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Coral Reefs at Risk: Impact of Global Warming on Ocean Life

Explore the devastating effects of coral bleaching caused by rising sea temperatures, leading to mass coral death and ecosystem disruption. Learn about the importance of coral reefs and urgent solutions for preservation.

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Coral Reefs at Risk: Impact of Global Warming on Ocean Life

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  1. The Fate of the Coral Reefs Global Warming’s Effect on Ocean Ecosystem By: Pat Wise www.divegallery.com

  2. http://liveandletdive.googlepages.com/dreamstimeweb_7417461_reef.JPG/dreamstimeweb_7417461_reef-full.jpghttp://liveandletdive.googlepages.com/dreamstimeweb_7417461_reef.JPG/dreamstimeweb_7417461_reef-full.jpg http://spy-spider.com/skull_and_crossbones.png http://www.australiaone.com.au/images/public/Great-Barrier-Reef-QLD.jpg

  3. What is Coral Mate? • Phylum - Cnidaria • Class - Anthozoa • Reef building secrete CaCO3 skeletons • Neritic Zone of Ocean (Shallow) • Sunlight and warm water! • Cnidocytes http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Coral/sciclasscr.html

  4. Sweet Place to Live • Home to 9 million Species • Maximum Production! • One of Four • Sick Hiding Spots www.apple.com

  5. Symbiosis WOAH! Awesome! • Photosynthetic Dinoflagellates • Zooxantheallae – Nitrogenous waste, CO2, and a Home • Coral – Photosynthetic capability and increased CaCO3 production • Pigmented algae produce colorful coral http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/photos/corals.html http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral3.htm

  6. Global Warming (In Case You Forgot) http://www.younggreens.ie/main/?p=89

  7. Coral Bleaching… Not Cool • Increased Water Temperature • Zooxantheallae don’t pull their weight • Algae expelled from Coral • Leaves white coral behind www.abc.net.au/reslib/ 200704/r135574_457949.jpg

  8. Coral Bleaching… is Ugly • Coral Death leads to algae and soft coral overgrowth • Marine “Weeds” www.gbrmpa.gov.au http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/photos/bleached-coral-great-barrier

  9. Damage Done – Great Barrier Reef • 42% of Great Barrier Reef bleached in 1998 • 18% suffered permanent damage • El Niño in 2002 warmed water temperatures affecting 60% of GBR • Killed 90% of reef forming corals on some inshore reefs

  10. Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res.

  11. The Future • CO2 increases will lead to further water temp. increases • Dr. Terry Done – “1° increase in global temperature = 82% reef bleaching, 2° increase = 97%, 3° = Total devastation” • Graph – Temp increase/bleaching threshold vs. Time • Increasing CO2 levels in ocean (acidification) hurts coral’s ability to generate CaC)3 reef structures. http://www.sciencemag.org/

  12. Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res.

  13. Effects on Fish • Lose Habitat • Massive Extinctions • GobiodonSpecies C • Biodiversity Loss • Food Production www.mahonia.org

  14. Red Tides • 1998 El Niño results in massive burning of Indonesian Rainforests • Iron rich smog develops • Toxin producing Dinoflagellates (red in color) produce red tide • Devastating effect – carcinogens (Kareniabrevis) wildcoast.blog.com

  15. Red Tides… Even Worse • 2002 – El Niño produces smog over Southeast Asia • Size of the United States • Cut sunlight by 10% • Heated lower atmosphere and Ocean • Hundreds of Millions of dollars worth of aquaculture damaged • Southeastern Coral Reefs may be permanently damaged

  16. A New Hope? • Symbiodinium • 50/400 = F- • No Complexity • Migration • To Where? Google.images.com

  17. What to Do??? • Lower CO2 Emissions • Stop Overfishing • Protect Reefs from non-water warming harm (Tourism, Boating, Overfishing) • Stop El Niño!

  18. More Simple Solutions • Turn off the Lights! • Eat less meat • Turn down your thermostat • Use electricity over natural gas • Use the fireplace! • Ride your bike • Make daily sacrifices to Gukumatz (Very Important) http://www.yovendomicasa.es/images/dibujoserpientecols2.jpg

  19. Hughes, T.P. et al. 2003. Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs. Science 301, pp. 929-33 • Freeman, Scott. Biological Science. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2004. • Flannery, Tim. The Weather Makers, Our Changing Climate and What it Means for Life on Earth. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2005. 104-13. • Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999). Climate Change, Coral Bleaching and the Future of the World's Coral Reefs. Mar. Freshw. Res. • Donner, S., Skirving, W. J., Little, C. M., Oppenheimer, M. and Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (2005). Global assessment of coral bleaching and required rates of adaptation under climate change. Glob. Chan. Biol. • "Garden Sprinklers May Save Reef from Bleaching." ABC News. 15 June 2007. ABC. 10 Nov. 2008 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/15/1951896.htm>.

  20. Facebook.com

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