neverfinished
Community Member
Coral reefs around the world are slowly dying out. Climate change, ocean acidification, and disasters caused by man are just some of the causes. If nothing is done to help combat these events that occur on our coral reefs, we will soon lose a large number of the living reefs around the world. Warmer Ocean temperatures cause mass bleaching events on coral reefs, given the fact that disasters caused by man are increasing, does not help the rapidly declining reefs. Warmer ocean temperatures also contribute to ocean acidification. It is ultimately our responsibility as the caretakers of earth to try and help combat these events that are occurring in our marine ecosystem.
Ocean acidification is occurring far more rapidly than expected. In an article, Elizabeth Grossman states, “As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, loading the global atmosphere with excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, the oceans – the world’s primary sink for atmospheric CO2 – are becoming increasingly acidic, a condition that is literally eating away at corals…” (28). Every species in the marine ecosystem depends on corals or plankton in some way, shape, or form. Plankton are tiny organisms that are a crucial source of food to larger marine organisms such as fish. Corals are also a pillar of the oceans survival. Corals provide homes for certain species, and are food source for others. With oceans becoming more acidic, corals and plankton have a harder time gathering the calcium the need to grow, which in turn, causes the plankton supply to diminish and coral skeletons growth rates to slow. As the oceans inhabitant struggle with changing ocean chemistry, they must also deal with disasters caused by man.
Man-made disasters have a devastating effect on reefs, the difference between man-made disasters and ocean acidification is that we have more control over the causes, and yet we still allow them to happen, and do nothing about it. One major example is the BP oil spill, also fishermen that drag nets along the ocean floor to harvest prawn, these bottom dragging nets destroy coral reefs. Coral species get caught in the nets and broken off from the reef. One fishing boat can devastate a large number of corals from a single reef in a short amount of time. The more the earth’s population damages the oceans inhabitants, the less likely the inhabitants are going to be able to recover. Not only do they have to deal with disasters caused by man, but also the must learn to adapt to rising ocean temperatures or they will eventually bleach out and die off.
Researchers have been closely monitoring the rise in ocean temperatures, and comparing them with the mass bleaching events that are occurring on almost every coral reef around the world. Coral bleaching is when corals lose their zooxanthellae,which are the algae in the corals that help retain their colors and protective coatings.As noted in an article by C.M. Spillman, “Elevated water temperature is recognized as the primary cause of mass coral bleaching…” (317). Corals are very sensitive to changes in water temperature. We all know about global warming, but do we think of it in the way that it affects our oceans? Studies have shown that the oceans temperatures have been slowly rising, causing corals to stress and bleach. Ross J. Jones noted in his article, “Mortality in Acropora spp. Occurred almost immediately (within a few days) after bleaching was first observed” (74).Coral bleaching events are mostly stress induced because corals will lose their zooxanthellae. When the corals lose their zooxanthellae they are also vulnerable to parasites and have a hard time recovering from coral bleaching. The bleaching events happen every year when sea temperatures rise to their highest levels making it difficult year after year for corals to recover.
The decline of coral reefs ultimately is caused by our own negligence: Harvesting prawn using bottom trawling nets to catch larger numbers of prawn to keep up with demand, only to sacrifice the corals reefs and disregard the impact that is known to come from bottom trawling. The rise in ocean temperatures due to the greenhouse effect that we as a society are responsible for and knowingly keep adding to, and the ocean acidification that has come about through rising temperatures. Mark Eakin explains, “These events have caused coral death … with impacts on reef habitats, structures, and biodiversity…” (2), unless the millions of coral species and marine inhabitants can learn to evolve and adapt to the rapidly changing environment, we can expect to see the coral reefs all around the world become extinct by 2050. The only glimmer of hope, is the countless number of volunteers that donate their time and efforts to help restore coral reefs with conservation gardens. With time and much effort invested in the conservation of coral reefs, the reefs might have a fighting chance to survive.
Mortality in 2005." PLoS ONE 5.11 (2010): 1-9. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2011
Grossman, Elizabeth. "Living Fossils." Earth Island Journal 24.1 (2009): 27-30. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
Jones, Ross J. "Coral bleaching, Bleaching-Induced Mortality, and the Adaptive Significance of
the Bleaching Response." Marine Biology 154.1 (2008): 65-80. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
Spillman, C. M., O. Alves, and D. A. Hudson. "Seasonal Prediction of Thermal Stress
Accumulation for Coral Bleaching in the Tropical Oceans." Monthly Weather Review 139.2 (2011): 317- 31.Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
Ocean acidification is occurring far more rapidly than expected. In an article, Elizabeth Grossman states, “As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, loading the global atmosphere with excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, the oceans – the world’s primary sink for atmospheric CO2 – are becoming increasingly acidic, a condition that is literally eating away at corals…” (28). Every species in the marine ecosystem depends on corals or plankton in some way, shape, or form. Plankton are tiny organisms that are a crucial source of food to larger marine organisms such as fish. Corals are also a pillar of the oceans survival. Corals provide homes for certain species, and are food source for others. With oceans becoming more acidic, corals and plankton have a harder time gathering the calcium the need to grow, which in turn, causes the plankton supply to diminish and coral skeletons growth rates to slow. As the oceans inhabitant struggle with changing ocean chemistry, they must also deal with disasters caused by man.
Man-made disasters have a devastating effect on reefs, the difference between man-made disasters and ocean acidification is that we have more control over the causes, and yet we still allow them to happen, and do nothing about it. One major example is the BP oil spill, also fishermen that drag nets along the ocean floor to harvest prawn, these bottom dragging nets destroy coral reefs. Coral species get caught in the nets and broken off from the reef. One fishing boat can devastate a large number of corals from a single reef in a short amount of time. The more the earth’s population damages the oceans inhabitants, the less likely the inhabitants are going to be able to recover. Not only do they have to deal with disasters caused by man, but also the must learn to adapt to rising ocean temperatures or they will eventually bleach out and die off.
Researchers have been closely monitoring the rise in ocean temperatures, and comparing them with the mass bleaching events that are occurring on almost every coral reef around the world. Coral bleaching is when corals lose their zooxanthellae,which are the algae in the corals that help retain their colors and protective coatings.As noted in an article by C.M. Spillman, “Elevated water temperature is recognized as the primary cause of mass coral bleaching…” (317). Corals are very sensitive to changes in water temperature. We all know about global warming, but do we think of it in the way that it affects our oceans? Studies have shown that the oceans temperatures have been slowly rising, causing corals to stress and bleach. Ross J. Jones noted in his article, “Mortality in Acropora spp. Occurred almost immediately (within a few days) after bleaching was first observed” (74).Coral bleaching events are mostly stress induced because corals will lose their zooxanthellae. When the corals lose their zooxanthellae they are also vulnerable to parasites and have a hard time recovering from coral bleaching. The bleaching events happen every year when sea temperatures rise to their highest levels making it difficult year after year for corals to recover.
The decline of coral reefs ultimately is caused by our own negligence: Harvesting prawn using bottom trawling nets to catch larger numbers of prawn to keep up with demand, only to sacrifice the corals reefs and disregard the impact that is known to come from bottom trawling. The rise in ocean temperatures due to the greenhouse effect that we as a society are responsible for and knowingly keep adding to, and the ocean acidification that has come about through rising temperatures. Mark Eakin explains, “These events have caused coral death … with impacts on reef habitats, structures, and biodiversity…” (2), unless the millions of coral species and marine inhabitants can learn to evolve and adapt to the rapidly changing environment, we can expect to see the coral reefs all around the world become extinct by 2050. The only glimmer of hope, is the countless number of volunteers that donate their time and efforts to help restore coral reefs with conservation gardens. With time and much effort invested in the conservation of coral reefs, the reefs might have a fighting chance to survive.
Works Cited
Eakin, C. Mark, et al. "Caribbean Corals in Crisis: Record Thermal Stress, Bleaching, and Mortality in 2005." PLoS ONE 5.11 (2010): 1-9. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2011
Grossman, Elizabeth. "Living Fossils." Earth Island Journal 24.1 (2009): 27-30. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
Jones, Ross J. "Coral bleaching, Bleaching-Induced Mortality, and the Adaptive Significance of
the Bleaching Response." Marine Biology 154.1 (2008): 65-80. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
Spillman, C. M., O. Alves, and D. A. Hudson. "Seasonal Prediction of Thermal Stress
Accumulation for Coral Bleaching in the Tropical Oceans." Monthly Weather Review 139.2 (2011): 317- 31.Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Oct. 2011.
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