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://pelishaha5.outgrow.us/pelishaha5-2
https://pelishaha5933.outgrow.us/pelishaha5933-2
https://pelishaha5230.outgrow.us/pelishaha5230-2
https://pelishaha5147.outgrow.us/pelishaha5147-2
https://pelishaha5483.outgrow.us/pelishaha5483-2
https://pelishaha5574.outgrow.us/pelishaha5574-2
https://pelishaha5755.outgrow.us/pelishaha5755-2
https://pelishaha5760.outgrow.us/pelishaha5760-2
https://pelishaha5201.outgrow.us/pelishaha5201-2
https://pelishaha596.outgrow.us/pelishaha596-2
https://pelishaha5533.outgrow.us/pelishaha5533-2
https://pelishaha5381.outgrow.us/pelishaha5381-2
https://pelishaha5807.outgrow.us/pelishaha5807-2
https://pelishaha5922.outgrow.us/pelishaha5922-2
https://pelishaha585.outgrow.us/pelishaha585-2
https://streamnarsus.outgrow.us/streamnarsus-2
https://streamnarsus451.outgrow.us/streamnarsus451-2
https://streamnarsus363.outgrow.us/streamnarsus363-2
https://streamnarsus184.outgrow.us/streamnarsus184-2
https://streamnarsus762.outgrow.us/streamnarsus762-2
https://streamnarsus436.outgrow.us/streamnarsus436-2
https://streamnarsus164.outgrow.us/streamnarsus164-2
https://streamnarsus749.outgrow.us/streamnarsus749-2
https://streamnarsus406.outgrow.us/streamnarsus406-2
https://streamnarsus875.outgrow.us/streamnarsus875-2
https://streamnarsus428.outgrow.us/streamnarsus428-2
https://streamnarsus172.outgrow.us/streamnarsus172-2
https://streamnarsus848.outgrow.us/streamnarsus848-2
https://streamnarsus731.outgrow.us/streamnarsus731-2
https://streamnarsus767.outgrow.us/streamnarsus767-2
https://jhonnycruif.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif-2
https://jhonnycruif62.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif62-2
https://jhonnycruif215.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif215-2
https://jhonnycruif594.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif594-2
https://jhonnycruif583.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif583-2
https://jhonnycruif647.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif647-2
https://jhonnycruif401.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif401-2
https://jhonnycruif9.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif9-2
https://jhonnycruif467.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif467-2
https://jhonnycruif104.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif104-2
https://jhonnycruif951.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif951-2
https://jhonnycruif316.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif316-2
https://jhonnycruif404.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif404-2
https://jhonnycruif96.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif96-2
https://jhonnycruif449.outgrow.us/jhonnycruif449-2
http://taylorhicks.ning.com/photo/albums/etkteuktektkueteuk
http://playit4ward-sanantonio.ning.com/photo/albums/teth
https://www.theprose.com/post/828310/wrwryjwryrwjy
https://txt.fyi/1741e1bb055bd466
https://txt.fyi/b3148ed58c6bae1a
https://txt.fyi/a8d14334b24ce492
https://namelessmc.com/forum/topic/8934-jrywjrywjrywjrwjyrw/
https://www.hybrid-analysis.com/sample/1029c60daa34d08ec59b1c16225cc591e7ec39e17bb610b3fdfff8d3f8af7d72
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/3363/tuktktutketek
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/2524/tuektekteukte
https://toirscript.com/topic/2930/tuketuktuktke
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/51280-etktkutuektuek
https://forum.instube.com/d/127042-etktuktukut
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12645837#12645837
https://forum.theknightonline.com/threads/tuktukttktuek.481071/
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/4482-tektuektktek
https://diendannhansu.com/threads/rwjrwyjrwyjrwyjrywj.536067/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/116207-etktketukeetk
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/wryrwjrwyjyrwj/
https://www.ofurea.com/forum/thread/2912/etuktekteukttek/
https://www.snibc.co.uk/fusion/infusions/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=9992
https://kitemunity.com/forums/topic/8245/etktekteukteku/view/post_id/90551
https://www.yeuthucung.com/threads/teuktuktuektuk.493033/
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/126463-rjrwyjrrywjrjwy
https://doc.clickup.com/9018117031/p/h/8crb2x7-4298/2fe0c75a0ec6755
https://www.surveyking.com/survey/3902
https://paste.laravel.io/743ee6a5-bf4e-43be-b222-4df34137f1a8
https://notes.io/wnEXk
http://nopaste.ceske-hry.cz/411180
http://ben-kiki.org/ypaste/data/112506/index.html
https://jsbin.com/cujohukone/1
https://www.posteezy.com/tktuktuktuktuk
https://rentry.co/t8y8mzh5
https://anotepad.com/notes/2as5ps9t
https://sharetext.me/2rvoj6sblq
https://tiny-paste.com/138203/
https://paste.myst.rs/vjs76px6
https://ivpaste.com/v/SM3GgR6MMH
https://paste.thezomg.com/218315/08806172/
https://paste.intergen.online/view/5afc0944
https://onlinegdb.com/sC-D_EcCt
https://bitbin.it/gh76RWPh/
https://tempel.in/view/hco
https://paiza.io/projects/SoGJ9Wxir3vAYpdvSFcToA
https://pastebin.freeswitch.org/view/d1381139
https://pastebin.com/AwSAz4KR
https://paste.chapril.org/?478285e5594d1359#8nj6f3v9Nc6tjNxgNvhXs62uhAsvKEwfNGy5kuLZMyEQ
https://paste.ofcode.org/5Anxhh28sM4LKHfpykyNrn
https://paste.centos.org/view/a284dccf
https://snippet.host/kxcbvk
https://jsfiddle.net/ed63fu0t/
https://paste.rs/F55LB.txt
https://band.link/IKyGa
https://band.link/AkxrI
https://band.link/gcXke
https://band.link/QVByA
https://band.link/Qm4lP
https://band.link/rd9kd
https://band.link/b4LpQ
https://band.link/ofEzy
https://band.link/Dy1QR
https://band.link/4kURY
https://band.link/uH7JR
https://band.link/jpDQX
https://band.link/B4B21
https://band.link/RK94G
https://band.link/qQEne
https://band.link/2AC3b
https://band.link/yOsCG
https://band.link/DOJvr
https://subscribepage.io/Fallout-Season-2-Film-Online
https://subscribepage.io/Fallout-Season-2-Film-cz
https://subscribepage.io/Dexter-Vzkriseni-Film-Online
https://subscribepage.io/Dexter-Vzkriseni-Film-cz
https://subscribepage.io/alien-earth-Film-Online
https://subscribepage.io/alien-earth-Film-cz
https://subscribepage.io/wednesday-season-2-Film-Online
https://subscribepage.io/wednesday-season-2-Film-cz
https://ffm.bio/bj9qo49
https://ffm.bio/g7b8pvx
https://ffm.bio/l3k2my5
https://ffm.bio/dorjmob
https://ffm.bio/n1j5j57
https://ffm.bio/8×1pvoj
https://ffm.bio/dex24o4
https://ffm.bio/m7pjved
https://ffm.bio/drevbbp
https://ffm.bio/egb3ak4
https://ffm.bio/vvoqv5v
https://ffm.bio/9wrwrbq
https://ffm.bio/g8e631x
https://ffm.bio/pv1n564
https://ffm.bio/b05meeq
https://ffm.bio/6axj2re
https://ffm.bio/xgbo8a5
https://ffm.bio/x3e95ap
https://ffm.bio/4xbjyxd
https://ffm.bio/yj8wjd0
https://www.passes.com/infiltradasfilmehd
https://www.passes.com/infiltradas2025filme
https://www.passes.com/infiltradasfilmecomplet
https://www.passes.com/agrandeviagem32025filme
https://www.passes.com/agrandeviagem3filmespt
https://www.passes.com/agrandeviagem3onlinedublado
https://www.passes.com/wednesdayseason2filme
https://www.passes.com/wednesdayseason22025filmes
https://www.passes.com/wednesdayseason2online
https://www.passes.com/alienplanetaterrafilme
https://www.passes.com/alienplanetaterra2025filme
https://www.passes.com/alienplanetaterraonline2025
https://www.passes.com/therosesfilmecompleto
https://www.passes.com/therosesfilmept
https://www.passes.com/therosesonlinedublado
https://www.passes.com/roubarfilmecompleto
https://subscribepage.io/demon-slayer-arc
https://subscribepage.io/los-tipos-malos-2
https://subscribepage.io/nobody-2-thai-hd-4k
https://soundcloud.com/brody25/freakier-friday
https://subscribepage.io/Demon-slayer-2025-thaihd
https://soundcloud.com/brody25/gatao-big-brothers
https://subscribepage.io/los-tipos-malos-2-espanol
https://subscribepage.io/xem-co-dau-ma-fullhd-motchill
https://subscribepage.io/xem-nha-gia-tien-fullhd-motchill
https://subscribepage.io/xem-bo-tu-bao-thu-fullhd-motchill
https://subscribepage.io/demon-slayer-infinity-castle-thai
https://subscribepage.io/xem-mang-me-di-bo-fullhd-motchill
https://subscribepage.io/xem-bong-dung-trung-so-fullhd-motchill
https://subscribepage.io/xem-pha-dam-sinh-nhat-me-fullhd-motchill
https://subscribepage.io/thanh-guom-diet-quy-vo-han-thanh-fullhd-motchill
https://baskadia.com/post/8ktcd
https://blognews.mybloghunch.com/cinema-in-2025-a-year-of-bold-stories-and-unforgettable-performances
https://reretp.medium.com/daring-emotional-unpredictable-the-best-of-2025s-cinema-f3fc542e7b47
https://blognewsdaily.hashnode.dev/a-year-in-film-the-movies-everyones-talking-about-in-2025
https://blognewsdaily.mystrikingly.com/blog/the-cinematic-landscape-of-2025-diverse-dynamic-and-daring
https://imgur.com/a/grohyJQ
https://bio.site/zerathkurogami
https://muckrack.com/zerath-kurogami-1
https://www.bitsdujour.com/profiles/KHmqXV
https://participons.mauges-sur-loire.fr/profiles/zerathkurogami/
https://wokwi.com/projects/440452424525095937
https://www.dokkan-battle.fr/forums/users/zerathkurogami/
https://telegra.ph/Zerathkurogami-08-27
https://rant.li/zerathkurogami/zerathkurogami
https://findaspring.org/members/zerathkurogami/
https://portfolium.com.au/jburkcec3l
https://rentry.co/Zerathkurogami
https://hackmd.io/@zerathkurogami/SJveW0nFex
https://zerathkurogami.graphy.com/courses/zerathkurogami
https://www.deviantart.com/mikayatensai/journal/Zerathkurogami-1234824873
https://www.socialbookmarkssite.com/user/zerathkurogamis/
https://wakelet.com/wake/AMQsFLHYwQdN29ZuLsBx6
https://giare24h.net/topic/zerathkurogami.html?t=198848
https://linkr.bio/zerathkurogami
https://start.me/w/rm6Yp0
https://paste.myst.rs/pzzvtkpi
https://paste.intergen.online/view/e9e2bfdf
https://bento.me/zerathkurogami
https://multichoicetalentfactory.com/user/76330
https://raindrop.io/zerathkurogami/zerathkurogami-59277651
https://papaly.com/categories/share?id=92c9c59cb4f947cab97541f68eaf6836
https://snippet.host/nvectu
https://protospielsouth.com/user/80061
https://pastelink.net/xe4e08fa
Leave a comment