Those who have stayed updated on the BP oil spill may know about the speculated extinction of sea turtle species. Many biologists have raised concerns for the spill’s impact on the already endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle species which inhabits the Gulf of Mexico. While the loss of a single species may seem unimportant, sea turtles present more scientific significance to the ecosystem than is commonly known.
The Kemp’s Ridleys serve as a monitor for the marine environment and, indirectly, human survival.
“Sea turtles belong in a healthy marine environment. If turtles cannot survive in the environment, then we know that there is something very wrong with that environment. We benefit from that environment,” said Dr. Roldan Valverde, associate professor of biology. “As soon as the Kemp’s Ridley goes, we lose one of our environmental ‘watchdogs’ to let us know how bad things are getting. Most people do not think about this, but humans depend on so many other species.”
The marine environment also provides a significant source of food. While the continuing effect of the oil spill has become a popular topic, Valverde paints a broader picture of the ecosystem and extinction.
“We are living through an extinction event. Eventually humans will go extinct. The question is, ‘How long will it take, and what will take us out?'” said Valverde. “What happened with the oil spill did not help the ecosystem. I think that the more we impact the environment, the closer we push ourselves to extinction.”
The constant modernization of America damages both the marine and land environments. Valverde highlights the importance of working to prevent this damage.
“Every day or every year, there are species disappearing from the earth, and they’re gone forever. Humans are the major cause of that,” said Valverde. “Because the United States is so industrialized, the impact to the environment is greater. It depends on what the agencies of the Environment Protection Agency do to prevent heavy damage to the environment. If we did not have a federal agency looking after the environment, the environment would be cooked.”
As for fixing the current situation with harmful oil rigs in the Gulf, Valverde suggests the government avoid attempting to remove the industry altogether.
“It’s more likely that the government will want to set up more stringent rules about safety in oil drilling,” said Valverde. “That would be smarter than trying to choke such an important industry.”
Despite the known and unknown effects of the oil spill, it is important to employ a big picture approach when analyzing the situation.
“The oil spill probably has a significant effect on the species, but we will not know that for many years because there may be unknown chemical effects. We don’t understand what those effects might be,” said Valverde. “The most important thing to realize is that the oil spill was one event in time, and how you define time will drive the measures that you decide to put in place.”