Oceans are peaceful, majestic, and filled with amazing and vibrant color. A lot of the prostown beauty in oceans can be credited to coral reefs. Lately though, natural coral reefs have been dying for various reasons, and some people believe that artificial reefs can help not only the natural reefs, but other surrounding ecosystems in their environment. Various articles use rhetorical techniques in hopes of enhancing their articles about whether or not artificial reefs are helping or harming the oceans. The first article, “Concern Lingers on Success of Artificial Reefs”, was written by Charles Q. Choi, and for Live Science, looks at both the pro and con side of artificial reefs.
If the climate continues to rise the coral population could become obsolete and disappear (CREARY, M. (2013). One of the most notable climate changes that damaged the coral reefs was the “El Nino” storm in 1998. This storm caused an extreme increase in the water temperature and bleached one- sixth of the corals in the World (El Niño prolongs longest global coral bleaching event. (n.d.)) Although we cannot prevent the weather, humans can reduce the amount of deforestation in rainforests that will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere.
On the west coast, from Washington State down to California, the levels of acid are increasing and deceasing which gave sea urchins the ability to flourish. They flourish by turning on more of their genes to help create a skeleton. Other parts of the ocean are thriving such as the seagrass in the coral reef by taking the CO2 and converting it into sugars. I believe that the documentary was precise when proving how much fossil fuels are destroying the ocean life. My opinion on the video is that we need to find ways to prevent the wide spread of acidity that is increasing over time across our earth.
This novel focusses on many things relating to our earth but touches deeply on one of our rare wonders in the world, the Great Barrier Reef and how it is being threatened by ocean acidification. In chapter seven, Kolbert is writing about her experiences on a science outpost and is talking about various studies that led up to the discovery that ocean PH levels change how the coral grows. She writes about the results of a study that took place in Arizona: "Coral few fastest at an aragonite saturation state of five, slower at four, and still lower at three. At a level of two, they basically quit building" (Kolbert). What this means is that as the PH levels in the water drop because of CO2 levels, the rate at which the reefs will grow is dramatically decreased to the point that they will stop all together.
One of the earth’s most diverse and unique ecosystems, the coral reef, is dwindling due to anthropogenic stressors. Coral reefs across the globe provide habitat to approximately 550,000 to 1.3 million different species of organisms (Wear and Thurber 15). Although reefs can take thousands of years to form, over just the past 27 years, the world’s largest coral reef, The Great Barrier Reef, has seen its coral cover decline by over 50% (Kroon 1987). What is causing such an immense deterioration and what can be done to stop it? Various academic journals such as, Evidence of Large-Scale Chronic Eutrophication in the Great Barrier Reef, claim that fertilizer and sediment runoff are two of the leading causes of coral reef debilitation.
The coral was so weak and brittle, with only a little movement of water it withered away into a fine dust of calcium carbonate shells and skeletons. The acidic water wiped out of all the coral to almost extinction. Bothered by what I saw on this trip I headed up to the boat to report my findings to the unesco. The boat ride returning to the mainland I was shocked to find out how much oxygen I used up in my tank, the coral seemed so much farther down than I expected, the sea level insinuate so much higher. Perturbed by this I knew it was all an effect from climate change and we were all to late to correct the damage
The Great Barrier Reef is actually the largest living thing on Earth. In fact, it can even be seen from space. The only problem with reefs is that they can only survive under a certain temperature range. If the temperature is too low or too high for the reefs, this causes the algae, which gives the coral their beautiful and bright colors, to leave the coral, and therefore causing the coral to become bleached (National Ocean Service). This is exactly what has happened this year.
The ocean covers 70 percent of the Earth. The ocean helps absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provides 50 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere. Ocean acidification is the harmful consequences of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Ocean acidification has been rapidly increasing do to the excess amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere produced by humans. Humans impact ocean acidification by increasing carbon emissions, creating waste, and loss of biodiversity.
Global warming has and is still negatively affecting coral due to the rising temperature of the ocean. The oceans temperature rose 0.18° fahrenheit every decade between 1970 and 2010 due to global warming (Fujita). Even though this doesn’t seem like much of a change, this extra heat makes the sensitive coral more susceptible to illnesses (Le Page 37). The unusually warm waters makes the corals expel food-producing algae which causes the coral to lose its color, turn white, and die due to the lack of nutrition (Markey 1). This is called bleaching (Fujita).
Why are experts concerned? Coral reefs are delicate. Overfishing and pollution can harm them. They can also be affected by changes in water temperature caused by occurrences like global warming. What Are Reefs?
The topic of this research paper will cover over Ocean Acidification and the effects on marine ecosystems. Ocean acidification is the decrease in pH levels of the Earth 's oceans, due to overbearing carbon dioxide being brought by the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide is drawn by seawater, where the chemical reactions take place, which minimize the pH levels in the ocean, the carbonate levels and the important calcium carbonate which these sea creatures need. When carbon dioxide disperses in this ocean, it causes the levels of acidity to rise towards the the surface, where most shell growth in marine animals have been stopped and has created the cause of reproductive disorders in multiple fish. Part of the problem with ocean acidification is human activity.
Lastly, the coral reefs shocked the world when observations and research determined that pollution has lead the reefs to be bleached due to above normal water temperature. The Great Barrier Reef is a prime example of this ongoing tragedy that is leaving an entire ecosystem in utter destruction. Their majestic beauty has brightened our world since their discovery, but it seems their wonder will be coming to a colorless and lifeless end. It also seem that we are losing the coral reefs fairly fast which means that we won't have much left
The coral bleaching phenomenon is occurring all over the world’s coral reefs and it is still happening right knows without we even noticing it. Various approaches have been applied to save this extraordinary God-given structure before it vanishes completely from the earth. However, the world probably should be more concern on the main issues that leads to this problem in the first place. Three major factors that contribute to coral bleaching include the rise in ocean temperature, changes in salinity as well as underwater sedimentation. The ocean that covers 70% of the earth surface play a major role in regulating the earth’s temperature and sometimes, the ocean itself can ‘overheat’.
It is our duty to come together to stop this calamity as the decline of coral is seen across the globe. Individuals have stood up to face this issue. Many volunteer to help properly remove and dispose debris and others have helped to conduct research, monitor and even revive coral populations. “Coral reefs provide us with food, construction materials (limestone) and new medicines—more than half of new cancer drug research is focused on marine organisms”(Cho). Marine ecosystems are taken for granted and as a result they are declining.
Coral reef destruction Last year, scientists remarked the "unprecedented" collapse of Florida's reef, that expands along the south-eastern part of the state of Florida. This ecosysten, that was the only barrier reef in the continental US, was attacked by bleaching in 2014 and 2015 and is now is "beginning to dissolve away", according to Chris Langdon, a coral expert at the University of Miami. More than 80% of shallow water reefs of Christmas Island have died and it has been shown by pictures released to the public not too long ago, that 90% of the reefs in Okinawa, Japan were bleached as well. This is an alarming news, not only because it will affect marine life's ecosystems, but us as well.
