Research Paper On Jellyfish

The Invisible Marine Overload In every environment, there is an essential balance that must be maintained. Otherwise, those environments would suffer major consequences and ultimately, become dysfunctional. Though no ecosystem is perfectly in check, there is an extent to how unstable it can become before issues emerge. Unfortunately, this balance in the oceans has been further disrupted recently by one of many species: the jellyfish. These gracefully drifting creatures have not appeared to be a threat until the recent years, when their populations began to exponentially grow to dangerous levels. Their overwhelming presence has introduced a plethora of problems that are affecting—but definitely are not limited to—the marine ecosystem. This unprecedented growth has led to a critical situation, …show more content…
Floating through the ocean, a jellyfish’s destination is determined by the ocean currents, which do not always lead them to safety. According to Stephanie Watson’s article, How Jellyfish Work, their body are approximately 98 percent water, which puts them in a certain death situation if currents push jellyfish onto the shore, where they will simply evaporate. And in the water, they are often in plain sight of potential predators. In some cases, jellyfish (depending on the species) can “use their muscles that surround the perimeter of their U-shaped bell to contract and relax…[to] move” (Smejek), and possibly escape the predator. However, the high water percentage of the “soft tissues” in their body has made it exceptionally “easy to float,” (Smejek). In other words, they are more susceptible to water resistance and can still be controlled by the currents. And thus, for the most part, jellyfish are left stranded in open regions in the water. But, even so, the translucent bodies of some jellyfish