Sadly, according to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 20% of coral reefs have been destroyed in the last few decades and an additional 20% or more are severely degraded, particularly in the Caribbean Sea and parts of Southeast Asia, and revenue from tourism associated with coral reefs has been estimated to be US$30 …
What happens if we lose coral reefs?
Without them, shorelines would be vulnerable to erosion and rising sea levels would push coast-dwelling communities out of their homes. Nearly 200 million people rely on coral reefs to safeguard them from storms.
Why is the loss of coral reefs?
And they are dying. Coral reefs are under relentless stress from myriad global and local issues, including climate change, declining water quality, overfishing, pollution and unsustainable coastal development.
How does the loss of coral reefs affect humans?
In many places, the loss of coral reefs would amount to an economic disaster, depriving fishermen of their main source of income, forcing people to find more expensive forms of protein and undermining the tourism industry.
What is coral reef damage?
Coral reefs are damaged due to changing water temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution, invasive species, changing weather patterns, and physical impacts from ship groundings and storms. The world has lost 30 to 50 percent of its coral reefs already.
What happens if the sea dies?
The collapse of ocean bio-diversity and the catastrophic collapse of phytoplankton and zooplankton populations in the sea will cause the collapse of civilization, and most likely the extinction of the human species. And that is why when the ocean dies, we all die!
How does coral reef degradation affect the environment?
Bleaching leaves corals vulnerable to disease, stunts their growth, affects their reproduction, and can impact other species that depend on the coral communities. Severe bleaching kills them. The average temperature of tropical oceans has increased by 0.1˚ C over the past century.
How are coral reefs decreasing in ocean What is its impact on the ecosystem of that region?
Coral reefs are dying around the world. Damaging activities include coral mining, pollution (organic and non-organic), overfishing, blast fishing, the digging of canals and access into islands and bays. Other dangers include disease, destructive fishing practices and warming oceans.
Why did coral reef degradation start?
Water pollution is perhaps the most obvious cause of coral reef destruction. Reefs are harmed when oil, fertilizer, and human or animal waste are dumped in the area. These elements can end up changing the chemical makeup of the water, but the waste can also block life-giving sunlight to the reef.
What is the main cause of coral reef destruction?
Water pollution is perhaps the most obvious cause of coral reef destruction. Reefs are harmed when oil, fertilizer, and human or animal waste are dumped in the area. These elements can end up changing the chemical makeup of the water, but the waste can also block life-giving sunlight to the reef.