Global Warming: The Effect on Coral Reefs Global warming is becoming an increasingly problematic issue for countries all over the world. Among many issues being faced, scientists are seeing increased and more dramatic changes in weather patterns and rising water temperatures that are affecting coral reefs. Earth’s coral reef population is rapidly depleting due to climate change, killing millions of marine animals, potentially placing the world’s coasts in extreme danger, and affecting the livelihoods
The Effects of Global Warming on the Great Barrier Reef Introduction Coral reefs around the world are in danger. One of the causes is global warming, which has been increasing the temperature of the ocean water resulting in coral bleaching. This essay will focus on damage occurring to the Great Barrier Reef. What is a Coral Reef? A coral reef is a ridge formed in shallow ocean water by accumulated calcium-containing exoskeletons of coral animals, certain red algae, and mollusks. Coral
Coral bleaching can be caused when coral is stressed by many things including pollution, overexposure to sunlight and extreme low tides however, it primarily occurs when corals are stressed due to unusually high sea temperatures (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2015). Unusually high temperatures cause coral 's colourful, symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) to separate from the coral leaving it to appear white (De 'ath, Fabricius, Sweatman & Puotinen, 2012; Baker, Glynn & Riegl, 2008)
Coral Reefs What are Coral Reefs? Coral reefs are said to be the foundation for many marine species, and are a crucial support for human life. The coral reef ecosystem is an a diverse collection of species that interact with each other and the physical environment. Coral reefs are the homes of many species including crabs, shrimp, oysters, and clams, foods eaten by humans on a daily basis. Coral reefs are among the most diverse and biologically complex ecosystems on earth, supporting 33%
conditions inhibit coral calcification, carbonate precipitation, and submarine cementation; These effects are expected to reduce long-term rates of reef framework construction(Lauren et al., 2012).As global warming gradually becoming severe, it’s effects on the coral reefs also leads a critical concern about the diversity and quantity of coral reefs in Great Barrier. Great Barrier Reef is not only functioned as a beautiful landscape, but also an essential component of the coral reef ecosystem. Any change
causing coral reefs around the world to bleach? Can we do anything about it? Baker, Andrew c. “Climate change and coral reef bleaching: An ecological assessment of long-Term impacts, recovery trends and future outlook.” Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Academic Press, 17 Sept. 2008, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771408003405. This website gives a large historical overlook and possible conclusion to the issue of coral reef bleaching. Since the 1980’s episodes of coral reef bleaching
Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is at least 20 million years old and is layers upon layers of dead and living coral. It is the largest barrier reef in the world and can even be seen from space. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and it is being destroyed. There are natural and non-natural threats to the reef, both types of these threats are threatening to destroy the reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the world. It spans for about
Prior studies on the coral reef biome were generally limited to clear-watered reefs, far from the immediate reaches of man or continental output. The generally accepted opinion was that they were the oases of the ocean, isolated, closed, fragile systems only found spanning small areas. However, over time reefs have come to been respected and seen as dynamic systems subject to natural disturbances. Hence, much research has been funneled to focus on the ability the coral reef has on recalibrating and
reason, eve... ... middle of paper ... ...effect is the coral bleaching of these reefs, which live within a narrow temperature margin, so a small increase in temperature would have drastic effects in these environments. When corals bleach it is because the coral loses 60-90% of their zooxanthellae due to various stressors, ocean temperature being one of them. If the bleaching is prolonged, the coral host would die. Although uncertain, another effect of climate change may be the growth, toxicity
of the Great Barrier Reef suggest that more than 90 percent of it has been affected by bleaching. The Great Barrier Reef, known arguably the most iconic, and well known coral reef on the planet is not immune to bleaching. Penis. The problem however is not only in the GBR, it’s stretching as far as the South Pacific to the Caribbean. With the rate of reef bleaching increasing, the toll taken on the ecosystem will increase as well as many fish who rely on getting food at reefs will have to find new