Coral Reef Impact

Corals build colonies that secrete calcium carbonate to form ocean reefs. When they're healthy, coral reefs provide shelter and food for animals all along the food chain, including the top: us. Across the planet, half a billion people rely, directly and indirectly, on corals for their living. That's why what happens to the 9,000-year-old Great Barrier Reef, as well as to other reefs worldwide, is critical. The floods in Queensland have hurt the Great Barrier Reef by funnelling into the ocean vast plumes of freshwater and agricultural runoff that could severely damage the coral. Besides the extreme rain that sparked the floods, rising ocean temperatures, changes to the ocean's chemistry and the global trade in natural resources — all symptoms of our fossil-fuel economy — are waging a multiform war on the marine

In conclusion, coral is a single; it’s made up of thousands of ploys. Which secrete the limestones that attaches to rock or ocean bed and keeps them in the places where they came. That’s why if we stop the main cause of this--fishermen-- we’ll be able to see the coral reefs. The central idea of the article, “ Ingenious Coralbots May Help Restore Coral Reefs”, is that humans should stop taking the coral reefs from their

The ocean is two-thirds of our planet a vast blue landscape home to many biomes which according to Boyce Thorne-Miller “(ecosystem types) corresponding to sets of environmental conditions that vary with depth, latitude, and longitude” (16). However, the ocean and its biomes is under attack from the changing environment. We can see this through coral reef biomes as they make their home near the shores. Through coral reefs we can view the effects that these changes have on the ocean through how the coral reef biome is affected. Humans are a danger to the coral reefs and the wildlife that resides in the biome. The pollution being released into the environment is poisoning the coral and causes death and malformation to the wildlife. The ocean is changing due to global warming which is causing a change in the temperature and rising water levels leading to a change in the stabile areas coral can survive. The increasing acidification of the ocean is causing the coral reefs to die. I will be looking at the effects these issues cause to coral reefs biomes and the ocean to see the similarities in how they affect both.

"Coral reefs… are fragile structures living within a narrow range of temperature, clarity, salinity and chemistry. Even a slight increase in ocean temperature, or increased CO2… can cause stresses such as bleaching… These stresses slow the rate of growth of the corrals… With some 60 percent of the world’s coral reefs now losing productivity, it’s becoming a global crisis and a scientific mystery."

Consisting of less than 1% of the world oceans, the coral reefs are ancient animals comprising of thin calcium carbonate deposits within the photic layer. Aside from its biologically diverse ecosystems, coral reefs are major source of food for millions and provides habitats and nursery areas for many marine organisms. Coral reefs also act as a physical buffer to protect the coastlines from tropical storms and erosion. In addition, many local communities rely on coral reefs to generate an income through activities such as fishing and diving. However, 75% of the coral reefs are under threat from induced impacts of humans and climate change (Burke, et al., 2011). This essay looks at the human impacts constantly being inflicted on coral reefs.

The Great Barrier Reef is under threat due to many human impacts and natural impacts. These impacts lead to other consequences that may harm our society as well. For example, if the Great Barrier Reef was to be damaged by pollution, tourism levels would decrease, which can lead to a drop in the economic stance of Australia. For these reasons, it is important to keep our ecosystems safe and protected. Some of the human impacts towards the Great Barrier Reef include:

First, I am going to talk about the importance of coral reefs. Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. They are home to 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard coral, and hundreds of other species. Scientists believe that there are another 1 to 8 million unidentified species (NOAA). According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, new drugs are being developed from

The Florida Reef provides many benefits to our world. The coral living in it are part of the phylum Cnidaria which a group of invertebrates. Though it may provide many benefits to us, we provide many dangers to it. Our debris and overfishing can damage the Florida reef along with many other coral reefs. Not only that, due to over excessive tourists and their recklessness, we are endangering the Florida Reef even more. So how can human action improve the ocean ecosystem that is the home to the many species of the Florida reef? One is by polluting less. We can also fish more carefully and help reduce runoff. We can help the Florida Reef and it can continue to benefit us.

Located in tropical ocean waters, coral reefs provide priceless resources to both human and marine life. The leading natural cause of destruction among the coral reefs is global warming. Other natural causes are earthquakes, hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons. The destruction to the coral reefs from these natural disasters is minimal compared to the dangers caused by man. Man-made destruction has a much wider impact on the health of the coral reefs. This destruction includes over-fishing, damage from anchors, aquarium industry, overgrowth of seaweed, and being smothered by sediments.

Finally, there are millions of species who live in the coral reef. It is used both for shelter and for a food supply. There is a vast amount of trawlers that come through each year to dredge the ocean. But think about what would happen if the coral reefs disappear. All the species that depend on the reef for shelter would die. And all the species who hunt for food there would also die. Dredging the ocean rips apart the coral reefs wether that was meant to happen or not. If the natural beauty of the reefs and the security it brings to animals dissapeared, it would be a major

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, coral reefs contribute to 200 million jobs while providing food for over a billion global citizens. The reefs are more than just something one frequents while on a cruise ship or vacation, they are an integral part of our world economy (NOAA). As a subsidiary office to the US Department of Commerce, the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (NCRCP) aims to "make the most of limited resources and to have the largest impact to reverse general declines in coral reef health" (NOAA). Whether a student doing research, an environmental activist looking to volunteer, or a graduate seeking employment the NCRCP website provides a vast database of evidence and educational resources that

The Great Barrier Reef is on the brink of dying, and humans are to blame. Corals are the center of marine ecosystems as they provide food and shelter for animals as well as a source of income for Australia, in terms of tourism and fishing. However, as said by NASA research scientist Liane Guild, “Coral reefs are considered ‘canaries of the oceans,’ acting as an early warning system for marine ecosystems” . If the corals die off then everything in the ocean will follow. Of course weather is unpredictable and is a big part of why coral bleaching has occurred, but humans have also had a negative impact on them. There are currently Catholic movements aimed at saving the reef, and Pope Francis mentions the gravity of this situation in his recent encyclical. That being said, if we as a human race were told about coral bleaching by governments and were educated about it in school then global warming and weather wouldn’t have affected it as much as it has.

Big chunks of the Great Barrier Reef are dying and it is causing a big impact in Australia. For example, Australia gets billions of dollars for tourism per year, but if the reefs keep on dying the economy will be affected. Since Australia is the largest coal exporter, the last thing that they don’t want to do is make the situation worse. Also, scientist warned that if they keep on burning fossil fuels, it will expose greenhouse gases, causing the ocean to warm. Whenever the water is two or three degrees Fahrenheit of too much warming can sometimes kill the reefs. Fish sometimes use coral reefs as protection from predators.. Many people get their protein from reef fish, but with the loss of that food source it could become a humanitarian problem.

The earth can be sorted into two masses; water and land. The earth’s oceans make up of 71% of its surface and within that vast amount of water lives an amazing ecosystem know as coral reefs. Coral reefs can be coastal or deep water, each are equally important. Coral reefs are home to many species such as fish, corals, sharks, dolphins and whales, birds, and turtles. When I think of a coral reef my mind goes straight to the movie, Finding Nemo, and how at the beginning of the movie they show you the world of a coral reef. The colors are spectacular and it is full of life, lots of life actually. These ecosystems are extremely essential to our world for the reason that they provide more than just homes for many underwater species. Within the past decade scientists have started using marine organisms from coral reefs to create medicines to possibly cure day to day ailments such as; asthma, arthritis, and other inflammatory disorders (Nature.org, Coral Reefs, No date). Medicinal use is one part

However, many fisherman are unable to catch as many fish as they used to, so they are increasingly using cyanide and dynamite in fishing, which further degrades the coral reef ecosystem.[6] This perpetuation of bad habits simply leads to the further decline of coral reefs and therefore perpetuating the problem. One solution to stopping this cycle is to educate the local community about why conservation of marine spaces that include coral reefs is important.[7] Once the local communities understand the personal stakes at risk then they will actually fight to preserve the reefs. Conserving coral reefs has many economic, social, and ecological benefits, not only for the people who live on these islands, but for people throughout the world as well.