Death of coral reefs could devastate nations

By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Writer – Thu Mar 25, 1:49 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Coral reefs are dying, and scientists and governments around the world are contemplating what will happen if they disappear altogether.

The idea positively scares them.

Coral reefs are part of the foundation of the ocean food chain. Nearly half the fish the world eats make their homes around them. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide — by some estimates, 1 billion across Asia alone — depend on them for their food and their livelihoods.

If the reefs vanished, experts say, hunger, poverty and political instability could ensue.

"Whole nations will be threatened in terms of their existence," said Carl Gustaf Lundin of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Numerous studies predict coral reefs are headed for extinction worldwide, largely because of global warming, pollution and coastal development, but also because of damage from bottom-dragging fishing boats and the international trade in jewelry and souvenirs made of coral.

At least 19 percent of the world's coral reefs are already gone, including some 50 percent of those in the Caribbean. An additional 15 percent could be dead within 20 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Old Dominion University professor Kent Carpenter, director of a worldwide census of marine species, warned that if global warming continues unchecked, all corals could be extinct within 100 years.

"You could argue that a complete collapse of the marine ecosystem would be one of the consequences of losing corals," Carpenter said. "You're going to have a tremendous cascade effect for all life in the oceans."

Exotic and colorful, coral reefs aren't lifeless rocks; they are made up of living creatures that excrete a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton. Once the animals die, the rocky structures erode, depriving fish of vital spawning and feeding grounds.

Experts say cutting back on carbon emissions to arrest rising sea temperatures and acidification of the water, declaring some reefs off limits to fishing and diving, and controlling coastal development and pollution could help reverse, or at least stall, the tide.

Florida, for instance, has the largest unbroken "no-take" zone in the continental U.S. — about 140 square miles off limits to fishing in and around Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of islands and reefs teeming with marine life about 70 miles off Key West.

Many fishermen oppose such restrictions. And other environmental measures have run into resistance at the state, local, national and international level. On Sunday, during a gathering of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, restrictions proposed by the U.S. and Sweden on the trade of some coral species were rejected.

If reefs were to disappear, commonly consumed species of grouper and snapper could become just memories. Oysters, clams and other creatures that are vital to many people's diets would also suffer. And experts say commercial fisheries would fail miserably at meeting demand for seafood.

"Fish will become a luxury good," said Cassandra deYoung of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. "You already have a billion people who are facing hunger, and this is just going to aggravate the situation," she added. "We will not be able to maintain food security around the world."

The economic damage could be enormous. Ocean fisheries provide direct employment to at least 38 million people worldwide, with an additional 162 million people indirectly involved in the industry, according to the U.N.

Coral reefs draw scuba divers, snorkelers and other tourists to seaside resorts in Florida, Hawaii, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean and help maintain some of the world's finest sandy beaches by absorbing energy from waves. Without the reefs, hotels, restaurants and other businesses that cater to tourists could suffer financially.

Many Caribbean countries get nearly half their gross national product from visitors seeking tropical underwater experiences.

People all over the world could pay the price if reefs were to disappear, since some types of coral and marine species that rely on reefs are being used by the pharmaceutical industry to develop possible cures for cancer, arthritis and viruses.

"A world without coral reefs is unimaginable," said Jane Lubchenco, a marine biologist who heads NOAA. "Reefs are precious sources of food, medicine and livelihoods for hundreds of thousands around the world. They are also special places of renewal and recreation for thousands more. Their exotic beauty and diverse bounty are global treasures."

___

Associated Press Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report from Washington.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100325/...Rob2Zjb3JhbA--

What if all coral reefs die? Experts are scared
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Writer – Thu Mar 25, 1:49 pm ET

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Coral reefs are dying, and scientists and governments around the world are contemplating what will happen if they disappear altogether.

The idea positively scares them.

Coral reefs are part of the foundation of the ocean food chain. Nearly half the fish the world eats make their homes around them. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide — by some estimates, 1 billion across Asia alone — depend on them for their food and their livelihoods.

If the reefs vanished, experts say, hunger, poverty and political instability could ensue.

"Whole nations will be threatened in terms of their existence," said Carl Gustaf Lundin of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Numerous studies predict coral reefs are headed for extinction worldwide, largely because of global warming, pollution and coastal development, but also because of damage from bottom-dragging fishing boats and the international trade in jewelry and souvenirs made of coral.

At least 19 percent of the world's coral reefs are already gone, including some 50 percent of those in the Caribbean. An additional 15 percent could be dead within 20 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Old Dominion University professor Kent Carpenter, director of a worldwide census of marine species, warned that if global warming continues unchecked, all corals could be extinct within 100 years.

"You could argue that a complete collapse of the marine ecosystem would be one of the consequences of losing corals," Carpenter said. "You're going to have a tremendous cascade effect for all life in the oceans."

Exotic and colorful, coral reefs aren't lifeless rocks; they are made up of living creatures that excrete a hard calcium carbonate exoskeleton. Once the animals die, the rocky structures erode, depriving fish of vital spawning and feeding grounds.

Experts say cutting back on carbon emissions to arrest rising sea temperatures and acidification of the water, declaring some reefs off limits to fishing and diving, and controlling coastal development and pollution could help reverse, or at least stall, the tide.

Florida, for instance, has the largest unbroken "no-take" zone in the continental U.S. — about 140 square miles off limits to fishing in and around Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of islands and reefs teeming with marine life about 70 miles off Key West.

Many fishermen oppose such restrictions. And other environmental measures have run into resistance at the state, local, national and international level. On Sunday, during a gathering of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, restrictions proposed by the U.S. and Sweden on the trade of some coral species were rejected.

If reefs were to disappear, commonly consumed species of grouper and snapper could become just memories. Oysters, clams and other creatures that are vital to many people's diets would also suffer. And experts say commercial fisheries would fail miserably at meeting demand for seafood.

"Fish will become a luxury good," said Cassandra deYoung of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. "You already have a billion people who are facing hunger, and this is just going to aggravate the situation," she added. "We will not be able to maintain food security around the world."

The economic damage could be enormous. Ocean fisheries provide direct employment to at least 38 million people worldwide, with an additional 162 million people indirectly involved in the industry, according to the U.N.

Coral reefs draw scuba divers, snorkelers and other tourists to seaside resorts in Florida, Hawaii, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean and help maintain some of the world's finest sandy beaches by absorbing energy from waves. Without the reefs, hotels, restaurants and other businesses that cater to tourists could suffer financially.

Many Caribbean countries get nearly half their gross national product from visitors seeking tropical underwater experiences.

People all over the world could pay the price if reefs were to disappear, since some types of coral and marine species that rely on reefs are being used by the pharmaceutical industry to develop possible cures for cancer, arthritis and viruses.

"A world without coral reefs is unimaginable," said Jane Lubchenco, a marine biologist who heads NOAA. "Reefs are precious sources of food, medicine and livelihoods for hundreds of thousands around the world. They are also special places of renewal and recreation for thousands more. Their exotic beauty and diverse bounty are global treasures."

___

Associated Press Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report from Washington.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100325/...RpZmFsbHRoZQ--

This is what I study for a living, if anyone wants more info, PM me
Helen

Originally Posted by Helenthereef

This is what I study for a living, if anyone wants more info, PM me
Helen

Any info you have to add would be wonderful!!

A new type of coral species will emerge, you watch.
Im an expert at aquatic life, and I can tell you that much.

So I can tell you this right now, those scientist are thinking to much which leads them to conclusions like that.

Here's part of a paper on work we've been doing in Fiji.

"Bleaching events" are where extensive periods of unusually high sea water temperatures damage the coral, tuning it white. If bleaching lasts long enough, corals die. If it only lasts short periods, it can regrow.

In Fiji, we had 40-80% coral death in the year 2000. By 2005 most of the reefs had fully recovered. This leads us to the conclusion that some reefs are more "Resilient" than others (I.e., better suited to withstand or recover from change). The question now is which are resilient and why, and how can we increase or protect resilient areas so that they may survive climate change better?


“A Cause for Optimism”:
Identification of threats and resiliency on Pacific Reefs
through establishment of a long term reef monitoring network in Fiji: The Fiji Coral Reef Monitoring Network (FCRMN)

Helen R Sykes1 and Edward R Lovell2
1) Marine Ecology Consulting, Fiji, 2) University of the South Pacific

The Fiji Coral Reef Monitoring Network (FCRMN), a node of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) includes scientists, tourism operators, and community members. Long term monitoring of reefs across the Fiji Islands for nine years included mass temperature-related coral bleaching events, cyclones, and Crown-of-thorns seastar (COTS) outbreaks.

Coral cover fell dramatically in 2000 – 2002 after two mass bleaching events, plus regional COTS outbreaks, but recovered to pre-bleaching levels by 2005. Cyclones affected localised coral health in shallow waters, but caused no large scale or permanent damage, and in some cases served coral recovery by lowering water temperatures and clearing new substrate for settlement.

Overall, Fiji’s reefs appear to be remarkably resilient to sudden catastrophic events, a cause for optimism.

Major “chronic” continual impacts on coral reef health:
o Eutrophication (Nutrient enrichment causing algae to grow)
o Siltation (deforestation / coastal development)
o Over fishing

Occasional or sporadic “acute’ impacts on coral health:
o Temperature-related bleaching
o Predation and disease
o Cyclones

Features contributing to coral resilience:
o Geographically remote from industrialised land masses
o Large physical reef diversity
o Connectivity of habitats and genetic stocks
o Few overtly destructive fishing practices
o Network of locally managed marine protected areas

2-mile scar on Barrier Reef after ship grounding
By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press Writer Kristen Gelineau, Associated Press Writer – 49 mins ago

SYDNEY – A Chinese coal carrier rocked back and forth over a section of Australia's Great Barrier Reef after running aground, inflicting a gash 2 miles (3 kilometers) long into a shoal that will take 20 years to heal. A leading marine scientist called it the worst damage he's ever seen to the world's largest coral reef.

The Shen Neng 1 veered into protected waters and ran aground on Douglas Shoal on April 3, immediately leaking 2-3 tons of fuel when coral shredded its hull.

The 755-foot (230-meter) ship was successfully lifted off the reef Monday after crews spent three days pumping fuel to lighten it. Salvage crews later towed it to an anchorage area near Great Keppel Island, 40 nautical miles (45 miles, 70 kilometers) away.

Its refloating left a scar 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) long and up to 820 feet (250 meters) wide.

"There is more damage to this reef than I have ever seen in any previous Great Barrier Reef groundings," scientist David Wachenfeld told reporters Tuesday.

The oil that first leaked from the hull was quickly dispersed by chemical sprays and is believed to have caused little or no damage. Small amounts of oil, however, have begun washing up on beaches near where the ship ran aground, according to Maritime Safety Queensland.

The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage site because of its gleaming waters and environmental value as home to thousands of marine species. The accident occurred in the southern tip of the reef, which is not the main tourism hub.

The reef was hit particularly badly because the vessel did not stay in one place once it grounded, Wachenfeld said. Instead, tides and currents pushed it along the reef, crushing and smearing potentially toxic paint onto coral and plants, he said.

In some areas, "all marine life has been completely flattened and the structure of the shoal has been pulverized by the weight of the vessel," Wachenfeld said, speaking of the fragile coral and the plants and fish that may have inhabited the area.

Even if severe toxic contamination is not found at the site, initial assessments by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority indicate it could take 20 years for the coral reef to recover, Wachenfeld.

Perhaps most concerning to the scientists is the chemical makeup of the paint used on the ship's hull, which divers have found spread across the vast majority of the impacted region.

Many oceangoing vessels are covered in what is known as "anti-fouling" paint, which prevents marine life from growing on their hulls and creating drag. Certain paints contain chemicals that prevent such growth, while others simply act as a barrier.

Scientists with the reef authority plan to analyze paint left by the Shen Neng to see if it contains heavy metals. If it does, Wachenfeld said, it would not only kill the marine life on the shoal, but prevent new life from colonizing there.

It will be at least another week before the full extent of the damage is known.

Australian authorities are investigating alleged breaches of law connected with the accident. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has since warned that cargo ships entering restricted waters would face the full force of the law.

The ship's owners, Shenzen Energy Transport, said last week they were cooperating with the investigation. They said the ship was traveling through a legal channel when it inexplicably failed to turn eastward to avoid Douglas Shoal.

The grounding forced a review of shipping regulations in the fragile area. Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh vowed Monday to sharply increase penalties on ships causing oil spills.

Bligh said the maximum penalty for corporations would increase from 1.75 million Australian dollars ($1.64 million) to AU$10 million, and individuals would face fines of AU$500,000 — up from AU$350,000.

The proposed new penalties are the latest sign that authorities are serious about stepping up protection of the delicate reef.

On Monday, three crewmen from another boat that allegedly entered restricted reef waters on April 4 were charged with entering a prohibited zone without permission. The South Korean master and two Vietnamese officers of the Panama-flagged coal boat, MV Mimosa, were granted bail and ordered to reappear Friday. They face maximum fines of 220,000 Australian dollars ($205,000).


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100413/...a_coal_carrier

Latest on this is that the boat has been floated off leaving a 3 Km (1.8 mile) scar on top of the reef. Oil has drifted onto the shore of a bird and turtle nesting island 10 Km (6 miles) away. As yet no more widespread damage though, much has been contained.

Originally Posted by MorphX

A new type of coral species will emerge, you watch.
Im an expert at aquatic life, and I can tell you that much.

So I can tell you this right now, those scientist are thinking to much which leads them to conclusions like that.

Ah, cool. So let's bank on that and keep screwin' up the climate! No reason to worry that this "new type of coral" might not actually show up....

Helen: That's awesome! I'm glad at least your reefs seem pretty resilient! Let's hope other reef systems are similarly adaptive.

I think that's exactly the issue. We can see from the Fiji experience that when there are not so many other pressures, corals probably are capable of evolving and changing to meet threats.

However in many places (specifically those closer to developed land masses), in the presence of other threats such as over-fishing, pollution, sedimentation from land clearance and development etc etc, and/or more frequent high water temperature events, they may not be able to keep up.

It's not a simple issue and unfortunately is tied up with so much money making and politicking that I fear will never be dealt with in the best way for the corals.

Out here our best hope is that the other threats do not increase, so that we form "oases" of healthy corals that may, in time, be able to restock more damaged areas such as the Caribbean, Florida etc.

If any of you are divers or just interested, you can join an organisation called CORAL - The Coral Reef Alliance, <www.coral.org> which does a lot of conservation work in coral reef areas and is funded by donations.