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Bleaching of corals on the Great Barrier Reef: differential susceptibilities among taxa
Global warming effects
The effects of global warming
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Recommended: Bleaching of corals on the Great Barrier Reef: differential susceptibilities among taxa
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 reefs are tropical, forming only where surface waters are never cooler than 20° C (68° F).
The only difference between a barrier reef and a coral reef is that a barrier reef occurs farther offshore, with a channel or lagoon between it and the shore.
The outer layer of a reef consists of living animals, or polyps, of coral. Single-celled algae called zooxanthellae live within the coral polyps, and a skeleton containing filamentous green algae surrounds them. The photosynthetic zooxanthellae and green algae transfer food energy directly to the coral polyps, while acquiring scarce nutrients from the coral. The numerous micro habitats of coral reefs and the high biological productivity support a great diversity of other life.
The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is a chain of coral reefs in the Coral Sea, off the northeastern coast of Australia. The largest reef in the world, it extends about 1250 mi from Mackay, Queensland to the Torres Strait (between Australia and New Guinea.)
The Great Barrier Reef is home to a remarkable number of organisms. The coral itself is made up of the skeletons of tiny, flowerlike water animals called polyps, held together by a limestone substance produced by a type of algae. Hundreds...
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...bal Warming kills Great Barrier Reef coral
http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/exterel/news/981008News/8.10.coral.html
Coral bleaching
http://www.uvi.edu/coral.reefer/bleach.htm
Coral Reef
http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=050FE000
Coral reefs in peril worldwide
http://usatoday.com/life/science/environ/lse011.htm
Coral 'stress' worsening, expert says
http://www.msnbc.com/news/287041.asp?cp1=1
Global warming
http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=03CCE000
Greenpeace reports threat to Great Barrier Reef
http://www.wwinternational.com/pages/updatecontent/Reef.html
Protecting Coral Reefs
http://coralreef.gov/how.html
What are Some Solutions to Global Warming
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/9520/whattodo.html
What are the Causes of Global Warming?
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/9520/causes.html
Earth, an endless source of wonder and beauty, produced the Great Barrier Reef. Hustling and bustling, the Reef thrives like a busy city, teeming with life. Sheltering thousands, corals, maintain the well-being of the Reef; however, the world threatens its nature and delicacy. Populations growing and technological advances increasing, the world becomes more and more disconnected with the natural world, posing an alarming risk for the planet we live on. Although many organizations try to keep the oceans clean, because of human interference and unnatural occurrences, the Great Barrier Reef needs scientific help to adapt corals to new conditions for means of survival, putting pressure on the Australian government to save their ocean environment.
Climate change has been affecting coral reefs in a negative way. If the climate continues to get warmer more of our coral reef become bleached, the structure of the reefs will become weak, and algae that keeps coral healthy will die. In the essay, “A framework for understanding Climate change impacts on Coral Reefs” by Joshua Clinner (2016), he emphasizes our climate change has become one of the long-term threats to coral reef. The article “Climate change and human impacts are damaging the world’s coral reefs”, which didn’t include an author (2001), states that the sea temperatures throughout the tropics has increased dramatically leaving much of the coral unhealthy. Spencer Hall (2008), discussed in his article “Coral Reefs and Climate Change”, how the increase in climate change puts a lot of stress on coral reefs because they are very sensitive to the change of temperature. Rigel B (2003) states in his essay, “Climate Change and Coral Reefs”, that coral reef has already been negatively impacted by
Leading scientists advise climate change will cause increases to the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Rising sea levels pose a significant risk to coastal communities, while the world’s oceans could become too acidic to support coral reefs and other calcifying marine organisms. Coral reefs contain only six per cent of the area of the Great Barrier Reef, yet they provide critical habitat and food for numerous species in the ecosystem. However, climate change has already impacted coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef as corals are very helpless against its potential impacts. Eight mass coral bleaching events has occurred since 1979, triggered by unusually high water temperatures. And because of this, zooxanthellae (photosynthetic algae) leave their tissues and corals will have no more colours hence ‘bleaching’. Without the zooxanthellae, the corals that remain gradually starve to death. Once the coral dies, fish and a multitude of other marine species are soon affected. Rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storm surges will see more erosion of Australia’s coastline, causing community and residential
Around the world, their are beautiful places called “the seven wonders of the natural world”. These sites are fantastic because of there fascinating views and the fact that they were naturally made, not by humans. One of these seven natural wonders of the natural world is the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef was formed by corals growing on submerged islands. The sea level then continued to rise, “leading to more corals growing and forming.” (Zimmerman). The Great Barrier Reef is “a mosaic of 2,900 individual reefs” and can be “seen from space and is not only the world's largest coral reef system but also the largest structure
Although coral is often mistaken for a rock or a plant, it is actually composed of tiny, fragile animals called coral polyps. When we say "coral" we are actually referring to these animals and the skeletons they leave behind after they die.
In the article called “Recent Ocean Heat Waves Have "Forever" Altered Great Barrier Reef” The author talks about how the heat wave’s changing corals reefs on great barrier in Australia. The article starts by talking about recently in great barrier corals reefs is changing so much then before due to high heat waves. In fact, not only reefs but they were major infect on corals then before. The scientist suggests between March and November most of the corals reefs died within eight month. Most of them causing by essential change that mix with hundreds of different reefs due to high heat waves. The authors indicated that almost every parts of reefs has deeply affected in great barriers. The article clearly states the facts that, the transformation are the result of a huge coral because of lightening event that transported by high
With over 2,900 individual reefs the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest reef system. The Great Barrier Reef is located off shore of Queensland, Australia and is about 1,400 miles long. It is home to more than 1,500 species of fish, and more than 400 species of coral.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world, it protects coastlines from the dangerous effects of tropical storms and wave action, it is also home to more than 11,ooo marine life. It is one of the world’s largest coral reefs, so large in fact that you can see if from space.
Coral Reefs are said to be the “tropical rainforest” of the sea. They are home to over 25% of all marine life (http://coralreefalliance.org.stories/storyReader$77). Over the past few decades they have been subjected to destructive anthropogenic practices. Some of the major threats to coral reefs include sedimentation, water pollution, harmful recreational activities, and global warming. All of these things cause stress on corals and can potentially cause mortality. Corals are made up of two parts, a polyp and zooxanthellae. A polyp is a calcerous body that grows from a hard part of the ocean floor. Zooxanthellae is a photosynthetic algae which lives in the polyp and provide energy for themselves and the coral. In many cases, corals undergo “bleaching,” which is a process where corals lose the zooxantheallae or chlorophyll pigment, and turn white (Wilkinson et all). After bleaching corals can survive for several months. It is possible for corals to recover by hosting more zooxantheallae, but it can take between 5 and 50 years for them to recover completely (Wilkinson et all, 1999).
The Great Barrier Reef is considered a great vacation spot. It's great for diving and snorkelling. There are many resorts all over small islands. It is quite easy to become engulfed in the whole reef experience. It's colourful, exotic, and strange sea life makes the Great Barrier Reef very unique and special. However, coral needs a number of preconditions to ensure healthy growth. The water temperature must not drop below 63.5 degrees Fahrenheit, sunlight must be able to reach the coral, and the water must be clean and salty. Coral is often mistakenly identified as a rock, but in all actuality, it is an animal. The actual coral is composed of small animals called coral polyps. Most polyps are very small, although rare species can grow quite large. One coral
Soft corals are grouped in the phylum Cnidaria, class Anthozoa, and order Alcyonacea. Their distinguishing characteristic is that their polyps always bear eight tentacles which are on both edges fringed by rows of pinnules (Fabricius and De’ath, 2002). The common name “soft coral” comes from the fact that they have no massive external skeleton as compared to the more commonly studied hard corals.
That’s not to say that the Great Barrier Reef has not suffered its own damage. It has and will continue to suffer in the future. Corals use these products to make proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and produce calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is what the coral uses to make its hard skeleton.
This article discusses how important the organisms symbiotic with coral reefs are, as well as how important coral reefs are to our environment. Also explained is how natural and non natural things things like hurricanes and overfishing affects them. A study is quoted about how water acidity also plays a role in the bleaching of corals. Lastly, restoration and conservation efforts are discussed and how we could possibly help our oceans.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the wonders of the natural world. It was declared a World Heritage area in 1981 and added to the National Heritage List in 2007. Unfortunately, the Great Barrier Reef faces many threats. Pollution caused by direct or indirect human activities are major threats to Australian reefs. (source 1).
Coral reefs need to be preserved for many reasons. In this paper, I will discuss a few of them. First of all, they house a collection of diverse organisms, and contribute to fisheries which provide food items such as fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Furthermore, coral skeletons are being used as bone substitutes in reconstructive bone surgery and may be able to provide important medicine, including anti-cancer drugs and a compound that blocks ultra-violet rays, they even help reduce global warming by taking carbon dioxide out of the air. These reefs provide a habitat for many species.