its positivity. The MSC recognizes that people with different knowledge, experience, and expectations are here. The exhibits are designed to sharpen senses, teach practical skills and help understand complex interrelationships. For various reasons, almost every exhibit was made in Pakistan.
The second floor of the TDF Magnifiscience center is dedicated to showcasing basic concepts of physics and maths. Photo TDF center
Saadeqa:Which fields of science do You prefer while designated the center? Are these primaryfields or subfields like sound, Light, Healthcare, Vaccination, etc.?
S. Sprung: The MSC covers various fields of science. At the ground level, we have the “Kids World Karachi” and offer here learning from a young age about healthcare, transport, and construction systems. We facilitate in some sense their development and give them a better understanding of integrated systems in the world around them.
On the first floor of the MSC, visitors can learn about the “World Within Us,” a space to explore the components of the human body. For example, the human brain constructs a world inside our head based on what it samples from the surrounding environment – we present at the MSC some fascinating concept of illusions.
The second floor is dedicated to showcasing basic concepts of physics and maths. The carefully built hands-on exhibits will depict the laws of physics, solar energy, and other natural phenomena. Sound waves, magnetic waves, and electricity demonstrate primary physics-based concepts. Mathematical models and procedures shall help understand the “why” something works, not only the “how.” Our maths-based exhibits support understanding of how important its role is in daily life.
Saadeqa: Have you arranged models for environmental degradation that provoke children for environmental safety?
S. Sprung: Right in the middle of the MSC, at the entry-level, we have showcased the only living exhibit inside the building: mangroves. We managed to have three out of four in Pakistan growing species and provide not only detailed information about this but also the impact on the environment at our coast.
There is a sizable garden within our premises with many explanations about flora and fauna and a lot of background information. Still, the actual exhibition about environment and degradation and climate change is actually planed on the MSC’s third floor. The floor is still under construction, but we plan to open it a few months, titled “Our World – Our Creation,” to learn about our national biosphere. We aim to provide information about the environment and engineering and where they work together. Exploring concepts like biomimicry will show visitors how art and architecture imitate nature and shows humankind’s ability to adapt to its surroundings.
At the ground level, there’s a “Kids World Karachi” and offer here learning from a young age about healthcare, transport, and construction systems. Photo TDF Center
Saadeqa:Do you have plans to construct such a science center in other cities of Pakistan?
S. Sprung: MSC’s safe learning space will allow all members of the society to explore and engage with science in an informal, fun way. At the same time, it will facilitate the development of their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. TDF will not stop dreaming of a society where the need to invest more in technology, innovation, and quality education will reach a level to let Pakistan reach its full potential. There are certainly other cities in dire need of encouraging its youth to achieve higher levels of education, especially professional college education in the fields of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), but at the moment, we will concentrate on this first interactive center in the country to establish ourselves as a platform for science for schools, universities, experts, interested people, business, like-minded not-for-profit organizations, and well-wishers.
An outburst for animal rights and justice has been rocketing social media ever since the rare white lion died at the Karachi Zoo. According to the news, he was suffering from lung disease as well as starved. He had been neglected for quite a while and met his sad end, leaving everyone heart-wrenched. Demands rose to end zoo culture once and for all.
Why were zoos established in the first place? They were introduced so that humans could interact with animals to some level, observe and understand them to appreciate the beauty of other creations on this planet. Zoos have been favorite tourist spots and educational school trip destinations for many years, and rightly so!
I remember as a little child I would beg my parents every other weekend to take me to the zoo. I loved the excitement of beholding those great elephants, monkeys, and numerous birds sitting in their cages. To a child’s mind, this peek into wildlife and nature was so mesmerizing that the thought of what the animals went through never crossed our minds.
The most bewildering spectacle to behold however was always the lion. The ‘king of the jungle’ always attracted the most attention. His cage would be very big, and he would be rooted at the center, snoozing grandly, or viewing us with deep but powerful eyes. I always lingered close to the lion, gaping with reverence at the ‘mighty king’ of the jungle until some elder had to me pry me away.
Reading the horrible news that rightly made it to the headlines the other day made me feel both miserable and adamant at the zoos in Pakistan. How can we be so cold-hearted as to starve living things that are under our responsibility and care? As I grow up, I see the conditions of our zoos from the eye of someone who has empathy. Animals are kept caged up, given low-quality and scarce food, their hygiene is not maintained, and they often end up in depression.
How would you like it if someone locked you up in a cage, deciding you were just a display of amusement, fed you little quantities now and then, and really did not care what happened to you? The overwhelming feeling of dejection would either kill you or make you go paranoid. The same is the case with these animals, who deserve their right to freedom and the wildlife.
I believe that zoos should be more like nature reserves. The animals should be provided a comfortable habitat, medical facilities, ample and delicious food, and restful space to roam around if they are to be kept for people to observe and enjoy. We cannot enjoy wildlife at the cost of its destruction and downfall. Children should be taught at school to respect and love the animals.
Zoos were introduced so that humans could interact with animals to some level, observe and understand them to appreciate the beauty of other creations on this planet.
If the quality and standard of maintenance at a zoo cannot be sustained, then we have no right to keep the animals under our ‘protection’ and ‘care’. Starving them and mistreating them in the name of tourism, education, and recreation is a slap on Nature’s face. Also, in this era of media and technology, educational video coverages of animals living in the wild are not difficult to make, so researchers and students would have no problem if there were no zoos.
I agree with the spark that has ignited against zoo culture. Animals should not be kept inside limited space and resources. They belong to a whole separate world where humans have no right to interfere and disturb. In a country like Pakistan, animal welfare and integrity are of minimum concern as we are a developing nation and have other pressing issues. In such cases, we should not have zoos and nature reserves because we do not care to maintain them.
I decided to ask an economist that if zoos were to shut down, what impact this would have on Pakistan’s economy. Dr. Mazhar Iqbal is a professor of economics at Management Sciences, CUST, Islamabad. He has done his Ph.D. in Financial Economics from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA and his area of expertise includes Islamic economics, project evaluation, decision making under uncertainty, international economics, and corporate finance.
Q. How much do zoos contribute to the economy of Pakistan?
Dr. Mazhar: Zoos are a substantial part of the tourism industry. Although the economy of Pakistan is agriculture-based, tourism also contributes a hefty part to our income. Mountainous and geographical destinations are also numerous in Pakistan, but zoos are an important point of recreation and family trips. They are accessible as they are in the city and a source of education for children to interact with animals.
Q. How would the economy be affected in Pakistan if zoo culture ended?
Dr. Mazhar: We already have limited good-quality family recreation in Pakistan. Healthy amusement avenues like parks and zoos are already less in Pakistan. Nowadays recreation is shifting to cinemas, concerts, shopping malls, and the sort. I believe zoos are cheaper than all these and they are healthy as they help our children to understand the clean and natural side of entertainment. Zoos pose no risk to pollution of any kind; the whole family can enjoy them, and it would be a great social loss more than an economical one if zoo culture was put to an end.
Zoos are a substantial part of the tourism industry
In many instances, zoos are a representation of our culture. They display the species that are inhabiting our country and thus attract tourists and animal experts from other countries as well. Nature conservationists from abroad come to take photographs and promote the wildlife of Pakistan. This is very beneficial for our annual income and economy.
So, yes, I believe that completely demolishing all zoos would bring a gap in good quality recreation in Pakistan and adversely affect the economy.
Q. The staff at zoos declare that they are not provided funds by the government to feed animals. Do you think it is true or is it a case of corruption?
Dr. Mazhar: Yes of course there is always some corruption. I can’t say about the allotment of funds to zoos by the government, but one thing I can surely say is that zoos are not free. Tickets are taken from every visitor and tourist, and I’m sure there are plenty of people who still go to the zoo.
Even if funds are not provided, I am sure that there is enough money to buy food for the animals. This should be the first priority. Even cleanliness and maintenance come afterward. Enough money is earned that decent food can be purchased for all the animals.
Where does the money from our tickets go if it can’t even feed a bunch of animals? That’s where your concern, corruption, comes in!
Whenever you try to have a conversation about climate change and its impacts on the environment, people will either try to wade off the discussion or show their lack of knowledge without hesitation. But the truth is that we have turned a blind eye to this situation for way too long. Now we are the ones to bear the consequences that are more enhanced and exponential. Politicians and media are not regarding it thoughtfully and thoroughly deny even accepting it as a global problem. We must act now, or it will be too late.
The documentary Before the flood was directed by Fisher Stevens and produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, it was first released in theatres in early 2016; it was aired in national geographic accessible to all. Having a run time of one hour thirty-six minutes, the documentary covers essential hidden aspects of global warming and climate change worldwide.
The documentary is star-studded, famous figures like Pope, Barack Obama, and Elon Musk were interviewed. When the producer would be Leonardo DiCaprio, an Oscar winner, one can arrange an interview with such famous personalities. DiCaprio uses his stardom to bring the world’s prominent people to talk about climate change, a topic neglected worldwide.
D Caprio himself is an environmentalist and has studied the subject of climate change in depth. He and his co-creator Fisher Stevens invested three years in researching, interviewing, and creating this documentary. D Caprio traveled around the world and visited the sites most affected by climate change to make things clear for the viewer.
Before the flood is the most up-to-date documentary on climate change, after Al Gore’s “An inconvenient truth,” which came out about a decade ago, the title depicts a warning “before the flood” that if we fail to act on climate change, the consequences will be uncontrollable. Tesla’s Giga factory is claimed to form 500,000 electric vehicles by the end of 2020. This will reduce fossil fuel consumption to a great extent.
According to Elon Musk, there should be 100 Tesla Giga factories worldwide to reverse the chaos that is about to happen. To turn this into reality, if big companies join together and work in unison. To achieve this, the government should also set rules for sustainable energy and tax those overusing fossil fuels.
Before the flood is the most up-to-date documentary on climate change, after Al Gore’s “An inconvenient truth,” which came out about a decade ago, the title depicts a warning “before the flood” that if we fail to act on climate change, the consequences will be uncontrollable.
A renowned scientist Michael E Mann published a hockey stick graph showing the increase in Earth’s temperature. İt showed how in the past 100 years, greenhouse gases have increased due to industrialization and the use of fossil fuels which consequently raised the temperature of our planet.
Dr. Piers Sellers is one of the few people who has been privileged to witness the Earth from space. In a recent interview in New York Times, he revealed how being diagnosed with terminal cancer has increased his ability to sense climate change. Dr. Sellers says that hot places will face drought, seas will overflow, and ice caps will melt in explaining climate change. This will persistently happen if we keep on using fossil fuels. But this can be averted if we stop burning all sources at once. For a time, Earth will continue to warm up before cooling down. A climate war begins when climate change deniers and fossil fuel investors attacked the scientist and the people who published the graph, claiming it to be controversial. Michael was called a fraud, attacked by Congressman, and was threatened for his life.
Long story short, this documentary informs about the undeniable urgency to act for restricting climate change and create awareness. I will highly recommend this documentary to people who are keen to learn about the current climate situation. In some interviews, I have mentioned some exciting personalities like the (Pope and Barack Obama) left for the viewers. After watching this documentary, one becomes more vigilant about their carbon footprint.
Climate change looms in every part of the world; people are experiencing both the subtle and stark effects in the form of gradually shifting weather patterns, severe drought, supercharged storms, massive flooding, blistering heat waves, glacier melt, and sea-level rise. The latest IPCC report clearly indicates that humankind will experience the severity of environmental depletion at a larger scale in the coming years if the global temperature rise is not restricted to 1.5 centigrade.
The negative impacts of climate change are not bound to a region or continent. Still, the most vulnerable population are those living in low-income countries with mere necessities of life. This was the significant issue widely discussed in the recently ended Glasgow climate conference. Millions of people will be plunged into further poverty if the environmental depletion worsens.
In fact, the poorest communities around the globe mostly live in the most fragile land patches and are often politically, socially, and economically marginalized. Due to global warming and environmental depletion, their income sources have been greatly affected, making it difficult to feed their families and secure a decent future.
The growing pace of poverty is interlinked with climate changes. The increasing occurrence and intensity of extreme weather events like storms, hurricanes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, massive flooding, glacier melt, and land sliding threaten the lives of these frontline communities and increase the risk of more conflicts, hunger, and poverty worldwide.
Climate change places compound stress on our environment and ecosystems, puts people’s lives at risk by undermining overall development and creating a shortage of basic necessities like food, water, and employment. Droughts alone impact around 55 million people every year, and the damage hits the agriculture and livestock industries that are the primary sources of income for people in developing and poor counties.
This is why the poor and underdeveloped countries are demanding financial assistance from affluent nations for a long to cope with climate changes effectively. The UN Secretary-General has named 2021 a “make or break” year earlier before the climate conference kick-started in Glasgow, which was deemed a crucial step to bring climate changes under control.
Almost 200 countries were asked for their plans to cut carbon emission with the most ambitious emission reduction targets for 2030. It was the primary point of the COP26 agenda that the developed counties would provide financial assistance to the poor and most vulnerable nations waging their wars against climate change with mere resources.
In Pakistan, people who live in remote and rural areas are primarily vulnerable to environmental degradation. Due to low precipitations, Pakistan could run out of clean water by 2025, which has terribly impacted agriculture practices, especially in Sind and Punjab provinces.
Due to low precipitations, Pakistan could run out of clean water by 2025
Here, crops are being irrigated with contaminated water, which gives rise to cancer, lung, kidney, and other diseases. The majority of people living in poverty rely on agriculture and natural resources to survive. For these people, the effects of climate change like limited water resources, shifting weather patterns, low precipitation, and increasing competition for resources are a real matter of life and death. As the effects of climate change increase for these people, the ingenuity of the world’s responses must provide them with sufficient sources to survive.
At the moments when the world leaders are gathered in Glasgow, grappling to come across a joint future plan against climate changes, Scientia Pakistan brings its exclusive edition on “Ecology”.
We have got some engaging content on coastal ecology, the role of Phytoplankton in the marine ecosystem, damages to National parks of Pakistan, food habits and environment, youth’s participation in environmental movements, COP26, Paris agreement, and net-zero dilemma, and much more.
We interviewed Pakistan’s prominent ecologist Dr. Rafi ul Haq who has broad experience working with IUCN Pakistan. Dr. Haq provided us with an insight into the ecological challenges of the marginalized communities of Pakistan. Summing up, the edition is a feast to all environment enthusiasts.
Working in daylight is not bothersome for Asghar Ali, but as the dusk falls, he confronts the danger of trespassers at Hub Dam afforestation site located in Southern province of Pakistan.
The intruders are not human beings. They are stealthy porcupines, wild crawling animals with their backs covered with quills stiff-like needles. “During the day porcupines stay in their hideouts,” Asghar says, “the pitch-black darkness of the site allows porcupines to feast on nascent saplings of Azadirachta indica, natively known as Neem tree.”
The site at Hub Dam hosts more than 30,000 saplings of various species. Out of the 15,000 Vachellia Nilotica (Keekar) trees and 8,000 Azadirachta indica (neem) trees, only 6,000 have survived after porcupines ate 2,000 of them.
Porcupines’ attacks on afforestation sites are one of the many threats to the afforestation drive in Balochistan.
The province of Balochistan is an arid and semi-arid region with a harsh climate. Moreover, it lies out of Asian Monsoon influence, which keeps it dry and vulnerable to extreme continental heat and cold. This reinforces the need to kick off aggressive afforestation in the region.
According to the 2019 Forestry Sector Review of Pakistan, the total forest cover in Balochistan is 1.4%, which amounts to 35,194,796 million ha. This region has the least forest cover in Pakistan, making it more prone to harsh climate change effects.
For instance, Turbat, one of the main cities of Makran Division in Balochistan province, was observed to be the hottest city in the country in May 2017 with the mercury rising as high as 128.3 degrees Fahrenheit (53.5 degrees Celsius).
In 2020, Germanwatch’s Climate Vulnerability Index categorized Pakistan as one of the five countries most vulnerable countries to global warming.
Keekar trees stand in excessive water spilled over the afforestation site from Hub Dam. Photo by author
Lack of resources
Asghar and his colleagues are six employees burdened with the onus of looking after the afforestation site at Hub Dam. They have to traverse over 70 acres to make sure the saplings are safe. In order to confront the porcupines at night, they have to rely upon some hunting dogs which they bring from their neighboring village.
The site lacks basic equipment such as searchlights. “We are facing a scarcity of technological assistance. If we wish to equip ourselves with tools, it needs hefty funding,” says Saifullah Zehri, District Forest Conservator.
“There is a device with an infrared technology which releases certain waves to repel the wild animals away from the sites. If we had that technology, we would have saved thousands of neem trees from porcupines,” laments Zehri.
The massive tree plantation is just one effort to reduce climate change, but it’s not enough by itself, according to Afia Salam, a Geographer and member of National Coordinating Body for Marine Protected Areas and part of the Working Group on Climate Change and National Security.
“It is too early to predict whether the afforestation effort will be successful or a fiasco. Nevertheless, we [the government] have initiated a much necessary drive to mitigate climate change in the country,” concluded Afia Salam.
Slow afforestation
Pakistan’s forest cover (2%) is the lowest in the South Asian region. Sensing the alarming state of forests, Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KPK) initiated a massive afforestation drive in 2014 under the Bonn Challenge (2011) and achieved its target of planting 1 billion trees until 2017.
Under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami, initiated in 2018, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led government has pledged to increase the number of trees to 3 billion by 2023.
To cope with the harsh climatic conditions, Balochistan government has committed to plant 4.2 million trees in the province under ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ initiative. However, it is unlikely that they will meet the target of 4.2 million trees by the end of 2021.
“Until now we have planted approximately 0.2 million trees over 220 acres in Lasbela. Apart from this, we have planted half a million (0.5 million) mangroves. However, the drive is not going as fast as it was anticipated,” explained Saifullah Zehri.
He added that lack of funding is “one of the daunting issues, whereas the worth of the current planting drive in the district has cost 25 million rupees.”
Deputy Forest Conservator district Gwadar Yar Mohammad Dashti also perceives that the pace of the afforestation has gone slow as compared to the previous year. “We have planted 1,830,000 saplings of mangrove trees through direct planting and 300,000 through seed sawing in Gwadar last year. This year we are observing a slowdown in the afforestation drive,” Mr. Dashti adds.
According to Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), 93% of the land in Balochistan is rangeland. The Range and Forestry Research Programme affirms that 90 to 95% of rangelands are a feeding source for sheep and goats. Meanwhile, 80% of the rural population in Balochistan relies on sheep and goat rearing as a livelihood. Nevertheless, grazing poses a serious threat to afforestation drives too.
“The natural forests in the province are protected, as we have employed forest guards to fend off wood theft and the destruction of natural forests. Cattle-grazing, however, is a serious issue. Cattle mostly graze in the night, so it is difficult to prevent,” explained Saifullah Zehri.
Mangrove plantation site at Gwadar, Balochistan. Photo by Yar Mohammad Dashti
Conditions for survival
According to researchers Haris Mushtaq, Zia Hashmi, and Amjad Masood, there are two crucial challenges to afforestation drives. These are choosing appropriate sites and ensuring trees’ survival rate.
“Afforestation can only be successful when plant species are chosen wisely. Only native plants can have a 70 to 80% survival rate in an arid and semi-arid region like Balochistan,” said on his part Dr. Ghulam Khalique, a researcher at the Horticulture department at Lasbela University of Agriculture and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS).
“For instance, Vachellia nilotica and Azadirachta indica are indigenous species which need water and care just for three to four months,” he added.
Choosing afforestation sites wisely is also essential for the survival rate of the trees. For instance, during Monsoon rains in 2020, the overflow of excessive water from Hub Dam’s spillway inundated many planted trees at Hub Dam afforestation site.
“The basic factor that needs to be kept in mind is the ecological zone where to plant trees. We need to consider the soil conditions, water availability, and species selection. We cannot plant water-guzzling plants in an area with low water availability. Species should be indigenous to the area where they are planted,” says Afia Salam.
Scientists must also track climate changes for the initiative to work, said Afia. Some areas, for example, have been historically good at supporting certain species, but due to climate change and land degradation they may lose that ability, she added.
“In coastal areas, the erosion might be shifting. We have to keep all these things in mind before proceeding with afforestation,” Afia said.
The World Resource Institute enlists Pakistan among the 25 most water-stressed countries. Similarly, Balochistan remains the most water-stressed province in the country.
A 2019 study found that Quetta, the provincial capital, is the worst affected by water scarcity in the province. According to the study, in the past 30 years, the groundwater has further depleted while going down as low as 700 feet.
“Pakistan is a water-stressed country. But this is because of mismanagement, rather than lack of water availability,” claims Afia. She added that “while seeing the pitiable condition of forest cover, which is 2%, we need aggressive afforestation and reforestation in the country to meet WHO’s recommended ratio of 25%.”
The article can be accessed on Climate Tracker where it was originally published. We reshare with the prior permission of the author.
Pakistan is the land of high mountains, fertile river valleys, inhospitable desert, and has a long coastline along Sindh and Baluchistan provinces. These eco-regions are the hub to a wide range of flora and fauna. Like the rest of the world, climate change poses enormous threats to the several ecosystems of Pakistan, including but limited to sea-level rise, coral bleaching due to ocean acidification, glacier melt, and drastic changes in weather patterns. In the last two decades, a significant decline has been observed in the population of several species, and many endangered one has gone extinct.
The state of the environment and its proper management is the prerequisite condition for the sustainable development of every country, and Pakistan is no exception. For our special edition on “Ecology”, our Chief Editor Saadeqa Khan has reached out to prominent ecologist Mr. Rafi ul Haq to get an insight into the ecological threats that Pakistan encounters at the moment. Haq had been associated with IUCN Pakistan in various capacities and has vast experience working as an ecologist in the national and international arena.
Below are excerpts of his conversation with Saadeqa Khan.
Saadeqa: Tell us about yourself and how you got to where you are these days? Let us know about the obstacles in your career as an ecologist of international repute?
Haq: I work as a Consultant Ecologist, enjoying my relationship with IUCN as a commission member for ecosystem management (CEM). My career started in 1988, immediately after completing my M.Sc. in Plant Ecology from Karachi University, the engagement was initially as academics and then as a researcher. We were lucky to have well-trained and meritorious senior academics in the Department of Botany, most of them with international exposure. Their presence indeed helped a lot to overcome potential professional difficulties in becoming high achievers. Specifically, the conceptual development in Ecology, Autecology, and Synecology, with a clear understanding of ecology in urban setups.
All credits to my teachers and my parents for their continuous support and encouragement. Specifically, Prof. Dr. Shahid Shaukat, Prof. Dr. Zafar Iqbal, Prof Dr. (Late) M. Ajmal Khan, Vice-Chancellor, University of Karachi, and (Late) Prof. Dr. Abdul Ghaffar, who was then Chairman, Department of Botany, University of Karachi. I must acknowledge the sizeable contributions of my teachers, who inculcated confidence and regular exposer to the latest developments in the field of ecology. Dr. J.D. Ross of Plant Science Laboratories, Reading University, played a booster role in further refining my skills. He engaged me to assist him in his undergraduate and post-graduate classes. I enjoyed my tenure as researcher cum academics.
Regarding obstacles, initially, there was a tough professional saturation followed by a lack of opportunities and financial constraints for an ecologist to survive. It was overcome by practicing the acquired knowledge, articulation in diversified trades helped a lot in adjusting professional niches and simultaneously fulfilling the material needs. In a nutshell, I relatively feel lucky to avail the circumstantial benefits of an emerging enabling environment coupled with my urge to learn and interact with the national and international arena.
Mr. Haq works as a Consultant Ecologist, and also works as a commission member for ecosystem management (CEM), IUCN
Saadeqa: Would you like to tell us about an experience working with IUCN Pakistan or any other organization in which you evaluated results and found most threatening to the ecosystem/ biodiversity in Pakistan?
Haq: There are plenty of such experiences, not restricted to IUCN or any specific organization; it happens everywhere in Pakistan and almost every day.
The root cause is significantly ignorance and is potentially supported by the visibility factors. Here to be precise, I would like to discuss two such cases; the first one is the division of opinion on an ecologically a critical factor is ignorance in respecting the integrity and characteristics of our water bodies, i.e., ignoring the E- flows, transforming the flowing bodies in stagnant reservoirs or even for developing plantations, and withdrawing/degrading the water disregarding the ecosystem requirement. Manchar Lake, where agricultural effluents were allowed in lake water, ultimately resulting in degradation of the ecological composition of Manchar Lake. The affected ecosystem precisely fell in the category of Wetlands.
The other such deviation mainly threatening the urban ecosystem; this relates explicitly to plantation campaigns; We have two defined seasons for this campaigns to run, the spring season starts on the 15th of February and ends on the 15th of April, whereas the second season is Monsoon, starting from 15th of July and ending at 15th of September. This is the month of November; if we check with social media, we may find innumerable reports of the sizeable plantation. This activity in naivety often contributes to failures, contributing negatively to the wellbeing of the ecosystem.
The other essential concomitant of degradation is unawareness/ignorance from the International guidance on alien and invasive species. We often see promontory messages encouraging masses to promote nonnative flora without realizing the growing needs of a species and the follow-up required as post plantation care.
Saadeqa: What is the difference between an ecological niche and a habitat? What are the biggest threats to natural habitat to wildlife, specifically endangered species?
Haq: The ecological niche has been defined as a conceptual boundary, representing the physical and biological requirements of a species or an ecosystem in time and space, whereas the habitat is where the species live.
The species live in association with each other; respecting the needs of the others are termed as coexistence; their presence, if not beneficial, may not disturb others. If the two species struggle for the same resources, they may enter into a situation called competition. This competition results in readjustments of niches; they may compromise and learn to live with each other or may eliminate original inhabitants in case of invasive species.
To make it clear, which reflects the lowest strata of trophic level (Producers), if there could be a change in habitat, natural or manmade, it has a direct impact on the life form of advanced trophic levels. Some of them were threatened by lustful harvest, mainly impacting the population dynamics of that life form, for example, if a set of herbivores is to be fed to the next trophic level, however, if the balance of population somehow gets disturbed, this challenges the existence of other species and ultimately impacting the ecosystem.
A recent example is a reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone national park to contain the population of probably Antelope (Cervus Canadensis). Some of the species are facing evolutionary changes, like unpredictable changes in physical parameters, seasonal drift, etc., but primarily due to human interference, as use of a pesticide Dichlorophen reached the food chain of vultures, where it caused non-viable egg hatching; ultimately resulting in threats to the vulture population.
Saadeqa: How is ecology linked with climate change? What are the devastating impacts of global warming, air/water pollution, and climate change on different ecosystems in Pakistan?
Haq: Ecology is the study of relationships between physical and biological entities of the systems, whereas climate change tells us the impacts or deviation in physical parameters of the system. Ecology actually helps the resource managers to adapt so that the damages or losses can be contained.
There are a few recent examples from Pakistan; in 2010-11, we had two mega floods, one can recall the social, material, and economic devastations. The other most devastating consequences of climate change were experienced in Karachi in 2015 when an urban heat spell resulted in the death of some 1300 people in a day. There was chaos and insufficient space available in mortuaries to accommodate the dead bodies; the dead were buried in mass graves. Due to unusual low pressure in the Arabian Sea, which persisted for more than 48 hours.
Similar extremes of drought and unexpected wet weather have been reported from Baluchistan and Sindh. Pakistan’s Northern areas face GLOF (Glacial Lake Outfall Burst), formation of Ata Abad lake was another well-known event.
According to Mr. Haq, the division of opinion on an ecologically critical factor is ignorance in respecting the integrity and characteristics of our water bodies
Saadeqa: The recent IPCC report is a warning to global leadership. What do you think; Pakistan could effectively manage environmental security amid a severe climate crisis?
Haq: Yes, it’s a pity that Pakistan’s contribution to the global carbon footprint is less than 1 % (0.8%), but it has been drifting to attain 6th position in the vulnerability list due to climate change. Despite resource limitations and until now, Pakistan played a responsible role in abating the climate crisis, these efforts need to be reciprocated by the larger community.
Pakistan is coping with climate change impacts; crisis management needs resources, which require economic stability. The truth is that most of the financial decisions were linked to political priorities. This is very unfortunate to see the response; this is unfortunate to see the response to the big economy to the climate crisis.
There seems no seriousness on the issue; weaker economies, instead of awarding relaxation, were seen to be placed in stress mode by putting them on some restricted lists. I wonder, if the attitude remains persistent, the imminent ultimate is the mass extinction, which this globe has experienced 5 times earlier and is leading to the 6th mass extinction; if learned from our experience, this could be averted, the only solution is inclusiveness and mutual respect from an individual to an international level.
Saadeqa: A recent report of the UN shows that Pakistan could run out of clean water by 2025. What are projects under work/ under consideration by IUCN Pakistan to cope with this situation? Do you think that Floating Wetland Treatments (FTWs) developed by Dr. M Afzal could be a game-changer considering water scarcity?
Haq: Some 225 water bodies of varying sizes spread all over Pakistan; they collectively represent some 9-10% of the national surface area. Not all of these bodies experience pollution; however, a sizeable area in the south is experiencing odd conditions.
The idea of floating wetlands is quite exciting; they can be scaled up to the sites needed. To declare it as a game-changer could be too early; the reason is that floating structures here carry floating vegetation having their roots to absorb obnoxious material. This apparently has a cleaning role on one side. I believe the floating raft would be recharged after completing its shelf life, i. e. it would have a provision of periodic replacements of grown vegetation.
I fear there is likely to be a compromise in the wetland’s DO (dissolve oxygen); at least 4% DO is required to support other sub-surface life forms in the wetlands. The sunlight would be obstructed by the floating structure, these radiations help in the photosynthetic activities of the autotrophs in the subsurface of the water body. I wonder if the project has the provision to address the compromise?
Saadeqa: Last year, I interviewed Dr. Shoaib Kiani from the Marine science department, Karachi University. He updated me with some horrible facts and figures about the extinction of Green and Olive Ridley Turtles, Dolphins, etc., along the coastline of Sindh and Baluchistan. What efforts are taken for their preservation?
Haq: Infect, ignorance and human lust has created a mess; It was fortunate for me to get interacted with Dr. Nicolas Pilcher is the chair of the turtle group in SSC (Species Survival Commission), the IUCN commission famous for bringing out Red data book of Threaten Species, earlier there was a study commissioned by IUCN Pakistan to have an authentic update. The study was conducted by (Late) Dr. Syed Ali Ghalib, a renowned wildlife expert ex-Director Zoological Survey of Pakistan.
“The idea of floating wetlands is quite exciting; they can be scaled up to the sites needed,” says Mr. Haq. Credit: IISD
The report has some interesting findings. Green turtles and Olive ridley were initially reported in Karachi coast (Sandspit) for nesting, but after some time, probably after the Tasman sprit oil spill, calling of Olive ridley was stopped, later on; by virtue of this study, it was found that Olive ridley has changed its calling area for nesting and it was found calling in the eastern part of Ormara.
Later on, as a routine activity, a small population of Leatherback turtles was also found, calling for nesting on the western coast of Baluchistan (Darran). Dolphins can still be seen in the Indus delta but were drifted away due to human activities; this can be taken as niche adjustment. The situation is concerning but not horrific; it needs attention but not to be sensational.
Haq: Pakistan has a coastline of 990 Kms; until now, there are three functional coal-fired power stations, and one more is to be added, so making a total of 4 with a concentric spread along the eastern and western coastline of Karachi. The western ones are located in Baluchistan (Hub), and the eastern ones are in the Port Qasim area.
This coastline is fortunately blessed with winds blowing from the southwest with a range of 3-33 knots per hour; the other supporting factor is the sparse human habitation in the vicinity, the establishment of such facilities is usually looked at by developing air dispersion models. Firstly, the blown southwestern air is directed towards the land, which has a very dispersed population.
The air dispersion models were critically analyzed by the respective EPAs, and based on the strategic demand of maintaining an energy mix, these generation units were allowed. Another encouraging factor was reducing dependency on imported fuel by consuming locally extracted coal from Thar.
Saadeqa: It is no longer a riddle that environmental degradation drains Pakistan’s economy and causes massive unemployment due to a slight decline in agriculture practices, fisheries, and tourism. What should be the long-term goals/ necessary steps to better cope with these looming challenges?
Haq: A well-integrated and inclusive approach, as it has been proved recently by dealing with locust control, which was a transboundary issue, but it has been taken seriously by all stakeholders, this includes a range of expertise and skills.
Pakistan, which has an agrarian economy, has to look for a well-coordinated and cohesive approach to deal with climate resilience. Effective use of ecological tools would significantly be helpful for sustainable solutions.
Saadeqa: Do you think our educational/ research institutions play their role in combatting the climate crisis? Do we reasonably utilize modern technologies/ software to figure out ecological changes?
Haq: Yes, potentially they have a role, but this requires an instant response; if we stick to stereotypes and obsolete knowledge-based learning systems, it would be challenging to cope with the demands. I am afraid the synchronization, inclusiveness, and integration of interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary topics are not up to the mark. Those conversant with the software are not adequately equipped with other dynamics of the subject. We are still lagging behind in this field.
Phytoplankton needs nutrients, carbon dioxide, and sunlight to flourish. Deforestation, the burning of fossil fuels, and other human activities have all contributed to severe climate change, impacting Phytoplankton productivity and functionality. The rate of Phytoplankton in our marine ecosystem decreases due to rising temperatures, which will result in less oxygen being available to us. Eventually, it contributed to an increase in global warming as a whole.
Let’s first discover what Phytoplanktons are and their influential role in various ecosystems of planet Earth.
Phytoplankton is microscopic organisms that live in both freshwater and saltwater. The term “Phytoplankton” is derived from the Greek terms “Phyto” (plant) and “plankton” (sea creatures) (made to float or drift). There are numerous phytoplankton species, which include bacteria, protists, and single-celled plants. Green algae, dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, and coccolithophores are only a few more frequent kinds (coccolithophores with a chalk coating).
Phytoplankton, like terrestrial plants, converts photographic energy to chemical energy via chlorophyll. They breathe in carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. All Phytoplankton species obtain energy primarily by photosynthesis; however, some consume from other organisms such as bacteria and algae. Numerous factors influence the growth of ocean Phytoplankton, including carbon dioxide, sunlight, and nutrient availability.
Phytoplankton species require varying amounts of calcium, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate, much as terrestrial plants do. Certain Phytoplankton species can bloom in the presence of low nitrate concentrations in the water. Plant development is impeded in many locations due to low iron concentrations in the water. Growth rates of Phytoplankton are regulated by a range of factors, including water temperature and salinity, water depth, wind, and the types of predators that graze on Phytoplankton.
Diatoms and dinoflagellates are major phytoplankton groups. On top of all that, they absorb CO2 from the surface of water and use it for photosynthesis via carbon cycling. They absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and exhale oxygen back into it, providing us half of the oxygen we take daily. Phytoplankton is vital to marine life because they form the foundation of the food chain and web. Phytoplankton is the primary food source for most oceanic creatures—for example, larval fish feed on Phytoplankton, which is found in the water.
Phytoplankton species require varying amounts of calcium, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate, much as terrestrial plants do.
Phytoplankton diatoms have silica shells and are a type of diatom. Their bodies are buried in the ocean floor, where they decompose to make it healthy. Phytoplankton provides numerous advantages to marine life. As a result, these microscopic organisms play a critical role in the survival of marine life and, ultimately, in the survival of life on Earth. As the American oceanographer and marine biologist Sylvia A. Earle said:
“Even if you never have the chance to see or touch the ocean, the ocean touches you with every breath you take, every drop of water you drink, every bite you consume. Everyone everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea.”
Phytoplankton and their types
Phytoplankton is a diverse group of organisms. Protists, which comprise complex eukaryotic cells such as protozoans, are classed as single-celled algae. Along with diatoms, several different species can be found along beaches. The population of this species can grow at an alarming rate in reaction to seasonal changes and the availability of nutrients such as nitrogen, iron, and phosphorus in the environment. Photosynthetic bacteria are a more primitive and abundant type of phytoplankton cell than algae, and they are a more primitive type of phytoplankton cell than algae.
Despite their diminutive size, each tablespoon of ocean water contains hundreds of thousands of these microscopic cells. Due to their minuscule size and inability to be caught in nets, these organisms were virtually unnoticeable until the 1970s. Apart from being the most abundant animal in the sea, these bacteria account for half of the ocean’s primary productivity. There are various species of cyanobacteria, which are considered among the earliest organisms on the planet and are responsible for the chloroplasts found in plant cells.
Importance to the Marine Ecosystem
Phytoplankton is essential for the survival of marine environments. The majority of marine food webs are based on autotrophs, or producers, rather than consumers. Their ability to store chemical energy in the form of sugars is since they are photosynthetic animals, which means they can convert solar energy to chemical energy. Other microscopic organisms, like Zooplankton, consume Phytoplankton as a food source. A growing number of different microorganisms are consumed by both Omnivores and Carnivores, which results in increasingly complex trophic connections between them and other creatures.
Aquatic creatures rely on autotrophic Phytoplankton as their principal source of nutrition, accounting for more than 98 percent of their total caloric expenditure. Phytoplankton is the building block of many aquatic food webs, including those that support plankton. They provide a diverse range of sea animals with nutritious food in a safe environment. For Phytoplankton (also known as microalgae) to survive and thrive, sunlight is required. This is similar to the situation with terrestrial plants.
Loss of Phytoplankton for marine food chains.
When the marine habitat is depleted and on the verge of extinction, several alternative scenarios are possible. As a result of various factors, the oxygen concentration in water declines to the point where aquatic life cannot exist. As a result, the water may become contaminated by contaminants from the surrounding environment, such as pollution from the ocean or air. As a result of such destruction, the majority of plants and animals become extinct. If animals perceive a hostile aspect in their natural environment, they are likely to be driven to relocate.
Phytoplankton is the building block of many aquatic food webs, including those that support plankton.
Affected residents living close to this body of water may be unable to benefit from the aquatic flora and animals that thrive there. There is a relationship between terrestrial and marine life, and the depletion of the latter will influence the former. This circumstance is noteworthy since octopus, starfish, salmon, and various other saltwater Species give substantial nutritional benefits to humans. Without a doubt, people will suffer as a result of the ozone layer’s loss.
Seals and other aquatic creatures are a food source for several marine animals, including whales, sharks, and a variety of other sea creatures. When one species dies, the entire food chain perishes with it. Coastal habitats are being lost or degraded, resulting in animal deaths and migration. Certain plants fail and eventually become extinct as a result of harsh environmental conditions. When water bodies are lost or degraded due to marine habitat degradation and loss, the rate of land conversion accelerates rapidly. While this may aid human settlement, additional benefits associated with aquatic life are almost guaranteed to be lost as a result.
What future holds for Phytoplankton?
As one creature relies on another for nutrients and so on, the food chain is interrelated. Shrimp populations will suffer if plankton levels in the water decrease and salmon populations suffer from food scarcity. The Phytoplankton population’s health affects the global climate’s health. Phytoplankton photosynthesis accounts for almost half of all photosynthesis on the globe. They are the primary scavengers of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, extracting the gas and replacing it with oxygen. Winding up, Phytoplankton is a tremendous overlooked asset to the ecosystem.
References
Bullock, H. A., Luo, H., & Whitman, W. B. (2017). Evolution of dimethylsulfoniopropionate metabolism in marine Phytoplankton and bacteria. Frontiers in Microbiology, 8, 637.
Yang, L., Li, H., Zhang, Y., & Jiao, N. (2019). Environmental risk assessment of triazine herbicides in the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea and their toxicity to Phytoplankton at environmental concentrations. Environment international, 133, 105175.
Zhongming, Z., Linong, L., Wangqiang, Z., & Wei, L. (2018). Later tropical blooms could affect marine life.
Naselli-Flores, L., Zohary, T., & Padisák, J. (2021). Life in suspension and its impact on phytoplankton morphology: an homage to Colin S. Reynolds. Hydrobiologia, 848(1), 7-30.
Jorda, G., Marbà, N., Bennett, S., Santana-Garcon, J., Agusti, S., & Duarte, C. M. (2020). Ocean warming compresses the three-dimensional habitat of marine life. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 4(1), 109-114.
Fractionated into two, Pakistan’s coastline stretches over 990 km across Sindh (270 km) and Makran coast (720 km). Supporting a disposition of diverse creatures, natural resources, and the geographical location of Pakistan’s marine coastal belt makes it pertinent. An enriched and firm marine ecosystem influences economic stability, sustainable development, and the growth of ecosystems. With such high stakes, the protection, development, and sustenance of marine ecology are demanded.
“Coastal Ecology” elucidates the region where land and water meet. Coastal ecosystems bestow habitats for numerous varieties of marine plants and animals. It is also a hub of innumerable natural resources such as mineral deposits, oil and natural gas, and peat deposits.
Climate commutation and coastal ecology are two peas in a pod. The fluctuation in the climate not only affects land activities but undoubtedly strikes marine life. With Earth warming up, the planet saturating with population, and the ever-increasing demand for natural resources to suffice the masses, we are exhausting the natural resources. This composition will focus on looking into the coastal ecology of Pakistan, identifying the red zones, and framing out practical measures to restore nature.
“The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble” Blaise Pascal
Salient Features of Pakistan’s coastline
Pakistan’s coastline has some prominent geographical, economic, and environmental features, which explains why we need to keep a keen eye on its health. Some key features include:
Sandspit and Hawksbay beaches are two of the eleven cardinal nesting beaches for Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) across the globe.
Gawadar Bay is a marine wetland shared between Iran and Pakistan. It accommodates marine fisheries is a hub for various marine animals, including whales, dolphins, sea turtles, migratory birds, and mangroves.
A region of Bundle and Buddo Islands have abundant growth of mangroves.
The Churna-Kaio Islands are rich in biodiversity as it supports a range of habitats.
Eastern coast of Pakistan. Credit: IUCN Pakistan
Dynamics in Pakistan
Coastal erosion and sediment deposition by Indus waters significantly affect the flourishing of mangrove ecosystems, called the shields of nature. Unpredictable rainfalls increase surface runoff which reduces the mudflat development, a prerequisite for mangrove development.
Mangroves are characteristically pivotal growths as they protect the coastline from erosion, provide breeding grounds for multiple species of sea animals, source of timber and fuel, and much more. Hydrological alterations (changes in magnitude, intensity, frequency, time, and duration of natural streams and their flow) linger a constant threat to the productivity of mangroves.
Furthermore, unforeseeable rainfalls cause vast water to gush towards flatlands, taking along the dirt. Such episodes reduce the availability of freshwater to marine life, including plants and animals. Lack of water for consumption affects the overall health of these living organisms. These unpredicted rainfalls impair coastal agriculture, which is practiced in areas of Badin and Thatta in Sindh. Water scarcity hurts the growth of crops.
Coral Reefs house approximately 25% of marine creatures in total. They are ecologically supreme creatures due to their functioning and diversity. Irrespective of this, their amount is diminished at alarming rates primarily due to climatic shifts. Rising water temperatures disturb the symbiotic relationship shared between coral reefs and microalgae. High temperatures lead to coral bleaching, a phenomenon that makes coral weak and highly prone to competing plants and diseases.
Apart from coral bleaching, soaring atmospheric temperatures cause rapid melting of frozen water bodies such as Himalayan glaciers, which upsurges water levels in water bodies. Sea level rise (SLR) increases the salinity rates of estuaries and coastal wetlands. Salinity is a threat to the water residing living beings as it disrupts the water to minerals ratio.
The marine life receives nutrient-rich sediment piles from the Indus River discharge. However, the construction of dams upstream to store water has resulted in a change in fluvial patterns. Dynamic variations in water-borne rich nutrients end in the drying of coastal creeks.
Fluctuations in the weather conditions reduce the efficiency of coastal area operations. These coastal activities earn livelihoods to many individuals and are a source of income for them. However, the water transport for freight and tourism discharges copious amounts of effluent and waste directly into water bodies. The discharge includes chemicals, toxins, and other heavy metals, leading to their death when choked by marine animals.
Significant operations in coastal areas
Below is a list of different operations carried out in coastal areas of Pakistan.
Coastal agriculture
Shipping
Fishery
Communication (transport routes)
Oil, gas, and minerals extraction
Tourism
Energy generation
Lack of temperature consistency will affect the metabolism, reproductivity, and species interactions. Species facing such issues due to climatic shifts will be unable to reproduce, gain enough nutrition, which may cause them to be extinct over time.
Importance of mangroves. Credit: Mangrove Action Project
In addition to this, the release of unfiltered toxic gases into the atmosphere results in acid rain. When it falls into water bodies, this acid rain can potentially change the pH, harmful to underwater species.
Furthermore, alteration of wind patterns can affect water circulation. Such changes can influence water’s movement in water bodies linked to the distribution of essential nutrients and oxygen to the marine ecosystem. Variation in the distribution of nutrients can cause displacement of aquatic species into new regions within water bodies enhancing competition between species for food.
Biologically productive regions, including wetlands, estuaries, and coral reefs, are highly affected due to climatic changes, and disturbances in their functioning can threaten their ecological stability.
Marine Turtle Extinction along Pakistan’s coastline
Inhabiting this planet since the time of dinosaurs, marine turtles are to date living on this planet. However, their seven species were declared “Endangered” long ago by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). A few preventative measures should be taken immediately to stop this extinction.
Seven species of marine turtles were declared “Endangered” long ago by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Although WWF-P has played a considerable role in the coastline of Sindh, where Hawks Bay and Sandspit are the main turtle nesting beaches, for protecting their habitats, they keep poachers and hunters away to ensure turtles’ wellbeing. Similarly, it should be a joint effort to understand, protect and promote the safety of marine species and preserve the marine ecosystem.
Meliorating the Coastal Ecology
First and foremost, we need to cut back on the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere (carbon dioxides, oxides of nitrogen), which contribute to global warming, damage the ozone layer, all of which end up increasing the temperature of Earth’s surface.
Secondly, constant monitoring of water bodies (sea and ocean) is required, including their role in the carbon cycle. Along with this, satellite imaging should be employed to understand the weather patterns and precipitation timings better to get an idea of upcoming climatic shifts. It will enable authorities to plan beforehand and prepare for the alternates in case of weather extremities.
Mangroves’ growth should be promoted; they are vital breeding grounds for sea creatures and are silt-checking checkpoints. While talking about silt, soil erosion needs to be managed. Plantations should be done in upstream regions and along the coast to minimize the fertile soil layer losses.
In addition to this, optimal planning, field studies, and simulation models can enhance the efficacy of the cause as they would aid in developing practical tools and management strategies to conserve coastal ecology during rapidly changing weather conditions.
Spreading awareness among people is a crucial step towards the preservation of coastal ecology. People should be taught about potential benefits and harms accompanied by prospects of the marine ecosystem and climatic change. Implementation of laws is a must. Anyone who tends to violate drafted laws should be penalized.
“If we wipe out the fish, the oceans are going to die. If the oceans die, we die” -Paul Watson
