Page 8 - The British Big Four

oral reefs are dying around the world. tween 1880 and 2000) from the western Car- ease, stunts their growth, and affects their

C In particular, coral mining, agricultural ibbean to show the threat of factors such as reproduction, while severe bleaching kills
and urban runoff, pollution (organic and in- coal-burning and volcanic eruptions. them.

organic), overfishing, blast fishing, disease,
and the digging of canals and access into is-

I Glands and bays are localized threats to coral
In El Nino-year 2010, preliminary reports eneral estimates show approximately
show global coral bleaching reached its 10% of the world’s coral reefs are dead.

ecosystems. Broader threats are sea tem- worst level since another El Nino year, 1998, About 60% of the world’s reefs are at risk

perature rise, sea level rise and pH changes when 16% of the world’s reefs died as a re- due to destructive, human-related activities.

from ocean acidification, all associated with sult of increased water temperature. In Indo- By the 2030s, 90% of reefs are expected to

greenhouse gas emissions. A study released nesia’s Aceh province, surveys showed some be at risk from both human activities and

in April 2013 has shown that air pollution 80% of bleached corals died. Scientists do climate change; by 2050, all coral reefs will

can also stunt the growth of coral reefs; re- not yet understand the long-term impacts be in danger.

searchers from Australia, Panama and the of coral bleaching, but they do know that

United Kingdom used coral records (be- bleaching leaves corals vulnerable to dis-