Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change - Research Paper Example

Poor ecological system in oceans and seas has led to lack of food and other resources that enhance survival of sea animals. This is because global climate change has resulted to the destruction of coral reefs in many of the oceans across the world. In addition, according to new government report on global ecosystem, climate change has also led to acidification of ocean waters. This report points out that current adverse climate change has also endangered water species due to the bleaching of coral reefs caused by rise in water temperatures.

This is because climate change has led to the depletion of ozone layer leading to higher temperatures across the globe. Disappearance of coral reefs due to global climate change has, therefore, been regarded as one of the major environmental concerns in the 21st century. Sources of disappearance of coral reefs Global warming has higher devastating effects on coral reefs across the world. According to Science Daily that was released in 2010, large parts of coral reefs in various oceans in the world and the marine life supported by them are almost getting wiped away (Markham, 2009).

In addition, reports by international team of researchers on marine ecosystem indicates that global warming has also caused rise in water temperatures killing and bleaching some species of coral. . This layer of gases allows ultra-violet rays of the sun to pass through the earth. However, the layer prevents the same rays from escaping after they are reflected by the earth. This leads to rise in global temperatures which according to scientist, it has currently increased with 1.9 degrees. This has created a devastating long term effect of damaging coral reefs in the oceans.

Researchers have indicated that about 7.5 percent of the world’s coral cover has been destroyed by rise in temperature (Howard, 2012). Damage of coral reef has also been affected by ocean acidification that results from global warming. Acidification of ocean is caused by absorption of gases released into the atmosphere from various human activities across the world (Environmental Health Perspectives, 2012). Currently, due to increased industrial revolution, there is higher emission of gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen monoxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere.

These gases form acids when mixed with water and in some situations form acid rain. According to marine experts, oceans are absorbing about a quarter of the total amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere each year. This leads to formation of carbonic acid increasing the acidity of ocean water. High ocean acidity in turn causes bleaching of coral reefs. Adverse mass of coral reefs have currently experienced bleaching. According to 2009 aerial survey, about 60 percent of the total coral have received bleaching from ocean acidification (United States environmental protection agency, 2012).

Human effects on disappearance of coral reefs There are various human effects that facilitate disappearance of coral reefs. Air and water pollutions are some of the human effects