Coral crisis

Abstract

The topic of this research paper is coral crisis. It argues that coral reefs are still shrinking and bleaching because of other hidden factors. There are three elements for this argument. First, marine tourism is a real killer that destroys coral’s habitats. The soil erosion of grazing land, furthermore, injects a huge amount of chemical substances into the marine ecology. Finally, the jellyfish feed on corals as nutrients, and some underwater creatures absorb many algae which adhere to the surface of coral reefs.

“Coral reefs are made of limestone and are created by living things. The most important reef-building organisms are corals. Coral support over 25% of all known marine species” (Levinton, 1995, para.1). Coral reef organisms and communities have evolved over the past 40-55 million years (Bothner, 2002). By 1998, an estimated 11 percent of the world’s reefs had been destroyed by human activity, and an additional 16 percent were extensively damaged in 1997-98 by coral beaching (Wilkinson, 2000). According to Liebeler (2002), furthermore, coral reefs are the rainforests of the ocean. Reefs lay a foundation of ecological ecosystems for marine creatures, and have a high biodiversity that serves as a storage bank of rich genetic resources. They can not only provide a source of food and medicine, but also protect the coast from wave erosion. “Reefs support at least a million described species of animals and plants, and 8 million coral reef species are estimated to be as yet undiscovered” (Moore, 2003, para.2). In recent years, some scientific reports have already proved, coral reefs have been severely damaged by human activities, and the coral crisis is happening over the world. In Caribbean, “nearly two-thirds of coral reefs are threatened by at least one form of human activity. An estimated one-third of coral reefs are threatened by coastal development, sediment, and pollution from land-based sources” (Burke, 2005, para.5). Moreover, corals are subject to global warming, “man-made activities, trawling, ocean acidification and other influences” (Loft, 2008, para.8).

With those obvious hurtful reasons, coral reefs are still shrinking and bleaching because of other factors. Firstly, tourism is a real killer that destroys coral’s habitats. The scuba diving is not only a famous oceanic activity in the world, but also one of the serious culprits that pollute natural resources. The soil erosion of grazing land, moreover, injects a huge amount of chemical substances into the marine ecology. Parts of the sediments contain rich nutrition to enrich bacteria and algae, which affect coral’s growth and reproduction. Finally, the jellyfish feed corals as nutrients, and some underwater creatures absorb algae which adhere to the surface of coral reefs. Those tiny plants are like an umbrella that shields reefs from direct sunlight.

Marine tourism, first, is continually killing coral reefs. It is difficult to draw a dividing line between tourism and coral reefs. According to the Nature Conservancy, “the annual economic value of coral reefs to world tourism is $9.6 billion” (Tsui, 2007, para.3). This is a serious statistic that indicates that a number of countries’ development is related with the tourist industry, which hangs on the natural environment. In 2003, according to a 2002 report, “between 28,000 and 100,000 people per year visited coral reefs, with diving and snorkeling being the most popular marine recreation activities” (Moore, 2003, para.12). These oceanic activities not only produce oil spills and sewage to stain the quality of the water, but also become a lure to invite more tourists. Scuba diving, for example, is a famous oceanic activity over many countries. When people join scuba diving activities, some divers collect these coral reefs as souvenirs, take them away in aquariums, or touch them. If humans continue to expand the development of the tourism in coral regions, marine tourism will also become a helper of global warming. If countries do not ban or reduce the tourism in these natural fields, corals will constantly be wiped out in decades. How to solve the tourism problem and balance the ecosystem? Governments must migrate marine tourism to terrestrial activities. In the beginning, they can chart more working opportunities for residents, or reduce the tax to invite investors. Then, the development of terrestrial tourism will follow the step to grow up. This method can both shield these precious creatures, and balance business for people who depend on oceanic industries for survival.

Second, sediments shrink the reproduction of corals. The soil erosion of grazing land dumps large amounts of sediments and nutrients into the ocean. They contain various chemical substances and nutrients that pollute the quality of water. A number of coral reefs are influenced by the pollutants that diminish their spawning capacity. The highest erosion risks that affected coral ecosystem have occurred “in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Eastern Jamaica, Haiti, and Puerto Rico” (Hodgson, 2002. para.3). Besides, the soil erosion provides nourishment to stimulate algae and decline the growth of underwater plants. Coral reefs are subject to the crown of thorns starfish, because sediments inject abundant nutrients into the marine ecology that stimulate starfish’s growth. “The plagues of starfish are a sign of the Reef being out of balance” (Wylie, 2007, para.6). Also, farming is the other culprit to use poisonous products. Farmers, for example, have employed a huge amount of pesticides to keep their agriculture from other insects. These agricultural chemicals have already accumulated into underground soil for a long period. When a flood flushes the soil into the water, these pollutants will bruise the living system of corals, prevent coral spawning, and deprive it of its capacity of regeneration. Following human activities, the erosion rates have elevated in recent decades. With the accelerated erosion, the sediment drastically reduces the amount of light reaching coral reefs. The result is corals cannot acquire sufficient oxygen to survive, because these zooxanthellae which stick to the surface of reefs cannot complete photosynthesis. Also, a huge amount of accumulation of sediment will wipe out coral communities, because these creatures require hard and stable surfaces to grow. Without coral reefs on the underwater land, many beaches and buildings would become vulnerable to wave action and storm damage. To prevent the sediments, therefore, a suitable grazing management program will be a crucial key in protecting and balancing the coral reefs. If we forbid poisonous products, also, land will not become saturated with pollutant. Using the organic material to irrigate and nurture the agriculture is the best way to shelter corals from pesticides. Consumers can support organic farming by purchasing organic foods, and this action will encourage farmers to advocate the organic policy.

Lastly, the jellyfish feed on corals as nutrients, and some underwater creatures such as stonefish consume algae as food that stick to the coral. Coral reefs are easily attacked by jellyfish, which are the most poisonous creatures that feed on corals in marine ecology. Jellyfish is one of the true coral-killers. “In Australia, box jellyfish are among the deadliest forms of ocean life, with one species, Chironex flecken, considered the world’s most venomous marine creature” (Burke, 2005, para.12). Following the agricultural activities and some industries, for instance, sewage and sediments become good helpers that store rich nourishment below the soil and underground reservoirs. These substances can not only stimulate the growth of bacteria and algae, but also enrich the energy for reef-predators. With the growth of jellyfish, coral reefs will rapidly lose their life. According to Levinton (1995), global warming and the loss of predators to fishing nets are leading to a bloom of jellyfish all over the world (para.12).

Stonefish, furthermore, absorb algae which adhere to the surface of the coral reefs. These fish depend on the algae, so coral reefs continually lose their natural protection. “When the algae die, corals appear white and are referred to as bleached” (Loft, 2008, para.6). Coral reefs, under the umbrella of algae, can avoid bleaching from the sun, because they need to grow in the shadow environments. A huge amount of light will bleach these underwater creatures. Besides, the zooxanthellae can provide corals with oxygen. These algae not only support corals’ abundant nutrients, but also shield them from bleaching. “Algae is critical to the growth and maintenance of the reef ecosystem. If there is not enough algae, the coral will die because it will not be able to acquire food and oxygen” (Moore, 2003, para.4). Consequently, if the population of coral-eaters, which are not seriously affected by rising temperature or pollutants, cannot be controlled by the food chain, coral reefs will keep being killed. How to avoid the phenomenon? Some scientists suggest that “corals and reef-building could migrate to higher latitudes in response to global warming” (Hodgson, 2002, para.23). With the suggestion, the marine ecosystem will maintain a number of green plants that support the food chain. Therefore, they will support enough algae to shield corals.

Opponents of depending on coral reefs declare that it is unreasonable to forbid the man-made activities in coral regions, because the coral crisis is a natural process and an ecological phenomenon. This argument, however, does not illustrate a clear-cut testimony of avoiding global warming. When residences overly employ the natural treasures to balance their business, the global temperature is rapidly rising to render more huge natural disasters. In recent years, an example of natural havoc is the weather crack in the regular activity that made a serious change in China. Parts of the Chinese continent were covered by a severe storm of snow in summer. This catastrophe destroyed thousands of humans’ lives, because people wildly damaged the natural conditions to fulfill their desires. Moreover, coral reefs can keep humankind from floods, because they are attached to the solid land at the bottom of the ocean. These creatures can reduce the impact of waves when hurricanes happen on the ocean. Because of these harmful influences, coral reefs must be sheltered to balance the ecosystem. All hurtful actions which are related with corals must be banned by every country in the world.

With this powerful evidence, coral reefs are continually attacked by oceanic tourism, sediments, and some poisonous creatures. These influences seem to be some inevitable evils that shadow corals. If human beings do not focus their attention on those physical factors, the marine resources will vanish from the earth in decades. This result will not only affect the living of all organism and humans, but also elevate greenhouse effects. Human beings must remember that the oceanic ecosystem occupies a fourth of natural resources on earth. The royal road to cherish our globe, therefore, is to restrict man-made activities in these corals’ environment right now.


References

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