Coral Reef Crisis
Humans are in the midst of a Coral Reef Crisis. Over ten percent of Coral Reefs in the world have been destroyed forever. In some places such as the Philippines, there are 70% of the Coral that has been completely obliterated, and less than 6% is said to be in “Good” conditions. Some would like to know what we could do to stop it, but it is really humanities fault.
Coral Reef Crisis and Global Warming
Scientists say that Global Warming is one of the largest factors in the Coral Reef Crisis. When temperature rises, Coral Reef danger rises because of the death of zooxanthellae that give Coral Reefs their color and nutrients. This is called “coral bleaching.” Global Warming is also causing the ice caps to melt, which causes sea level to rise. If sea level rises too high, the Coral Reef become in too deep of water for the zooxanthellae to survive and grow.
Coral Reef Crisis and Pollution
Another prominent reason for the Coral Reef Crisis: Pollution. Pollution can be caused by not only oil drilling companies, but by all people. Fertilizers, sewage, and household cleaners go to the garbage and end up as runoff into the ocean. These pollutants cause the coral “black band disease.”
Coral Reef Crisis and Fishing
Due to harmful strategies, fishing is another product of the Coral Reef Crisis. Untrained fishermen sometimes use cyanide and dynamite to catch fish around the Reefs, yet these tactics destroy large colonies of the Coral Reefs. Both of these approaches may catch fish, but they cause much destruction to the Coral Reefs.
Coral Reef Crisis and Overdevelopment
Overdevelopment has increased concern for the Coral Reef Crisis in recent years. As people build far-reaching buildings along shoreline, runoff water pollutes the Coral Reef. All of this recreation dredges the channels for commercial ships, which harms all of the Coral Reefs. Some vacation resorts even build piers and docks directly on top of the Coral Reefs, which ultimately destroys them.
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