Many of you have heard about climate change and the debate on how to stop it. Climate change is labeled as just one massive problem because it makes it easier for people to grasp. Within the term climate change, there are many large individual problems that scientists are continually trying to solve. It's almost like a wooden puzzle game waiting in its packaging begging to be solved, bewildering even the most intelligent scientists. The coral bleaching crisis is one of those problems. Although corals have their own ecosystem and their own separate function in the marine world, we rely on them more than we realize. Corals are going extinct because of rising ocean temperatures caused by human activities .
Coral reefs are the most biodiverse marine ecosystem. Even though reefs cover less than 0.1 percent of the earth's surface, over 25% of marine wildlife depend on them for survival. Coral shelters countless species that numerous marine wildlife relies on for food. If coral goes extinct , over 25% of marine wildlife will be in danger of extinction. Not only are coral reefs essential to the marine world, but they also do wonders for the human population. About 80% of US adults eat seafood, and about 3 billion people rely on seafood because it is a large percentage of their protein intake. If coral continues to dwindle, the human population will suffer from food shortages Coral reefs not only provide food but they are also considered to be a possible source for new medications. Corals are stationary animals which means that they can’t move around to avoid threats like most animals can. Because of this, Corals put up different defenses to protect themselves. Most of these defenses include different chemical substances that could be a source for ground breaking medications. Scientists are still researching the potential these chemical defenses have, however, corals have been found to be a primary source of possible medications for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, bacterial infections, arthritis, many viruses, and more. Without coral, it would take much longer to find cures to numerous life threatening diseases. Coral reefs have a substantial total economic value of tens of billions of dollars and out of that, over $3.4 billion goes to the US economy. Coral reefs provide over $100 million to US fisheries (in commercial value) and local businesses in popular tourist destinations receive billions of dollars from tourist interaction with the reefs and different marine wildlife (for example, snorkeling). With possible coral extinction in the future, we can expect an economic dent in powerful countries around the world. The severity of tropical natural disasters is exceptionally dependent on coral reefs. Coral reefs provide a protective barrier to tropical areas reducing the ferocity of hurricanes, tsunamis, etc.. The reefs take a massive impact before the storm hits the islands, acting as a buffer that reduces the size and strength of waves and the storm's impact. This reduces the number of lives lost, property damage, and even erosion. When the coral reefs are dead, this barrier ceases to exist. This can result in terribly fierce storms, the destruction of homes, and the deaths of multitudes of people. Over half a billion people rely on the reefs in all aspects: protection, income, food, and more. It is truly evident that the human race is extremely reliant on the coral reefs. Coral reefs genuinely are wonders of the world. Billions of tiny organisms protect marine life and create safer and more sustainable lifestyles on land. We owe our time and effort to them. Read about the coral reef's economic value Learn about medicines that come from the reefs Learn about the importance of coral reefs Comments are closed.
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