The Human Effect on Coral Reefs Essay - 989 Words

Reefs are complex and diverse habits. Perhaps one of the major and important marine biomes. Yet they are relatively a small biome, roughly about 25% of the marine species that belong to the oceans live in the coral reefs. Coral reefs are an underwater structure composed of calcium carbonated, a secretion from corals. A significant portion of the world’s coral reefs forms close to the equator along the coastlines and locate themselves around islands throughout the world. Coral reefs come in a variety of shapes, size, and color yet the coral reefs are recognized by three main types Fringe reef, Barrie reef, and Atoll. Besides being beautiful and interesting colorful ecosystem or a tour attraction, the coral reefs are an important element of†¦show more content†¦214). Coral bleaching is describe to be a stress condition that occurs among the coral reefs. Coral bleaching involves a breakdown of mutual relationships between corals and unicellular algae known as zooxanthel lae. The most common symptom of bleaching is when the coral turns completely white. The cause of coral turning white is when water temperature becomes warmer which results in coral releasing the algae (zooxanthellae) that lives in the tissues. When a coral bleaches, initially they are not dead and able to survive the conditions of bleaching. However, if they under go even more stress, the coral are subject to mortality. Around the last 30 to 40 years, corals located in the Caribbean have dropped by the 80 percent. Today, species like Elkhorn and Staghorn corals are consider to be rare and patch together in quantities size of a small desk. Unlike in the early 1980s, the Caribbean has huge stands of these corals and generally founded in patches the size of a city block. Not long ago but to be exact 34 years ago, these two corals were the most abundant corals recognized along the coast of the Caribbean. How much can we do to protect these beautiful species. In 2005, the U.S. lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in one year due to a massive bleaching events. This occurred because of the warm waters centered around the northern Antilles near the Virgin IslandShow MoreRelatedHuman Overpopulation And Its Effects On Coral Reefs1540 Words   |  7 Pagesworld, coral reefs have died off due to a chemical process known as bleaching. NOAA states in â€Å"What is coral bleaching?†, bleaching is the by-product of corals getting too warm; when corals get too warm they expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues, which causes them to turn completely white. Today, the remaining coral reefs are being stressed by the human inhabitants who exist upon the land masses from which these reefs neighbor; which, in turn, has caused these remaining reefs to approachRead MoreExtinction Risks for Coral Reefs Essay example1249 Words   |  5 PagesCoral reef ecosystems around the globe are threatened by human interferences and climate change. This has led to m any scientists conducting studies on global coral reef ecosystems to gain a better understanding of the cause and effects of coral reef damage. In both Hodgson’s (1999) and Carpenter et al.’s (2008) studies, they are aware of the continuous degradation of global coral reef ecosystems. Hodgsons study involved conducting a survey on global coral reef ecosystems to see whether human actionsRead MoreEssay on Palau Coral Reef1613 Words   |  7 PagesPalau Coral Reef Coral reefs are one of the most complex and colorful tropical ecosystems, rivaling rain forests in their richness of life. Coral reef organisms build massive intricate physical structures that are home to some of the most fascinating plants and animals in the world. Their extraordinary beauty captivates visitors and their productivity provides a wealth of resources for local communities and the world. What is a coral reef? 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The numerous effects of global warming are mixes of good and bad results, depending on how your definition of good results and bad results are. A good effect, a person could say, would be for regions with normally cold temperatures to receive warmer temperatures for their normal. Yet, there areRead More The Coral Reefs Essay1559 Words   |  7 PagesThe Coral Reefs Can we save â€Å"Tropical Rain Forests of the Ocean†? Anyone who’s ever scuba dived at a coral reef and seen the perfect handprint of dead coral can appreciate how fragile and delicate this ecosystem is. Coral reefs are not just rock, like some people believe, but are an animal. Corals are a type of animal called a polyp, the simplest of predators that eat meat in the form of drifting zooplankton†¦all corals have boarders, zillions of microscopicRead MoreThe Great Barrier Reef ( Environmental Lens )1401 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Barrier Reef (Environmental Lens) The Great Barrier Reef is a vast organic structure that has existed longer than man. It has always been present underneath the water surface near the coast of Australia, harboring many different types of sea creatures. Over the past few decades, the reef has slowly been dying. Humans have been negatively affecting it for a while now, although they may not have known it at that time. We, as humans, have the duty to correct our mistake and take responsibility