The article “Hidden Battles on the Reefs: How Will Coral Reefs Fare in a Changing Ocean?” was written by Tom DeCarlo and was published in Volume 51, Issue 2 of the journal Oceanus in 2016. I accessed the article through the University of West Florida’s library’s website by searching for the Opposing Viewpoints in Context database under the “A-Z Database List.” Once in the database, one can search the title of the article in the search box to locate it. DeCarlo intended this article to be read by the general public who are interested in how a coral reef can be drowned, and survive. The main purpose is to inform readers what a drowned coral reef means and how it affects the ocean and its inhabitants. DeCarlo begins his article by explaining
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When the reader reads the first line, “How do you drown a coral reef?” (DeCarlo 32), he/she is most likely questioning how something that lives underwater can be drowned. DeCarlo takes this strange concept and relates it to humans. For a human to survive in the water, he/she needs to keep his/her just above the water to get air. For a coral reef to survive in the ocean it needs to be just below the surface of the water where sunlight can still reach it otherwise it will die. After DeCarlo relates this concept to humans, the reader can understand what a drowned coral reef means to further understand the science behind how it occurs. DeCarlo explains how bioeroders are the cause for drowned coral reefs and that bioeroders are organisms such as mollusks, worms, and sponges. By giving examples of what bioeroders are, the reader can have a better picture of what these organisms look like, ultimately furthering their understanding of the topic. Once the reader has a grasp on how bioeroders drown coral reefs, DeCarlo goes on to explain his research experiment of collecting cores from coral reefs and explaining how a CT scan can reveal all the erosion. He also explains how pH and nutrient levels in the seawater affect how the bieroders work. DeCarlo’s use of explanation really helps a person with no knowledge of this topic understand what a drowned coral reef means. This information will be useful in my final paper because I wish to discuss the effects ocean acidification has on the ocean itself and its inhabitants. This article explains how in areas with low pH levels, there is a higher chance of bioeroders drowning coral reefs, ultimately killing ecosystems. This article will be useful because not only does it relate a strange concept to something a person can relate to, but it also does a great job of simplifying the information. DeCarlo did not just use facts to support his topic,
When the reader reads the first line, “How do you drown a coral reef?” (DeCarlo 32), he/she is most likely questioning how something that lives underwater can be drowned. DeCarlo takes this strange concept and relates it to humans. For a human to survive in the water, he/she needs to keep his/her just above the water to get air. For a coral reef to survive in the ocean it needs to be just below the surface of the water where sunlight can still reach it otherwise it will die. After DeCarlo relates this concept to humans, the reader can understand what a drowned coral reef means to further understand the science behind how it occurs. DeCarlo explains how bioeroders are the cause for drowned coral reefs and that bioeroders are organisms such as mollusks, worms, and sponges. By giving examples of what bioeroders are, the reader can have a better picture of what these organisms look like, ultimately furthering their understanding of the topic. Once the reader has a grasp on how bioeroders drown coral reefs, DeCarlo goes on to explain his research experiment of collecting cores from coral reefs and explaining how a CT scan can reveal all the erosion. He also explains how pH and nutrient levels in the seawater affect how the bieroders work. DeCarlo’s use of explanation really helps a person with no knowledge of this topic understand what a drowned coral reef means. This information will be useful in my final paper because I wish to discuss the effects ocean acidification has on the ocean itself and its inhabitants. This article explains how in areas with low pH levels, there is a higher chance of bioeroders drowning coral reefs, ultimately killing ecosystems. This article will be useful because not only does it relate a strange concept to something a person can relate to, but it also does a great job of simplifying the information. DeCarlo did not just use facts to support his topic,