Grade 9 Science Journal Q1

The primary human actions that affect coral reefs are: global warming, carbon-dioxide increase, unsustainable fishing practices, coral mining, water pollution, and canal-digging.  In addition, coral bleaching caused by global warming, causes mass destruction of coral reefs.  As the earth grows warmer due to an increase of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, the coral reefs are suffering.

 Large-scale coral bleaching, as a result of global warming, causes the coral to eject the zooxanthellae that live within them. This algae provides the coral with 80% of its energy, as well as its color, so as one can imagine, when the algae is no longer present, the coral becomes white or “beached” and increasingly weak, typically resulting in death.  

Over-fishing, When too many of one population are taken out of their habitat, the species becomes over-exhausted and cannot replenish the number of the fish. Not only does this effect the one species being caught, it also upsets the food web, and the balance of the ecosystem.

Climate change, Coral has algae on the surfaces, which provides it with energy, but when the water gets too hot, the coral rejects the algae and bleaching occurs. The coral turns white, and doesn’t have the energy it needs to survive.

Coral mining ,Coral is sold for tourists, and is collected to be used as bricks or cement. The amount of coral that is mined in a short period of time takes decades to grow back.