Coral reefs are vital to our marine ecosystems and essentially ours as well. They are the foundation of marine life and its diversity as well as a big part of human economics. Since coral reefs are so fragile it’s hard to maintain their beauty and life without ruining them. Lately, fisherman and multiple accounts of human activity have destroyed the coral reefs and the population of reefs all of the worlds is decreasing. While we have already lost 27% of coral reefs, why do we care if more die too? The great barrier reef in Australia was pronounced “dead” which opened people’s eyes to the importance of coral reefs. They’ve experienced severe destruction due to coral bleaching which is why people need to acknowledge their importance and how they would affect the socioeconomic views as well as human views since “58% of the world 's coral reefs are potentially threatened due to human activity.” (Cesar, 2003) As we all know coral reefs are unstable in marine life. A recent issue in the ocean is coral bleaching which is the second killing machine of coral reefs. Coral bleaching is the expelling of algae when water temperature increases causing the tissues in the coral to turn completely white (NOAA, 2011). Coral bleaching takes place in 3 stages, the…
Introduction Coral reef ecosystems are arguably one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. (Spalding 2001) Because of the marine life that swarms these areas, the reefs are comparable to those of tropical rainforests. (Spalding 2001) Additionally they play a critical role in the success of coastal communities, providing protection from storms, and drives tourism to these areas. However, due to unfortunate changes that inundates the coral reef ecosystems from increases in human…
The corals that make reefs around the world may look like one giant organism but they’re actually some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, with many small features working together to support a variety of marine life. They are typically found in warm, shallow waters of tropical environments, especially in the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of jellyfish-like animals called polyps, connect together to form colonies. These colonies host algae, that provide corals with food, as well as their…
With the alteration of acidity, saturation states, and increased temperatures coral…
Coral reefs are among the most beautiful and important ecosystems on Earth. They cover over 280,000 square kilometers and support over eight hundred species of coral and four thousand species of fish. They are often referred to as the “rainforests of the seas”. Coral reefs are crucial to the ocean and humans as they provide a barrier to coasts from waves and storms. They are also spawning grounds for many species of aquatic life and provide humans with medicine and food. The estimated yearly…
Coral reefs are diverse underwater ecosystems composed of small animals known as coral polyps, the skeletons of dead corals, and the various plants and animals that take refuge in the rich environment they produce. Sadly, the world 's coral reefs are dying. Ocean acidification, rising water temperatures, and disruption in the balance of sea life combine to form a lethal threat to these beautiful natural wonders. But what is really killing coral reefs? We are. Pollution, physical destruction, and…
television and saw on discovery channel or something the Coral Reefs? They are beautiful aren’t they? That is why we cannot let them die off because of Acidification. Acidification is when too much carbon dioxide gets into the ocean which increases the acidity of the water and lowering the ph. I know other issues may be talked about more but if we look really close at acidification, acidification is a huge aftermath of those issues. I swear the human species as a whole is so transparent in the…
Coral bleaching events endangers the sustainability of major coral reef ecosystems around the world, such as the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), the Florida Keys and the Coral Triangle Area. The loss of symbiotic algae and/or their pigment lead the bleaching of corals [2]. Moreover, the mass bleaching phenomena degrade the valuable ecosystem services of coral reefs, which are home to 25% of all known marine species and provide approximately $375 billion per year in goods and services around the world…
Coral reefs provide shelter and food for more than 1 million plant and animal species, which is nearly one quarter of all known marine species. This number includes over 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plant and animal forms of life (Cesar, et al.). A single coral reef at its prime contains tens of thousands of species, housing some of the most dense and diverse communities of vertebrate animals in the world. Unfortunately, with the destruction that they face,…
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…