Literature Review: A big change that has occurred in the oceans all over the world is the Coral

In this episode of the BBC Documentary series, “The Blue Planet: Coral Sea” examines the roles and effects of coral reefs on other marine species. Coral reefs play a major part in the marine food web since they are responsible for about one quarter of all ocean species. Coral reefs are one of the most diversified species in the marine, even though they only covered a tiny portion of the earth. This species can reproduce both asexual and sexual. In sexual reproduction, larva is developed through egg and sperm fertilization. On the other hand in asexual reproduction, they can clone themselves through budding or fragmentation. Coral reefs, however, has been threatening due to overfishing, pollution, climate change, increasing in ocean acidity

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.

    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,

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.

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

Coral reefs have one of the highest biodiversity of animals in one ecosystem than any others on the entire planet. Coral reefs are colorful habitats in the ocean, some of which are not too far from the shore. They are made from skeletons of calcium carbonate and animals, which make a rocky substance known as coral. Coral reefs are a home to many different types of creatures that live under the sea, some are unknown to a majority of the human species. “Coral reefs are sometimes referred to as the ‘rainforest of the sea’ because they teem with life and abound in diversity” (Agardy). Sadly, due to the many factors of global warming, these natural treasures are dying from what is called “bleaching”. Coral bleaching happens from the warming temperature

Natural disasters can still catastrophic consequences on coral reefs, for example powerful storm strength waves, which can easily break apart the corals. Destructive storms are common in tropical areas, which is the environment that coral lives in, pose threats to the coral, although not enough to kill the coral, but can potentially do severe damage. Warming sea temperatures, which is indirectly caused by humans, is another factor that is harmful to the corals. As stated in the early paragraph the rising of sea temperature creates a breeding area for algae and bacteria to grow which in large amount can be dangerous to the corals. Once sick these coral turn chalk white through a process called coral bleaching. The El Niño Southern Oscillation event of 1997-1998 is an example because it caused about 70-80% to die in the Indo-Pacific due to a sudden rise in sea temperature. Lastly, another risk that coral reefs may face is the harsh sunlight, during low tides the reef is exposed to the harsh sunlight. This will lead to dried pores, if they stay out long enough, which will ultimately kill them. Although, there is not much humans can do to prevent these problems, but we can help protect the coral reef by not loitering and reduce

Within the past year a huge catastrophe has happened in the Maldivian reef. Due to increasing temperatures the colorful and beautiful reefs have turned gray and dead. This is not only happening here though, it is a world-wide problem. Coral reefs support a quarter of all marine species as well has a half a billion people. In the last thirty years the world has lost half of them. Losing our coral reefs is not a problem that we need to worry about one hundred years from now it is a problem the world is facing today.

The article discussed the many elements that come together and harshly affect the coral reefs’ health including: overfishing, algae, pollution from fertilizers, diseases, and increase in ocean temperature. The studies controlled reefs showed many factors that come into their widespread death and what can be done to manage it. The findings focused on the impacts of algae and pathogens in the water. Algae and increasing temperatures reduces

Coral Reefs are not just targeted or damaged by just pollution. There are many different causes all leading up to the same main point, in which is the coral reefs are being put under pressure from these causes. The reefs are being physically damaged from multiple fishing methods, occurring mostly in coastal developing countries. For developed countries near the coral reefs, their source of food come from fish who spend a majority of their time in the coral reefs. Because of these actions made by humans, the reefs are being destroyed little by little, until one day they vanish.

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

The effects of global warming touch every human, animal, plant, ocean, landmass, and atmosphere level on this planet. The numerous effects of global warming are mixes of "good" and "bad" results, depending on how your definition of "good" results and "bad" results are. A "good" effect, a person could say, would be for regions with normally cold temperatures to receive warmer temperatures for their normal. Yet, there are more "bad" effects that seem to out weight the "good" effects. Some of the effects would include increases of flooding, severe storm systems, and rising sea-levels. One major consequence would be an increase of temperature globally. This would

Human introduction into the ocean and reefs causes overfishing. The increasing cause of sound pollution by humans is drowning out the oceans natural sounds. The litter left behind equally effects both coral and the ocean.