Coral bleaching is not just a national problem that Australia faces alone. In the last year (2015), 12 percent of the world’s coral reefs have bleached (Howard). Since the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef, covering 133,000 square miles, and stretching 1,200 miles along the coast of Australia, it poses an incredible threat to Australia’s economy and environment (Howard). Coral bleaching is not an issue that is often plastered all over the news or brought to people’s attention often. Coral Reefs, especially the Great Barrier Reef are seen as the perfect tourist destination because reefs are known for their wide variety of marine life and beautiful bright corals one would see on brochures. However, when a coral is bleached, it loses
A food web consists of all food chains of an ecosystem. A food web is a diagram which shows the transfer of energy between species. Energy is transferred through food; therefore, food webs basically show which fauna eats which. Food webs are organized into layers of who eats who called trophic levels. The bottom trophic level of a food web is the producers, the second being the primary consumer, then the secondary consumers, tertiary consumers and the final trophic level being the decomposers. The ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef is a fragile balance, with a food chain that has several points, in which each one is reliant on one another. The Great Barrier Reef’s coordinates are 18.2871° S, 147.6992° E. The Reef has a huge amount of flora
When the water of the sea becomes warmer due to higher temperatures which diminishes the oxygen content, the coral expels the algae that exists within their tissues causing it to turn completely white. This results in coral bleaching. Thus, the elevating heat stress which results from high sea temperatures serves as the main factor that induced damage to the coral reefs. If the heat prevails, the reef may even die instead of recovering. Coral reefs provide home to a significant number of sea species and coral bleaching causes their habitats to destroy completely and effect the marine life adversely. Thus it is much better to prevent coral bleaching than to accomplish its recovery which may take many
Coral Bleaching is caused when elevated seawater temperatures result in extensive coral loss. When the water becomes too warm coral will expel the algae living in their tissue, causing the coral to turn completely white. Pollution from urban or agricultural run-offs, sedimentation from undersea activity like dredging, and changes in the salinity are other contributors to coral bleaching. Although coral can survive the bleaching they are under more stress and are subject to mortality. This issue is not a new problem; coral bleaching has had a substantial effect on coral for many years. “In 2005, the U.S lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in one year due to a massive bleaching event”(National Ocean Service). Another article states that in January 2010, cold-water temperatures in the Florida Keys caused a coral bleaching event that resulted in some coral death. Researchers have evaluated the cold-stress of the water will make coral more susceptible to disease, in the same way warmer water impact coral. Luckily there are things that we can do to help stop this
Coral reefs are an environment to a vast range of different species. 25% of all global reefs have been destroyed by humans. 60% percent of coral reefs are under threat by humans. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the largest reefs located in Queensland Australia, it is hugely impacted by humans. Pollution, tourism, and mining have all had a huge negative impact on the reef. Coral reefs in the Caribbean have also been significantly affected by human interaction due to the growth of population and more people living closer to the reef. This is causing many impacts such as loss of fish and coral etc. Coral reefs in the Caribbean are slowly disintegrating due to coastal development which increases fishing, pollution, agriculture use and
The FKNMS is located off the tip of Florida containing over 1700 islands. These chains of islands are coral reefs that are just south from the Key Biscayne and extend southwest for approximately 126miles. These islands end about 90 miles north of Cuba. These islands are not suitable for people to live on because of there size. The FKNMS covers over 2800 square nautical miles. The FKNMS was established due to the demise of the coral reefs in the Keys. Low water quality, decline in coral reef habitats, and oil drilling eventually lead President George H. Bush to establish the FKNMS on November 16, 1990. FKNMS also contains the Key Largo and Looe Key sanctuaries, which were facing the same environmental challenges.
Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and complex habitats. They are one of the most interesting and colorful ecosystems found in the marine environment. They are very unique in many different ways and a crucial support for human life. They play also a very important role in the marine life such as giving shelter and food for millions of species including fishes, crabs, or shrimps. They support 33% of marine fish species. They also have specific and certain conditions to be formed, and to survive. They are also known as the “rainforest of the oceans” because of its huge diversity. In this research paper we will explore more about coral reefs and their importance.
Overlooked and often forgotten, wilderness is surrounding the envionments humans live in. Wilderness does not have to be a untarnished and completely protected. Just as families have a place to call home, wilderness provides a home and a place of refuge for animals and plants and other non human living organizims. They make up the balance needed to sustance the wilderness. How humans and wilderness intact is what will cause florecment or produce neglect. Neglect will lead to long term negative consequences that would impact both humans and the wilderness. On the surface in most wilderness areas in may seem that life in the wilderness in well and with continues protection will go on. Although, an area of wilderness has been forgotten and is being abused. Thoughforgotten that wilderness needs a home just has much has humans.
In order for a coral reef to be productive and healthy, the water quality in the ocean should be maintained. Water quality not only affects coral reefs, but the other organisms that live on it and are involved with the natural food chain. Some of the factors that can influence water quality are nutrients, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, light, and chlorophyll present. Water is essential to every living organism because it helps with respiration, maintaining body temperature, digestion and provides energy. This experiment involved taking water samples from Ferry Reach off the BIOS dock and analyzing different factors to determine general conclusions about how water quality affects reef ecosystems.
Climate change is believed to be the biggest issue facing the Earth. It is a long-term change in the Earth’s temperatures and climate (“Climate Change”, Dictionary.com). Our atmosphere is part of the reason why we can live on Earth with reasonable temperatures. Humans have been emitting unnatural greenhouse gases, like coal, oil, and gas. This is changing the natural systems that take place in our atmosphere. When all these extra gases are released, carbon dioxide stars to accumulate in the atmosphere. Climate change is a global issue because when the temperature of the Earth changes even very slightly, it can cause droughts and our crops can die. This is affecting our food supply. Also, when water levels rise even slightly, it can be very destructive for
Climate change is the biggest long-term threat to the Great Barrier Reef and coral reefs worldwide, according to the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan. It has caused sea temperature increases, ocean acidification, altered weather patterns, and rising sea levels. The sea temperature increases affect many species. It causes coral bleaching to occur, which is when the microscopic algae separates from coral, taking the color, as well as the energy away. It affects the photosynthesis and reproduction of seagrass, the reproduction of coral, and enables a range of microscopic organisms that cause disease to thrive. It affects the reproduction of fish - because they have a narrow temperature range in order to reproduce effectively -, the sex
Deforestation is also another important reason for global warming. Plants release oxygen and take in carbon, thus providing us a clean and healthy environment. But by deforesting the lands, the trees would emit the carbon stored in them from hundreds of years making the air impure.
As our population grows, we need more and more land to either live on or grow food on. This means we have to start cutting down forests to make room. The plants in the forests are what make the oxygen that we breath through photosynthesis which is a part of the carbon cycle. The more we cut down, the more we interfere with that cycle and the more the rest of the forest is affected. This interfering with the carbon cycle is also a contributor to the issue of global warming. Plants help clean up the extra carbon dioxide in the air that causes global warming, so if we cut them down, the problem will only get
Therefore, the impact of overfishing and illegal collecting of coral may destroyed the social and economic well-being of the coastal communities who depend on fish for their way of life. Beside, it is also direct overexploitation of fish, intertebrates, and algae for food and the aquarium trade, removal of a species or group of species impacting multiple trophic levels, bycatch and mortality of nontarget species, and change from coral to algal dominance due to reduction in herbivores (Reef Resilience Organisation,
Deforestation has a major effect that is harmful to the world’s atmosphere (TS). Global warming is a result of deforestation and a main factor in hurting the atmosphere. Trees take in and store carbon dioxide, while producing oxygen