Also known as the "rainforest of the sea", coral reefs support a third of the marine life. It took several years to build amazing structures within water. Unfortunately, their numbers, because of the natural and man-made hazards is eliminated at a very alarming rate today. Most alarmingly, we have a look at some of our coral reefs are lost.
10. Earthquake
For years, Belizean coral reefs from the Institute of Technology in the lagoon in Florida, Richard Aronson and monitor their team. He estimated 8,000 reefs were 9,000 years old.
However, in May 2009, a 7.3 magnitude quake earthquake western Caribbean coral reefs of the half was wasted. Before the disaster, the reefs are still recovering from earlier losses caused by diseases and coral bleaching. Worse, they were not firmly attached to the coral lagoon walls, so it was easily destroyed by a large part of the reef Avalanche.
While coral reefs may return, Aronson and his team can take 2000 4000 year about this is that they estimated before they can fully recover.
9. Cold Snap
Due to warming seawater, coral symbiotic algae that live in their tissues are forced to evacuate. This is known as the color white, a better response coral bleaching. While coral bleaching generally occurs due to high temperatures, low temperatures can also trigger this phenomenon.
Florida is home to one of the largest coral reefs in the United States. In January 2010, the state had suffered humiliation and cold weather in 1940. The date has caused serious damage to crops, but more coral reefs underwater. The temperature of water in some areas was noted that it is not dropped an alarming 51 ° Fahrenheit.
The ecologist Diego Lirman and destruction his team examined the Florida Reef Tract, they were shocked to find that the high death toll in corals. Reefs suffered from several species were killed, including a large-scale coral bleaching century-old Montastraea.
8. Oil Spill
BP blast operation of one of the worst oil spills in injured oil rig workers were very close to the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 shocked the world and history.
Immediately after the disaster are concerned about the impact of oil lying at the bottom of scientists coral reefs. It produces oil, natural gas and globules love formed by blending a dispersant, called Corexit. They do not float to the surface; rather, they settle on the ocean floor.
Due to lack of funds, no prior studies well the risk of oil and dispersants to marine life there that describe living in deep water. But experts are quick to assess the possible damage they can cause. Sure they can inflict damage oil production, reduced supply of oxygen to suppress the tail, like coral. They believe that it can destroy the coral's ability to reproduce it toxic.
7. Killer Seaweeds
Seaweeds may look harmless, but they can actually be fatal to coral. The killer can be found in the Atlantic and Caribbean, including several species of seaweeds Chlorodesmis fastigiata. They can cause coral bleaching to close when the owner of some chemicals.
The natural chemical is uncertain, but experts assumptions. They think that marine algae release to prevent microbial infection. And he uses it as a weapon against other seaweeds. It expressed negative reactions when exposed to these chemicals corals process, however, is clear.
We can cause major problems like climate change and overfishing obstacle in the way of their recovery from the added danger as the natural enemy of our coral reefs are lost.
6. Micro Plastic Pollution
Ocean dumping may cause serious problems for a piece of coral and marine animals including plastic. Micro-plastic particles are small enough to be used by plankton-eating animals. But as small fragments are indigestible, are dangerous when consumed.
To study the effect of Micro Plastics coral reefs, researchers took a group of coral samples from the Great Barrier Reef and placed them in a plastic water. Two nights later he inspected the coral and indeed found plastic particles trapped in his stomach.
Corals are usually the algae that live inside them get their food, but they also feed on zooplanktons and other microorganisms in the water around. The fact that he is also dangerous that can eat plastic particles. This can have adverse effects on the risk to their digestion, their survival. Micro plastic pollution can be harmful to the marine environment that may affect the vast coral reefs.
5. Coral-Eating Starfish
Crown of Thorns Starfish is probably the number one predator of corals on the Great Barrier Reef. They can be found in the fall of poisonous spines and large India-Pacific region. For more than 30 years, these invertebrates, sensitive coral reef food to feed nearly half of the losses.
While hunters can help balance the population growing rapidly by feeding on corals, starfish an outbreak of a more serious matter. During the spawning season, a female can produce 65 million eggs Starfish. Young Starfish can be few predators, so they have a high chance of survival to adulthood. With high competition for food, it is unsurprising that many corals will end up as food for their vicious predator.
Fortunately, a number of steps the Australian government, short term and long term is taken to control the outbreak, the Great Barrier Reef.
4. Shipping
In April 2010, Sheng Neng 1, a Chinese cargo vessel, rampaged Douglas Shoal in the Great Barrier Reef. After almost four months later, a similar incident killed three ships in the second largest reef coral reefs with Kavaratti Island in Mumbai, India Water, Air India.
The impact of colliding ship marine habitat is enough to cause major injuries. However, it is usually only the beginning of the problem. If you notice the immediate danger of the oil spill, efforts which usually destroy the ground plane to save often. Anchoring, towing or dredging operations can result in further damage coral, which they may never recover.
Food wastes and sewage Cruz also harmful to marine life from ships. The EPA reported in 2008, to toxic algae blooms, which are made in these wastes can poison coral ocean acidification.
3. Overfishing
Overfishing is the leading cause of the extinction of many aquatic animals and possibly the most destructive man-made threat to coral reefs. Excessive fishing can disrupt the balance of marine ecosystems. Moreover, the fishing methods that are being used today can gravely damage coral reefs. For an instance, bottom trawling can crush corals to pieces due to the powerful machines that are being dragged along the seafloor to scoop fish. Corals are also collected using cyanide, so they can be put in aquariums or served in restaurants. Dynamite fishing is also rampant, where a single blast can kill multiple creatures underwater.
While there may be laws to counter overfishing, this practice is still prevalent. If we will not stop taking more than what we need, the extinction of the coral reefs may happen very soon.
2. Human Waste
Elkhorn coral species was destroyed once thrived in the Caribbean and the Florida Keys, but known as white pox devastated that number by 90 per cent over a period of a disease 15 years.
Serratio marcescens infection was caused by the deadly pathogens. These pathogens are commonly found in the intestines of humans and other animal wastes as well. The disease creates white patches that can destroy the skeleton exposed and left vulnerable, coral tissues. Corals need more sticky secretion sick, pungent smell, and scattered dead tissues that are characterized by picking off their bodies. Death is imminent within the next 24 hours.
The source of the disease was a mystery for some time, but the researchers ultimately found guilty - faulty septic tanks. Tank leaks managed to seep through the nearby sea bedrocks. Sea snails and coral coral disease spread of pathogens.
1. Sunscreen Usage
A recent study says that it will only take one drop of sunscreen to cause massive bleaching in the nearest coral reefs. It is due to the ingredient called oxybenzone, a highly toxic compound that is normally found in sunscreen lotions produced by many big companies.
Poisoning of corals can happen in many ways. Many tourists can pollute the water by applying the sunscreen on their skin. When they swim, they usually leave oil slick in the water that can reach coral reefs. People who do not even go to beaches may unknowingly harm the corals whenever they apply these products. Every time they shower, the wastes are normally flushed to a body of water which can be deadly for marine life.
This discovery proves that we are causing more damage to coral reefs than we realized. But, there’s always something we can do to help. For every environmental issue, having awareness will be a good start.
