From Monsoons to Microbes Understanding the Ocean's Role in Human Health (1999) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-8
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In recognition of the International Year of the Ocean, the National Research Council held a workshop on the Ocean's Role in Human Health in June, 1998. The workshop brought together members of the ocean sciences and biomedical communities to identify areas where improved understanding of marine processes and systems has the potential to reduce public health risks and enhance our existing biomedical capabilities.
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These weather systems in turn affect the ocean by wind-driven mixing of surface and deep waters and by changes in sea level dependent on barometric pressure, winds, and melting of polar ice caps during warm periods. The most vivid and direct impacts of the ocean on human health arise in coastal areas that are subject to tsunamis, storm surges, heavy rainfall and flooding, and severe winds.
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Also, shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns influence the distribution of organisms that cause human diseases, including harmful algae, waterborne agents such as the pathogenic vibrios, and vectors of disease such as mosquitoes that carry malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever. In addition, there may be public health effects due to unusual temperature extremes, air pollution, and the availability of fresh water and food.
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I Information Resources for Improved Prediction and Prevention of Marine Public Health Disasters Prediction and prevention of public health disasters precipitated by ocean phenomena depend on establishing an historical baseline of high quality observations.
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Reduction and prevention of human health threats from oceanic phenomena requires determination of cause and effect, which is possible only by correlating oceanographic and atmospheric data with reliable reporting from the public health sector. First, it is important that infectious diseases and algal toxin poisonings be correctly diagnosed.
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2. Biological sensors will improve in situ measurements of biological processes in marine coastal waters and allow higher sensitivity measurements of water quality (including specific nutrients, oxygen, pH, species-specific monitoring of algae and bacteria)
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The use of marine organisms in biomedical research and in drug development depends on knowledge of marine biology the natural history, taxonomy, physiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry of various species. As academic biology and other science departments become increasingly subdivided into specialized fields, it is important to encourage a multidisciplinary approach to exploring the diversity of life in the ocean and to provide opportunities for students and researchers to study organisms that are representative of marine diversity.
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