Threats to Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are very fragile structures and therefore subject to much more significant damage than other biomes such as tundras or deserts. Sadly though, a significant percentage of this damage is not from natural causes, but rather human impact on the environment. Each year lots of coral reefs are destroyed because of human impact including: the mining of coral, chemicals from water runoff, water pollution (regardless of organic or not), diseases, too much fishing, and digging canals as passages to islands or bays. In addition, the greenhouse gas effect plays a major role threatening these ecosystems by upsetting the ocean acidity levels, raising the water temperatures, and creating higher water levels. The effects of these environmental stresses include promoting bleaching of coral (this is a process where higher water temperatures cause the coral to spew out the algae living inside of them and turns them completely white) as can be pictured above. While this does not kill the coral, bleaching significantly weakens the stamina of coral and increases their chances of death.
In 2010, it was reported that the levels of coral bleaching have reached their highest since the year 1998 when 16% of the reefs were ruined due to an increase in temperatures. Information has shown that about 80% of the bleached corals in reefs near Indonesia have been killed. About 60% of the coral reefs are at risk of death because of human impact on the environment, and 10% of the coral reefs world wide are already dead. The threats to coral reefs are the strongest around Asia where 80% of the coral reefs are in danger of death. As you can see below, the mortality rate of coral reefs has increased drastically between 23.4% in 2004 to 35% in 2007, not to mention the amount of coral that has been lost between 2007 and 2013. Unfortunately, coral reefs take a long time to form and with the constantly warming climate, you can predict that the amount of living coral covering the sea floor will continue to plunge in the coming years.
In 2010, it was reported that the levels of coral bleaching have reached their highest since the year 1998 when 16% of the reefs were ruined due to an increase in temperatures. Information has shown that about 80% of the bleached corals in reefs near Indonesia have been killed. About 60% of the coral reefs are at risk of death because of human impact on the environment, and 10% of the coral reefs world wide are already dead. The threats to coral reefs are the strongest around Asia where 80% of the coral reefs are in danger of death. As you can see below, the mortality rate of coral reefs has increased drastically between 23.4% in 2004 to 35% in 2007, not to mention the amount of coral that has been lost between 2007 and 2013. Unfortunately, coral reefs take a long time to form and with the constantly warming climate, you can predict that the amount of living coral covering the sea floor will continue to plunge in the coming years.