EFFECT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON CORAL REEFS
Global warming is contributing to the shift in weather patterns across the globe, causing higher air temperatures. In turn, the warmer air alters the temperatures of the oceans and causes significant changes to the world’s ecosystems. In particular, coral reefs, considered one of the most vulnerable ecosystems with regard to temperature changes, could be destroyed forever.
Coral is a brightly colored sea animal that can only thrive in a limited temperature range. When the water rises above the coral’s temperature threshold for a prolonged period of time, the coral is damaged. White this temperature threshold differs between different types of coral, they generally cannot survive in waters above thirty degrees Celsius. If the ocean water gets too warm, coral goes through a process of bleaching, in which it loses the algae that give coral its vibrant colors. Bleaching is an indication of damage to the coral. While it is possible to survive the damage, most corals do not. In the western region of' the Indian Ocean, rising temperatures have contributed to bleaching in an estimated ninety percent of native corals.
In addition, changes in weather patterns due to global warming have contributed to an increase in tropical storms. The choppy waves damage coral reefs. Also, the rain can cause flooding on land. When overflowing rivers deposit their runoff into the ocean, the incoming sediment clouds the water with tiny particles. These particles act as a screen that blocks the passage of sunlight. Since the algae that live within the coral depend upon photosynthesis to live, the decrease in available sunlight limits their ability to undergo this process. Without adequate sunlight, the algae die, and therefore, so do the corals.