Habitat Destruction: Loss of Coral Reefs CRISTINA OVALLE INTRO. TO BIOLOGY II BIOLOGY 1312 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN

Coral Reef Biome Locations Open Ocean Found throughout the oceans, from deep, cold waters to shallow, tropical waters Biotic Factors Fish Turtles Corals Sponges Shrimp Jellyfish Many more! Abiotic Factors Rocks Water Sand Sunlight Accessed 4 August 2014

History Behind the Problem According to Localized bleaching has been observed since at least the beginning of the 20th century. However, beginning in the 1980s, regional and global bleaching affecting numerous species has occurred on reefs worldwide. Localized bleaching has been attributed to exposure to high light levels, increased ultraviolet radiation, temperature or salinity extremes, high turbidity and sedimentation resulting in reduced light levels, and other abiotic factors (Glynn, 1996). In addition, bleaching in some species has occurred in response to a bacterial infection (Kushmaro et al., 1996). However, the seven major episodes of bleaching that have occurred since 1979 have been primarily attributed to increased sea water temperatures associated with global climate change and el Niño/la Niña events, with a possible synergistic effect of elevated ultraviolet and visible light (Hoegh-Guldberg, 1999).Glynn, 1996Kushmaro et al., 1996Hoegh-Guldberg, 1999

Information/data/maps provided by ReefBase (

Ecological Impacts When corals are inordinately stressed, they often expel their zooxanthellae, or the concentration of photosynthetic pigments declines. Also, corals play a role in the photosynthesis with the algae. If the corals do not go back to normal they will die. If they die fish won’t be able to use the corals as protection from predators They are not able to defend themselves from predators or invasive species Infectious diseases outbreaks Accessed 4 August 2014

Economic Impacts Accessed 4 August 2014 Protect coastlines from storms and erosion Provide habitat, spawning and nursery grounds for economically important fish species Provide jobs and income to local economies from fishing, recreation, and tourism Are a source of new medicines, and are hotspots of marine biodiversity. Globally, coral reefs provide a net benefit of $9.6 billion/year from tourism and recreation revenues and $5.7 billion/year from fisheries. One recent estimate gave the total net benefit of the world's coral reef ecosystems to be $29.8 billion/year. Hawaii $360 billion/year

Focus & Research According to National Ocean Service. “An estimated 20 percent of the world’s reefs are damaged beyond recovery and about half of the remaining coral reefs are under risk of collapse.” Marine protected areas (MPAs) They’re effective tools to protect and restore coral reef ecosystems. NOAA's Coral Research, Restoration, or Monitoring Expeditions Expeditions to coral ecosystems, some of which are funded by the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring, Mapping and Assessing Monitor temperature of the oceans and alert when there is coral bleaching going on

What YOU Can Do to Help! Long-lasting light bulbs are a bright idea. Decrease of greenhouse gasses It stinks to send chemicals into our waterways. Use naturally-derived and biodegradable detergents and cleaning products Corals are already a gift. Do not use corals as jewelry Conserve water. Educate yourself about coral reefs and the creatures they support. Recycle Volunteer for a reef or beach cleanup.

Works Cited “Climate Change.” NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Aug “Conservation Methods.” NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Aug “Coral Reefs.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admistration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 4 Aug “How do coral reefs benefit the economy?” NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Aug “Major Reef-building Coral Diseases.” CoRIS NOAA’s Coral Reef Information System,National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Aug “Value of Coral Ecosystems.” NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Aug “What You Can Do.” NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 2 Aug Map ReefBase: A Global Information System for Coral Reefs. August,