neverfinished
Community Member
Battling to Save the Reef
If the construction of this hotel gets approved, it only spells destruction for the Cabu Pulmo National Marine Park, and the great efforts of the country and volunteers would be for nothing. Serious consequences can be expected if the hotel is constructed as Eric Borneman states, “… increased damage from sewage, clearing of land, boat traffic and anchorage, contamination of pesticides, and pollution from fossil fuels.†The damage that will occur from the hotel is not only from the hotel itself, but the damage would be prevalent in the very beginning with the start of construction. Construction would increase human traffic in the area, as well as increase in fossil fuel use. Construction crews would have to clear land, which in turn would cause heavy sediment build up that would fall into the water ways. Sediment can be a killer of coral reefs as, MacGillivray freeman says, “Excess sediments cover corals, blocking the light necessary for their symbiotic zooxanthellae and smothering polyps.†Without the necessary light required for the corals to grow and thrive, the corals photosynthetic algal cells will disperse from the corals and leave the corals vulnerable to disease and make it harder for coral to recover. The community of Cabu Pulmo must do everything in their power to stop the construction of the new hotel. We cannot afford to lose another piece of the reef. Peter Weber writes, “Human beings have damaged or destroyed significant amounts of reefs off the coast of 93 countries…†We see new statistics every day about the decline of the coral reefs around the world, but yet no one is that concerned about them until they are no longer. We should protect the few reefs we have left, and protect the areas around the reefs to allow them to recover and rebuild.
The conservation and management efforts have been increasing around the world for coral reefs. Coral reef management is a crucial part, allowing reefs that have been damaged to have time to recover. J. Roughgarden states, “Managing coral reef resilience through a network of NTAs, (No-Take Areas) integrated with management of surrounding areas, is clearly essential to any workable solution. This requires a strong focus on reducing pollution, protecting food webs, and managing key functional groups (such as reef constructors, herbivores, and bioeroders) as insurance for sustainability.†Without the protection of the reefs, many species would not survive. The preservation of the reefs shows how a reef can flourish with a little protection from any human influences. William Booth reported, “… the biomass of fish in the no-take marine reserve had increased by an unprecedented 463 percent in 10 years…†these statistics are amazing and show the resilience the reefs can have with a little help. Managing and protecting the reefs can only bring about benefits that have only been thought of.
Coral reefs should not only be protected because of the beautiful fish and vibrant corals; coral reefs are also being researched for medical purposes. Macgillivray Freeman states, “Increasingly, coral reefs are largely untapped resources for future pharmaceutical breakthroughs. The best-known example of coral reef’s medicinal value is AZT, a treatment for people with HIV infections, which is based on chemicals found in a Caribbean reef sponge. Also, more than half of all new cancer drug research focuses on marine organisms.†Researchers have been focusing on marine organisms for medical remedies, which have only scratched the surface of medical breakthroughs. It is safe to say that the published research is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the pharmaceutical possibilities presented by compounds derived from creatures found in coral ecosystems, including the corals themselves. Coral reefs and their inhabitants offer a plethora of possibilities, Peter Weber reports, “ Corals themselves produce a natural sunscreen, which chemist are developing for the Australian market, and their porous limestone skeletons are promising for bone grafts in humans.†It is amazing at the benefits that can be derived from coral reefs. Some chemicals are derived from corals that contain a natural sun protection factor of 50. Corals not only protect us from the sun, but are also implemented into the healing process of humans. Pieces of coral have been used in fractures to act as a brace, the porous limestone eventually disappear, being absorbed by new human bone growth. Coral reefs have also been a source of food for many nations.
Without the protection of coral reefs, many species could not survive. Reefs provide a sanctuary and protection for fish that would otherwise be vulnerable to larger species. Fish are a large part of many nations’ diets. Peter Weber states, “Worldwide, reefs yield approximately one-tenth of all fish caught for human consumption.†It is not only large nations that depend on these fish, but also the smaller more undeveloped countries. The smaller island nations depend on the reef and its inhabitants for a source of food, protection, and economic stability.
The coral reefs is mainly thought of as a provider, an object that we can derive consumable goods and medical benefits from, but that is not the only benefits we receive from the reefs. In a recent article by the NOAA, “The coral reef structure buffers shorelines against waves, storms, and floods, helping to prevent loss of life, property damage, and erosion. Several million people live in U.S. coastal areas adjacent to or near reefs, and the well-being of their communities and economies is directly dependent on the health of nearby coral reefs.†Several seaside areas count on coral reefs to prevent devastating waves from destroying their livelihood. A recent Princeton study shows that a healthy coral reef provides substantially more protection than an unhealthy reef. A healthy reef has a rougher surface, due to larger colonies of corals, providing more friction that slows down destructive waves. There are innumerous amounts of benefits that come from a healthy coral reef.
In the small community of Cabu Pulmo, citizens are doing what they can to oppose the construction of the new hotel. The responsibility of protecting the Cabu Pulmo National Marine Park also falls upon the rest of the world. Realizing how important every single reef is, and how we must protect them, should be enough incentive. Corals reefs produce unknown amounts of medical remedies. Being able to treat HIV is of great importance, and the cure could be right in the middle of an endangered coral reef, that is on the verge of destruction. The food supply should also be of great concern, as countries populations rely on these reef, dwelling specimens. Studies have shown the exceptional growth rate among reef, dwelling fish on reserves, where there is a no-take law implemented. With the correct amount of restrictions and laws implemented on coral reef areas, we might be able to stop and reverse the decline of coral reefs, and nurture them back to their original glory. Being able to put a stop to the construction of the new hotel in Cabu Pulmo, might be a small victory, but nonetheless, it’s a victory in a larger battle that is still on going.
