In this image is part of a coral reef. If you look closely you can see how it isn't colorful, but instead it is white in color. Normally the coral is supposed to be bright in color , but it turned white because of coral reef bleaching. Coral reef bleaching can occur because of several different reasons. Did you know that when the coral sheds its color and turns white, it means that it is going into a so called "survival mode" trying its best to stay alive? Read the article from the link above to find out why this bleaching has been going on!Summary: This article is from 2010. In 2010, the second known coral reef bleaching occcured (the first in 1998). Many scientists believe that the cause of this coral reef bleaching is due the dramatic changes in climate, in this case extreme heat! Coral reef bleaching occurs when extreme heat and alot of sunlight cause the algae's metabolism to go rapid fire and when they go crazy, they produce toxins. These toxins are what is making the coral turn an ugly white color when they should be colorful! You may think that the coral is dead, but it isn't. Infact, the coral is just barely alive. The only way for the coral to survive is if the temperature drop lower and the algae can reproduce and help the coral out. When corals are in these condition they are very susceptible to disease. If the temperature stays hot, the corals can eventually die. Over the course of the summer mre corals will die if the temperatures keep rising!
Opinion/Reflection: I believe that coral bleaching is a very big issue! I can't believe that one of the most beautiful things in the world is turning into a big pile of nothing. All it is becoming is a bunch of coral that turned white and is super close to dying. If the temperature keeps getting worse, like it was this summer, the population of coral can greatly drop! This is not a good thing at all. I believe that one cause of this temperature rising is the increased use of burning fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels has a big impact on our enviroment as you can see. If we stop burning too many we can save the coral!
Questions:
1:Why is coral reef bleaching such a big deal??????
1:Why is coral reef bleaching such a big deal??????
2: What will happen to the ecosystem if the coral eventually dies out????
3: What can people do to help this very big issue?????
Opinion/reflection:
ReplyDeleteWOW! When i first read the title of the article I thought that humans were actually bleaching the once beautiful corals. Then I read the article and I am in shock! I just can't believe that corals would actually bleach themsleves for such a horrible reason! Now i feel extremely guilty for owning a small piece of coral from hawaii! This situation would be hard to prevent but somthing can be done. First, we can stop burning fossil fuels, second we can try to regulate the heat temperature since it is affecting the coral so much. Lastly, we cam donate to different sites who use money to preserve one of the most beautiful things on the planet, coral. The great barrier reef is amazingly colorful, can you imagine what it would look like if it was just white!
Answer to question one: Coral reef bleaching is a big issue because I think the coral is trying to send us a warning so that we can do something before they become endangered or god forbid, extinct. I think a lot of animlas and other creatures in the sea depend on coral so if they die out, then most of the ecosystem will crash and burn. I really hope that humans can make a big change and take care of these colorful creatures before it is too late!
I can't believe it! I think it is awful that the coral reef is turning a disgusting white color. The ocean is a beautiful place. When most people think about beauty in the ocean, they think about the Great Barrier Reef and just coral reefs in general. We can blame a major reason for this. Global Warming! The reason that the reefs turn this color is because of the temperature constantly rising. This constant temperature rise is caused by the warming of Earth. We can stop this by burning less fossil fuels and by becoming more energy efficient. I honestly think that this is our fault, as human beings. The amount of natural resources and the amazing features Earth has to offer is just ridiculous! Although this is a terrible thing, we can still help it. That is one good thing. I have always wanted to go snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef or, if not that, go snorkeling in any reef. I can’t imagine that dream of mine being denied because we, as humans, won’t help the environment. We have to help now before all of Earth’s phenomenal features are just history.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to question #1: Coral reef bleaching is a big deal for many reasons. Many animals in the ocean depend on the coral reef. If that animal doesn’t have the coral reef, it could die out, causing the next level of the trophic pyramid to disappear, and so on. Not only, that but many people love coral reefs as well. If the coral reefs were to go extinct, many people would be upset, and many ecosystems would collapse. This bleaching is a warning and we must do something to help it now!
Opinion/Reflection:
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrible tragedy. The coral reefs are some of the most beautiful things known to mankind. It is things like this that we take for granted these days where destruction of the natural world is just getting worse and worse. Global warming just seems to effect more then we have expected. I thought the north pole was just going to melt a little. Little did I know, the whole world is getting warmer while a hole in the ozone layer gets bigger and bigger everyday. Know animals from cold regions like the artics to coral reefs down in tropic or warm areas are being effected. I think the best solution is the probably the hardest one to take into use. Change the way we live. We depend on so much foosil fuels it is ridiculous! If we turn completely to other renewable clean resources then i think we can solve this problem. Easier said then done. As so many other people wish to do, i want to go snorkeling near the coral reefs and so the exotic fish that live there right in front of me. I hope this dream will not be out of the question in the forseeable future.
Answer to Question 1:
Well this is an issue because the coral reefs are unique creatures, that belive or not are actually alive and play a role in an ecosystem. We kill this species off, who knows what will happen to all the exotic fish that live in the area. Not only that, but since it is turning white they are also becomes less attractive and beautiful. This could effect the tourism of local areas that depend highly on tourism.
Opinion/Reflection: Oh my gosh! That is horrible! Coral reefs are absolutely beautiful, and they shouldn't be ruined! I guess Global Warming is really starting to pick up, and ruin some of the most beautiful things on the Earth. Human beings also have a big effect on this, and I think we should stop burning so many fossil fuels. Obviously we keep burning more, and that is causing bad things to happen, like making these colorful reefs turn white and ugly. We need to stop! Then it can help the environment. I really hope less reefs become bleached, and humans to things to help!
ReplyDeleteAnswer to Question Number 1: This is a huge deal!! First of all, if the coral reefs start to decrease, and die out, then other species will start to decrease also. The reefs are part of an ecosystem! Other species will eventually not have the coral reef to depend on. That means the whole ecosystem could slowly start to fall apart and die out. Second, the coral reefs are an attraction to many people because of their colors and beauty. Since they are being bleached, then the colors and taken out and people aren't able to see their amazing colors. This is a real big deal, and needs to be helped.