Operation: Recover the American Lobster Population of the Long Island Sound
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Transcript of Operation: Recover the American Lobster Population of the Long Island Sound
Operation: Recover the American Lobster Population of the Long Island SoundMonika Brzostowska, Anastasia Deda, Elissa Olivera, Jiemin Yang at Queens College
Plan of Attack
1) Aeration: Add dissolved oxygen to LIS Construct 10 artificial waterfalls in the Western part of the LIS by 2032
similar in design to that underneath the Brooklyn Bridge (Figure 2.) Monitor waterfall efficiency for 5 years to determine whether beneficial
to install more
2) Mixing: Mix dissolved oxygen into LIS Install jets underneath beach docks and on Sound floor to increase
mixing of water in benthic zone (where the lobsters are) by 2042 3) Reduce Atmospheric CO2 In NYC: Sustain levels of atmospheric CO2 at 450ppm so there is only a 50%
chance that temperatures will rise more than 2°C by 2100
4) Public Awareness: Educate NYC’s public and young generation about the negative effects
of climate change on the Long Island Sound lobster population Increased knowledge about issue = More willing to donate = higher
chance strategies will succeed
Tactics
Conclusions
Reference
Briefing
American Lobster (Homarus americanus) population declined by 90% in Western LIS and 60-80% in Central LIS in 1990s
Due to 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degree F) increase in temperature between 1979-2002
Since then LIS lobster population has not increased by more than 5% We aim to recover LIS lobster population by 85% of current population
by 2102 Why Are Lobsters Needed:
Food/Income Source Preserve Biodiversity in LIS Important for flow of energy
Why Should You Care? 2011: Cases of people dying after eating LIS lobsters 70% of Western Long Island Sound lobsterman lost 100% of fishing
income
Aeration: Estimate the cost of the waterfalls - 1 month Find sponsors, Create a website that has a donation section Find investors to invest in our cause, apply for grants – 5 years Get a permit from NY state government to build the bridge - 5 months Close off the area for construction and get base of waterfall in – 5
months Construct waterfall with 135 feet height and 90 feet width – 1 year Have the opening ceremony for the waterfall (get the public more
aware and involved during this ceremony) – 1 Day Run waterfalls from 7am-9pm each day
Reducing Atmospheric CO2: Get rid of PlaNYC proposed by Mayor Bloomberg by 2013 Issue rationing for how much carbon emissions each building
can produce by 2020 Build devices that capture carbon dioxide produced 2020 Increase the efficiency of how electricity is made by 2030 Build a nuclear power plant to provide for 80% of NYC’s
electricity by 2030
Mixing: Have meeting to obtain government funding Set up the first center with a large jet in New Rochelle and add ten
smaller jets that are attached to docks and on Sound floor in Hudson Beach (New Rochelle) by the year 2022.
Set up the second center with a large jet in Glen Cove and add ten smaller jets in Prybil Beach (Glen Cove) by the year 2032.
Set up the third and final center with a large jet in Wards Island and add the final ten smaller jets in Hell Gate (Wards Island) by the year 2042.
Install mesh protection around jets
Public Awareness: Via Website Create an “Operation: Save the Lobsters of the LIS” website Upload research about issue (every 6 months) Create Donation page
Via Social Media Build a social media marketing team by 2014. Build a Facebook page where we update about lobster study in Long
Island Sound Use Social Media to promote website Use Twitter to expand our awareness-raising campaign Schedule and promote family and fundraising events regarding our
cause Promote contests: donate $5 and might win free snorkling session in
LIS
Barringer , Felicity. "A Market in Emissions Is Set to Open in California."
New York Times. 13 2012: n. page. Web.
City of New York, . "PlaNYC Report." nytelecom. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov
2012.
Friedman, Robert M., and Rosina Bierbam. 58-65. Web.
Public Art Fund, . "Olafur Eliasson:The New York City Waterfalls." Public
Art Fund , 2008. Web. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
Siemens Water Technologies Corp, . (2009): n. page. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
Fig.3. This map shows the dissolved oxygen levels in the LIS. The lowest and most severe levels are concentrated in the Western LIS and gradually become less severe as you move eastward. This map shows the locations in which we will first start implementing our aeration/mixing strategies. The red area on map is the area that will be used to measure the effectiveness of waterfalls. It shows how severe the lack of oxygen is in the LIS.
Recover Lobster Populati
on
Increase Dissolved Oxygen
Decrease Temperatu
res
Public Awareness
Figure 2.Tactics for Recovering Lobster Population
Shell Disease
Lobster Death
Increase Greenhouse Gases (CO2)
Increased Bacterial Growth
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Eutrophication
Decreased Dissolved Oxygen
Increased Hypoxia(Suffocation)
Increase Temperatures
Figure1. Main Causes of Lobster Decline
Fig. 1. This figure shows the main factors that work to decrease the lobster population in the LIS. It is organized in a cause and effect flow, designating which environmental conditions lead to the death of lobsters. From this chart we focused on trying to assess increasing temperatures and decreasing dissolved oxygen. Increasing temperature is the primary cause of the lobster death. Although assessing nonpoint source pollution as opposed to decreased dissolved oxygen seems the most logical, it is not the most practical as this type of pollution does not have an identifiable origin making it very difficult to asses.
Fig. 2. This figure shows three approaches we focused on when creating strategies that most effectively assess our issue of recovering the lobster population. These approaches pinpoint the two main components of the cause and effect flow chart (Fig. 1) and incorporate the reality of solving this problem in the public world. All four of our strategies were derived from these three approaches.
Fig. 4. This image shows a previous model of our aeration strategy. The waterfall increases dissolved oxygen in LIS through turbulence. Increasing oxygen means more oxygen will sink to the benthic levels providing more oxygen to the bottom dwelling lobsters. This added oxygen will be mixed by installed jets on the LIS floor.
Figure 4. “Falling Oxygen”
Pros: Similar projects have already
been carried out in different locations.
Waterfall of similar design and cost on the Brooklyn Bridge funded as artistic structure without government assistance.
High chance that we will receive funding based on a previous example
Cons:
Localized effects: Damage area and environment where it’s built
Expensive: Estimated cost per waterfall is $15 million (we are building ten)
Not proven that it will generate enough oxygen to recover lobster population by 85%
Aeration: Why We chose it?To add dissolved oxygen into LIS
Pros: Effective, low cost waste
treatment jet models to base our design Doesn’t take long to build
Cons: Effects land directly around jet
sites May create too much turbulence
for organisms
Mixing: Why we chose it?Most effective way distribute dissolved oxygen to benthic levels in LIS
Capping CO2 in NYC: Why We Chose it? In order to make sure other strategies will continue to be effective
Pros: Prevents further increase of
water temperature Not solely aimed at LIS Targets primary cause of issue
Cons: Very unlikely strategy will work NYC unlikely to sustain levels of
450 ppm in given time period CO2 has very long life span Nuclear power plant will cause
increase runoff into LIS
Education: Why We Chose it? Without it we wouldn’t receive the necessary funding and the damage would continue to get worse
Pros: Educating public decreases
amount of damage done to environment
Very low cost Receive necessary funding from
donations
Cons: Public won’t care about issue
even after educated Great chunk of donations come
from public awareness
Get rid of PlaNYC 2013
Build social media team 2014
Rationing of CO2 emissions 2020
Install jet center New Rochelle 2022
Build CO2 capturing devices 2025
Increase efficiency of electricity 2030
Install 2nd jet center Glen Cove
2032
Construct 10 waterfalls in Western LIS 2032
Build nuclear power plant 2035
Install 3rd jet center Hell Gate 2042
Decide whether to construct more waterfalls 2042
Atmospheric CO2 levels sustained at 450 ppm 2100
2022
2012
2032
2042 ….. 2102
Implementation Timeline