The Fall of Coral ReefsRachel Neuharth
The Earth is getting
unnaturally hotter… what will this mean for the
coral reefs?
Global warming
is heating up
the oceans’
water
temperature.
The reefs are experiencing a phenomenom called “coral bleaching”.
Scienctist, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, explains what this means for reefs.
What is coral bleaching?
Coral bleaching is caused when water temperature increases and the coral expels zooxanthellae, single celled algae within coral. Zooxanthellae is critical for coral reef health.
That sounds terrible!
What is being done to
protect the reefs?
Australia plans world’s
largest marine
protection zone in Coral
Sea.
Australia’s Environment Minister, Tony Burke, talks about the planned Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve.
To be continued…
BibliographyHoegh-Guldberg,, O. (2008, September 3). Coral Reefs Under Rapid
Climate. Retrieved from http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/harvell/Site/2007_files/HoeghGulberg07.pdf
Coral Sea marine reserve on the way. (2011, November 25). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/coral-sea-marine-reserve-on-the-way-20111125-1nytd.html
Images retrieved from:http://wavemakersrq.wordpress.com/ http://www.clker.com/clipart-9974.html http://www.freeclipartnow.com/geography/earth/ http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/ml/ocean/cb/virtual_stations.htmlhttp://www.whitsundaytimes.com.au/story/2011/06/21/burke-refuses-qld-tourism-proposal/ http://www.france24.com/en/20111125-australia-plans-worlds-largest-marine-reservehttp://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/fbeinecke/global_coral_bleaching_another.html