Environmental Effects Of Coral Bleaching

Half the coral in the Northern barrier sea are dead due to coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is “When corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as temperature, light, or nutrients, they expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white”. Now most people may think nothing of that fact. But the reason the coral died due to turning white is to due to the algae leaving the coral’s tissue. The coral and the algae have a “symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live in their tissues. These algae are the coral’s primary food source and give them their color” (What). When the algae leave the coral, the coral is left vulnerable and if left that way long enough, the coral …show more content…
Then as the coral started to die due to an increase in temperature in the water, it was observed that the water began to become cloudy because “As the corals die, the release great quantities of mucous into the surrounding water, making it appear increasingly cloudy“ (Coral Bleaching). These conditions create an environment suitable for bacteria and fungi growth.
It is 2016 and as of now “the latest global coral reef assessment estimates that 19 percent of the world 's coral reefs are dead.” (Block). According to a graph shown (free) the trend for coral bleaching is not looking good. If this trend continues the possibility of the coral reefs demise does not seem to be too far off.
The disappearance of the coral reefs are not certain, but scientists are speculating that the disappearance of coral reefs may result in the disruption of the food chain. But they are certain that “The ocean fishing industry, which employs 38 million people worldwide, would collapse. Caribbean island nations that depend on tourism dollars would see those disappear.”(Kirkpatrick). If the coral reefs disappeared then the overall health of people around the world would diminish because coral is used in