Dangers Of Coral Reefs

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.

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.

    Coral reef destruction is a big deal. There are many environmental threats on coral reefs which means they are slowly dying. Coral reefs play a very important part in marine ecosystems. Sea creatures depend on them for protection, camouflage, as a home, and also for food. Scientists believe this could be from natural causes like erosion, and global warming as reasons that coral reefs die off but one of the main reasons is pollution. There are many different ways pollution can affect coral reefs. There is a chemical in sunscreen called oxybenzone that may be contributing to the destruction of coral reefs as swimmers are trying to protect their skin. This chemical has toxic effects on young coral that can damage their DNA,

Irreversible destruction is occurring to our coral reef system. The majority of this destruction is caused by the human race. It is important that the people of the world come together to determine how to keep our precious resources in tact for future generations.

Coral reef ecosystems around the globe are threatened by human interferences and climate change. This has led to many scientists conducting studies on global coral reef ecosystems to gain a better understanding of the cause and effects of coral reef damage. In both Hodgson’s (1999) and Carpenter et al.’s (2008) studies, they are aware of the continuous degradation of global coral reef ecosystems. Hodgson's study involved conducting a survey on global coral reef ecosystems to see whether human actions were affecting the health of supposed pristine Coral reefs. Carpenter et al. incorporated Hodgson’s study into a compiled study about the possible extinction of reef building corals due to climate change and anthropogenic effects. Carpenter’s

“The world's finest wilderness lies beneath the waves” (Wyland). Bright, vibrant colors overlapping each other in an overall peaceful looking fight to the death for the dim rays of sunshine flowing through the shallow waves above. These places all thrive from the saying “help others to help yourself” because everyone works together to keep the coral reefs running. The fish eat the bacteria off the coral that could kill off all the coral if it builds up enough. This mutualistic relationship in the coral reefs have been going on for centuries, but what happens if one very important factor leaves the relationship: Total Collapse.

Coral reefs are generally called the rainforests of the sea, both due to the extensive amount of species they shelter, and to the significant productivity they generate (ICRI 2012). In addition to contributing to a valued habitat, coral reefs provide spawning, nursery, refuge and feeding areas, and provide nearly $30 billion (US) in net benefits in goods and services to world economies, including, tourism, fisheries, and coastal protection (ICRI 2012). Coral reefs are deteriorating all over the world due to untreated sewage and chemical agriculture run-off and unregulated coastal construction, both of which increases sedimentation, but they are also affected by over fishing and destructive fishing practices, scuba diving, and increased tourism (Spalding et al. 2001).

It warned that pollution is undermining the health of coral, rendering it unable to resist bleaching or recover from the effects”(Fears).

The Great Barrier Reef alone contains 1400 different species of coral (Stokes et al., 2004), which is an aquatic invertebrate that provides a home to millions of different species of organisms. In the past decade the number of coral species classified as endangered has increased (Sarkar & Ghosh, 2013), with coral bleaching being the main, underlying cause (Lukoschek et al., 2013). Coral bleaching is part of the natural evolution of coral, however several mass bleaching incidences have occurred in recent decades due too human activity (Lesser, 2007). A mass global bleaching event in 2010 sparked the attention of scientists around the world as to the impact coral bleaching has on the surrounding environment and urged scientists to further pursue possible methods to overcome coral bleaching. This essay will outline what coral bleaching is and the overall impact it has on the environment. Additionally, a conclusion will be drawn as to whether enough is being done to decrease coral bleaching incidences.

Massive Pacific-Wide Survey Links Human Presence with Coral Reef Destruction: Even Tiny Human Presence Can Cause 78% Drop in Aquatic Life

2015). A potential answer to the decreasing amounts of coral reefs is the push for efforts in regulation of human activity: reduction of overfishing, of waste disposal into water bodies, of dredging that leads to sedimentation, and of pollution to the oceans; this solution is accomplished with the hope that the recuperation rate of the coral reef ecosystems outpaces the dissolution rate. However, this hope is not easily met, as it is difficult to limit human actions (Figure 1); instead, efforts should refocus towards active

Coral reefs, known to house a wide range of organisms, are being negatively affected by our environment. Seeing as to how one third of marine fish live part of their lives on coral reefs; it is easier marine fish to die off knowing that they are all in the same area. There are some places in not only our country, but also in others where the reefs have already been completely destroyed. Whereas, some reefs are barely surviving considering the great dangers coming their way. With the ideas of pollution, destructive fishing, warming waters, changes in ocean chemistry, and invasive species being the outcome of threats to coral reefs. However, it is said that the most common threats are the ones that have been caused by not only nature, but the

The Pacific Ocean Paradise documentary shows how human impact can cause the ocean to become in danger by reducing or killing the life in the ocean. The Tahiti reefs shows a great example how human impact has had a destructive toll on the corals becoming smaller and most of them dead. But not only are the corals affected but also the sharks became smaller in size and fewer in number. Today one of the healthiest ecosystem is Millennium Atoll a unique under water landscape undamaged by the human footprint. Where the corals look like they use to look hundreds of years ago and ruled by predators but even here there is disturbing evidence of man.

The deterioration of coral reefs is mainly linked to human activities – 88% of coral reefs are threatened through various reasons as

From the above-given data, the results showed that some stressors affected the coral reef communities at the Jakarta and the Thousand Islands. From the results, the human activities along the show have some effect to the reefs around five meters of depth along the inshore, especially within the bay. The ever-increasing inhabitants of the city have resulted in pollution in most of Asia (Baum, Januar, Ferse & Kunzmann, 2015). The PO4 levels have reached 4µM/L while the DIN levels up to 13 µM/L which have been caused by massive land runoff, inadequate treatment of sewage and large-scale agriculture and aquaculture. The water quality has severely changed when compared to oligotrophic and turbid waters where the coral reefs thrive. From the articles, it indicates that ever-increasing human activities along the coastal lines have led to severe changes in the quality of water through pollution. This has, in turn, affected the population of the coral reef.