Oxybenzone's Negative Effects On Coral Reefs

coral survival, growth and reproduction leaving corals bright white. Furthermore, climate change alters the carbon dioxide concertation within the ocean causing variation of pH level through which ocean become more acidic. This event is referred to as ocean acidification. When this occurs, the corals are unable to absorb calcium carbonate needed for skeletal maintenance (Freiwald, et al., 2004). In addition, human population dynamics have increased through the 21th

    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,

For over 25 million years, the Great Barrier Reef has lived off of the northeastern coast of Australia. The first human civilizations started around 5,000 years ago and industrialization of humans about 200 years ago (History of Humans, 2016). The human race’s timeline is just a small fraction in comparison to the reefs, but somehow humanity has managed completely derail mother nature in an incomprehensible amount of ways. Healthwise, the Great Barrier Reef is in the worst shape of its life and which just so happens to match ever so nicely with the rapid pandemic of global warming that has increased over the past couple of decades. The rise in air temperature is gradually increasing the ocean 's temperature as well which is causing colossal damage to Great Barrier Reef and reefs across the globe. If we do not take action immediately in reducing our planet’s rising temperature and ever increasing CO2, it will soon be too late to save this natural wonder as well as the countless organism that call it home.

The coral reef’s ecosystem are in major threat of the current bleaching events. Coral reefs are the main marine environment, which includes a variety of over 4,000 fish, and 800 different type of hard coral (“Corals”). Over 25 percent of marine animals are supported by the coral environment (“Coral Reefs”). The reefs are a key element of the ocean’s ecosystem (“Coral Reef Destruction”). Water temperatures are estimated to keep rising in the decades to come, which intensifies coral bleaching and other problems like black band disease, and white plague. These illnesses cause a majority of the coral to die, which will then lead to their ecosystem to plummet (“Global Warming”). Research as estimated that one to eight million organisms are yet unknown to scientists

According to the latest research of scientist team led by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), tropical corals cannot survive without the Symbiodinium algae that live inside them. These photosynthetic organisms supply the corals with all their food, more than 90 percent. UNSW specialists say that increased water temperatures stress the algae, provoking them to produce an excess of toxic substances, which called reactive oxygen species. As a result of intoxication, damage both the algae and the corals.

David Attenborough, a well-known naturalist, introduce us to our modern day “Darwin,” J.E.N. Veron, a former chief scientist whom is the world’s greatest scientific authorities on corals and coral reefs. Veron who has lived and worked on the Great Barrier Reef for most his life has discovered over 20 percent of the known coral species today. And today, he gives us an insight on why the earth’s reefs face a likely mass extinction within the lifespan of the younger generation. During his time as a scientist, he researched particularly on the diversity and evolution of the world’s corals and became aware of their troubles. He then began his studies on the analyses of previous reef extinctions and accrued more evidence of the effects of changing sea levels, temperature stresses, predation by crown of thorns starfish, and human influenced changes in nutrient levels. Veron had witnessed his first patch of coral bleaching off the Great Barrier Reef’s Palm Island in the early 1980s, a tiny clump of white skeleton. Everything started turning white and dies, it was the fast-growing branching corals, but some of the others were horrible to see. After witnessing the mass bleaching, the global damage confirmed a close connection with El Nino weather cycles. By being susceptible to increases in heat and light, corals were alerting scientists to climatic changes. When corals are exposed to temperatures two or three degrees hotter than their evolved maximum, along

I have based my research in the Great Barrier Reef. The great barrier reef is situated in the Coral Sea, on Australia’s north-eastern coast. It stretches 2,300km along Queensland’s coastline, beginning at the top of Cape York Peninsula in the north and traveling all the way down to Bundaberg in the south. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem on earth, representing about 10% of all the world's coral reefs. The Reef was listed on the World Heritage Register in 1981 on the basis of its Outstanding Universal Value.

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

Coral is the building block for a niche underwater ecosystem that consists of diverse sea life. These ecosystems are known as coral reefs and are named so due to the limestone (calcium carbonate) that is secreted by the coral lifeform. (Baker, Glynn and Riegal 2008) Coral reefs are host to such a diverse population of sea life, some of which may be endemic to the reef, that the destruction of them can cause large scale damage to populations. When under a lot of stress, the vibrant colours that are iconic to coral start to fade, thus the term coral bleaching. (Baker, Glynn and Riegal 2008) If the coral is left like this and its stressful conditions disappear it will eventually return to its vibrant colour, unfortunately if the stressor continues the coral will die. (Baker, Glynn and Riegal 2008) Reef building occurs over hundreds of years which makes the large scale coral bleaching all the more impactful on the underwater ecosystems. Bleaching events are so severe that an entire coral reef can die off from just 1 mass event. (Baker, Glynn and Riegal 2008)

Coral reefs are unique and diverse underwater marine ecosystems that are found in many parts of the world. Today these tropical reefs suffer a great deal of environmental stresses and are projected to decline over the next century due to global warming. In Grottoli’s article: The cumulative impact of annual coral bleaching can turn some coral species winners into losers, she elaborates on the effects of annual bleaching on three species of coral. Grottoli took three species of coral such as O. Faveolata, P.asreoides P.divaricata and exposed the treatment groups to high temperatures of 31.5 °C for 15 days while control groups remained at a normal temperature of 30.6 °C for the same amount of days. After treatment species were then weighed and

The issue that this poses for coral is the speed in which the oceans are rising. Because of the coral’s long life span they simply do not have the capacity to evolve a tolerance to these dramatically changed conditions in time. When the sea surface temperature is elevated the corals react to the stress by expelling their symbiotic zooxanthellae, which results in coral bleaching. If the bleaching is mild or short-term, corals can recover as algae recolonize, but if the bleaching lasts too long, corals starve to death.

Coral reefs are diverse marine ecosystems that provide habitats to a wide range of organisms (Mulhall 2009). Today, they are faced with the largest threat to their existence since the 200-300 million years ago in which they first emerged on Earth (Mulhall 2009). Since coral ecosystems are in rapid decline, sustaining these ecosystems is becoming a viable goal for both national and international organizations as an increasing number of nations across the world are being affected by their degradation (Mulhall 2009). Although initiatives are being taken to preserve coral ecosystems, the global society must continue to take more effective measures in order to preserve the world’s reefs and ensure that the benefits and

You get into your car and turn on the radio, and someone immediately starts talking about global warming, and how the ice caps are melting and how the polar bears are dying. While all of this is true, the one thing that people don’t talk about is how global warming is affecting coral reefs all over the ocean. All over the world the beautiful coral reefs are dying, along with many fish and other animals that depend on them to live. The oceans are starting to warm up all over the world and people aren’t doing anything to try and stop it, and if we keep using coal and fossil fuels to heat up the earth, then all of the coral reefs could be gone by 2050, and we’ve already lost 45% of the coral reefs in the last 30 years.

Coral reefs are the one of the world’s most diverse, nutrient rich, and valuable ecosystems that are at risk due to overfishing. They are ancient animals with extremely complex systems (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Coral reefs are endangered species due to pollution, bleaching, overfishing and much more. To the marine wildlife in the oceans, they provide food, shelter, and protection. The main problem that coral reefs face are the numerous negative effects of overfishing.

Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems that are held together by calcium carbonate structures secreted by corals. Reefs are built by colonies of different species that are found in marine water. Reefs are home to a variety of creatures such as fish, urchins, sponges, sharks, turtles, jelly fish, and thousands of other species and plants. Coral reefs are the most diverse of all marine eco systems and often called the rainforest of the sea. The total area of the world’s coral reefs amount to less then one quarter of 1% of the entire marine environment. Which is crazy because coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life on the planet. Coral reefs have survived tens of thousands of years of natural change, but major threats from mankind, pollution, and climate change have caused this under water eco system to have serious threats in the future. Coral reefs are dying around the world. Already human activity and climate change have destroyed a quarter of the world’s coral reefs. The rest of the remaining coral reefs are in great danger. While these beautiful and colorful underwater habitats flourish all around the world, there are many factors that can affect coral reefs and cause devastating outcomes to marine life. Climate change, pollution, over fishing, and disease outbreaks each play a significant role to negative and damaging effects of coral reefs. It is important to be more involved with this environmental issue to help take the right steps to saving the