The issue at hand

Less than a century ago, a person could go to a coral reef with no idea of any anthropogenic effects acting on it. However, a century of scientific advancement and ingenuity has painted a grim picture for these under-appreciated habitats. Not surprisingly, the main artist of this metaphorical picture is us humans and the fossil fuels we emit into the atmosphere. This realization has put a greater focus on global interactions in the attempt to manage or conserve the problems of reef degradation due to anthropogenic changes. These studies are just as important as ones that focus on a specific interactions such as recruitment of young. Both these fields should be treated equally if we are to provide the best opportunity for coral conservation and management. There are many different threats or problems that coral reefs face and that science faces in its attempt to understand, conserve and manage these keystone habitats. To provide our best conservation and management efforts we must understand the significance and impact for as many of these as possible.

 Photos taken from websites cited in more information.


The main threats facing coral reefs are climate change due to increased CO2 levels and negative affects of tourism and harvesting. To put it another way, the main threat to corals and most other species and habitats has always been us. We know that there is a steady rise in sea surface temperature (SST) and that warming oceans have led to an increase in coral bleaching (the expulsion of its symbiotic algae). Ocean acidification is now attributable to anthropogenic causes, specifically fossil fuel emissions. The ocean absorbs 30-40% of the atmospheric CO2 which then combines with water to form carbonic acid (H2CO3). This acid then breaks down to form bicarbonate or carbonate depending on the chemical properties such as temperature and alkalinity. As H+ ions are released they bind with carbonate to make more bicarbonate, which effectively lowers the saturation state of the two major forms of calcium carbonate, aragonite and calcite (Cao and Caldeira 2008). Furthermore, the lowered pH can affect the growth of marine organisms by altering the acid-base balance within their cells, the availability of nutrients, and the effects of toxins (Royal Society 2005). The possibility of such devastating ecological effects has sparked studies worldwide in effort to understand and manage future damage and damage already done. 

Left: Dynamite use for harvesting. (Photo courtesy Thomas Heeger: Philippines) Right: Coral reef in Komodo National Park destroyed by blast or dynamite fishing. Photo taken from oceanwideimages.com

Dr, Janice Lough studies ocean acidification and its potential to affect the rates of calcification ( Lough 2011). Tourism effects on coral disease was studied by Lamb and Willis who found that coral disease was 15 times more prevalent at reefs with offshore platforms (Lamb and Willis 2010). These kinds of studies are definitely useful to our understanding of coral reefs and can provide essential roles in conservation and management. Lough uses the information to reconstruct a climate from the past to see what kind of indicator maybe used to manage the growth effect of climate change on coral. Lamb and Willis correlate coral disease with tourism activities and argue the need of tourism management to conserve the health of the reefs. Though these are very important studies, others based on smaller ecological interactions can also provide essential information for conservation and management. These interactions are key to understanding how an action we take may play out in the future. However, all of this is easier said than done. There are also many problems science faces in its attempt to understand, conserve and manage this unique habitat.

H₂O + CO₂ « H₂CO₃ « H⁺ + HCO₃ « 2H⁺ + CO₃^2-

The chemical reaction resulting in carbonate and hydrogen ions from carbon dioxide and water.
What the world needs to watch!!!!

Tourism brings more than just money. Photo taken from website cited in more information.

One of the biggest problems we face is the lack of knowledge. In just about every paper or study you look at about coral reefs, the scientist are clear to state the need for more studies and further insights. This shows how much more studies are needed to provide viable conservation and management plans. As mentioned above, coral disease is becoming more prevalent among coral reefs and this is a significant threat to reef systems. To combat this problem, scientists must understand the cause and effects of coral disease and how it affects different parts of the reef system. Polluck states it well saying, “the ability to detect and quantify microbial agents identified as indicators for coral disease will aid in the elucidation of disease causation and facilitate disease detection and diagnosis (Polluck 2011). This information would be key to monitoring management efforts and their effect on the reefs overall health. However, if science is lacking the information to properly manage and conserve a species or ecological system, then should we wait till we have "enough" information to act? A study by McClanahan showed that articles involving research studying the impacts on coral reefs outnumbered those for solutions by 234 articles; only 16 articles were found describing solutions for coral reefs (McClanahan 2011). Such few articles on the solutions for coral reefs stress the need for more information to integrate into better solution plans.