Coral Reefs Essay Example

Introduction

Coral reefs refer to the large underwater structures consisting of skeletons of ancient marine invertebrates called corals. The species of corals that form reefs are called hermatypic. The above species are also known as hard corals since they extract calcium carbonate from the seawater to develop a hard and durable exoskeleton that shield their soft and sac-like bodies. Some other species of corals that are not involved in the process of building the reefs are called soft corals (Noone et al., 2013). The above types of corals are always flexible, usually resembling trees and plants; their species include sea whips and sea fans. Coral reefs are common around the globe. Coral reefs are home of more than twenty-five percent of all marine life in the world (Sheppard, 2013). To be particular, the variety of life supported by coral reefs competes for that of tropical rain forests of New Guinea or Amazon. However, without urgent action to address pollution, climate change, overfishing, and other threats, coral reefs could disappear, a situation that will cause an imbalance in different aquatic ecosystems.

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Importance of Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are important to the ocean life apart from consisting of the most diverse ecosystems globally. In different seas and oceans, coral reefs protect the coastlines from the damaging effects often caused by the impacts of wave and the tropical storms (Noone et al., 2013). They also provide shelters and habitats for different marine organisms. Additionally, coral reefs are a source of nitrogen and other important for the marine food chains; in other words, they contribute to the sustenance of the marine organisms. Coral reefs also help in carbon and nitrogen fixing, besides nutrient recycling.

Economically, coral reefs are usually highly priced because of their decorative value, the examples of the types of corals used in decoration include fire corals, pocillopora and verrucosa. They are also used in the design of ornaments which costs large sums of money from the different market across the globe. Coral reefs are also essential while building the islands and coral reefs that are habitable by both human and animals (Noone et al., 2013). The above habitat is economically important because they act as tourist attraction sites, a situation that leads to increased economic income. Because coral reefs consist of a large amount of calcium, they are often used as a raw material for the lime mortar used in the underwater construction. The most significant function of the coral reef lies in its ability to protect the coastline and maintain the aquatic ecosystems.

Threats to Coral Reefs

Coral reefs face different threats today. Rising water temperature in different seas and oceans due to climate change is one of the major problem facing coral reefs in the currently aquatic ecosystems (Noone et al., 2013). When there is a high temperature, the relationships between corals and their symbiotic microalgae reduces significantly. In many cases, a slight increase in temperature even by one degree is enough to bleach many different corals. Ocean acidification is another potential threat to the coral reefs. When there is the excess carbon IV oxide in the atmosphere, sea water will absorb a large portion of it, leading to more acidity in the water. Lastly, pollution is another threat to the coral reefs. The discharge of harmful chemicals into the water bodies negatively impact the formations of coral reefs in different seas and oceans. The harmful chemicals usually lead to the destruction of hermatypic, components that are essential in the formation of coral reefs (Pilling et al., 2017). The threats faced by the coral reefs in seas and oceans are occurring due to different reasons. The pollution, for instance, is occurring due to the increased industrial activities and transportation activities that emit harmful waste products into the water bodies. On the other hand, increased acidity in the seas and oceans results from the excess CO2 in the atmosphere also caused by increased industrial activities.

Strategies to Protect Coral Reefs

Protection of the coral reefs is essential due to the values that it brings. Reducing the discharge of harmful chemicals into the water bodies is one way of protecting the coral reefs. Industries and transportation companies should engage in the treatment of industrial wastes; additionally, they should initiate the processes of recycling waste products to ensure the safety of the water. Additionally, to protect the coral reefs, there is the need to reduce the acidification of water bodies by ensuring the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere, this can be achieved through the reduction of excess chemicals in the atmosphere (Pilling et al., 2017). The costs of treating industrial chemicals may be higher, but the impacts that it will create on the environment will be greater. Reduction of pollutants in the aquatic water systems and the reduction of Carbon IV oxide in the atmosphere can be enforced through the formulation of international policies that safeguards water bodies (Pilling et al., 2017). The international laws should mandate the actions to protect the coral reefs by reducing pollution and acidity of the oceans. Every nation should, therefore, adhere to the strict policies to ensure the protection of not only the coral reefs but also to the entire aquatic ecosystem.

References

Noone, K. J., Sumaila, U. R., & Diaz, R. J. (2013). I am managing ocean environments in a changing climate: sustainability and economic perspectives. Newnes.

Pilling, G., Sheppard, C., Davy, S., & Graham, N. (2017). The biology of coral reefs. Oxford University Press.

Sheppard, C. R. (2013). Coral Reefs of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories. Springer.