Hawaii Coral Reef

Six abiotic factors that affect the organisms living in the ecosystem are sunlight, temperature, the density, the buoyancy level, the salinity level, and the penetration of light. The sunlight entering the ecosystem allows the process of photosynthesis to continue. This process provided nutrients, food, and energy to the plants and animals in the area, allowing the food chain to be secure. The temperature of the water should be between 68 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperatures go lower than the range, or higher, some organisms who use the coral reef as a habitat may not be able to adapt or survive in the new conditions. The density of the coral reef affects the communities of animals and other biotic factors since some of them can only survive between certain depths of the water. The buoyancy level of the water in the coral reef contributes to the ability to move for the animals. Buoyancy is the force that supports an organism’s weight. The salinity level in a coral reef is greater than the salinity in a freshwater ecosystem. If the salinity levels

Coral reefs exist all over the world and are generally known as being one of the most diverse, intricate and beautiful of all existing marine habitats. They have many varying structures which are developed by algae and are symbiotic with various reef building corals which are referred to as, zooxanthellae (algae). There are many other factors such as, coralline algae, sponges and other various organisms that are combined with a number of cementation processes which also contribute to reef growth, (CORAL REEFS, 2015).

The state of Hawaii and its islands are role models for the nation and world when it comes to protection of ecological and biological resources. From establishments of protection of at least 20% of U.S. Coral reefs and associated habitat types in no-take areas, to working with local, governmental and global stakeholders to amend treaties and Acts that the nation can involve in. Currently, there are 43 sites considered marine protected areas and 12 of these are no-take zones. Papahãnaumokuãkea Marine National Monument is one of these.

This Friday, the Department of Natural Resources announced that, as was forecast, coral reefs across Hawaii from the northernmost spot in the Hawaiian Archipielago, Kure Atoll, all the way to the island of Hawaii are already feeling the effects of coral bleaching.

Coral reefs not only protect coastlines and beaches from wave damage and erosion, but also are the basis for the fishing and tourism industries. Dying reefs is a worldwide problem, and evidence shows that 10% of the entire world’s coral has died, and 60% will die by 2020 if existing conditions continue (NOAA 2000). The reason that the Australian Great Barrier Reef is so important is because not only is it the largest barrier reef in the world, but it is also one of the most evolved models of how to best manage and protect the world’s largest reef system (Ornitz 1996). It extends for 2,340 kilometers (km), covers 345,000 square km and contains 2,900 reefs, 300 coral cays and 600 continental islands (White 1999). Historically, it has been ahead of the rest of the world in terms of recognizing and addressing problems associated with reef degradation.

2001). Hawaii is home to more than 410 thousand acres of exquisite, living coral reef in the main Hawaiian Islands and when combined with the northwestern islands, Hawaii hosts more than 80% of all such ecosystems under United States jurisdiction (Davidson et al. 2003). We want to help expand and maintain healthy coral reef ecosystems in Hawaii by increasing knowledge and appreciation of the coral reef ecosystems to residents and tourists, increasing compliance with fishing and diving regulations, and to quantify, distinguish, and prioritize land-based sources and their corresponding impact. The conservation of coral reef ecosystems is vital to preserving biodiversity and supporting the millions of people that depend on these natural resources for their

In Hawaii the marine life has been affected because of many tourist. Ever since tourist have came to hawaii the ocean has become very dangerous to the sea creatures in it. They have negatively affected the ocean in many ways such as polluting the ocean by throwing their plastics, and even oil spills that is occurring in areas from them.

Primary users in this ecosystem comprise of zooplankton. Secondary consumers are fish that eat plankton. Tertiary consumers include sharks and barracudas, which are at the top of the food chai/web.

Throughout Hawaii, ocean temperatures are oddly becoming warmer. On Friday, scientists said that this will cause the worst coral bleaching that Hawaii has ever experienced. Coral reefs are still trying to mend from the bleaching of last year.

"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."

These increasing ocean temperatures, which result in global warming, are mostly due to the amount of CO2 released in the air, therefore threatening the existence of the coral reef systems (Cole, Pratchett and Jones). The reduction of the coral reef ecosystems are attributed to the climate induced bleaching from the past decade. The loss of coral reef environments has direct affects to the habitat of an organism within the reefs (Cole, Pratchett and Jones), leading to a decrease in biodiversity (Coker, Pratchett and Munday).

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

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

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 reefs are continuously being both built up and decomposed, so different parts of a reef are in varying stages of succession (Richmond, 1993). Coral reefs are very fragile, because reef-building organisms cannot thrive if the surrounding water changes significantly. Coral reefs require very specific conditions in order to grow: a solid structure for the base; warm and consistent water temperatures (averaging between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius); stable salinity; moderate wave action; and clear water that is low in nutrients and plankton. The water on a healthy coral reef is clear because there are very few nutrients, so plankton that would cloud the water are few. In general corals grow slowly, but they are extremely efficient at living and reproducing in these conditions (American Zoologist, pg 524-536).