What is the effect of coral reef destruction?

What is the effect of coral reef destruction?

As waters rapidly warm, corals lose the components that give them color and help them produce food, a process called bleaching. That slows their growth and makes them vulnerable to algae, disease, and death. Increased ocean acidification caused by the absorption of carbon dioxide causes bleaching, too.

What impact does the destruction of coral reefs have on 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.

Why is the destruction of coral reefs important?

Coral reefs provide an important ecosystem for life underwater, protect coastal areas by reducing the power of waves hitting the coast, and provide a crucial source of income for millions of people. More than 500 million people worldwide depend on reefs for food, jobs and coastal defence.

What are the causes and effects of coral reef destruction?

They are sedimentation, eutrophication and pollution. All these factors individually and/or in combination cause stress to corals. Deforestation, construction and coastal development, dredging and other developmental activities can increase the sediment load in coastal waters and cause damage to coral reef ecosystem.

Why is coral bleaching bad for humans?

Bleached corals are likely to have reduced growth rates, decreased reproductive capacity, increased susceptibility to diseases and elevated mortality rates. Changes in coral community composition can occur when more susceptible species are killed by bleaching events.

What are the effects of global warming on coral reefs?

Climate change leads to: A warming ocean: causes thermal stress that contributes to coral bleaching and infectious disease. Sea level rise: may lead to increases in sedimentation for reefs located near land-based sources of sediment. Sedimentation runoff can lead to the smothering of coral.

What causes the most damage to coral reefs?

Pollution, overfishing, destructive fishing practices using dynamite or cyanide, collecting live corals for the aquarium market, mining coral for building materials, and a warming climate are some of the many ways that people damage reefs all around the world every day.

Are humans killing coral reefs?

Back To Top