10-13-2006 - Biodiversity

sagar: Author=’Jorge Salazar’ program=’4979′ video=”“Usha Varanasi”:usha-varanasi-interview is science and research Director of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle.

She and her colleagues study the biology of the marine organisms in Puget Sound in Washington State – from migratory fish like salmon and steelhead trout – to bottom dwellers like rockfish – to marine mammals like killer whales, harbor seals, and porpoises.

Dr. Varanasi talked to us about the relationship between the health of these organisms – and human health. As just one example, in many parts of the world, fish and shellfish are a major source of protein for humans. In the 21st century, these creatures are finding themselves in increasingly polluted waters.

Usha Varanasi: _So we use the ocean services quite a lot, and we really need to learn that if we don’t preserve these ecosystems, whether they are in Puget Sound or anywhere in the oceanic waters, if you don’t preserve them, it’s going to eventually affect our health. It’s not just that we want to preserve the ecosystems for enjoyment – it’s also we are so intrinsically connected with the ocean._

Thanks today to the “National Fish and Wildlife Foundation”:http://www.nfwf.org.

Written by EarthSky