Biodiversity on Coral Reefs: Research Paper

Due to procrastination I had to stay up late working on a research paper that was due at 9:00AM today. I am proud to say that although procrastinating is a bad idea, i learned a few things and wrote a solid paper. 
Enjoy readin'! <3

Biodiversity on Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are important to human beings due to the fact that it feeds and houses numerous organisms in which us humans eat. Corals, fish, and the ocean itself is the protein factory for the world. Corals also help prevent the destruction of land from tsunamis. Studies are shown that corals create natural cures for cancer, arthritis, and more. However, due to pollution from oil and chemical leaks, abusing corals as ‘gifts’, and overuse of energy; our Coral Reefs are facing extinction. 

Biodiversity on Coral Reefs are varieties of spawning, nursery, breeding, and feeding grounds for numerous organisms, such as; flounders, lobsters, octopuses, eels, and more. In terms of biodiversity, Coral Reefs cover less than one tenth of one percent of the ocean floor. Over 25 percent of the world’s fish biodiversity, and between nine and 12 percent of the world’s total fisheries, are associated with coral reefs. 

People may not understand the benefits Corals provide for us in today’s society. Deaths from diseases, damage lands, and high rates of starvation all starts with the human race and it’s mass destruction on the Coral Reefs. In 20-40 years from now, Corals will no longer be the source for our help of protein, nor will Corals be around to prevent destruction of land.

The diversity found in coral ecosystems is unparalleled and this diversity is proven beneficial for humans. Creatures found in coral ecosystems are important sources of new medicines being developed to induce and ease labor, treat cancer arthritis, asthma, human bacterial infections, heart disease, and other diseases. Chemical compounds are being studied by researches, and some have already developed medicines or cosmetics. 

Example; cone snail neurotoxin is showing promise as a powerful painkiller. 

The ridges in Coral Reefs can reduce wave energy by up to 95%, providing crucial protection form threats such as tsunamis. Biodiverse ecosystems also provide services like nursery habitat to editable fish species, which would be difficult and expensive to reproduce artificially. 

Impacts from land-based sources of pollution on Coral Reef ecosystem increased sedimentation and toxins introduction. Pollutants and related synergistic effects can cause disease and mortality in sensitive species, critical ecological functions. In particular, the potential for increased frequency and intensity of storm events associated with climate change could exacerbate run-off of sediment and other pollutants.

Starvation on majority of islands start with fishing impacts, such as over fishing. Capturing a little too much of fish slows down its cycle of reproducing more fish. Enforcement have led to depletion of key species which cause Island people to go hungry: for example, direct overexploitation of fish, invertebrates, and algae for food. 

One of the greatest global threat to Coral Reef ecosystems are Climate Change. Temperature rises, mass bleaching occurs, and infectious disease outbreaks are more frequent. Oil and chemical leaks are one of the main problems for climate change. In 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change noted that:

“Evidence is now “unequivocal” that the earth’s atmosphere and oceans are warming.”

Climate change impacts threaten coral reef ecosystems by increasing ocean temperatures, storm activity, ocean acidification, and sea-level rise. Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide reduces calcification rates in reef-building and reef-associated organisms by altering sea water chemistry through decreases in ocean acidification. 

In more ways to protect our corals, which also protects the human race, conserving energy and recycling certain trashes may help and decrease pollution problems. Practicing these certain steps each day may help keep our corals healthy and will provide healthy protein for fish and matter protection for land. 

Fishing impacts such as, removal of a species or group impacting trophic levels; bycatch of non-target species, and physical impacts to reef environments can be reserved by appropriate management actions. To protect and maintain fishery, it is important to minimize negative impacts throughout generations for the future of our reefs.

Status on the Biodiversity Coral Reefs, TODAY:

The world has effectively lost 19 percent of the original area of coral reefs; 15 percent are seriously threatened with loss within the next 10–20 years; and 20 percent are under threat of loss in 20–40 years. The latter two estimates have been made under a 'business as usual' scenario that does not consider the looming threats posed by global climate change or that effective future management may conserve more coral reefs. 

Of interest in the conservation of coral reefs is the idea of resistant and resilient reefs.
Reef resistance is the measure of how well a reef is able to tolerate a disturbance, such as rising temperature, before the disturbance negatively affects the reef with a response, such as bleaching. 

By the voice of Ian Somrhalder, “Nature doesn't need People. People need Nature.”

Works Cited

Coralreef.noaa.gov,. (2011). NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program: Biodiversity. Retrieved 29 November 2015, from http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/values/biodiversity/

Coralreef.noaa.gov,. (2015). NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program: Climate Change. Retrieved 29 November 2015, from http://coralreef.noaa.gov/threats/climate/

 Coralreef.noaa.gov,. (2014). NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program: Pollution. Retrieved 29 November 2015, from http://coralreef.noaa.gov/threats/pollution/

Coralreef.noaa.gov,. (2015). NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program: Fishing Impacts. Retrieved 29 November 2015, from http://coralreef.noaa.gov/threats/fishing/

Coralreef.noaa.gov,. (2015). NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program: Addressing Key Threats. Retrieved 29 November 2015, from http://coralreef.noaa.gov/conservation/ keythreats/

YouTube,. (2015). Why are coral reefs so important? | Natural History Museum. Retrieved 29 November 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=eNqbSi_6KdA&list=PL6w4ihPqk5_JtOGlL1YTaFGwE0IEXNqM4