The coral reef is probably the most diverse area in the seas since they allow fishes to live and eat. Due to its natural protection to certain predators, small fishes prefer to lay their eggs on the coral’s surface. In general, its diversity is made because of predator-prey interaction and some mutual interaction such as the fishes and corals. They are thus called the “rainforest” of the seas.

But these homes are slowly dying. Basically, there are two major factors that contribute to the death of coral reefs. Human related activities, such as illegal fishing, excessive exploitation and tourism have a very big impact to their death and the second factor is also made by humans also – global warming.

Global warming is one of the evidence that shows how humans helped make the world hotter and Mother Nature does not like it. It affects every organism that lives in this time, even the ones under the waters.  Coral reefs are affected by this because they are very sensitive to even the slightest change in temperature and pH concentration. Their death is fast and cannot be compensated by their reproduction since even in the normal condition, they reproduce slowly.

There are many effects to the world if the coral reef will be erased entirely. Their very function itself causes extinction to many marine organisms that depend on them for protection and foraging, and followed by the death of those animals that live by feeding on the organism living in the corals. This process is called successive extinction due to the loss of their limited geographic distribution.

Should we wait for that time to come to change what we are doing wrong? By being aware of this, people should take the first move in conservation since we are in top of the hierarchy of species.

What is coral bleaching?

One of the most visually dramatic effects of climate change on corals, has been bleaching. When the ocean warms, the oxygen content reduces, and corals become ‘bleached’.

The heat affects the tiny algae which live symbiotically inside the corals and supply them with food. The heat stress damages the algae and in consequence leads to coral death.

Coral reefs bleaching is mainly result of global warming. Global warming could now mean a death sentence for many coral reefs. If the present rate of destruction continues, most of the world’s coral reefs could be killed within our lifetime.

Coral reefs are extremely important for biodiversity, providing home to over 25% of all the marine life. They provide nurseries for many species of commercially important fish, protection of coastal areas from storm, waves, and are a significant attraction for the tourism industry.

Coral reefs around the world have been severely damaged by unusually warm ocean temperatures.

However, coral reefs are very fragile sensitive ecosystems that can only tolerate a narrow temperature range.