Florida Coral Reef

Letter Of Introduction Our Friends & Family Our Home Our Biome The Problem What Can Be Done? E-Mail Us

What is the problem with the Florida Coral Reef? · There are many outside contributions that have lead to the “problem” with the Florida Coral Reef. The declining Florida Coral Reef has been affected by many factors. These factors include coral bleaching (possibly by global warming), disease, over harvesting by humans, temperature, extreme weather, pollution, and absence of sea urchins due to disease. As you can see, the decline and demise of the Florida Coral Reef cannot be blamed on one thing, rather a culmination of things that together have caused this problem. Though as humans it is our instinct to point a finger of blame, it is impossible to do so, considering the given factors of the problem. Information about the problem(s) concerning the Florida Coral Reef. · The Reefs may not be declining solely due to human interference; however, it has had a substantial impact on them. Ships smashing Reefs, and the over harvesting of fish, sponges, and live rock have contributed to it’s decline, and often times this harvesting is inherited through the generations, and so it continues. There are also water quality concerns that have risen since the decline of the Reef, which is declining water quality. Polluted waters due to sewage disposal from the Florida Keys pollutes the near shore waters and in turn threatens the off-shore reefs. · When thinking about the decline of the Florida Coral Reefs, geography is also an aspect to consider. Changing water temperatures due to cold weather from the North have killed large numbers of corals. Also the rising sea level over the last several thousand years is probably responsible for the demise of certain reefs as well. · Disease is also a contributing factor to the decline and demise of the Florida Coral Reef. This was not a direct attack on the reef, however “In the early 1980s a disease epidemic killed off almost all the long–spined black sea urchins that lived in the Caribbean and south Atlantic. These urchins helped to keep seaweed growth in check. Now that they’re mostly gone it’s uncertain if the additional seaweed found on reefs is due to nutrient pollution, or the absence of urchins.” · Coral Bleaching over the last two decades has been more intense than ever before. Since 1998 which was the worst year for coral bleaching that was recorded, has only gotten worse. When looking at this problem in a global issue sort of way it can be assumed, and said that the Coral Bleaching is due to Global Warming, which was caused by the “human-caused greenhouse effects. · “Urchin dieoffs, disease epidemics, coral bleaching, extreme weather events including hurricanes, cold fronts, and rising sea level, maybe even the average annual position of the Gulf Stream, all effect the way reefs look in Florida. That makes it all the more important that we try to minimize human–caused damage.” Pictures of damaged coral reefs Disease Acid Rain Coral Bleaching Coral being eaten by a crown starfish