Even Australia’s own Great Barrier Reef has been taken under the impact of climate change and even got declared as the most damaged coral reef in the world. Things such as
Besides global warming there is another problem with this beautiful structure and that is the result of several local natural and human factors such as over fishing. Silt from deforested lands and pollution from crowded coastlines choke them, and overuse and destroy coral reefs. There are many other factors which if they are not stopped it will destroy all coral reefs. Corals are animals, not plants; sunlight is the key to their survival. They need it to power the millions of microscopic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues.
Not even El Nino stacks up to the devastation humans unleash on the very fragile and vulnerable ecosystem. T. P. Hughes couldn’t have said it any better when he wrote, “The diversity, frequency, and scale of human impacts on coral reefs are increasing to the extent that reefs are threatened globally” (Hughes 1). There is a laundry list of actions humans have conducted for years that contribute to the fact that, “a third of the worlds underwater reefs are threatened with extinction”, compared to the last decade where only two percent were endangered (Walsh 1). This list includes such things as overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. Coral is a living entity that has a symbiotic relationship with the algae that coats it.
Room to roam: why the San Diego region is considered a national model for habitat conservation. Sign on San Diego. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/pension/20050724-9999-1m24receiver.html SANDAG. OVERVIEW OF THE SAN DIEGO REGION: Current Conditions and Future Trends.www.sandag.org. SANDAG.
The large population centres near coasts has led to silting of reefs, pollution by nutrients that lead to algal growth that smothers the coral, and overfishing that has led to increase in number of predators that eat corals. Warming of the ocean causes corals to sicken and die. Even a rise of one degree in the average water
The ocean dwellers are virtually helpless, and they will ultimately have to suffer the consequences that have been created mainly by humans. Over the past few years there has been a significant change in marine life. Coral reefs are becoming endangered due to high carbon dioxide levels and effects of warming. Large predators, small fish, and other organisms make their homes in coral reefs. A process called mass bleaching has also become a danger to coral reefs.
Stress and the college student. Retrieved October 13, 2011 from The Wellness Center: http://www.uic.edu/depts/wellctr/docs/Stress%20and%20the% 20College%20Student.pdf The University of Texas at Austin. (n.d.). Managing stress. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from UT Counseling and Mental Health Center: http://cmhc.utexas.edu/stress.html Williams, D. (1999, April).
Certain coral reefs have progressed in order to survive outside this temperature range. The Great Barrier Reef is a type of coral reef called hermatypic corals meaning that they contain zooxanthellae algae and are colorful. This type of coral reef can live in water temperatures ranging from 64-91 degrees Fahrenheit (18-33 degrees Celsius). Nutrients are another abiotic component of coral reefs. Corals only survive in clear water where light can break the surface of the water.
Why as there not been a push for international policies to help protect coral reefs? Section 1: Coral Reefs are an important ecosystem that our planet needs to function correctly. Coral is a living organism that forms in colonies which can stretch out for hundreds of miles long and are then called coral reefs. These coral reefs are habitats for a large number of marine species. There are about 600,000 km of coral reef worldwide (State of the Reefs).
• INTRO: Within the world’s oceans, the greatest variety of life is found on amazing living structures called coral reefs. These fragile reefs play a critical role in sustaining a thriving ocean habitat, especially in tropical oceans. They also provide many benefits to humans as well. Yet, coral reefs are built by tiny animals, each smaller than a pencil eraser. Coral reefs are spectacular to behold, lush gardens in the sea, supporting a staggering diversity of marine life in a densely packed, thriving marine metropolis.