A study led by the University of California Davis found that installing small, hexagonal structures across coral reefs is a successful strategy for rehabilitating coral reefs. These structures called spiders have increased coral coverage in the center of Indonesia’s Coral Triangle from 10% to 60%. They also stabilize rubble and allow for water to flow through freely. This method is cost effective and can easily be applied to coral reefs around the world. These spiders also allow for coral reefs to regrow and acclimate to worsening ocean conditions. Coral bleaching also affected less than 5% of the coral in the areas with spiders.

It is very important to develop techniques to protect coral reefs. They benefit aquatic life and are important ecosystems, but they also help humans economically. This is because they are the foundations for many fisheries and also attract tourists which provides jobs. Coral reefs also provide natural coast security and a food source for many families. Developing strategies to protect them requires a lot of research, but it is important to help the environment and humans.

Peter Edmunds, from California State University Northridge, visited coral reefs near St. John after they were hit by back-to-back category 5 hurricanes. He anticipated that the reefs would be completely destroyed, but found that there were minor impacts. This is because the coral reefs had become so used to harmful environmental changes that they were resistant to the impacts of the hurricanes. This may sound positive; however, it is not necessarily good news since these reefs didn’t have major changes because they are already extremely degraded. These reefs are in such bad condition that they consist mainly of seaweed and a small amount of corals.

I think this discovery shows the importance of monitoring ecosystems and the impacts of environmental damage. Edmunds knew the minor changes wasn’t good news because he had been researching these reefs for 31 years and saw how unhealthy they were. If he just discovered these reefs and saw there was little damage, he may have thought environmental impacts on coral reefs aren’t severe. I think it is important to have funding for environmental research and to monitor impacts of major events such as hurricanes.

Scarborough Bull went to Occidental College in California to discuss decisions about oil rigs that are no longer being used. Many people have differing ideas on what to do about oil rigs that have become aquatic habitats. Some have a preservationist mindset and believe it is best to restore the sites where oil rigs are to their original conditions, while others believe it is best to turn old platforms that are no longer in use into coral reefs. The European Union is following the preservationist strategy, while old platforms in the Gulf of Mexico are being turned into reef habitats.

I think that it is better to turn these old platforms into reef habitats. It is much cheaper to turn old platforms into reef habitats then completely remove them because removing them involves completely removing them from the sea floor and then disposing of them. In order to convert an oil rig into a reef habitat, toxic materials need to be removed from the structure, which is much cheaper than completely removing them.

Over 6,000 oil rigs are currently in the oceans across the world, and it is very common for them to turn into vertical coral reefs. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have studied oil rigs that have become reefs in order to inform California voters and policymakers about what to do with oil rigs that are no longer being used. These rigs are now home to multiple species of aquatic life, and the goal of the paper written by these researchers, called Ocean and Coastal Management, is to spread awareness of what is best for these new reefs.

The petroleum that comes from these platforms has a negative effect on the environment and these platforms also have risks of creating oil spills; however, they provide unique ecosystems. They provide a three dimensional habitat for animals to live in, and the open construction allows for currents to pass through that bring nutrients. I think that since these oil rigs have both negative and positive environmental impacts, it is important that researchers like the ones at UCSB are studying them so people can make informed decisions.

Doctor Peter Edmunds from California State University led a new study that discovered 38 coral oases in the Pacific. The study is called “A framework for identifying and characterising coral reef ‘oases’ against a backdrop of degradation,” and they found three types of coral oases. Escape oases are coral reefs that have avoided disasters such as bleaching and hurricanes, resist oases are coral reefs that are likely to be able to resist environmental changes, and rebound oases are coral reefs that have suffered damage and recovered. The study also found that in some areas where there has previously been damage done to coral reefs, new and healthier reefs have been established.

I think that since coral reefs are important ecosystems and are often negatively affected by environmental changes, it is great that researchers are finding coral oases that are able to resist and rebound from dangers such as coral bleaching, predator invasions, and hurricanes. I also think that scientists may be able to study these new discoveries and see why certain coral reefs can resist coral bleaching, and use their findings to help weaker coral reefs.

McGrath, M. (2018, November 01). Coral: Palau to ban sunscreen products to protect reefs. Retrieved November 17, 2018, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46046064

Palau is the first country to ban the sale and use of sunscreen that contain a list of ten chemicals. The ban will begin in 2020 and will give a fine of $1000 to retailers who violate the ban. This law is mainly concerned with oxybenzone and octinoxate, which are used in sunscreen because they absorb ultraviolet light. This concern is fueled by research from 2015 that showed that those chemicals can stunt the growth of baby coral and are toxic to several coral species. They have also been found to cause coral to bleach at lower temperatures and reduce their resilience to climate change.

This ban of sunscreen containing those ingredients in sunscreen is very important and sets a precedent for other countries to take action to protect coral reefs. The bleaching of coral reefs is a global issue, and in order for it to be solved other countries will need to make laws such as this and also do more to protect coral reefs. This ban will also require companies to manufacture sunscreen that contains more environmentally friendly ingredients, and may lead to products containing safer ingredients as well.

Watts, J. (2018, November 11). Next generation ‘may never see the glory of coral reefs’. Retrieved November 17, 2018, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/11/next-generation-may-never-see-coral-reefs

A UN climate report recently upgraded risk assessments for coral reefs since global bleaching is now predicted to come sooner than expected. All 195 nations in the UN approved the fact that if the ocean temperature is raised, coral-dominated ecosystems will go extinct. 11 of the 29 World Heritage reefs have suffered bleaching, and UNESCO predicts that 25 will be affected by 2040. The highest risk reefs are off of Saudi Arabia, Madagascar, Hawaii, and Papua New Guinea. Other reefs have a greater chance of survival, yet they still have a low chance of survival. Those reefs are off of Egypt, Australia, Cuba, Indonesia, and the Philippines.  

Scientists are predicting harm to a very important ecosystem. In addition to global warming and ocean acidification, there are many causes to the destruction of coral reefs. Coral reefs are around the world, so many countries will need to take action to help protect them. This will include many big changes including reducing pollution, more renewable sources of fuel, decreasing sewage runoff, controlling fishing, and more. Many people may oppose to making these changes, but it is necessary to protecting coral reefs.  

Greshko, M. (2018, October 29). Inside the daring plan to map every coral reef from space. Retrieved November 17, 2018, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/10/news-allen-coral-atlas-reefs-satellites-climate-change/

One problem to protecting coral reefs is that scientists don’t know where all of the coral reefs are. To fix this, researchers have started using data from Planet Labs. Planet Labs operates the largest amount of Earth-observing satellites to locate all of the coral reefs. The satellites orbit around the Earth’s poles and act like a line scanner, capturing images of the Earth’s surface in strips. They are making the Allen Coral Atlas, which will be the first world map of coral reefs. The maps of five coral reefs were releases at the Our Ocean conference in Bali, Indonesia, and the full map is planned to be unveiled in 2020.

The Allen Coral Atlas will lead to very important discoveries. Locating all of the coral reefs will make protecting them much easier. Scientists will be able to monitor bleaching and other changes. They will now be able to see all of the changes happening to coral reefs, and in turn will be able to make a more informed solution to protect them. This atlas and other initiatives to help save coral reefs are necessary to combat their extinction.   

The fate of coral reefs at stake as key UN talks begin in Egypt: New coalition urges action to save reefs. (2018, November 13). Retrieved November 17, 2018, from https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/fate-coral-reefs-stake-key-un-talks-begin-egypt-new-coalition-urges

Representatives from over 100 countries that are parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt on November 12 to save coral reefs. Their goal was to start a two year process that includes a global plan to protect coral reefs. They are trying to combat global warming and ocean acidification, as well as other dangers to coral reefs including over-fishing, pollution, and coastal development. It would be very difficult to erase all the damage that has been done to coral reefs, but there is hope that some will be able to recover from bleaching if the ocean temperature is stabilized.

So much damage has been done to coral reefs and it is only getting worse, so it is very important that representatives from multiple countries are meeting to create a solution. The extinction of coral reefs is a global issue, and will need the support from multiple governments to be able to make a difference. This two year process needs to include a way to stabilize the ocean temperature, which requires reducing the causes of global warming. This means that many countries will need to drastically change many practices that contribute to global warming.

De Silva, P. (2018, November 17). Saving the coral reefs. Retrieved November 17, 2018, from http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/11/18/saving-coral-reefs

Scientists are warning that coral reefs are in danger and if nothing is done to save them, will be destroyed. Coral across the world are being bleached due to global heating and ocean acidification, and over 800 coral species are extinct. Coral reefs have existed for 50 million years and have even survived the shift of tectonic plates, yet according to scientists there is a 99% chance that they will all be extinct in the next 50 years. If the ocean temperature rises even 1 or 2 degrees Celcius more, the algae that coral depend on will die and leave the coral bleached and with a more brittle structure.

Coral reefs are in a lot of danger, and they will all be extinct if nothing is done to combat global warming and ocean acidification. Coral reefs are very important ecosystems as they are home to numerous aquatic species. If coral reefs are extinct those species will be in danger of extinction as well. The destruction of coral reefs would also harm humans because fisheries and coastal communities will lose vital sources of income. Something needs to be done to help coral reefs and reverse the damage that has been done.