How Does Global Warming Affect Coral Reefs

Global pollution is a big problem when it comes to any type of life. The climate change or the emission put into the air or water cause huge problems to all walks of life. People get sick, animals are dieing off, and habitats are shrinking. A big problem that comes from global pollution and warming happens in the seas and effects many of the marine wildlife. One of the things that can help reduce the rate and effect of emission is to lower the amount to greenhouse gases in the air.
Coral reefs are at the heart of the sea. They are a critical to some of species that live in the ocean. They use the coral to find sources of food and shelter which in return supports the commercial fishing used to feed people all around the world. They also are a natural border that breaks down storm surges that could happen at any time. Coral reefs even help coastal states make money by generating revenue from tourists (Global Warming and Coral Reefs).
Many people are unaware of what the effect of global warming has on things such as the coral reefs. When the …show more content…
The stony skeletons that support the corals and the reef can even dissolve because of the acidification as well. The acidification has lowered the pH levels in the oceans by .11 which has caused the ocean to be thirty percent more acidic than it was in 1751. The acidification does not affect just the coral reefs, it also affects snails, urchins, and clams because they use the calcium carbonate to make their shells. If the world continues on the path it is going on today, the pH levels will lower by 7.8 by the year 2100 which may seem far away, but it is closer than you might think. If the levels lower to that amount, the acidity of the ocean could dissolve the coral’s skeleton completely and cause the reefs to slowly start falling apart (Coral Reefs and Climate