Utshani basolwandle, Isihlungi Samanzi Emvelo

Utshani basolwandle yizitshalo eziqhakaza zasemanzini ezitholakala eduze kohlu olubanzi lwe-latitudinal. Njengenye yezinhlelo zamaplanethi ezisebenza kahle nezisebenza kahle kakhulu zasogwini zokudliwa kwekhabhoni, ukongiwa ngendlela efanele kanye nokuphathwa kwezimfunda zasolwandle kubalulekile ukuze kuliwe nokulahlekelwa utshani bolwandle emhlabeni wonke. Ukugcinwa kwekhabhoni kungenye yezinsiza ze-ecosystem eziningi ezihlinzekwa ngotshani basolwandle. Utshani basolwandle buphinde buhlinzeke ngendawo yokunakekela izinhlobo zezinhlanzi nezilwane ezingenamgogodla ezivunelwa ukuhweba nokuzilibazisa, zisebenza njengesivimbeli seziphepho ezindaweni ezingasogwini ezithuthukisiwe kanye nokwenza ngcono izinga lamanzi (Umfanekiso 1).

Umfanekiso we-1. Izinsiza ze-ecosystem kanye nemisebenzi yezinhlelo zotshani basolwandle. Ukubaluleka kwesiko lendawo yokuhlala yotshani basolwandle kubandakanya ukubaluleka kobuhle bezimfunda zasolwandle, imisebenzi yokuzijabulisa efana nokuzingela, ukudoba kanye ne-kayaking kanye nokusetshenziswa kotshani basolwandle obuvunwayo bokudla ifolishi, okokulala, umanyolo kanye nemboza ngabo izithombo zezihlahla. Inani lokulawula kanye nezomnotho lotshani basolwandle lihlanganisa, kodwa alikhawulelwe ekusebenzeni njengesivimbeli seziphepho ezindaweni ezisogwini ezithuthukisiwe ngokuncishiswa kwamagagasi, ukukhipha ikhabhoni, ukuthuthukisa izinga lamanzi kanye nokuhlinzeka ngendawo yokuhlala yezilwane ezivunwa ngenjongo yokudayisa. 

Ngenxa yezidingo eziphakeme zokukhanya, ububanzi bendawo botshani basolwandle bulinganiselwe ngokwengxenye ukucaca kwamanzi asogwini. Amanzi adunge kakhulu anciphisa noma avimbe ukukhanya kwelanga ukuthi kufinyelele ezinhlangeni zotshani basolwandle, avimbele i-photosynthesis yotshani basolwandle. Ukungacaci kahle kwamanzi kungabangela ukufa kotshani basolwandle, ukuncipha kwendawo ibe amanzi angashoni futhi ekugcineni nokulahlekelwa utshani basolwandle.

Umfanekiso we-2. Ukubaluleka kokucaca kwamanzi emibhedeni yotshani basolwandle obukhulayo. Iphaneli eliphezulu libonisa ukuthi ukukhanya okuncane okukwazi kanjani ukungena kukholamu yamanzi (okuboniswa isibindi somcibisholo onamachashazi) lapho amanzi edumele, noma eguqukile. Lokhu kungakhinyabeza i-photosynthesis futhi kubangele imibhede yotshani basolwandle ukuthi ifinyele. Iphaneli elingezansi libonisa ukuthi ukucaca kwamanzi okuthuthukisiwe kungavumela kanjani ukukhanya okwengeziwe kungene embhedeni wotshani basolwandle (okuboniswa isibindi somcibisholo onamachashazi). Ukucaca kwamanzi okuthuthukisiwe kuphinde kusho ukuthi ukukhanya okwengeziwe kungafinyelela ekujuleni okujulile, lokhu kungase kubangele ukwanda kotshani basolwandle bube emanzini ajulile ngokukhula kwe-clonal noma kwezitshalo.

Kodwa, utshani basolwandle nabo bangonjiniyela be-autogenic ecosystem. Okusho ukuthi bashintsha indawo yabo yokuhlala futhi baqale izinqubo kanye nempendulo enamandla okuqinisekisa ukuphikelela kwabo. Ukwakheka kotshani basolwandle bubambezela ukugeleza kwamanzi njengoba ehamba phezu kombhede wotshani basolwandle. Izinhlayiya ezilengisiwe phakathi kwekholomu yamanzi ziyakwazi ukuphuma futhi zihlale phansi otshanini basolwandle. Lokhu kubambeka kwenhlabathi kungathuthukisa ukucaca kwamanzi ngokulungisa izinhlayiya ezenza amanzi abe murk. Ukukhanya okwengeziwe kuzokwazi ukungena ekujuleni.

Emadolobheni amaningi asogwini, ukugeleza kwezolimo, emadolobheni nezimboni kugeleza ezindaweni zethu zemifula ngaphambi kokuya ogwini oluvulekile. Amanzi aphuma endaweni enamanzi ngokuvamile anenhlabathi futhi anothile ngezakhi.

Ezinhlelweni eziningi, izindawo ezihlala izimila ezimila emanzini njengamaxhaphozi anosawoti kanye nemibhede yotshani basolwandle zisebenza njengohlelo lokuhluza amanzi emvelo—lapho amanzi anothile ngezakhi kanye nenhlabathi egeleza khona bese kuphuma amanzi ahlanzekile. Utshani basolwandle buyakwazi kokubili ukukhulisa i-pH kanye nokuhlangana komoyampilo oncibilikisiwe emanzini ngaphezu kotshani basolwandle (Umfanekiso 3). 

Umfanekiso 3. Indlela utshani basolwandle obukhiqiza ngayo umoya-mpilo futhi andise i-pH yamanzi azungezile.

Ngakho-ke utshani basolwandle buwuthatha kanjani umsoco? Izinga lokuthatha izakhi lincike ezintweni eziningi; isivinini samanzi, ingakanani imisoco emanzini uma iqhathaniswa nesitshalo kanye nesendlalelo somngcele ohlukanisiwe, esithonywa kokubili isivinini samanzi, ukunyakaza kwamagagasi kanye nokugxila kwezakhi kanye ne-gradient ukusuka emanzini kuya eqabungeni.

Ngakho-ke, nge-#WorldWaterDay sonke ake sizinike isikhashana ukubonga umsebenzi omatasatasa utshani basolwandle abanabo ekusizeni ukugcina noma ukudala amanzi asogwini ahlanzekile esithembele kuwo kokubili ngokombono wezempilo yomphakathi kanye nokuxhumana okuningi kwezomnotho okuncike ogwini olunempilo. Ungafunda kabanzi mayelana nezinzuzo zotshani basolwandle futhi utshale obuthile ukuze ususe i-carbon footprint yakho nge-The Ocean Foundation's. I-SeaGrass Khula uhlelo lwe-blue carbon offset.