Threats to the World's Coral Reefs

Corals are organisms called polyps. The polyps have a hard skeleton at their base called calicle. A polyp attaches itself to a rock and multiplies to form a colony. The calicles of the polyps attach to each other and they behave as a single organism. The colonies keep extending and unite with other colonies Thus reefs are formed. They are formed in shallow waters. A coralline alga called zooxanthellae and the corals share a mutual relationship- the algae provides the corals with nutrients, which in turns finds protection in the coral reef. It took millions of years to form some of the major reefs The major coral reefs of the world are the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, the Belize Barrier Reef, Mexico, the Red Sea coral reef off the coast of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the New Caledonia Barrier Reef, and the Pulley Ridge Reef off the Florida coast..

Coral reefs are central to biodiversity as they enable nutrient cycling by the corals, the algae, and other organisms. This is very crucial as the seawater has very little nutrients to offer. Fishes like parrotfish, angelfish, butterfly fish, fronts, wrasses, groupers, and other creatures like sponges, jellyfish, worms, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, mollusks, starfish, sea turtles, squirts, sea snakes, and sea cucumbers inhabit coral reefs. Some of these animals eat the corals too. Research is being done on the ability of some of these animals to cure cancer, arthritis, and infections. They are vital for the tourism industry. They prevent soil erosion.

Coral reefs all over the world have become victims of human irresponsibility. Over-fishing or commercial fishing has ruined some reefs. The reefs are damaged because of the extensive use of motor boats and ships, and fishing nets. In certain developing countries, the poor fisher folks resort to cyanide fishing. The water becomes toxic and the fishes and all other animals in the water die. Another equally destructive method that some fishermen adopt is called dynamite fishing. Dynamites and explosives are lit and thrown in the water. The explosion kills the small fishes, and keeps away big predatory fishes. In the process, the dynamites destroy the coral reefs too. Large-scale reef destructions have made the islands in the Indian Ocean prone to flash floods.

Mangrove forests are now being utilized for development purposes-building roads, ports constructing buildings and farming. Industrial wastes contain copper and toxic chemicals that drains into the sea contribute to coral destruction. Global warming manifested it self in the El Nino phenomena. A rise in seawater temperature was detected. This resulted in the decline of zooxanthellae algae, and thus caused the bleaching of corals. Ultimately, the coral dies. Further, the increase in the atmospheric Carbon-di- Oxide levels has had a disastrous effect on the sea. It has resulted in ocean acidification, which in turn affected the coral calcification. Oil spills have caused many reefs to perish.

There is a urgent need to address the issues and take serious measures to stop the destruction of coral reefs. Government and the society must work together. The people dependent on sea for livelihood must be made to understand that they stand to lose in the long run.