Modern Threats And Coral Reefs

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.

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.

Developing organizations, such as The Ocean Agency and the Coral Restoration Foundation, have been raising concern in efforts to conserve and furthermore sustain aquatic life and the ecosystem in which they inhabit. These unique fish, found living and populating among the coral reef, face a level of degradation and life threatening obstacles. The coral reef acts as a home to more than a quarter of the know fish species, where their population and species have been widely studied. This ecosystem is a beautiful representation of life which supports, and is supported by other neighboring ecosystems; embodying a significance as the leading consumer item for those who live along the reefs. Their importance to our planets collective ecosystem is not fully understood, due to the way these ecosystems are interconnected to one another, but nevertheless illustrates an example of a struggling life which may provide problems for both terrestrial and aquatic life-forms. Aside from the human dependency, being that “More than 450 million people live within 60 kilometers of coral reefs, with the majority directly or

Conservationists around the world are putting their best foot forward in an attempt to save the coral reefs. Coral reefs today are at a high risk of damage because of all the attention drawn to them by tourists. There are some islands that make all their money through tourism and exploiting the coral reefs, giving snorkel and scuba diving trips to guests that have traveled from around the world. Many people travel to these places with amazing under water worlds and they come extremely uneducated about these beautiful masterpieces. Tourists will drop their anchors on top of corals and drive their boats over corals, causing severe damage that will take the coral years and years to replenish. There are always new ways to enhance the lives of the

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 suffered degradation due to anthropogenic activities for decades. The direct and indirect effects of overfishing and pollution from agriculture and land development have been the major drivers of coral reef decline over the past two centuries. More importantly, these threats to coral reefs have been compounded and exacerbated by superimposed impacts of global climate change, such as rising sea temperature and level, and increased ocean acidification. (T. P. Hughes, 2003)

Although it may not be apparent to many, coral reefs are an immense necessity to ecosystems across the globe. They act as a major source of nitrogen and other critical nutrients for the hundreds of marine food chains that live close to or in these ecosystems. Coral is proves to be a major factor is recycling these nutrients. On top of this, coral reefs are a major component when it comes looking at its assistance in carbon and nitrogen fixing (an essential process due to the rise is global warming and pollution). Coral reefs absorb nearly one-third of the carbon dioxide generated by burning fossil fuels (GCCM). Aside from the ecological benefits, there are many benefits humans gain from healthy coral reefs. Coral reefs are an enormous help when it come to hurricanes. These reefs act as a natural barrier against storm surges. The natural barriers provide protection to coastlines from damage in which intense waves and tropical storms can bring. Reefs bring in billions of dollars to not only the United States, but hundreds of countries around the globe, as well as millions of employment opportunities. Reefs can help humans in the medical field as well. In these reefs lie the potential to implement biotechnologies and develop treatments for many illnesses, both acute and fatal alike. Coral reefs most crucial impact on this earth is one that cannot be disregarded. While coral reefs merely cover a fraction of a percent of the oceanic floor, these reefs produce what is estimated

The most beautiful ecosystem, coral reefs, are dying. Fortunately, there are policies in place to protect our reefs like the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. However, these polices alone aren’t enough to protect and restore our reef ecosystems. I propose that to preserve the reefs, we increase our protection by growing the amount of National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS), encouraging and funding scientific research, improving partnerships, and enhancing the public education and involvement. This can be accomplished in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) through continuation and improvement of established programs within the United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

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).

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.

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 occupy only 0.2% of the ocean floor, yet they are the most biologically diverse marine ecosystems known today, and support over 25% of all marine organisms (Yip). Due to the massive amount of marine species that populate coral reef habitats, maintaining healthy reefs is crucial for the continuation of marine biodiversity. In past years, the increase of mortality rates in coral has been caused by a number of factors, including wide-spread stress and disease. In the Indo-Pacific, coral reefs have been declining at a rate of approximately 2% per year for the last 20 years (Yip). Coral reef fish biodiversity is crucial for the sustainability of the coral reef ecosystem, as well as for the ability of the coral reefs to provide services to the ecosystem (Ehrenfeucht). Such services include coral reef fisheries and the tourism industry.

Across the world’s beautiful oceans, there is a vast and marvelous selection of coral reefs all of which house copious species of coral. Many of these coral are the key element in a marine ecosystem by providing food, shelter and protection for the underwater community. However, this ecosystem is threatened due to the events of coral bleaching, as this event kills the coral and the creatures dependent on them. Without coral, these creatures will become more vulnerable and may be at risk of endangerment or extinction. Bleaching doesn’t just affect the ecosystem it can also cause a lot of damage to local towns and tourist points whose livelihoods depend on their beautiful reefs. Some have already taken action to help prevent bleaching, but what should we do? What can we do to prevent this phenomenon before it’s too late?

Coral reefs are a crucial part of the world, socially, economically, and environmentally. All over the world, coral reefs are being damaged beyond repair and are possibly facing extinction in the future because of natural reasons, such as weather, climate change, tidal changes, predation, and various diseases. Humans are also causing catastrophic damage through pollution, overfishing, and coral mining. Despite the numerous efforts being made to restore the reefs to how they used to be, there is not enough being done, and chances are they will never be the same. Coral reef degradation is manageable, if not almost completely avoidable, at least for the damage that is caused by people. The coral reefs provide crucial resources to us as humans and to the animals living in and around them that is why they should be protected no matter what the cost may be.

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