Susan Mosteller

GEOG 1700
Professor Timmins
March 1, 2016

Environmental Degradation
Hello and welcome to another addition of Earth's Investigations. In todays article we will
explore the devastation that is occurring to ocean coral reefs around the world because of
environmental degradation. Coral reefs are the rainforest of the sea covering an area of over
280,000 km2. These large complex structures made mainly out of limestone are some of the most
valuable biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. Coral reefs provide countless benefits for the
environment, economy, marine life and people in many ways.
Coral reefs protect shores from storms and the impact of wave erosion, property damage
and loss of life. Reefs also protect the highly productive wetlands along the coast, as well
as ports and harbors and the economies they support (noaa).
Coral reefs are home to over 25% of all ocean marine life (noaa).
Coral reefs benefit people by providing food and medicine (noaa).
Coral reefs benefit the economy because of the money brought in from tourism (noaa).
Here are some facts that paint a better picture of the important role that coral reefs play
around the world.
The biodiversity in coral reefs is considered key to finding new medicines for the 21st
century. Many drugs are now being developed from coral reef animals and plants as
possible cures for cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, viruses, and other diseases
(noaa).
The US agency NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) states
that coral reefs provide economic services (jobs, food and tourism) estimated to be worth
as much as $375 billion each year (noaa).

 In developing countries, coral reefs contribute about one-quarter of the total fish catch,
providing critical food resources for 500 million people around the world (Jameson et al.,
1995) (noaa).
After reading the above facts it should be obvious to all that if the extinction of coral
reefs continues around the world there will be devastating side effects for all. During the
remainder of this report we will investigate the root cause of coral reef destruction, where coral
reefs are being depleted, why this is occurring, and what is being done to stop it.
The root cause with the destruction of the worlds coral reefs is attributed to two main
problems: global warming and ocean acidification. We will first address global warming; the
worlds oceans have been undergoing a massive underwater heatwave since 2013, with this
years El Nino causing record high global temperatures. Coral reefs are extremely vulnerable to
climate change and the heightened global ocean temperatures are causing the coral reefs to
undergo a fatal process called bleaching.
This is how the phenomenon of bleaching occurs. In healthy coral tiny algae plants called
xoozanthellae live in coral tissue and are corals main food source. When high ocean
temperatures or pollution last longer than a week the zooxanthellae algae expels itself from the
corals tissue. Once expelled the coral loses its major food source, causing the coral to turn pale
or white. The longer the coral remains in the bleaching state the more susceptible the coral is to
plague and disease making it impossible for new coral colonies to form (Service).
The second root cause destroying coral reefs is ocean acidification. Our worlds oceans
are becoming more acidic because of the rising carbon dioxide levels in the water. Corals form
their skeletons through calcification. The more acidic oceans become the more coral calcification
is inhibited causing its growth to slow. The greenhouse effect and the beginning of

industrialization have been the biggest causes contributing to the rising acidic levels in the
oceans because oceans absorb more than 40 percent of the carbon that humans emit each year
(Hill)

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n16MeUv2iO8&ebc=ANyPxKrx9uH5rGT7Kb5SYRYHRjLyDPGtXXYYrzyFgtSNMgNN6OmnC6Le5urUANQ033NyJeWLp91tZra0_vS7i9xWCaiWC5PWQ)

Many environmental groups agree that climate change and ocean acidification is the
biggest threat to coral reefs on a global basis. A research study done at the Carnegie Institution
for Science at Stanford University states that, "Under the current emissions trajectory, well
before the end of the century there will be no water left in the ocean with the kind of chemistry
that has supported coral growth in the past. New research also suggests that if nothing is done to
reduce carbon emissions, there may be nowhere left in the world's ocean where coral can
survive. However, if aggressive emissions cuts are made, meaning emissions drop to zero before
mid-century, a majority of the ocean's water could still remain hospitable for corals (Hill).
Where is the depletion of coral reefs occurring? Unfortunately, there is not one localized
reef that is being affected by reef destruction; coral reefs all over the globe are suffering in great
magnitude. Some coral reefs around the world are facing more imminent destruction then others,
nonetheless, all coral reefs around the globe are being impacted. Here are a few startling figures
pertaining to the global coral reef destruction:

 Twenty percent of the worlds coral reefs have been effectively destroyed and show no
immediate prospects of recovery (Shaw).
As of today 60-80 per cent of coral around Coconut Island Hawaii has 'bleached' and
faces death and scientists state that as much as 95 percent of Jamaicas reefs are dying or
are already dead. (Dunn).
It is predicted that 24% of the worlds reefs are under immediate risk of collapse through
human pressures; and a further 26% are under a longer term threat of collapse (Shaw);
A report from the World Resources Institute (WRI) in 1998 suggested that as much as 60
percent of the earths coral reefs are threatened by human activity at all times (Shaw).
In 1998 an El Nio weather pattern sparked the worst coral-bleaching event ever
observed where over 16 percent of the world's reefs were lost in that one year. By the end
of 2016 it is estimated that 38% of the worlds reefs will have been affected and about 5%
will have died forever (Mathiesen).
On a world scale coral reefs are in decline. Over the last 30-40 years 80% of coral in the
Caribbean and 50% in Indonesia and the Pacific have been destroyed. Bleaching
associated with the 1982 -1983 El-Nino killed over 95% of coral in the Galapagos Islands
and the 1997-1998 El-Nino alone wiped out 16% of all coral on the planet. Globally
about 1% of coral is dying out each year (Painting).

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp13Gdljhuw)

We discussed the root cause of global warming and ocean acidification depleting the
coral reefs but there are also many contributing factors affecting the coral reefs as well. The
biodiversity of the worlds coral reefs are facing direct threats from human activity that is
causing death to the coral reefs. The direct way in which humans destroy coral reefs is by
physically killing them. Over fishing and the use of damaging fishing practices are causing great
danger to our coral reefs.
Coral reefs can only live in very clean water and overfishing on the coral reefs has made
it so algal growth, pollution, and predators that eat coral reefs are able to infest the coral because
the colonies of fish that keep these pest and pollutants away have been removed from the
excessive commercial fishing. A bigger problem with the over fishing is that often times
fishermen are using explosives cyanide bombs to disorientate the fish. Then the fishermen rip
open the reef with crowbars and catch the fish why they are too sick from the poison to swim
away. This poison kills 90% of the fish that live in the reef and the reef is completely destroyed
both by the poison and then by being ripped apart (University). More than 40 countries are

affected by blast fishing, and more than 15 countries have reported cyanide fishing activities
(Anthroopogenic Threats to Corals). These practices are literally killing the coral reef and its
ecosystem.

(Photo courtesy Thomas Heeger: Philippines)

Coral reefs are also becoming extinct because of human pollution. Land-based runoff and
pollutant discharges can result from dredging, coastal development, agricultural and
deforestation activities, and sewage treatment plant operations. This runoff may contain
sediments, nutrients, chemicals, insecticides, oil, and debris and poses a significant threat to coral
reefs around the world (Anthroopogenic Threats to Corals). When these pollutants enter the coral
reefs environment it also can cause nutrient levels to increase and the increase in nutrient levels
causes a rapid growth of bacteria, algae, and organisms the smother and kill off the coral.
(University)
The good news is that there are many groups in the world dedicated to saving the coral
reefs. Environmental and government agencies are very aware that our coral reefs are dying so they are
doing many things in attempts to save the reefs. The biggest problem our world faces in saving the coral

reefs is the fact that this issue was put on a back burner and ignored for far too long. Sadly the likelihood
of preserving the coral reefs before too much damage is done looks very grim and w hile

environmentalist and government agencies are working hard to outlaw the use of explosive
devices used for fishing around coral reefs by enforcing strict punishments for those caught using
these methods. Also by educating people about how pollution is destroying the reefs, scientists
no longer believe they can rely on natural resources to combat the problem.
The work that environmentalist are doing is extremely important however, scientist know
that the coral reefs are in critical condition meaning the problem has to be combated aggressively
and with extreme innovation. Scientists have been working hard to accomplish this and have
recently come up with new technology that is currently being tested.
First, scientist are experimenting with is an idea to turn clouds into umbrellas. A team of
British researchers, for instance, believes geoengineering is called for. Their idea is to turn clouds
into umbrellas that would protect reefs by bouncing more sunlight back into space. They would
do this by spraying tiny droplets of seawater up into the clouds above the reefs, which would
have the effect of making the clouds last longer and cause their tops to brighten and reflect more
sunlight. That should lower the water temperature and slow any bleaching of the coral down
below (Rieland).
Second, another group of scientist are working on creating coral reef robots that work
like ants. Scientist from Heriot Watt University in Scotland have an idea to set loose swarms of
tiny robots on the dying reefs and have these robots transplant healthy coral in places where the
coral is dying. This is a bold idea but very challenging because the robots would have to learn to
identify healthy coral from everything else down there (Rieland).

With the help of scientist, environmentalist, government, and humans we can all join in
and each do are part to preserve the coral reefs around the world because they are a crucial
benefit to all life on earth.
Thank you for joining us for this weeks addition of Earth's Investigations. We will see
you next week to keep you informed and up to date about more breaking environmental issues
affecting our world.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd4_GrMzqEs)
Works Cited
Anthroopogenic Threats to Corals. 25 March 2008. 2016.
<http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral09_humanthreats.html>.
Dunn, James. Scientists breed 'super coral' in Hawaii as they race against time to stop it being wiped out by global
warming. 5 November 2015. 2016. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3304787/Scientists-tinkerevolution-save-Hawaii-coral-reefs.html >.
Hill, Taylor. Coral Calamity: Will Reefs Really Die Off by 2100? n.d. 2016.
<http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/07/03/carbon-dioxide-emissions-coral-reefs-extinction>.
Mathiesen, Karl. World's oceans facing biggest coral die-off in history, scientists warn. 8 October 2015. 2016.
<http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/08/worlds-oceans-facing-biggest-coral-die-off-inhistory-scientists-warn>.
noaa. Importance of Coral Reefs. 25 March 2008.
<http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral07_importance.html>.
Painting, Rob. How global warming is driving mass coral bleaching. July 2015. 2016.
<https://www.skepticalscience.com/coral-bleaching.htm >.

Rieland, Randy. Can Swarming Robots and Cloud Unbrellas Help Save Coral Reefs? 15 August 2013. 2016.
<http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/can-swarming-robots-and-cloud-umbrellas-help-save-coralreefs-76460/?no-ist>.
Service, National Ocean. What is coral bleeching? 8 October 2015. 2016.
Shaw, Anup. Coral Reefs. 3 March 2013. 2016. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/173/coralreefs#Thepoliticalwilltoaddressthishaslongbeenlacking >.
University, Texas A&M. Coral Reef Destruction and Conservation. Ed. Jason Project. n.d. February 2016.
<http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral5.htm>.

Reflection:
Before I started this assignment the only knowledge I had about coral reefs
was that my brother hated to surf by them because they were painful if you crashed
into them. I was unaware that coral reefs were an amazing biodiverse ecosystem
that provided massive benefits for marine and human life. I was also unaware that
coral reefs were dying at astonishing rates and in jeopardy of extinction. While
researching coral reefs I was so fascinated and disturbed all at the same time that
I felt like I couldnt get my hands on enough information. I found myself reading
and continuing to read as much information on this subject that I can because I
want to figure out what I can do to make a change.
Truthfully, this assignment has been an eye-opening experience for me and
has caused me to look at myself and take accountability for my own frivolousness
contribution of polluting our planet. Sadly, I have not done my part to protect the
environment and after this project and other vital information that I have learned
about the environment from this class I have made a commitment to myself to start
making environmentally friendly choices in my life, starting now. The most
important thing that has come from this assignment is that it has inspired me to
continue to educate myself and my family about how we can do our part in making
a change.