Top 3 Reasons Why the Great Barrier Reef Is Dying
The Great Barrier Reef has always been one of Australia's pride and natural wonder.
This World Heritage Site is the living home to a variety of organisms, fish, and plant species.
Tourists from around the globe dive into its surrounding waters to explore its beauty.
Several threats, however, have been weighing down on the system that could push it to its demise.
1.
Coral Bleaching Corals, being dependent on water temperatures to thrive, easily get disturbed by excessive warming.
When the climate vacillates erratically and, in particular, causes the sea temperature to rise -- the corals' algae will diminish.
This phenomenon is called "bleaching.
" Corals are resilient enough to recover from short periods of bleaching, but if the occurrence becomes more frequent and more harsh, the reef system will not have enough time to rebuild itself and will eventually die.
Along with it, the ecological balance that it supports will also break down.
2.
Overfishing Harvesting excessive amount of fishes around the Great Barrier Reef can also contribute to its death.
Fish of all sizes is still an integral part of the food chain that the corals heavily rely on to sustain its growth.
When fishing or fishing practices are left unregulated, they create that imbalance in the system and can be a menace to the reef's survival.
3.
Diminishing Water Quality Polluted and chemically treated soils from farms and adjacent lands can be carried by the flooded rivers and thrown towards the reefs.
These runoffs can spread the toxins to the sea and can aggravate the increasing acidity of the water that has already absorbed too much carbon dioxide through the years.
Disrupting the pH balance of the water can slow down the regeneration of the corals and other calcium-based organisms.
Also, shipwrecks and oil spills can exacerbate the present state of the reefs -- yet the route where the fragile corals are situated is still used by shipping companies.
The natural outbreaks of starfish species that feed on corals can do the same.
If the food chain is off due to the exhaustion of these species' predators, their presence can pose more problems for the corals.
Marine Scientists are convinced that the Great Barrier Reef is now vulnerable to these constant threats.
Time will soon come when its ability to mend itself cannot catch up with the onslaught of stress factors upon it.
Aggressive efforts to control global warming and pollution must be exerted before it reaches to a point when it cannot anymore be saved.
This World Heritage Site is the living home to a variety of organisms, fish, and plant species.
Tourists from around the globe dive into its surrounding waters to explore its beauty.
Several threats, however, have been weighing down on the system that could push it to its demise.
1.
Coral Bleaching Corals, being dependent on water temperatures to thrive, easily get disturbed by excessive warming.
When the climate vacillates erratically and, in particular, causes the sea temperature to rise -- the corals' algae will diminish.
This phenomenon is called "bleaching.
" Corals are resilient enough to recover from short periods of bleaching, but if the occurrence becomes more frequent and more harsh, the reef system will not have enough time to rebuild itself and will eventually die.
Along with it, the ecological balance that it supports will also break down.
2.
Overfishing Harvesting excessive amount of fishes around the Great Barrier Reef can also contribute to its death.
Fish of all sizes is still an integral part of the food chain that the corals heavily rely on to sustain its growth.
When fishing or fishing practices are left unregulated, they create that imbalance in the system and can be a menace to the reef's survival.
3.
Diminishing Water Quality Polluted and chemically treated soils from farms and adjacent lands can be carried by the flooded rivers and thrown towards the reefs.
These runoffs can spread the toxins to the sea and can aggravate the increasing acidity of the water that has already absorbed too much carbon dioxide through the years.
Disrupting the pH balance of the water can slow down the regeneration of the corals and other calcium-based organisms.
Also, shipwrecks and oil spills can exacerbate the present state of the reefs -- yet the route where the fragile corals are situated is still used by shipping companies.
The natural outbreaks of starfish species that feed on corals can do the same.
If the food chain is off due to the exhaustion of these species' predators, their presence can pose more problems for the corals.
Marine Scientists are convinced that the Great Barrier Reef is now vulnerable to these constant threats.
Time will soon come when its ability to mend itself cannot catch up with the onslaught of stress factors upon it.
Aggressive efforts to control global warming and pollution must be exerted before it reaches to a point when it cannot anymore be saved.
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