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:
- https://science.sciencemag.org/content/328/5985/1523
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html#:~:text=Coral%20polyps%2C%20which%20are%20animals,water%20to%20carry%20out%20photosynthesis
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs003380050249
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/1312064
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160404152918.htm
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X17300635
- https://coast.noaa.gov/states/fast-facts/coral-reefs.html
- https://oceanwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Atlas_of_Ocean_Wealth.pdf
Your comment was posted successfully! Thank you!
https://unclefarming.outgrow.us/unclefarming-2
https://unclefarming834.outgrow.us/unclefarming834-2
https://unclefarming373.outgrow.us/unclefarming373-2
https://unclefarming675.outgrow.us/unclefarming675-2
https://unclefarming225.outgrow.us/unclefarming225-2
https://unclefarming894.outgrow.us/unclefarming894-2
https://unclefarming973.outgrow.us/unclefarming973-2
https://unclefarming315.outgrow.us/unclefarming315-2
https://unclefarming67.outgrow.us/unclefarming67-2
https://unclefarming967.outgrow.us/unclefarming967-2
https://unclefarming810.outgrow.us/unclefarming810-2
https://unclefarming186.outgrow.us/unclefarming186-2
https://unclefarming14.outgrow.us/unclefarming14-2
https://unclefarming18.outgrow.us/unclefarming18-2
https://unclefarming228.outgrow.us/unclefarming228-2
https://himeliois6.outgrow.us/himeliois6-2
https://himeliois6150.outgrow.us/himeliois6150-2
https://himeliois6821.outgrow.us/himeliois6821-2
https://himeliois6787.outgrow.us/himeliois6787-2
https://himeliois6465.outgrow.us/himeliois6465-2
https://himeliois6190.outgrow.us/himeliois6190-2
https://himeliois656.outgrow.us/himeliois656-2
https://himeliois6402.outgrow.us/himeliois6402-2
https://himeliois672.outgrow.us/himeliois672-2
https://himeliois6889.outgrow.us/himeliois6889-2
https://himeliois6220.outgrow.us/himeliois6220-2
https://himeliois6927.outgrow.us/himeliois6927-2
https://himeliois6658.outgrow.us/himeliois6658-2
https://himeliois6311.outgrow.us/himeliois6311-2
https://himeliois6164.outgrow.us/himeliois6164-2
https://kingsaemael.outgrow.us/kingsaemael-2
https://kingsaemael159.outgrow.us/kingsaemael159-2
https://kingsaemael434.outgrow.us/kingsaemael434-2
https://kingsaemael511.outgrow.us/kingsaemael511-2
https://kingsaemael774.outgrow.us/kingsaemael774-2
https://kingsaemael619.outgrow.us/kingsaemael619-2
https://kingsaemael468.outgrow.us/kingsaemael468-2
https://kingsaemael301.outgrow.us/kingsaemael301-2
https://kingsaemael736.outgrow.us/kingsaemael736-2
https://kingsaemael893.outgrow.us/kingsaemael893-2
https://kingsaemael288.outgrow.us/kingsaemael288-2
https://kingsaemael714.outgrow.us/kingsaemael714-2
https://kingsaemael816.outgrow.us/kingsaemael816-2
https://kingsaemael565.outgrow.us/kingsaemael565-2
https://kingsaemael49.outgrow.us/kingsaemael49-2
http://taylorhicks.ning.com/photo/albums/rwyjwryjrjrjy
http://playit4ward-sanantonio.ning.com/photo/albums/tuktku
https://www.theprose.com/post/828311/teuktektuektektuk
https://txt.fyi/78da250c6882db93
https://txt.fyi/f62cb291d24d0d03
https://txt.fyi/22f227cc1ea1ba74
https://namelessmc.com/forum/topic/8935-teuktekuteukteuktuk/
https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/7573e6b3b334a05b2f1f0a918faa8725d4f35750d3ba336f95b03643c1262d60
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/3362/etktkutktku
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/2522/tetekteukteuket
https://toirscript.com/topic/2929/etktketektekkte
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/51279-etktektektketek
https://forum.instube.com/d/127039-etukteukteukteuk
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12645835#12645835
https://forum.theknightonline.com/threads/etktkteuk.481070/
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/4481-teetkteukteuktukektu
https://diendannhansu.com/threads/rwrwyjrwjyrwyjrwyj.536062/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/116206-teuteketketkteku
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/ettuktekteuktku/
https://www.ofurea.com/forum/thread/2911/tektukteuketuktuetek/
https://www.snibc.co.uk/fusion/infusions/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=9991
https://kitemunity.com/forums/topic/8244/wryjrwyjrwyjrwyjrwyj/view/post_id/90550
https://www.yeuthucung.com/threads/rwyryjryjryjryjy.493027/
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/126462-tuektukteuktku
https://doc.clickup.com/9018117031/p/h/8crb2x7-4258/b12bd611c958fd1
https://www.surveyking.com/survey/3897
https://mypaste.fun/lori1nbzmv
https://paste.laravel.io/b5fb1919-f3ad-4438-8270-39a94156d327
https://notes.io/wnEZu
http://nopaste.ceske-hry.cz/411181
http://ben-kiki.org/ypaste/data/112507/index.html
https://jsbin.com/jahaqehipo
https://www.posteezy.com/rwjryjrwywryjyrwj
https://rentry.co/fv54znss
https://anotepad.com/notes/4qfeewm5
https://sharetext.me/wkybsvb2no
https://tiny-paste.com/138204/
https://paste.myst.rs/9nd4vm5i
https://ivpaste.com/v/R1Cs5AiF0O
https://paste.thezomg.com/218316/47093121/
https://paste.intergen.online/view/119777b6
https://onlinegdb.com/LJ0mJkqpS
https://bitbin.it/HUZ9W5cT/
https://tempel.in/view/UcC7JbN
https://paiza.io/projects/Wy_VWs0GNVkpiFVJ8vAYBA
https://pastebin.freeswitch.org/view/5aa25676
https://pastebin.com/e88n6F7Y
https://paste.chapril.org/?4f8528c296056eb6#A8kZS8j4JeW42BuSDckDUwu6uwH3w5b8WbWQk8FcqrE5
https://paste.ofcode.org/RjYbv624XhLTnJia9Zpfwn
https://paste.centos.org/view/c38c683a
https://snippet.host/goozyr
https://jsfiddle.net/rLznodjt/
https://paste.rs/7cJvX.txt
https://posh.vip/g/aminecraftfullhdthai
https://posh.vip/g/aminecraftmovie2025thaidubb
https://posh.vip/g/lilostitch2025disney
https://posh.vip/g/liloandstitchthai
https://posh.vip/e/a-minecraft-movie-thaisub-hd
https://posh.vip/e/minecraftmoviefullhdthai
https://posh.vip/e/disneys-lilo-and-stitch-thaisub
https://posh.vip/e/disney-thai-liloandstitch
https://posh.vip/e/liloandstitch2025thaisub
https://moviq.graphy.com/courses/liloandstitch
https://moviq.graphy.com/courses/lilostitchfullvietsub
https://xemlatmat8.graphy.com/courses/latmat8fullvietsub
https://xemlilostitch.graphy.com/courses/liloandstitchmotchill
https://movesta.graphy.com/courses/tuvutrujohnwickballerinamotchill
https://movesta.graphy.com/courses/tuvutrujohnwickballerinafullvietsub
https://xemphimthamtukien.graphy.com/courses/detectivekien2025thamtukienfullhd
https://soundcloud.com/alexiaaune/films-voir-diplodocus-francais
https://soundcloud.com/vivianacannella/films-voir-lilo-et-stitch-francais
https://soundcloud.com/issaywila/films-voir-destination-finale-bloodlines-francais
https://soundcloud.com/suruchiadonica/films-voir-mission-impossible-the-final-reckoning-francais
https://blognews.mystrikingly.com/blog/why-soft-skills-are-the-real-power-skills-in-2025
https://blognews.mybloghunch.com/the-hidden-skills-that-will-land-you-a-job-in-2025
https://colab.research.google.com/drive/1S04DB8bZp1-yoJ6h1Qz6omvNSn3_s5bf?usp=sharing
https://reretp.medium.com/how-to-develop-soft-skills-that-employers-actually-want-554907f671d6
https://blog-news.hashnode.dev/the-top-5-soft-skills-you-need-to-succeed-in-2025
https://baskadia.com/post/8kn2u
https://bento.me/nepehohepa
https://cara.app/nepehohepa/all
https://hoo.be/nepehohepa
https://cccv.to/nepehohepasf
https://www.TwosApp.com/683b4802b9b52a455922b8cc
https://taplink.cc/nepehohepa
https://x.com/nepehohepa/status/1929135163990044947
https://x.com/nepehohepa/status/1929135315609878742
https://forum.phuongnamedu.vn/threads/nepehohepa.25175/
https://forum.thecodingcolosseum.com/topic/63168/nepehohepa
https://pinshape.com/users/8212485-nepehohepa
https://pastenote.net/lkaa9
https://pastelink.net/qnzdomw7
https://bio.site/nepehohepa
https://bsky.app/profile/nepehohepa.bsky.social/post/3lqkukeomg22i
https://bsky.app/profile/nepehohepa.bsky.social/post/3lqkujpxhpk2i
https://bsky.app/profile/nepehohepa.bsky.social/post/3lqkuj2fhn22i
https://www.are.na/mountainhead
https://www.are.na/mountainhead?=shc
https://www.are.na/lost-in-starlight
https://www.are.na/lost-in-starlight?=gyu
https://www.are.na/die-schwarze-witwe
https://www.are.na/die-schwarze-witwe?=fjf
https://www.are.na/abschlussfahrt-mallorca
https://www.are.na/abschlussfahrt-mallorca?=fvi
https://www.are.na/tief-im-herzen
https://www.are.na/tief-im-herzen?=bgi
https://www.are.na/tin-soldier
https://www.are.na/tin-soldier?=fbh
https://www.are.na/in-the-lost-lands-tz7jce8psso
https://www.are.na/in-the-lost-lands-tz7jce8psso?=fbu
https://www.are.na/abduct
https://www.are.na/abduct?=vsd
https://www.are.na/exterritorial-w1ay3iybnt8
https://www.are.na/exterritorial-w1ay3iybnt8?=suvg
https://www.are.na/thunderbolts-4xgmjkhhf0g
https://www.are.na/thunderbolts-4xgmjkhhf0g?=dya
https://www.are.na/in-the-lost-lands-fr/channels
https://knowt.com/flashcards/8cbba8c0-4090-45bd-bc68-4698f83f242a
https://knowt.com/flashcards/92428dcb-e4ea-4be9-b19f-c70a65e53dcb
https://knowt.com/flashcards/8e3fb89b-08be-4631-94dc-25f5192ef57e
https://knowt.com/flashcards/f2730b51-090a-4a68-ac8e-5df301785571
https://knowt.com/flashcards/b2a3e944-96dd-448c-9883-a4f10b4155aa
https://knowt.com/flashcards/495add45-b07c-4091-88c7-e68c2459c6a1
https://knowt.com/flashcards/5a7f30bf-3484-4bef-aac6-2cf3117a0aae
https://knowt.com/flashcards/1fa4e7b0-ff24-404f-94c7-d76d96ef87b5
https://knowt.com/flashcards/0cc05824-1fcd-4c2d-a39c-0f7cc2d11039
https://knowt.com/flashcards/15d93bed-b425-4d1a-9e23-5d9587395731
https://knowt.com/flashcards/35e439b8-d02e-4ed8-897a-aec8d7e0691c
https://knowt.com/flashcards/d5d98f7a-f204-4041-a31a-67bd720e5341
https://knowt.com/flashcards/7b5d536c-8ad1-4405-a8aa-5f535bca4d9d
https://knowt.com/flashcards/2736a268-0ccb-4090-84ee-6a948eadf1e9
https://knowt.com/flashcards/2414db01-1006-485e-a48b-cc96993fa43b
https://knowt.com/flashcards/345b8680-4aa0-41dd-98a5-2927cd81813a
https://knowt.com/flashcards/d3f1246d-46e6-495a-8dc1-3b9a3f8a3f01
https://knowt.com/flashcards/a32ee8e8-c4fa-4d4f-9552-9d433cd39f64
https://knowt.com/flashcards/31521c73-75cd-4b52-bdad-d35a2158d54d
https://knowt.com/flashcards/14b59184-12ed-4844-a0a6-e2c94880ce10
https://knowt.com/flashcards/8e3bebe9-4c08-46c9-843b-5c3f4df5e3fa
https://knowt.com/flashcards/e71b7627-43e5-4c8d-9396-05fcab5c363b
https://knowt.com/flashcards/24617a74-915b-4a0a-bd31-4eb293b77c33
https://knowt.com/flashcards/3556061a-aab3-478d-a13d-faefde951c78
https://knowt.com/flashcards/b5618090-7b1d-4209-9716-26c6aa5a39cd
https://knowt.com/flashcards/8f9bd4da-180e-43c9-9910-9a39767bb488
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/1
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/2
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/3
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/4
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/5
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/6
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/7
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/8
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/9
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/10
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/11
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/12
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/13
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/14
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/15
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/16
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/17
https://github.com/pt-elong/alobeng/discussions/18
Leave a comment