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Land Use & Conservation
oceans & estuaries
freshwater
[Oceans and Estuaries]

A critical source of food and recreation and the linchpin of the world's climate system, oceans face grave threats. Over-fishing is leading to fisheries' collapse worldwide. Coastal pollution is causing not only oxygen-depleted "dead zones" where fish cannot survive, but beach closures and toxic algae blooms harmful to humans. Transfer of toxic contaminants through marine food chains has made it dangerous to consume many fish. Human activities are devastating ocean habitats. Half of the world's mangroves, a third of coral reefs, and 15 percent of sea grass already are lost. Atmospheric warming has changed ocean salinity levels, and some climatologists warn of potential future shifts in circulation patterns.

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