On 24 August 2010 Scientific American Online gave a summary of recent research findings about coral reefs. Before the Royal Society John Veron presented some of the facts about climate change back in 2009, and the 2010 findings simply add to the gloom.
It is not only carbon dioxide levels and increasing temperatures that are causing problems – many other human activities are also causing problems for coral reefs.
Sea Temperature and Ocean Acidity
John Platt (Scientific American Online) points to a study in Indonesia by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and says that increasing temperature has stressed many reefs and caused bleaching.
John Guinotte echoes John Veron and remarks that 'the oceans today are 30 percent more acidic than they were at the time of the Industrial Revolution'. This interferes with the way that corals produce calcium carbonate, and it becomes difficult to build reefs.
Shipping Accidents and Marine Aquarium Hobbyists
Oil spills are topical at the moment, and in a couple of recent accidents ships hit coral reefs off India and spilt oil, causing reef damage.
Fiji is the world's second largest exporter of live reef products for the aquarium trade after Indonesia, and the illegal trade in living coral is leading to unscrupulous collecting methods which severely damage reefs. This is becoming a serious problem in Fiji according to Fijivillage.
Why Coral Reefs are Important
Over 4,000 species of reef fish live on coral reefs, and the reefs are of enormous economic importance. Over 500 million people rely on them for survival, and they generate $375 billion each year.
Reefs are also tied in with mangroves and seagrasses, and together these three provide important nursery grounds for many commercial fish.
Coral reefs are important in other ways as well. It is impossible to put any monetary value on biodiversity and beauty, but reefs are certainly high on both. When they are gone they will be gone forever, and unless drastic measures are taken very soon they will go!
Saving Coral Reefs
John Veron, in his lecture to the Royal Society, stated that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels stood at 280 ppm (parts per million) before the Industrial Revolution, are currently at 387 ppm, and must be brought down to 350 ppm in order to avert the coral crisis. A further descent to 320 ppm will be needed to ensure coral health.
This reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide level is unlikely to occur quickly enough, and this is forcing people to look into ways of preserving corals so that they can be used to 're-seed' reefs in the future.
The Smithsonian Institution and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology have created a frozen 'bank' of Hawaiian corals, and living corals are being raised in artificial nurseries in Florida. If and when carbon dioxide levels fall to suitable levels in the atmosphere and seas there should be corals to put back in place. But what about the whole ecosystem? If reefs are allowed to disappear, even for a brief period of time, their biodiversity will be lost for ever.
This 2010 summary of recent findings about coral reefs makes bleak reading.
Reference: 'Reefs at risk' John Platt, Scientific American Online - 24 August 2010.
