Can organisms other than humans experience stress? Yes! With current climate change issues facing our planet, coral reefs are expressing their stress. The picture below is most likely a picture you have never seen of coral reefs; instead, you most likely have seen pictures of vibrant and colorful corals.
When corals encounter stress, such as warmer temperatures, they expel the algae that live in their tissues. A specific type of algae, zooxanthellae, is responsible for the vibrant colors of corals. When this algae is released, the corals lose their color, causing them to turn white. The process of a coral turning white is called coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is not only caused by warmer temperatures; it is also caused by greater exposure to sunlight, pollution, and drastic low tides.
Coral bleaching have significant impacts on both the surrounding ecosystems and our biosphere, in general. Fish and crustaceans dependent on the habitats provided by corals, lose their homes. The ecosystems dependent on coral reefs consequently lose biodiversity because organisms dependent on these reefs begin to die out. Diversity is vital to the adaptation and evolution of all sorts of species. A decrease in this diversity would cause all sorts of negative repercussions.
The effects of coral bleaching also have a direct impact on humans. As previously mentioned, many fishes find their homes in coral reefs. As coral reefs decline, so do the fish populations found in that ecosystem. The decline in fish populations, directly impact humans because many coastal communities primarily rely on reef fishes. The decline of successful fishing leads to economic hardship and food insecurity.
An often overlooked benefit of coral reefs is that they can provide a natural barrier or a buffer for coastal communities. Coral reefs are strong enough to protect coastlines from intense storms, waves, and even erosion. Without these reefs, coastal homes and agricultural lands are more vulnerable to these natural disasters. As coral reefs are unique organisms, they also contain unique properties including ones that are used for medical research. Researchers from the Coral Reef Alliance claim that, "Many organisms found on reefs produce chemical compounds that have been used in treatments for cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, leukemia, lymphoma, and skin cancer, and many more remain undiscovered. More than half of all new cancer drug research focuses on marine organisms, many of which can be found on coral reefs" (Coral Reef Alliance).
While at first coral reefs may not seem as though they have a significant impact on our lives as humans because they are part of water ecosystems, they in truth do have great impacts on our lives. Next time remember, that just because you are not surrounded by coral reefs, somebody, somewhere else is and they rely on those organisms. There are many things you can do to slow down the process of coral bleaching, whether that be by reducing fertilizer runoff or even avoiding pesticides.
Works Cited:
Beck, Michael. “Coral reefs provide flood protection worth $1.8 billion every year – it’s time to protect them.” Smart Water Magazine, 10 May 2019, smartwatermagazine.com/blogs/michael-beck/coral-reefs-provide-flood-protection-worth-18-billion-every-year-its-time-protect.
Jaynes, Cristen Hemingway. “Coral Reefs 101: Everything You Need to Know.” EcoWatch, 20 Feb. 2024, www.ecowatch.com/coral-reefs-facts-ecowatch.html.
Coral Reef Alliance. “Medicine - Coral Reef Alliance.” Coral Reef Alliance, 14 Sept. 2021, coral.org/en/coral-reefs-101/why-care-about-reefs/medicine/#:~:text=Many%20organisms%20found%20on%20reefs,be%20found%20on%20coral%20reefs.
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