Coral Reefs Destruction : Causes , Effects

Human effect on coral reefs is significant. Coral reefs are facing high dangers. Reefs are the rainforest of the sea. These are some of the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on the earth. They occupy 0.2% marine but the quarter of all marine species. Coral reefs destruction is now a great crisis. Recent reports from the world resource institute indicate that 75% of the world coral reefs are at risk from local and global stress according to a report of Australian reef council the northernmost part of the Australia great barrier reef saw a death of 67% corals in the year 2016. The mass bleaching was caused due to global warming and the powerful El-Nino. The Australian great barrier reef is world largest coral reefs and plants biggest structure made by the living organism.

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What are Coral Reefs?

Coral are ancient animal related to jellyfish and anemones. An individual coral is known as polyps. Thousands of identical polyps live together and form the Coral colony. Each polyp of time the skeleton of many colonies add up to build the structure of many coral reefs. Many other coral species such as fishes invertebrates algae and microorganism make their homes on and around this reefs. There exists a symbolic relationship between corals and algae with protected environment and compounds they need for photosynthesis. In return, the algae produce oxygen which helps corals to remove wastes. The need light in order to produce food on photosynthesis. This is why the reefs only occur in shallow areas where sunlight can reach.

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Places where coral reefs are found-

Coral reefs are found all around the world in a tropical and subtropical ocean. They are usually found in swallow where the area where depth less than 150 feet. However, some coral reefs deepen over 450 feet. Coral is found in around 100 countries of the world. Most reefs are located in the tropics of cancer and Capricorn in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean sea, the red sea and the Persian Gulf. Corals are also found from farther where warm currents flow out of the tropic such as in Florida and Southern Japan. Worldwide coral reefs cover estimated are is 110000 square miles.

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Types of Coral reefs-

• Fringing Reefs
• Barrier Reefs
• Atolls
• Patch Reef

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Cause of Degradation of Coral reefs-

• Destructive Fishing Practice-

  
  This includes cyanide fishing blast or dynamite fishing bottom traveling and Muro-Ami. Muro -Ami is banging on the reefs with sticks. Bottom traveling is one of the greatest threat to cold water to coral reefs. Traveling is the method of Fishing that involves pulling fishing nets through the water behind one or more boats. Bottom trawling is trawling along the seafloor.
  
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• Overfishing-

  
  This affects the ecological balance of the coral reefs communities by disrupting the food chain.

• Careless: Tourism-

  
  Some tourists resort have built directly on the top of reefs and some resort empties their waste and sewage into the water surrounding coral reefs. This contributes to marine pollution as well.

• Pollution-

  
  Urban and industrial waste sewage agro-chemical and oil pollution are poisoning the reefs their toxin are dumped into the ocean or carried by a river system.

• Coral Mining-

  
  Live coral has removed from reefs for use as bricks, road fills, cement to for new buildings.

• Coral bleaching and global warming-

  
  When the water is too warm the coral expel the algae living in their tissues. This converts the coral into totally white color. Global warming leads to increase the level of bleaching.

• Poisonous Starfish-

  
  There are some varieties of starfish which are poisonous and destroy coral by eating the polyp.

• Change in the Sea-

  
  Cyclones and storms in the sea are also responsible for the destruction of coral reefs.

It can be seen as coral reefs form an important component of the marine ecosystem. They are useful to a human for medical, economic and in the form of other utilities. It is important that different countries and international organization works gather for the development and the protection of coral reefs

Source

• Pratiyogita Darpan Magazine.
• https://www.bartleby.com/essay/coral-reef-FKCW6K2ZTC
• https://defenders.org/coral-reef/basic-facts

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