The Fate of the Coral Reefs Global Warming’s Effect on Ocean Ecosystem By: Pat Wise

meweb_ _reef-full.jpg spider.com/skull_and_cros sbones.png /public/Great-Barrier-Reef-QLD.jpg

What is Coral Mate? Phylum - Cnidaria Phylum - Cnidaria Class - Anthozoa Class - Anthozoa Reef building secrete CaCO3 skeletons Reef building secrete CaCO3 skeletons Neritic Zone of Ocean (Shallow) Neritic Zone of Ocean (Shallow) Sunlight and warm water! Sunlight and warm water! Cnidocytes Cnidocytes

Sweet Place to Live Home to 9 million Species Home to 9 million Species Maximum Production! Maximum Production! One of Four One of Four Sick Hiding Spots Sick Hiding Spots

Symbiosis WOAH! Awesome! Photosynthetic Dinoflagellates Photosynthetic Dinoflagellates Zooxantheallae – Nitrogenous waste, CO2, and a Home Zooxantheallae – Nitrogenous waste, CO2, and a Home Coral – Photosynthetic capability and increased CaCO3 production Coral – Photosynthetic capability and increased CaCO3 production Pigmented algae produce colorful coral Pigmented algae produce colorful coral raphic.com/animals/photos/ corals.html udents/coral/coral3.htm

Global Warming (In Case You Forgot)

Coral Bleaching… Not Cool Increased Water Temperature Increased Water Temperature Zooxantheallae don’t pull their weight Zooxantheallae don’t pull their weight Algae expelled from Coral Algae expelled from Coral Leaves white coral behind Leaves white coral behind /r135574_ jpg

Coral Bleaching… is Ugly Coral Death leads to algae and soft coral overgrowth Coral Death leads to algae and soft coral overgrowth Marine “Weeds” Marine “Weeds” al/photosvideos/photos/bleached-coral-great-barrier

Damage Done – Great Barrier Reef 42% of Great Barrier Reef bleached in % of Great Barrier Reef bleached in % suffered permanent damage 18% suffered permanent damage El Niño in 2002 warmed water temperatures affecting 60% of GBR El Niño in 2002 warmed water temperatures affecting 60% of GBR Killed 90% of reef forming corals on some inshore reefs Killed 90% of reef forming corals on some inshore reefs

Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res.

The Future CO2 increases will lead to further water temp. increases CO2 increases will lead to further water temp. increases Dr. Terry Done – “1° increase in global temperature = 82% reef bleaching, 2° increase = 97%, 3° = Total devastation” Dr. Terry Done – “1° increase in global temperature = 82% reef bleaching, 2° increase = 97%, 3° = Total devastation” Graph – Temp increase/bleaching threshold vs. Time Graph – Temp increase/bleaching threshold vs. Time Increasing CO2 levels in ocean (acidification) hurts coral’s ability to generate CaC)3 reef structures. Increasing CO2 levels in ocean (acidification) hurts coral’s ability to generate CaC)3 reef structures.

Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res.

Effects on Fish Lose Habitat Lose Habitat Massive Extinctions Massive Extinctions Gobiodon Species C Gobiodon Species C Biodiversity Loss Biodiversity Loss Food Production Food Production

Red Tides 1998 El Niño results in massive burning of Indonesian Rainforests 1998 El Niño results in massive burning of Indonesian Rainforests Iron rich smog develops Iron rich smog develops Toxin producing Dinoflagellates (red in color) produce red tide Toxin producing Dinoflagellates (red in color) produce red tide Devastating effect – carcinogens (Karenia brevis) Devastating effect – carcinogens (Karenia brevis) wildcoast.blog.com

Red Tides… Even Worse 2002 – El Niño produces smog over Southeast Asia 2002 – El Niño produces smog over Southeast Asia Size of the United States Size of the United States Cut sunlight by 10% Cut sunlight by 10% Heated lower atmosphere and Ocean Heated lower atmosphere and Ocean Hundreds of Millions of dollars worth of aquaculture damaged Hundreds of Millions of dollars worth of aquaculture damaged Southeastern Coral Reefs may be permanently damaged Southeastern Coral Reefs may be permanently damaged

A New Hope? Symbiodinium Symbiodinium 50/400 = F- 50/400 = F- No Complexity No Complexity Migration Migration To Where? To Where? Google.images.com

What to Do??? Lower CO2 Emissions Lower CO2 Emissions Stop Overfishing Stop Overfishing Protect Reefs from non-water warming harm (Tourism, Boating, Overfishing) Protect Reefs from non-water warming harm (Tourism, Boating, Overfishing) Stop El Niño! Stop El Niño!

More Simple Solutions Turn off the Lights! Turn off the Lights! Eat less meat Eat less meat Turn down your thermostat Turn down your thermostat Use electricity over natural gas Use electricity over natural gas Use the fireplace! Use the fireplace! Ride your bike Ride your bike Make daily sacrifices to Gukumatz (Very Important) Make daily sacrifices to Gukumatz (Very Important) ages/dibujoserpientecols2.jpg

Hughes, T.P. et al Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs. Science 301, pp Hughes, T.P. et al Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs. Science 301, pp Freeman, Scott. Biological Science. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, Freeman, Scott. Biological Science. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, Flannery, Tim. The Weather Makers, Our Changing Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth. New York, NY: Penguin Group, Flannery, Tim. The Weather Makers, Our Changing Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth. New York, NY: Penguin Group, Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res. Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res. Donner, S., Skirving, W. J., Little, C. M., Oppenheimer, M. and Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2005). Global assessment of coral bleaching and required rates of adaptation under climate change. Glob. Chan. Biol. Donner, S., Skirving, W. J., Little, C. M., Oppenheimer, M. and Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2005). Global assessment of coral bleaching and required rates of adaptation under climate change. Glob. Chan. Biol. "Garden Sprinklers May Save Reef from Bleaching." ABC News. 15 June ABC. 10 Nov "Garden Sprinklers May Save Reef from Bleaching." ABC News. 15 June ABC. 10 Nov

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