Coral Bleaching: Introduction

            The topic that I chose concerns the effects of global warming and/or climate change on the notion of coral bleaching. Coral is a significant element of sea life, as it provides many important ecosystem services to both humans and organisms residing within the ocean. These qualities are severely threatened by the effects of global warming and climate change. The effects of coral bleaching are severely influenced by global climate change and global warming. During bleaching, a coral experiences discoloration, and the white of the coral skeleton is exposed. Coral bleaching imposes several detrimental effects upon the lives of the corals affected. Such effects include reduced skeletal growth and reproductive activity, as well as a lowered capacity to shed sediments (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2011). In addition, it diminishes the coral’s ability to resist the invasions of competing species and diseases. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2011).

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As a result of these effects, the afflicted corals endure massive mortality rates and severe destruction of collective reefs. The significance of this issue lies primarily within the concern of the threats imposed upon the vital services that these corals and coral reefs provide to the ecosystem, including health and economic value. They serve as a source of food for a numerous amount of species and organisms - including humans - and provide a habitat for various species of sea life to reside within. In addition, corals and coral reefs provide a safe place for significant fish species to give birth and raise their young.

In addition to their influence on sea life, corals also have a major impact upon human life. They play a substantial role in protecting the shores from damage and erosion that results from severe tropical storms. This serves as a benefit to humans living along the shores, who may otherwise be subjected to the devastation affiliated with the damage that such natural occurrences initiate.

Coral and coral reefs serve as a primary factor in terms of their economic value to humans, as they provide humans with jobs as well as the benefits elicited by tourism, fishing, and other means of oceanic recreation. The aesthetic beauty demonstrated by these coral colonies attract millions of tourists to the tropical regions of the Earth every year. In addition, because the coral serves as a habitat for various species of fish, they also attract fishermen, who may fish for fun or are licensed to catch fish to sell for food and other means, such as aquariums.

Furthermore, corals and coral reefs also provide biomedical researchers with the means to explore new sources of medicine to utilize for various ailments endured by humans (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2011). Before resorting to engineered means of medication, genuine researchers in the medical field like to first turn to natural resources that may potentially serve this purpose. This way, they reduce the risk of harming the humans who will be treated with synthetic materials. Finally, these organisms are a very important part of various cultures practiced by humans around the world, such as Polynesians.

Thus, studying the topic of how global warming affects coral bleaching is significant. Hence, in turn, it is equally important to determine what humans have already done to prevent global warming. It is also significant to determine what humans can do to further protect the coral colonies from the negative effects it imposes upon them.

Referenced Link: http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/values/