The Risks Posed to Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are known as some of the most beautiful and magical environments on Earth. Sadly, this biome may not be around for future generations to enjoy due to mechanisms that are causing the reefs to slowly die.
Unfortunately, ocean acidification is not the only danger corals face. Pollution by humans effects the corals in many ways. For instance, runoff containing harmful chemicals and pollutants can cause coral bleaching, which is when corals turn white due to a loss of algae (which make food for the corals in exchange for a home). Additionally, plastic in coral reefs has been shown to increase the coral's risk of infection of harmful diseases. While this is still being researched, this is most likely because plastic can carry a lot of pathogens into the reefs and it is capable of cutting into coral and exposing it to diseases.
Coral reefs are one of the the most diverse biomes on Earth and they need to be protected. They are home to many plants and animals and also are a home to food for humans. However, the dangers are stacked up against them (as a disclaimer, not all dangers are listed in the blog), and corals cannot survive them without efforts to reduce them.
How can you , personally, help coral reefs survive?
What are other dangers to coral reefs that can be prevented?
How will the lives of organisms (humans included) be affected by the loss of coral reefs?
https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/corals/coralseat.html
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/oceans-do-us-a-huge-service-by-absorbing-nearly-a-third-of-global-co2-emissions-but-at-what-cost
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/plastic-trash-making-coral-reefs-sick
31 comments:
Personally, I can help coral reefs survive by reducing my ecological footprint. For example, driving (reasonably) less/carpooling reduces the amount of carbon dioxide I use in a day. Coral reefs are also in danger of overfishing, which can severely reduce the biodiversity of oceans. Furthermore, overfishing in certain areas can impact a keystone species negatively, thus damaging the basic functions of the ecosystem. Overfishing can be prevented by reducing the necessity of fish in the diet or by simply finding alternative way to fish without depleting an ocean ecosystem of its main inhabitants. The lives of humans could be detrimentally affected by the loss of coral reefs, the main one being global warming. Global warming is an overbearing part of our lives, and to see the terrible impacts it has on the world is devastating to watch. However, if we get our acts together soon and realize the importance of life in any form (plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, etc.), this Earth will have hope for a better future.
I don't think I can personally help coral reefs survive on my own without help. If I were to/had a chance to help the coral reefs I would spear a day to go underwater and help clean up all the plastic around them or stuck on them. We can prevent chemicals and trash from flowing into our water systems or buy energy efficient product, reuse materials, and eat sustainably. We can also travel smart, for example ride bikes, walk, or even carpool. Coral reef provide shelter to the animals and protects them from predators. If coral reefs die out than the sea animals will loss their shelter and a safe place, which would decrease their species. To prevent this from happening we can work together and remember what is important to us and the sea animals.
I can help coral reefs survive by dramatically reducing my carbon and ecological footprint. For instance, I can travel less by car and more by means of clean energy like bikes or even walking. Furthermore, our city could,rather than use coal or other fossil fuels on a day basis, try to use cleaner methods of energy like solar and wind power. Other dangers include pollution via chemical dumping, overfishing, and the increasing dangerous threat of global warming. With the loss of coral reefs, organisms across the world will face many grave consequences. For example, the loss of a habitat means that thousands of species in coral reefs will be without a habitat. To expand, this loss of habitat will either result in two things: mass extinction or habitat relocation. Overall, this would be extremely bad for the environment and result in mass problems across the globe.
I really don’t think that I can personally help the security of coral reefs around the world because the damage that has been done to the reefs are almost irreversible. Something that I think causes humans to act the way they do and be so un-empathetic to the coral reef is that they don’t see it as a living organism. Not many people know that coral is actually an animal. Not a plant, and certainly not a rock structure. I believe that gets in the way of peoples consciousness because they definitely feel much worse killing poor pandas than animals that look like rock formations underwater. It is very sad that I cant do anything to help the coral reefs because not only are they actual living organisms, but they are home to millions of other living organisms. So if the coral reefs die off, all of those animals will die off. I think that global governments need to go to action and help these poor living ecosystems before they are wiped out completely.
I recently learned that most of our sunscreens contain harmful chemicals that once we wash it off our bodies, run off into the water systems and oceans. These chemicals harm coral reefs. Personally, I think we can better protect our reefs by using more natural sunscreens that don't contain these harmful chemicals. I think that if we don't protect them, one of the greatest ecosystems on our planet will be lost, and the effects will be severe, and far reaching.
Since runoff is one of the many ways that harmful chemicals can enter the ocean, I could switch to an organic and natural fertilizer instead of ones that contain harmful chemicals. Other dangers to the coral reefs include overfishing,pollution, and coral mining. We can prevent these harmful impacts by reducing our waste such as the use of plastic water bottles; we can also limit the amount of miles we drive. If we are able to walk or bike to a desired destination, then we can reduce the amount of pollution from our cars. Moreover coral mining has become a serious problem. Coral can be used as bricks or cement for new buildings. Instead of using coral, companies should find an alternative. Many of the marine organisms will be affected greatly by the loss of the coral reef. The coral reef provides a habitat for many animals and without it there could be a loss of biodiversity due to habitat destruction. If one species dies, this can disrupt the food web because an animals food source has died off.
Unfortunately, a part of me agrees with the many studies that claim that we are past the point of no return in saving our planet. However, I feel we can still do our part to slow the process down. As consumers, buying products from more eco-friendly corporations can greatly change the industry in a more eco-friendly direction. As the coral reefs fade away so many other animals in the ocean will lose food sources and homes. We need to create strict regulations that ensure that coral reefs are protected. Again, while we may not be able to entirely stop the decay fo the reefs, we can at least slow it down.
Personally, I could switch to more organic materials instead of relying on specific chemicals like fertilizers. A way we can help to prevent the dangers occurring in the coral reefs is by buying environmentally friendly products instead of those which are harmful to the environment. The lives of other animals within the coral reefs as well as around the world will be affected. Oceanic animals that reside or feed off animals in the coral reefs will face many problems and that in turn can affect the way our environments on land operate as well.
I can reduce the amount of plastic I use as well as the amount of carbon dioxide I produce in order to spare the coral reefs from exposure to harmful plastics and ocean acidification. The animals that live within the coral reefs are profoundly affected by the loss of coral reefs. With many of the coral reefs dying these animal’s habitats are now lost which will indefinitely lead to their numbers dwindling alongside of the coral reefs.
I think that personally i can donate money to causes that will help clean up plastic in the oceans. This will decrease the amount of pathogens ending up in the ocean and will, as a result, save more coral reefs. I think that another danger to coral reefs are people manhandling the corals, resulting in them breaking. Coral reefs are very delicate and can easitly be broken and when tourists travel they may poke or step on corals which will break them and destroy multiple habitats in the ocean. I think that humans will lose an essential part of the beauty of the ocean if reefs are completely destroyed. I think that the loss of reefs will also result in a decrease in multiple species that live in corals and this could impact our diets.
In order to protect coral reefs from disappearing, I would try to donate to coral reefs organisation to help their research. Littering happens to be one of the biggest problem thatÊ»s sea creatures are facing today. If we reduce the amount of waste, littering rate will decrease. Loss of coral reefs will critically affect fish’s habitat and they may go extinct.
I do not think personally if I help the reef it will make a difference, but if many people take the initiative to help something can be done. People can reduce their ecological footprint to prevent the amount of carbon being let into the ocean or stop polluting so plastic does not get caught in the reef. I don’t think people take this problem very seriously because the animals are not being harmed directly but if this problem were to become worse then we would see how damaged the ecosystem would be. The coral reef provides a habitat for many animals and without it many species could be endangered or extinct. We all need to work together and stop this problem from becoming worse.
The loss of coral reefs would be devastating. Not only would the earth lose one of its most beautiful and unique biomes, but many species would be harmed or left without homes. While I personally cannot make a big impact in saving the biome, I think that everyone working together to reduce their plastic pollution and carbon emission would help a little bit. Also, many people don’t know the effects their actions have on the environment, so it is important to spread awareness so that there can be a chance of saving the oceans and its ecosystems.
I, personally, can help save coral reefs by reducing the amount of carbon that I produce and by only using organic fertilizers. Switching to organic fertilizers prevents toxic runoff from spreading into oceans and harming the coral reefs and all of its organisms. In addition, another way I can help preserve coral reefs is by raising awareness about the importance of saving coral reefs in my own community.
Tourism and high levels of human interaction with coral reefs can additionally lead to the destruction of this biome. If tourists accidentally touch, pollute, or break off pieces of the reef, the environment undergoes stress. The pollution in the water can lead to a muddiness that prevents light from properly reaching the photosynthesizing organisms in the environment, thus leading to further damage. It is important that we protect coral reefs, even if that means distancing ourselves from them.
I can personally help coral reefs survive through not littering and limited touristic activities in their ecosystem. Marine biologists could become aware of invasive species that could destroy coral habitats as there has been some cases where people have unleashed random organisms into the water which led to loss of biodiversity. It is important to sustain coral reefs because ocean life depends on it. Once coral reefs are gone and these organisms have no home, we have depleted marine species in the sea, causing chaos in the natural order of life.
I can help the coral reefs buy donating to foundations, so they can take better care of the coral reef. This will limit the number of pathogens in the coral reef. Another danger that the coral reefs face is the destruction by humans. The coral reefs are very delicate, and us humans destroy them. If society doesn’t do a better job of preserving the coral reef, then we will loose one of the earth’s beauties. Additionally, if coral reefs were to be completely destroyed, then many species could loose their homes. Which could ultimately lead to a loss of biodiversity.
I can hope to help coral reefs survive through minimizing my plastic waste output and carbon emissions. First of all, I can begin with using reusable bags at grocery stores and refuse to use the plastic ones that these stores offer, I can stop my use of plastic water bottles and instead only use my reusable bottles. On the other hand, I can choose to drive my father’s electric car rather than my gas when going out with my friends. This will help my role in minimizing my effect on our reefs. Some other dangers to reefs that can be prevented are waste pollution from commercial fishing wear nets and other trash are left behind which disrupts the balance in these biomaes. If fishermen are more considerate of our reefs we can help minimize these dangers as well. The lives of organisms residing in reefs will be drastically affected by the loss of coral reefs due to the decrease in shelter and food as these organisms rely on the reef to provide home and constant source of foods. Human life can be affected by the loss of coral reef as this decreases biodiversity in our oceans which can have some inadvertent consequences that are unforeseen to us.
I can help minimize the destruction of the coral reef habitats by using less plastic and other harmful materials in my daily life. Because plastic is such a huge threat to the environment, it would be beneficial to try and cut out as much use of it as I can. I use plastic the most when making my lunch for school. An alternative to this would be to use more reusable Tupperware containers. I mentioned this in a previous blog comment, and since then I have been using different methods to store my food in order to reduce the amount of plastic I use, so I believe I am already on the right track to helping the environment. I also have started bringing my reusable water bottle to school and other events so I do not have to buy plastic water bottles and waste. Other dangers that can be prevented is the loss of biodiversity due to pollution of the water. Many big companies and corporations use harmful chemical to make and power their products, however, this is harming the most important ecosystem in the world, the ocean. Governments around the world can recognize the damage being done to coral reefs and enforce more laws to regulate the use of chemicals and other pollutants to the ocean. Many of us believe that we will be unaffected by the dispute for coral reefs because we are on land, however we are very much in the wrong. Humans and many other mammals will especially be affected by the destruction of coral reef systems because the major carbon sink-the ocean- is being destroyed. If we do not have the ocean as a carbon reservoir, the concentration of carbon in the air will increase and directly lead to an increase in global warming. This will affect many animals that rely on cooler temperatures to survive. This will also affect humans because we will be in danger of increasing temperatures that we cannot control.
Personally, I can do the basics to protect the environment: buy clean energy, don’t use plastic, drive in electric cars, reuse rather than trash, etc. To directly help the coral reefs, maybe I can go participate in an ocean clean up where there is a lot of coral. Coral harvesting is a threat to coral reefs. The government can put strict regulation on the amount of coral that can be harvested from a reef. Since coral reefs are the habitat for many different organisms, it is vital that they are kept alive. Whenever coral reefs die out, the different organisms that live in the habitat also die. Humans could effected in that we can not get fish in an area where there is no fish, so the loss of coral reefs can lead to a decline in parts of the fishing industry.
Personally, I can help coral reefs by disposing of waste properly and using more reusable materials. But there will only be change if everyone as a whole can reduce their economic footprint. People around the world need to recognize the importance of coral reefs and work to reduce their footprint. By reducing improper waste disposal some negative effects on coral reefs can be prevented. The lives of many organisms including humans will be affected drastically by the loss of coral reefs. Our existence is dependent on coral reefs providing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide.
We can help coral reefs by disposing of my wastes properly. Of course, there are many ways to do this and some of these might be up for interpretation on “properly”, but I’m using the term in the context of reusing the material. Obviously we can always recycle, But I think that we need to recycle, like, everything. What do we really do with most aluminum cans? We throw them away, or god forbid throw them in the ocean. We need to learn to reuse material so that we can all lower our footprints. By reducing out footprint we can help save the worlds coral reefs, we also will probably reduce the amount of trash that is in the coral reefs themselves by just reusing wastes.
In 2017, the development towards mindfulness and change have been brought to the cutting edge. The world is easing back grappling with the way that all that we do on an everyday premise can make cataclysmic mischief the earth, stretching out right to the coral reefs. As indicated by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), we have just lost 27% of the world's reefs, with the staying compromised by human movement. In only a limited ability to focus years, corals reefs have shown a huge transformational change, the same number of are currently faded white as opposed to its unique lively shading. Personally, some ways I can help coral reefs is to go green, travel efficiently, reduce excess pollution I excrete, volunteer to clean up beaches, and be respectful of my environment when I visit beach areas.
First of all, before reading this article, I had no idea what ocean acidification was, but now I do and that’s definitely something for me to think about. I went snorkeling one time and I was told that if you touch the coral, it will die, so I guess tourists and people in the ocean in near coral reefs can be other dangers to coral reefs. This issue can probably be prevented by educating more people about coral reefs. The lives of many organisms will be affected by the loss of coral reefs. For example, fish and other small aquatic animals will lose their habitats and/or sources of food, which could lead to larger aquatic animals and even humans losing a food supply as well.
The danger of abusing coral reefs intentionally to create jewelry and souvenirs is another threat. This can easily be prevented by simply leaving the corals alone so they can safely provide for marine life. Not only does coral reef destruction and bleaching rid organisms such as fish, crabs and sea turtles of their home, but it has an affect on humans as well. An important job of coral reefs that benefits humans is that they protect coastlines from harsh waves and tropical storms.
While I personally cannot make a big impact to save coral reefs, one way we could help the coral reefs is to minimize runoff pollution. We can do this by cutting down on fertilizers/pesticides or by simply just driving less. In addition, the waste of plastics into the ocean is something that can be prevented. It can be prevented if people would start reusing plastics more efficiently and not just throw it away after a one time use. With the loss of the coral reefs, other species are affected because they could possibly be losing their habitat, which ultimately causes a loss of biodiversity.
Although the task seems impossible, with the help of others, I may be able to reduce my own carbon footprint as well as encourage others to do so. This can be done by advocating for activities such as carpooling, which reduces one's carbon emissions greatly. And regarding some of the statistics in the blog, namely, the fifty years we have left that the oceans will continue to uptake CO2, are really jaw-dropping. This means that in a few decades, one of the most precious carbon sinks we have may be deteriorated to an extreme extent, resulting in a lack of photosynthesis and in turn, a reduction in cellular respiration.
The effect organisms will have due to the loss of coral reefs around the world would have a drastic effect on the organisms ecosystem. I don’t really pay attention to these kind of problems everyday so this blog really helped me to understand the impact coral reefs have in our lives even though it may be in the ocean. Also it was my first time hearing what acidification was through this blog.
I did not know about acidification before reading this blog post, but after hearing about it, I now understand the dangers that humans are causing to the coral reefs and the environment overall. One way that we can prevent harm to the coral reefs is reducing the amount of pollution that we are letting into the environment. For example, we can cut back on letting out as much waste such as plastic into the environment through littering and other forms of pollution. Although I do not live near a coral reef so my littering habits would not directly affect the coral reefs and the sea, it is still good to enforce these habits in case I live near a coral reef or anywhere near an environmental that is in danger. It is especially important for the people near the coral reefs and bodies of water to reduce the amount of waste that they are letting into the environment because even though it may seem harmless in little quantities, it eventually builds up and puts the coral reefs in danger.
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