Preview

Coral Reef Climate Change

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1291 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Coral Reef Climate Change
On the other end of the spectrum, there is the tropic regions that have an increase in water from storms. However, this increase of water might sound like a benefit, but many of the times this increase of water means that crops will be flooded, homes are destroyed and water supplies are containment from the overflow of sewers and fertilized fields. A higher frequency in storms cause much more stagnant water to occur, which can result in an increased mosquito population, and the increased risk of epidemic to arise. Not only does stagnant water increase the mosquito population, but slight increases in climate temperatures can increase the mosquito population by greatly. In the article, Climate Change and Health: Global to Local Influences on …show more content…
One of the most evident examples of climate change seen within nature can be seen the coral reefs. Coral reefs are one of the most divers ecosystems on earth, but are also impacted greatly by climate change. An excellent example of these can be seen by examining the dying coral in Great Barrier Reef. There have been multiple reports on the amount of dead coral, and these reported amounts depend on the regions reported, and vary from 35-93% of the coral is dead. Looking at the entire Great Barrier Reef as an entire system, over 22% of the reef has died, and this percentage is expected to rise further. Marine biologist and climate scientist have nailed down the cause of dying coral reefs to multiple causes, but the two most significant causes have been nailed down to the increase in ocean water temperatures, and the rise of ocean water levels. The NASA data analysis have calculated that global temperatures have increased by a global average of 0.8 ℃ since 1880 resulting in average ocean temperatures to rise. Due to this increase of global temperature, and a change of weather patterns, the polar ice caps have been melting at a rapid rate and have decreased significantly in size. This has caused the average ocean water levels to rise, which in turn increasing the level water above the coral reefs. When the water level increases above the coral reefs, less sunlight makes it down to the coral reef ecosystem. This greatly impacts the coral reef ecosystem, because much of this ecosystem is dependent on sunlight in the form of photosynthesis. Not only does warmer waters directly impact the health of the coral reefs, but it also increases the rate that algae can grow. A common example of rapid growing algae can be seen in the form of Red Tides. Red tides primarily consist of phytoplankton called dinoflagellates, which thrive in warm waters that are rich in nitrogen. These dinoflagellates are known to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    As a fragile ecosystem, the GBR is prone to change as a result of biophysical interactions[1]. Biophysical interactions constantly transpire as seen in the geomorphologic, hydrological and atmospheric processes such as weathering and storm waves. Chemical weathering is the most common form of weathering/erosion, with the calcium carbonate being subject to collapse (from chemical reactions). The combination of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and rainwater forms carbonic acid deposited onto the limestone, collapsing it. In contrast, the flow and force of storm waves is responsible for the removal/movement of large coral pieces (transportation) and its placement in other parts of the reef (deposition). Storms (according the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority: GBRMPA) have caused 34% of coral mortality recorded…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Us as humans are the cause for this global warming which contains the CO2 and rises the Earth’s temperature. There are only a handful of organisms that are bothered by global warming such as coral. Coral tends to bleach when the temperature rises. Krill is also affected by global warming and they are one of the main bases of the food chain.…

    • 938 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With the global climate changing so are the coral like many other things and sadly they are dying off because of the temperature changing. Which is causing coral reef bleaching which is when the whitening of diverse invertebrate taxa it is caused by when zooxanthellae decline and or the concentration of photosynthetic pigments within the zooxanthellae…

    • 1178 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Climate change has widespread effects. It doesn't just affect weather and temperature. It will also have lasting effects on the ocean and the ecosystems within it. Coral reefs get hit hard by the temperature of the water getting warmer. “Warming of as little as 1°C causes coral bleaching, a state in which the tissues of the coral become colorless because of the loss of the zooxanthellae”(Hoegh-Guldberg,Donner,pg. 9, par 3). This bleaching can stress the reefs and this can effect important functions of the coral. “Moderate bleaching results in stress that causes reduced growth rates and reproductive output, whereas severe bleaching results in coral death. Bleaching also appears to make corals more vulnerable…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Climatic conditions generally determine the distribution of coral reefs as they can exist in both temperate and tropical waters. Through global warming the coral reefs in the Persian Gulf have now adapted through winter temperatures below 18 ° Celsius where they were unable to grow previously therefore the warming conditions of the planet are in fact allowing coral reefs to grow in areas they previously couldn’t but as…

    • 1911 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Most would think that this happening would have absolutely no affect on us at all, but actually that would be completely wrong. Not only does global warming have a direct impact on us as well as the coral, but the coral itself being distressed also has a giant impact on us and the ecosystem. According to a website I found, WWF (World Wildlife Fund), "Coral reefs are extremely important for biodiversity, providing a home to over 25% of all marine life. They are also vital for people and business. They provide nurseries for many species of commercially important fish, protection of coastal areas from storm waves, and are a significant attraction for the tourism industry" (Impacts of Global Warming on…

    • 1985 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    work cited

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Warmer ocean temperatures are also now understood to cause coral bleaching. Rising levels of carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas emissions) are also decreasing the pH level of the ocean, known as ocean acidification. Evidence suggests that this will have a profound effect on the entire marine ecosystem.…

    • 976 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article “ The Great Barrier Reef: a catastrophe laid bare “ by Michael Slezak talks about how global warming impacts The Great Barrier Reef. “Bleaching caused by climate change has killed almost a quarter of its coral this year and many scientists believe it could be too late for the rest.Bleaching caused by climate change has killed almost a quarter of its coral this year and many scientists believe it could be too late for the rest.” In 1929 thermal bleaching was recorded for the first time on the reef, throughout the next 87 years the reef was hit on numerous other occasions. “When the coral dies, the entire ecosystem around it transforms. Fish that feed on the coral, use it as shelter, or nibble on the algae that grows among it die…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Coral reefs are home to many fishes and plants. Because of global warming, 16% of the world’s coral reefs were wiped out in one year alone (“Global Warming and Coral Reefs”). Ocean temperatures have also risen by 1.3 ° Fahrenheit since the last 19th century (Coral bleaching and ocean acidification are two climate-related impacts to coral reefs). The increasing carbon dioxide levels lead to coral bleaching. This occurs when coral responds to the stress of the temperature warming. This expels the colorful algae that live within most of the coral dies, so the entire ecosystem disappears. Warmer waters are expected to increase the chance of coral diseases such as black band disease, white plague, and white pox. All of the diseases lead to the killing of coral reefs and the entire ecosystem is supports.…

    • 1989 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Even though these red tides mostly happen in the late summer and early autumn, sometimes the time of occurrence depends on the different temporal pattern in each region. There is no single cause of red tides, but there must be an abundant amount of nutrients in the water to support the explosive growth of dinoflagellates. Coastal water pollution produced by humans, low salinity levels, and increases in sea water temperature have been contributing factors in red tides. The occurrence of red tides in some locations appear to be entirely natural like when the weather begins to get cooler, causing winds to blow, resulting in the disruption of the settled ocean floor in a process called “upwelling”. Upwellings are powerful deep currents which bring nutrients to surface waters. These currents come from nutrient-rich bottom layers of the ocean which bring massive amounts of deep-water minerals to the surfaces. Good temperature, salinity, and light conditions at the time of the upwelling, makes it very easy for the nutrients to supply poisonous organisms, thus makes it the first step to a quickly multiplying harmful algae bloom. Climatic changes greatly affect the frequency of occurrences because it takes cool winds and a cool climatic temperature for the upwelling to occur. The waters also have to be at a higher temperature, if the waters are too cold, the developing of nutrients may not be able to take…

    • 1282 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Coral Reef Research Paper

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The food web is one of the quality things about a coral reef; without the shark, its food web would be off balance. Even though coral reefs are located in different areas within the ocean and they are different shapes and sizes, the food web remains the same. Among the different types of coral reefs, fringing reefs or shore reefs are the most common. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s secret treasures; without it the world wouldn’t have the underwater beauty that it holds. Unfortunately, climate change could affect the loss of coral reefs and the ocean wouldn’t be what it is today. Not only can climate change affect the life of a coral reef, but a human’s touch can damage it too. Just think of a coral reef as a house to humans; the humans would want to maintain the reef just like they maintain their houses. With that being said, protect the coral…

    • 843 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Coral reefs have been dubbed the “rainforests of the oceans”, because of the rich diversity of life they support, as more than one quarter of all marine animals depend upon coral reefs. Coral reefs are also a source of food and income for millions of people. The coral reef ecosystems benefit humans commercially, recreationally and environmentally. Without them many tourism based industries would collapse, treatments or cures for some illnesses would disappear, and the countless organisms they support would be left without food or shelter. For these reasons and numerous others, it is vital that we protect coral reefs.…

    • 614 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The potential impacts of climate change on Queensland come under three main factors, health, environment and economics. HEALTH Effects such as the Mosquito-borne dengue fever and increasing heatwaves pose a threat to Queensland under the health factor. The future distribution of mosquito’s carrying dengue fever will be determined by climate change, it is expected that the disease will expand further south extending to New South Wales and even the Northern Territory. Climate change will also impact the duration and occurrence of heatwaves and significantly hot days. These hot days contribute to the rising number of heat-related deaths across Queensland. As heat stress is Australia's number one natural killer it is expected to become worse as temperature increases.…

    • 496 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The ice caps cool down Earth by reflecting the light from the sun, but the excess heat from CO2 emissions and the warming atmosphere causes the ice caps to melt. This reduces the amount of surface area to reflect the light. In addition, as the Earth warms, the Arctic tundra releases frozen methane that has been trapped. Methane is a gas that is “fifty times as toxic as carbon dioxide” and therefore, creates a feedback loop (Disruption). Methane warms up the Earth which increases the rate that methane is released back into the atmosphere. When CO2 in the atmosphere is absorbs by the ocean, decreasing the pH level of the waters, this is known as ocean acidification. This kills plankton, the basis of the ocean food chain, increasing the extinction of marine life. Ocean acidification is also a major issue for sea life like oysters, increasing the rate of their shells being dissolved. These our only a few of the examples of disruption in the ecosystem. The impact of climate change has resulted to severe natural disasters and extinction of animal species which will get much worse in the…

    • 1597 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Animals are migrating more often due to global warming. If this isn’t enough reefs in the ocean are dying due to the increase in sea temperatures. The Great barrier reef in Australia is suffering from coral bleaching, which is when the algae in the coral are expelled due to higher temperatures or extreme weather events. This is causing a chain reaction that is deadly for the rest of the…

    • 646 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays