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.
Drowning in Plastic It’s hard to imagine life without plastic. It’s everywhere: covering our food, holding our purchases, protecting our loved ones, saving patients in hospitals and floating along our waterways and oceans. The thought of living in a world surrounded by toxic chemicals and pollution is a thought which many would rather not think about. Plastics have revolutionised the world in which we live, but with dire consequences. The production of these toxic-filled substances continues to lead the human race on a path of natural destruction; with thousands of animal sea-life dying annually from plastic consumption.
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.
Consequences The most conspicuous effect of cultural eutrophication is the creation of dense blooms of noxious, foul-smelling phytoplankton that reduce water clarity and harm water quality (Figure 2). Algal blooms limit light penetration, reducing growth and causing die-offs of plants in littoral zones while also lowering the success of predators that need light to pursue and catch prey (Lehtiniemi et al. 2005). Furthermore, high rates of photosynthesis associated with eutrophication can deplete dissolved inorganic carbon and raise pH to extreme levels during the day. Elevated pH can in turn ‘blind' organisms that rely on perception of dissolved chemical cues for their survival by impairing their chemosensory abilities (Figure 3) (Turner & Chislock 2010).
In the beginning of the 20th century whalers began to exploit the herds of southern whales. With an industrialized approach to whaling in place the numbers of species began to rapidly deplete - some whale species had been reduced by more than 95%- , until some species such as Right, Blue and Humpback had been almost wiped out. In 1986 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) – which has over 70 member countries around the world, and has the purpose to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry - banned all commercial whaling through a moratorium, but since then, three nations - Iceland, Norway, and Japan - have brutally slaughtered over 25,000 whales under the guise of ‘scientific research’ and for commercial purposes (Sea Shepherd). The Japanese invented the concept of 'scientific' whaling in 1987 as a way round the moratorium on commercial whaling instituted by the International
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 continuation of unrestricted fishing will worsen world hunger among impoverished coastal communities, many of whom depend on the abundance of fish to feed themselves and their families, and result in ultimate environmental chaos and the extinction of thousands of In recent years, the demand for fish, a healthy food rich in omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, has sky-rocketed. This is in part due to increasing demand for healthier sources of protein in wealthier nations. In fact, the amount of fish in the oceans has significantly decreased. The New York Times reports that, “according to commission figures this year, 63 percent of stocks in the Europe’s Atlantic water are overfished” and “83 percent of its Mediterranean stocks” and some “2/3 of its Baltic stocks” (Jolly, 2011). In the more recent years, fishermen have discovered ways of fishing that give the fish no chance of survival.
They lose their habitat and forced to move to new location; besides, many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes. It is undeniable that deforestation itself has extreme effect on Global warming and hurts the air. Global warming means that air and ocean temperature is increasing. Greenhouse gases exist primarily because of human activity. Unfortunately, humans are the most polluting species on the planet.
(UN Chronicle, 2013). Predictions suggest that coral reef ecosystems could be lost by the end of the 21st century. Carbon dioxide levels will increase in the atmosphere to 600ppm over the next 100 years, the oceans pH will drop by 0.1 to 0.3 units and laboratory and field experiments and climate models show that even the lower acidification levels will slow the calcification of corals and growth by almost 50% by 2050. Under more extreme acidification, coral skeletons will dissolve entirely. (Eoearth, 2008).
Humans have been known for destroying coral reefs through unlawful fishing habits. Cyanide fishing has been classified as a destructive fishing practice, yet is still being used in our oceans today. The destruction of coral reefs is greatly due to the fact that many people are unaware of a number of things. Such as the what coral reefs are, the key role they play, what cyanide fishing really is as well as the negative effects the fishing will cause. Occupying less than one percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs are home to over 25% of all marine life.