Biologist
Representing the environment
In what ways does a healthy aquatic ecosystem benefit the health of people?
They provide many other ecological services, such as water filtration and the regulation of nutrients through nutrient cycling or storm surge protection and shoreline stabilization through the trapping of sediments and building-up of fringing wetlands. Water filtration is especially important to our health. People are always getting sick because of contaminated water. Keeping our aquatic ecosystems healthy also keeps us healthy too
In what ways are healthy aquatic ecosystems important to the Texas economy?
It provides economic benefits to society and prevents expensive replacement/restoration cost. Helps insure the sustainable and cost effective provision of clean water over time. Basically saying, keeping a healthy aquatic ecosystem is cheaper and more beneficial to our Texas economy.
In what ways would water shortage affect local aquatic ecosystems?
In a drought, plant life and animals would not have enough water resources to survive. This can cause many problems, such as decreasing population and food shortage. A drought can also affect air quality which can also affect aquatic ecosystems. For example, a plant can take in the polluted air; then a herbivore consumes the plant. Later on a consumer eats the herbivore which passes on the diseased air and so on. Drought has a strong effect on local aquatic ecosystems, believe it or not.
What are your recommendations for conserving water so there is enough for healthy ecosystems?
Some recommendations I have for conserving water are: Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Take shorter showers not baths. Do not flush the toilet too many times in a day. Water your lawn only once a week.
The Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project
The project is nearly underway-supplying surface water to the ever-growing Houston metro area and reducing the areas reliance on groundwater. As a result, the Houston and Galveston Subsidence District and Fort Bend Subsidence District are now requiring that Harris County and northern Fort Bend County convert from using groundwater to surface water. The northern and western Houston metro area and northern Fort Bend County will reap the benefits of treated surface water. End users will primarily be residential and agricultural. Construction on the Luce Bayou Interbasin Transfer Project is slated to begin in 2015