A To the untrained eye, these creatures drift aimlessly on the oceans’ currents and appear benign. In addition, they lack sharp claws, piercing teeth or even a brain. Despite this, they are armed with an amazing arsenal of weapons, especially the stinging power of their tentacles.
B They speculate that climate change may expand the traditional geographical range of jellyfish. ‘As water warms, tropical species are moving towards the poles. Many venomous jellyfish species are tropical and could move into more densely populated subtropical and temperate regions.’
C Unfortunately, where there is a jellyfish-dominated state then this does not support the nutritional needs of other fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. In other words, an ecosystem that loses fish also loses the species that depend on fish for survival.
D Due to the difficulty of turning ecosystems around once jellyfish have become dominant, experts propose focusing on ‘prevention rather than cure’. They recommend a halt to overfishing small fish that are vital to keeping jellyfish in check, reducing the amount of fertilizer and sewage running off into the oceans, and finally, if possible, confronting climate change.
Questions
1. a prediction as to the direction in which the jellyfish population may spread
2. a description of some physical characteristics of jellyfish
3. an account of the consequences of jellyfish as lone survivors
4. suggestions on how to avoid further jellyfish invasions