Why Should I Care About Coral Reefs?

Veronica Smith 9/10/2021

Pictured: The bleaching of coral due in the Great Barrier reef due to climate change. [1]

How Climate Change is Killing our Reefs and What We Can Do

Do you love visiting the beach? Enjoy grabbing sushi for dinner? Had the opportunity
to go snorkeling? Enjoy these activities while you can. Climate change will eventually
destroy our oceans and everything we love about them. 
My name is Veronica, from English 105, here to tell you how we can save our coral.
~some sort of instrumental intro~
The destruction of our oceans is the result of a larger, overlooked issue.
CO2 emitted by fossil fuels become trapped in our atmosphere, which heats up the
planet and therefore causes climate change. Our oceans cannot process the excess
CO2, which accumulates in the seawater.
According to Oceongraphy journal[2], scientists have been performing experiments on
coral reef in controlled, laboratory settings. The scientists slowly introduce the coral
to additional CO2, simulating the rising levels in the ocean. Scientists continue raising
the CO2 concentration and have observed that higher levels of CO2 inhibit the growth
of coral, which can be deadly. 
The additional CO2 changes the chemical make-up of the ocean water, making it
impossible for organisms such as coral to get the essential compounds they need to
grow. This harmful because coral relies on its rapid growth abilities to beat
competitors, such as sea grass, for space on the ocean floor. 
Additionally, the CO2 in the water dissolves the coral itself, killing the reef. This can
visibly be seen, where the colorful coral is bleached white. 
If we continue to produce drastic amounts of CO2, coral reefs won’t live to the next
century. The destruction of coral will devastate marine ecosystems, having a
catastrophic effect on our world. 
But what can we do? How can we preserve coral and combat climate change? 
There’s no easy answer. As individuals we can take small measures such as driving
less, using less water or energy, and recycling. The biggest contributors to climate
change are the corporations that rely on fossil fuels as a means of energy production. 
We can stand up to corporations by signing petitions and protesting; letting everyone
know that the earth deserves more love and compassion. Coral reefs and the animals
that thrive off them are beautiful marvels that deserve to be conserved. 
For the sake of our planet, lets come together to end climate change and save the coral
reefs.
Veronica Smith

[1]
 Coral Bleaching, Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Before (March 2016) and After (May 2016). [image].
The Ocean Agency. Ocean Image Bank. [accessed 10 September
2021] https://www.theoceanagency.org/search-result?s=bleached%20coral

 Caldeira, K. 2007. What Corals are Dying to Tell Us About CO2 and Ocean Acidification. Oceanography.
[2]

Volume 20 (2). p 188-195. https://tos-org.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/oceanography/assets/docs/20-2_caldeira.pdf