Biodiversity of Coral Reefs
By: Ganesh Balaji
Ecology is a macro-scale science that encompasses all biological life. However, in order to fully understand the depth of ecology, and its significance in relation to life on earth, one must study the biodiversity of the species living in this planet. Although the history of modern human civilizations has largely ignored the importance and complexity of biodiversity, understanding the many layers of biodiversity will provide us with richer knowledge on how we can improve our own lives. Biodiversity acts as the principle foundation of ecology, as it serves as the link between the many ecological systems presently constructed on Earth. Essentially, the study of biodiversity has taught us that there …show more content…
The relevance of this explanation is that it gives consideration to the many layers and complexities of biodiversity. When trying to garner further understanding of the depth of ecological systems, one need not look past the biodiversity of coral reefs. In the last half-decade, coral reefs have been forced to withstand a dramatically altered landscape due to climate change and pollution. The occurrence, multiplicity, and growing scale of human influence since the industrial revolution have become such damning factors that coral reefs are beginning to get threatened worldwide – if not already. Additionally, the projections in terms of the carbon dioxide levels present in the atmosphere, as well as the incremental but steady rise in temperature over the course of the next fifty years, can alter the normal conditions that coral reefs need in order to survive, the same conditions that allowed coral reefs to thrive over the last five-hundred-thousand years. However, history has shown that some coral reefs can be resilient in the face of a rapidly changing environment, and they can tolerate the impacts of climate change when compared to coral reefs in more delicate areas of the world. But, …show more content…
The reefs that have been most successful are those that are generally found close to the shore in clear and warm waters, as the sunlight is beneficial in enabling the algae to photosynthesize and provide corals with food. Even though coral reefs are teeming with marine life that that provides the earth with one of the most diverse and productive ecological systems in the world, they cover about one-percent of the ocean floor. In truth, the coral reefs are crucial in providing adequate shelter and food for approximately twenty-five percent of all the known marine species on Earth, which is why the biodiversity of the coral reef ecosystem has been accurately dubbed the rainforest of the sea. The Coral Reef Alliance claims that “coral reefs are the primary habitat for more than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals. However, as the current scientific research indicates, the coral reef population is rapidly dwindling, and the wildlife residing within the coral reef ecosystem is in imminent danger.
The marine habitat provided by coral reefs are critical in balancing the ecosystem found in oceans, as many ocean species depend on them for their own survival. Additionally, it is believed that there is an estimated $30 billion annually in direct economic benefit to people worldwide
By: Ganesh Balaji
Ecology is a macro-scale science that encompasses all biological life. However, in order to fully understand the depth of ecology, and its significance in relation to life on earth, one must study the biodiversity of the species living in this planet. Although the history of modern human civilizations has largely ignored the importance and complexity of biodiversity, understanding the many layers of biodiversity will provide us with richer knowledge on how we can improve our own lives. Biodiversity acts as the principle foundation of ecology, as it serves as the link between the many ecological systems presently constructed on Earth. Essentially, the study of biodiversity has taught us that there …show more content…
The relevance of this explanation is that it gives consideration to the many layers and complexities of biodiversity. When trying to garner further understanding of the depth of ecological systems, one need not look past the biodiversity of coral reefs. In the last half-decade, coral reefs have been forced to withstand a dramatically altered landscape due to climate change and pollution. The occurrence, multiplicity, and growing scale of human influence since the industrial revolution have become such damning factors that coral reefs are beginning to get threatened worldwide – if not already. Additionally, the projections in terms of the carbon dioxide levels present in the atmosphere, as well as the incremental but steady rise in temperature over the course of the next fifty years, can alter the normal conditions that coral reefs need in order to survive, the same conditions that allowed coral reefs to thrive over the last five-hundred-thousand years. However, history has shown that some coral reefs can be resilient in the face of a rapidly changing environment, and they can tolerate the impacts of climate change when compared to coral reefs in more delicate areas of the world. But, …show more content…
The reefs that have been most successful are those that are generally found close to the shore in clear and warm waters, as the sunlight is beneficial in enabling the algae to photosynthesize and provide corals with food. Even though coral reefs are teeming with marine life that that provides the earth with one of the most diverse and productive ecological systems in the world, they cover about one-percent of the ocean floor. In truth, the coral reefs are crucial in providing adequate shelter and food for approximately twenty-five percent of all the known marine species on Earth, which is why the biodiversity of the coral reef ecosystem has been accurately dubbed the rainforest of the sea. The Coral Reef Alliance claims that “coral reefs are the primary habitat for more than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals. However, as the current scientific research indicates, the coral reef population is rapidly dwindling, and the wildlife residing within the coral reef ecosystem is in imminent danger.
The marine habitat provided by coral reefs are critical in balancing the ecosystem found in oceans, as many ocean species depend on them for their own survival. Additionally, it is believed that there is an estimated $30 billion annually in direct economic benefit to people worldwide