Dangers of Pollution and the Coral Reefs

By: Daniel Tate

Did you know?• That the warmth of the water can effect

the coral reef.• The quality of water plays a big role,

because it can reduce growth and can smother the coral polyps.

• Industry is one of the top water polluters.• Cities also dump their raw waste in the

sea which can clog the pores of the reef.

Also…

• Tankers spill into the sea causing the pores of a coral reef to get clogged.

• Individual people that live on the river or on the beach dump garbage into the river or ocean and cause pollution of the reefs.

• Traps, nets, and other fishing tools can destroy the coral reefs if they get tangled.

<<<BUT>>>• Some things can be very healthy for

the coral reefs.• If the wastes of humans are treated

they can serve as a fertilizer for the coral reefs.

Interesting Facts and History

• The reefs are made of thousands of grouped colonies.

• The reefs may die if they are not in water about 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

• They need shallow and subtropical seas to live.

• Coral reefs have developed over 2,000 years.

More Facts About the Reefs• The United States Navy and the

Japanese Navy fought a battle on the Coral Sea in the Pacific Ocean.

• They are in the Phylum Cnidaria and their class is Anthozoa.

• Coral reefs grow at an average .5-3 inches a year.

Diseases of the Coral Reefs• There are 3 different types of bands of

diseases.• The Black band affects brain and Star

coral and moved like a wildfire throughout the reefs leaving a white skeleton behind.

• The yellow band affects Boulder Star coral and resembles bleaching.

• The white band destroyed 95% of the Elkhorn coral.

Other Diseases and What Cause them

• Climate change hurt the reefs and cause bleaching.

• Bleaching is when stress affects little microscopic animals that provide color for the reefs. This is also known as zooxanthellae.

• Bleaching has effected some of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Different Types of Pollution

• Freshwater is loaded with silt, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

• These materials in the freshwater can block the sunlight, therefore stopping photosynthesis and killing the reef.

• Overabundance of freshwater has a lot of nutrients and can overload the reefs also causing death.

Other Types of Pollution• Cutting down trees and deforestation

also cause unhealthy environments for coral reefs.

• Topsoil is washed into the coastal seas and block out sunlight that the reefs need.

• Beach rebuilding washes sand and other pore-blocking particles out to the reefs.

Future of the Reefs

• The reefs are devastated by warm waters and global warming.

• In 30 years, if there is nothing done about the climate, then ALL coral reefs WILL be destroyed from global warming.

• An increase of about 1-2 degrees can kill coral reefs.

Us Too?

• If the coral reefs die, then we are also effected.

• The economy will plummet because of the tourists not coming anymore.

• 1\4 of the oceans’ marine life live in the reefs.

• This dramatically reduces the amount of seafood bought around the world.

Our Responsibility• It is our responsibility to stop global

warming and to protect the coral reefs that have been growing over thousands of years.

• We also need to find another way to get rid of our wastes instead of dumping them into the oceans and rivers.

• The world can band together to stop the destruction of the coral reefs.

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