sustainability · 5547 comments ·

Coral Reefs as a Marker of Environmental Change

Coral Reefs as a Marker of Environmental Change

Coral is highly sensitive to its external environment. Changes in ocean temperature, pollution and run-off,  and pH (ocean acidification) can cause them to 'bleach' (1). When bleached, they can survive if optimal conditions return. However, if the stress is sustained, they will eventually die. As such, coral reefs are deeply threatened by environmental change and therefore make a good marker for the health of ocean ecosystems.

 

What is coral bleaching?

Coral live in a symbiotic relationship with microscopic, photosynthetic, algae called zooxanthellae (2). Like plants, the zooxanthellae capture sunlight and convert it into energy, providing essential nutrients to the coral (3). In return, the coral provides a protected environment for the zooxanthellae to live. Aside from providing nutrients, the zooxanthellae are also responsible for the colouring of many stony corals.

Under conditions of stress caused by changes in ocean temperature, agricultural run-off, and ocean acidification, resulting from human activities releasing CO2 into the atmosphere, the coral polyps expel their zooxanthellae, causing them to take on a white appearance, what is known as "coral bleaching" (4). The coral will not die instantly when the zooxanthellae is expelled, but if the period of stress is sustained, the zooxanthellae will be unable to re-enter the coral tissue, the coral will not get the essential nutrients it needs to survive.

What is left is the corals calcium carbonate skeleton. Algae begins to grow over the coral skeletons, blocking any chance of regrowth. After time, the skeletons will erode, resulting in the collapse of the reef structure. This collapse is not just an eyesore, it has catastrophic impacts for the ocean ecosystem, fisheries and local communities that depend on the reef for an income.

 

Why is it Important That we Protect Coral Reefs?

Habitat - Coral skeletons are an important component of the reef architecture and provide a habitat for 25% of all marine species (5). They provide shelter, spawning grounds and protection from predators. In their absence, fish stocks will decline, this has a knock-on effect to local communities who are reliant on fish for their main source of protein.

Tourism and Recreation - For coastal communities that are reliant on tourism for their income, the health of coral reefs is paramount to their survival. Ecotourism provides thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in income. It has been estimated that coral reefs have a global economic value of $36 billion per year (6).

Coastline Protection  - Coral reefs absorb 97% of a waves energy (7), acting as a buffer against storm events, such as hurricanes and tsunamis, to 150,000 km of global tropical coastlines in over 100 countries (8).

Pharmaceuticals - Due to the stationary nature of coral, it has developed a plethora of chemical defences in order to gain protection from predators and to fight disease. Coral is therefore becoming increasingly recognised as an important source of new drugs to treat diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's and arthritis.

 

What Can we do to Help?

Although small changes at home will make a difference (e.g. buying organic food as to not contribute to the use of pesticides and herbicides), the real issue here is climate change which requires global cooperation and action to reduce emissions and slow global warming. The death of coral reefs is not just a great loss to the ocean but it will greatly impact millions of people, in over 100 countries, who rely on the reefs for their income and as a food source.

 

References:

  1. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/328/5985/1523
  2. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html#:~:text=Coral%20polyps%2C%20which%20are%20animals,water%20to%20carry%20out%20photosynthesis
  3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs003380050249
  4. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1312064
  5. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160404152918.htm
  6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17300635
  7. https://coast.noaa.gov/states/fast-facts/coral-reefs.html
  8. https://oceanwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Atlas_of_Ocean_Wealth.pdf

5548 comments

Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!

  • teukteuk

    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462300679550977
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462387833032705
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462433538383873
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462481539077121
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462563155027969
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462626316038145
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462692688832513
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462749474485249
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462865883240449
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402462913549421569
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463005853508609
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463058545519617
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463107098804225
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463186560974849
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463241770624001
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463301438812161
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463356067531777
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463518480453633
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463580404120577
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463644662968321
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463703768069121
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463765863709697
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463920377710593
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402463972866306049
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464068039318529
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464122891408385
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464197346620417
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464270276147201
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464312876648449
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464401502316545
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464446957043713
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464492530260993
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464648098068481
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464708770782209
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464778073279489
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464870030276609
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402464971442274305
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465016406270977
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465095520301057
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465149567062017
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465262413821953
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465350236282881
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465402281322497
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465449550087169
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465508139277313
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465572487249921
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465649736902657
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465717663663105
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465767469981697
    https://wokwi.com/projects/402465827709636609

  • fewatew

    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing
    Google Movies Indexing

  • Raphael

    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/pu6Qb3lZq1c
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/nDz_8pb5JNk
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/uaHBg8TQET4
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/q2XCUEhE9ow
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/oqIGY4Km_Fw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/vcV2lVD34iw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/p-oHRpxjpjA
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/reUC3bF7Jmg
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/rdHG30p7Gbw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/snlggWYXcuE
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/q6u-8XdH9l4
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/mmGTMmAxLiY
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/hOmleCsO7wI
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/j90F4pKfGgw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/i1Z9gnzFccA
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/tw896GjWVcw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/ihwP06973nY
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/kEFqwibqiPQ
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/iq8YAdtwTmw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/k7J8n9VLs5U
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/q56auJ765l8
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/mYStQw_skGE
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/sHMe_h93LWM
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/s9tMXKW5caQ
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/s3O6691LKtA
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/l-qVpXoAmVQ
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/tjix-WptSQc
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/j1sS8K1-sCo
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/r2D1DweX10k
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/smQbRoPryF0
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/qjCYAQZRoUw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/hwrpw5gh0Po
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/n6niUZ4yMXA
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/joxk5RURIZw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/sm6Tg4HrX5Y
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/oXAgcY6eSAc
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/opEMCfwcg9k
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/usVv9r38Yr8
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/vf7fpm9ug38
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/gRgeM5XrbSU
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/lDVDZL7_BZY
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/gOswhzqS9W8
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/gCfu6zEWgUs
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/kYEVQNl_r4U
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/r1zo75cU00k
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/g02flwUZTU8
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/hMyBSnsJFvU
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/gaAK3AinV20
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/sg6EcC2TOjQ
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/kyK5Vpu8_lI
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/kaH-f4rIGfQ
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/rHgOsi-0n34
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/oGzbpBoPOhQ
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/vUe953Cq3NI
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/ilwZ3a0EqcE
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/jfaK5QqI3KI
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/sjbXBFcM4bE
    https://medium.com/kujahal766/https-lookerstudio-google-com-embed-s-pu6qb3lzq1c-fd93a7cc7ed9 https://wokwi.com/projects/414739652061076481 https://forum.instube.com/d/175837-aaaaaaaaaas https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/18971/fffffdd https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/39652/dsssss https://jsitor.com/sdQ-i3a0jk https://hackmd.io/kentang123/rJaE7OLfkx
    https://paste.ee/p/7MGcB
    https://snippet.host/uibewi
    https://pastebin.com/Gmkfqbqc
    https://www.etextpad.com/i2unegekpl
    https://glot.io/snippets/h1v7cfc5lb
    https://justpaste.it/hynly
    https://paste.enginehub.org/1hOsv1GHl
    https://paiza.io/projects/NbBM-hm5-6q93O97t1JNcw?language=php
    https://www.pastery.net/nwrvpc/
    https://paste.intergen.online/view/848678ed
    https://yamcode.com/saaddsa-65
    https://ideone.com/k6D47M
    https://wow.curseforge.com/paste/7d16bcb4
    https://www.wowace.com/paste/f04008e9
    https://challonge.com/yp3cbe53
    https://sway.cloud.microsoft/U3NaCR47TdXLXOJY
    https://rentry.co/agpit8wm
    https://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/movieanytime/diary/202411170000/
    https://pastelink.net/lfdqhtks

  • safsafsafas

    https://huggingface.co/free-dice-monopoly-go-ios
    https://reach.link/family-island-rubies-free
    https://reach.link/stumble-guys-free-gems
    https://reach.link/highrisefreegold
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/de927f5b-cf70-4dea-bf2a-301252fcf31f/page/nAOSE
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/de927f5b-cf70-4dea-bf2a-301252fcf31f
    https://hype.co/@free-gems-brawl-stars
    https://trainwick.com/training-course/famousthe-100-best-humidifier-in-the-market-11251
    https://bento.me/brawl-stars-free-gems-hack-link
    https://reach.link/highrisefreegold

  • kesding

    https://tinhte.vn/profile/xem-phim-moana-2-full-hd-2024-vietsub-mien-phi.3134214/

  • dfefrsf

    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/kXUczs_Oh20
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/hcBZB_ghEJU
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/ixW_JcEvmGk
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/tG4anzkY7mw
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/sCbWC72p_B4
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/jQsMLnWvsd4
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/iNMjlvdA_2Y
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/g3y-tW442UA
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/kekd5auz2V8
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/gjUHyy65h2k
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/oZ4ugoRtYJk
    https://lookerstudio.google.com/embed/s/o-M8svSGdDU

Leave a comment

BLOG