Global Warming and Coral Bleaching

Paper Summary:

This paper gives an in-depth analysis of the problem of global warming and its effect on coral reefs. The paper cites statistics that describe the history of global warming. The author further explains the composition of corals and their sensitivities to environmental disturbances such as temperature change. The current crisis in coral reefs is described and international conservation programs are presented. The author concludes by encouraging public awareness of this issue.

From the Paper:

"The earth is warming up, slowly, but undoubtedly. The seemingly trivial increase of 1.1 , or a little more than half Celsius since 1861, has altered the climate tremendously. There are more extreme weather events, which result in flood and drought especially in the poor countries. The atmospheric and oceanographic disturbance El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during the 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 had caused the increase in seawater temperature two to three degrees Celsius above normal (Brown). Coral reefs, already devastated by human activities such as over-fishing, development in coastal areas, and pollution, are further ravaged by the unusual warming. Extensive bleaching is widespread, which turn the colorful coral into dazzling white masses. This damage, then, will affect a wide range of organisms, whose survivals are dependent on the reefs' health condition."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Berkelmans, R., Done, T., Jones R., Lough J., Skirving, W., Whetton, P., and Wooldridge S. 2003. Global Climate Change and Coral Bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines.http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/science/pdf/barrier_reef_report_1.pdf
• 2Brown, B.E, and Ogden, J.C. 1993. Coral Bleaching. Scientific American 64-70.
• Chang-Feng, D. 2004. Reef Check and Coral Bleaching. National Taiwan University. http://sol.oc.ntu.edu.tw/omisar/prjdoc/bam1.2/reefchk.html
• Convention on Biological Diversity, 5th Meeting, Montreal. 2000. Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.http: //
• Douglas, A.E. 2003. Coral Bleaching - How and Why. Marine Pollution Bulletin 46:385-392. http://fig.cox.miami.edu/~ddiresta/BIL151/Bleaching.pdf

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