Anthropogenic Effects on Coral Reefs Essay -- Unprecedented Stresses t

Abstract Humans have a precise gigantic effect on the ecosystems of coral reefs. Sensitivity of coral reefs causes them to be much susceptible to harmful anthropogenetic practices. Some of these are sedimentation, global warming, unpaid activities, poison fishing, blast fishing practices, water pollution, and coral mining. All of these very different practices mess effectively end up with the same results the mortality rate of coral reefs around the world. Coral reefs are an important ecosystem of the world, and support legion(predicate) different industries and millions of people. Introduction Coral Reefs are said to be the equatorial rainforest of the sea. They are home to over 25% of all ocean life (http//coralreefalliance.org.stories/storyReader$77). Over the past few decades they have been subjected to destructive anthropogenic practices. Some of the major threats to coral reefs include sedimentation, water pollution, harmful amateurish activities, a nd global warming. All of these things cause stress on corals and can potentially cause mortality. Corals are made up of two whiles, a polypus and zooxanthellae. A polyp is a calcerous body that grows from a hard part of the ocean floor. Zooxanthellae is a photosynthetic algae which lives in the polyp and deliver energy for themselves and the coral. In many cases, corals undergo bleaching, which is a process where corals doze off the zooxantheallae or chlorophyll pigment, and turn white (Wilkinson et all). After bleaching corals can locomote for several months. It is possible for corals to recover by hosting more zooxantheallae, but it can take between 5 and 50 years for them to recover on the whole (Wilkinson et all, 1999). Sedimentation As the human p... ...h Letters, v. 27, no. 23, p. 3901-3904. Nowlis, J., Roberts, C., Smith, A., and Siirila, E., 1997, Human Enhanced stirs of a Tropical Storm on Nearshore Coral Reefs Ambio, v. 26, no. 8, p. 515-521. Rouphael , A.B. and Inglis, G.J., 1997, Impacts of Recreational scuba Diving at Sites with Different Reef Topographies Biological Conservation, vol. 82, no. 3, p. 329-336. Wilkinson, C., Linden, O., Cesar, H., Hodgson, G., Rubens, J., and Strong, A., 1999, bionomic and Socioeconomic Impacts of 1998 Coral Mortality in the Indian Ocean An ENSO Impact and a Warning for Future Change Ambio, v., 28, no.2, p. 188-196. Wolanski, E., Spagnol, S., 1999, Pollution by muck of Great Barrier Reef coastal Waters Journal of Coastal Research, V. 16, no. 4, p. 11510-1156. http//www.coralreefalliance.org/stories/storyReader$77 http//www.earthisland.org