The Coral Reefs

Did you know Coral reefs are currently endangered? Accounting for only about 1% of the marine environment, coral reefs provide a home to 25% of marine life. “Coral reefs are mostly found in clear, shallow, warm waters where sunlight can penetrate and provide nutrients to the algae that sustains coral” (Earthjustice…).Coral reefs provide humans with many benefits such as barriers to coastal communities, and chemical compounds extracted from corals provide medicine for cancer, AIDS, and other ailments, but we are not protecting them like we should (Earthjustice…).

Acquired At: http://reimaginingdisney.blogspot.com/2012/12/animal-kingdom-part-3-south-america-and.html

Humans have caused major damage to coral reefs, which may be irreversible due to pollution, climate change, and trash. Unfortunately, one fifth of the corals have been wiped-out and recovering them will be difficult. Some predications indicate that the remaining coral reefs will disappear by 2050(Endangered Corals). Coral Reefs are important to marine ecosystems and losing them will be a disaster that we will hopefully not witness.

As the human population grows so will our negative impact on coral reefs. However, if we act now we will be able to save the reefs and the organisms that depend on them.

 

Works Citied

"Earthjustice: Because the Earth Needs a Good Lawyer." Earthjustice. Earthjustice, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. <http://earthjustice.org/irreplaceable/coral_reef?gclid=CMSyw7_V4bUCFY6e4AodiEwAeA>.

"Endangered Corals." TakePart. Disneynatureoceans, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. <http://www.takepart.com/oceans/coral>.