Coral Reef Extinction
Coral Reefs are currently endangered from global warming and ocean acidification. When the ocean temperatures increase the warmth causes the corals to expel the algae living inside of them, causing the corals to bleach. The algae were the main food source for the corals as they went through the process of photosynthesis producing food for the coral that housed the algae. The process of ocean acidifacation is an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Since the ocean is a natural carbon sink, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This increase in Co2 in the ocean increase the acidity of the ocean and decrease the PH levels. With the decrease in PH, the corals can’t absorb enough calcium carbonate from the waters, causing their skeletons to grow weak and eventually kill off the corals.
Coral Extinction Causes,
Corals main cause of extinction is Ocean Acidification. This process decreases the PH in the ocean, making coral skeletons grow weaker. Great amounts of carbon dioxide going into the ocean tends to cause this, and corals slowly go extinct after their skeletons die! Another cause is tourism, as polution from tourism boats such as plastic bottles go into the corals environment and harm them. Some sunscreens are also a danger to this delacate animal. Anchors from these boats are also a danger, as when they ht the see floor they crush corals. A few effects of the extinction of corals are extinction to other animals! As corals are a natural food source for several species, entire food chains could collapse, causing a mass extinction in ocean environments. While corals go extinct, the height of waves hitting coastal shores, flooding beaches destroying land habitats, showing how Corals are are a necessary and want species on our planet, Earth
image found from barrierreef.org
How corals benefit us
Coral Reefs, although we see them as tourist attractions, they actually protect us from dangerous waves! Coral Reefs use their height to absorb some of the force from destructive waves! Preventing flooding at nearby coastal settlements.If not for coral
How corals help our ecosytem
Coral is a food source for many marine animals such as turtles, sea stars, and many varieties of fish. If Corals die then soon life in the ocean will too, leaving our ocean full of seaweed and plankton.
How You Can Help!
A lot of Coral extinction is from pollution and global warming. A way you can help is by recycling, and reducing the amount of electricity you use everyday! By taking this small step, you still make a big impact!
image found from earth.org
This graph shows how much of earth is covered in coral since 1980. As you can see it went from 32.5 percent to 29 percent ad though that is ot much it still isn't great. with any help from you even if thats just spreading awareness that number should up!