Will Coral Reefs Survive Climate Change?

As climate change warms the ocean stresses corals and causes bleaching events and the algae that gives them their color leaves due to stress. It's very sad that because of climate change causing the ocean temperatures to increase that it affects these animals drastically. As these reefs die they also impact the marine life that live in these environments.

Kristen Marhaver, a marine biologist that studies coral reefs mentioned in a 2017 Ted Talk that as the temperature of the ocean increases corals are discharging the algae that gives them color and nutrients, the tissue that's left is bleached and clear, and the corals usually starve and become overgrown by algae ("Why I Still..."). This is referred to as coral bleaching. Rising temperatures, chemicals, and pollution are all harming corals and marine life and changing how they live.

Marhaver says that with climate change some corals will survive if properly protected and with lower temperatures ("Why I still...").

Dr. Emily Darling an ecologist who studies reefs and said, “The good news is that functioning coral reefs still exist, and our study shows that it is not too late to save them” (Petsko).
 
 This is an image of coral reefs and the environment they provide for other marine life. (Guevara)

Marhaver stated that, "The more stresses we take off them locally-things like overfishing, sewage pollution, fertilizer pollution, dredging, coastal construction ... the faster they can regrow" ("Why I still..." ).

In one study many marine scientists contributed to how to save and manage reefs, which are to,

"1. Protect function reefs.
 2. Recover reefs that are stressed from past bleaching events.
3. Transform coastal communities that have historically been dependent on corals, but whose reefs are no longer functional" (Petko).

Access nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers come into bodies of water it can kill marine life along with creating pollution. By planting trees, plants, or grasses along crops by filtering in these nutrients before they touch bodies of water. Sewage pollution can be prevented from entering the ocean by properly disposing of sewage. By not overfishing areas we can save corals, and ecosystems. Lowering coastal construction and dredging can hep save the environment corals live in.

Its sad that these animals are dying everyday because of things we can prevent. We have the ability to save corals reefs by taking action to protect and recover these reefs.


Works Cited:
Guevara, Noel. A picture of the reef. National Geographic,
     www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/group/corals/. Accessed 20
     Nov. 2019. 
Petsko, Emily. "Can coral reefs survive climate change and a warming ocean?"
     Oceana, 21 Aug. 2019, oceana.org/blog/
     can-coral-reefs-survive-climate-change-and-warming-ocean. Accessed 22 Nov.
     2019. 
"Why I Still Have Hope for Coral Reefs." Ted Talk, uploaded by Kristen Marhaver,
     2017, www.ted.com/talks/
     kristen_marhaver_why_i_still_have_hope_for_coral_reefs/discussion#t-145369.
     Accessed 20 Nov. 2019.

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 24, 2019 at 8:46 PM

    I love your blog post. How can the scientist bring back coral from the stage of coral bleaching?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 25, 2019 at 1:28 PM

      Some scientists are reintroducing corals they've created in labs into the damaged areas, to hopefully have the area grow and reproduce. Scientists are also mainly focusing on protecting the damaged reefs so that the bleached corals don't starve and die after bleaching events, this can help corals get better and possibly continue growing and not starving to death.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 25, 2019 at 10:09 AM

    I like that you specifically focused on coral reefs and the effects that our actions are having on these habitats.

    Is there any ways to rehabilitate coral reefs that are already in stages of coral bleaching? Is coral bleaching reversible or will new coral plants need to be planted?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ms. LaClairNovember 25, 2019 at 10:18 AM

    Why are reefs so important? It would be helpful to know a bit more about their significance in order to understand why steps need to be taken to help with coral reefs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 25, 2019 at 1:20 PM

      Coral reefs are so important because they protect coastlines and prevent erosion, and provide homes and shelter for many types of marine life.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousNovember 26, 2019 at 8:39 AM

    It's really upsetting to read about the damage being done to our beautiful planet by things that we can prevent. I really liked your post; it got me thinking!

    ReplyDelete

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